Comms Dealer

French vendor of real-time streaming analytics software Intersec is to open a new office in the UK led by newly hired Matthew Hemming, VP Sales EMEA, who will run the London office.

Hemming is responsible for all the sales operations and teams for Northern Europe and Middle East as well as consolidating and strengthening the company's positions with existing and new customers.

He brings much experience in senior sales executive roles. He worked for 12 years at Landmark Graphics where he was Business Unit Vice President and also served as VP Sales Europe and Client Partner at Trilogy.

Hemming also worked for nine years at Motive, later acquired by Alcatel Lucent, where he held the role of Managing Director Northern Europe and as a VP Sales and Business Development at Axiros.

"Matthew has an impressive track record in sales and new business development," said Ingolf Ruh, Chief Revenue Officer. "We are sure he will bring a wealth of experience and selling skills to our teams."

Logistics and parcel distribution company DX has awarded customer contact technology specialist Sabio a contract to deploy a hosted communications platform. 
?The deal is part of DX's ongoing OneDX strategy to bring the logistics company's operations together onto a single operating platform.

Switching to a hosted Sabio OnDemand powered by Avaya solution will enable DX to retire over 80 separate telephony systems located at operational service centres and offices around the UK.

It will also help the company realise telephony technology and call savings of over £500k a year.
?Sabio founding Director Ken Hitchen said: "With DX we've clearly demonstrated how our hosted solution can deliver the kind of rich multi-channel contact centre functionality that major organisations such as DX increasingly demand."

According to research firm Gartner global shipments of personal computers fell 9.6% to 64.8 million units during Q1, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of declines and the first time since 2007 that shipments dropped below 65 million units (IDC reported similar results worldwide).

In the US, PC shipments totalled 13.1 million units, representing a 6.6% decline from a year earlier and the lowest volume in three years.

The sector has faced headwinds in recent quarters which include an economic slowdown in China, the strong dollar and the growing popularity of smartphones.

VIA has deployed a cloud-based comms platform for the Association of British Insurers (ABI), easing the firm's transition to its new London HQ.

The ABI recently embarked on a high profile office move from Gresham Street to One America Square.

At its previous address the ABI deployed a traditional PBX telephony network as well as separately using the CRM solution Microsoft Dynamics and Office 365.

After deciding to relocate to One America Square, the organisation took the decision to replace its outdated communications system with a cloud-based solution that could seamlessly integrate with both Microsoft applications.
 
Following a successful pilot, the ABI chose to deploy VIA Voice while still based at its previous headquarters in Gresham Street.

As the communications platform operates over the Internet, the solution could then be accessed immediately upon arrival at One America Square, ensuring a seamless switchover.
 
VIA Voice enabled the ABI to benefit from a joined-up approach across its communications, office and CRM platforms.
   
Alex Tebbs, Director, VIA, said: "VIA Voice has revitalised how the ABI's team of employees communicate both internally and externally.

"Our cloud-based solution also incorporates a call recording feature to ensure the ABI complies with necessary regulations.
 
"We have also provided the ABI with a direct and exclusive network connection from our data centres to their offices.

"By using VIAConnect, the organisation can share and send calls and data whilst ensuring unrivalled levels of security and resiliency."
 

Nimans has thrown its weight behind Unify's OpenScape Enterprise Express solution that eases growing businesses towards enterprise-level communications without the costs and complexity of deploying and maintaining individual VoIP, HD video and UC applications, according to Marcus Yates, Nimans' Solutions Business Manager for Unify.

"Designed for growing businesses from 200 users Unify's new package is an all-in-one platform that retains the architectural muscle and capabilities of its OpenScape Enterprise portfolio," he stated.

"Voice, mobility, UC and contact centre applications are pre-integrated with user and device management as part of a virtualised software package on a single server. Fewer technical accreditations are needed, making it easier to deploy and embrace.

"There's no need to install and manage a complicated application stack. Unify has done all the hard work by pre-integrating and packaging enterprise functionality."

Nimans is hosting Unify OpenScape Business sales training on April 20th.

Provista UK has gained Cisco Gold Partner status, making it the only independent firm with a HQ in Scotland to be awarded the certification.

The Cisco Gold partner status, the highest possible partner level from Cisco, is achieved by only 2% of UK firms.

Co-founder and Operations Director Barry Oliver said: "Our Cisco journey has been amazing, we have learned so much over the years with the support of our Cisco colleagues.

"Joining an elite set of Cisco Gold partners in our tenth year is testament to the efforts of all our staff and the support of our loyal customers."

Sales Director Stuart Little added: "To be the only Cisco Gold Partner with a HQ in Scotland is an astounding achievement for Provista UK.

"From the date we signed up as a Registered Cisco Partner, we have grown organically year-on-year and moved through all partner levels and to larger offices.

"That has only been possible thanks to our constant investment in staff and growth, while never losing sight of the need to maintain the very highest levels of customer service."

Last year Provista UK was named Cisco's Partner of the Year in Scotland for 2015.

Nimans has introduced Converge Connect, a SIP-based solution that brings together lines, calls and Internet connectivity for one fixed monthly price.

The solution offers two options: Converge Connect 5 is broadband-based and features five SIP trunks, 5,000 minutes of inclusive calls and free installation costs.

Converge Connect 30 is a Fibre To The Cabinet proposition with 30 SIP trunks as well as identical call and installation benefits. Both are backed by seven hour Service Level Agreements and 24/7 support.

"To some extent you could say we hit a tipping point with SIP last year," said Mark Curtis-Wood, Nimans' Head of Network Services. "Depending on which stats you are reading we have already seen a third of the ISDN market shift to SIP. This momentum will only grow. For the first time new SIP sales have overtaken ISDN."

Bury-based Pennine Telecom has marked its 40th anniversary with a shift into hosted telephony.

The company was founded on 1st May 1976 as a two-way radio servicing business before diversifying initially in the 1980s into the newly liberalised telecoms sector and then into data and wireless networking.

The £8m turnover business now offers voice, data, networks, radio and mobile expertise to private and public sector organisations nationwide.

Pennine's MD Andrew Roberts said: "The time is now coming for hosted telephony and we'll be launching our own offering in what is a milestone year for the business.

"The key lesson learned over the past 40 years is that you have to keep moving, to keep identifying the technologies which will help us all communicate and work more effectively.

"Hosted is clearly among those but The Internet of Things will be truly transformative, presenting both challenges and opportunities to companies like Pennine."

Next Generation Data (NGD) has upgraded the network capacity at its tier three carrier-neutral data centre in the Cardiff Capital Region.

NGD will leverage global telecommunications provider Level 3 Communications' enhanced network services to enable customers to connect to leading cloud platforms and achieve greater efficiencies.

The new connection will provide diverse routing services including an initial six dedicated (10Gbps) links from NGD's mega data facility to Telehouse, a key telecommunications exchange hub in London Docklands, to which many of NGD's regional and global customers require connectivity.

BT is on the hunt to recruit 900 people to work in its security business in the next 12 months.

The company already employs over 2,500 security professionals and has security operations centres all around the world, with annual revenues growing at a double-digit rate.

It addresses the entire range of consumer, business and governmental security needs - from antivirus and parental controls that protect families in their home, through to complex managed security solutions used by multinational companies, banks and national governments.

To meet the growing global demand for cybersecurity services and address the skills shortage in the sector, BT expects to take-on and train 170 graduates and apprentices as part of its 900 recruitment intake in the next 12 months.

People will work in a range of cybersecurity and related support services roles.

Graduates and apprentices will undergo training in BT's Security Academy in a range of areas including physical security, penetration testing, threat intelligence, risk management, security operations and sales.

As well as hiring from leading universities, BT takes part in a number of hackathon-style 'war-game' competitions, such as Cyber Security Challenge UK and the international Cambridge 2 Cambridge cyber security challenge, to identify the best talent.

Contestants take part in simulations of cyber-attacks pitting their skills against other participants, to see who has the strongest cybersecurity skills.

While the majority of the roles will be in the United Kingdom, with many located at BT's security operations centres in London, Sevenoaks and Cardiff, BT is also looking to hire security specialists across Continental Europe, the Americas, the Middle-East and Asia-Pacific.

"A number of high profile security and data breaches have dominated the headlines in recent months, and this has led to a surge in interest from both consumers and IT departments wanting to know how best they can protect themselves in the digital world," said Mark Hughes, President of BT Security.

"BT plans to remain at the forefront, innovating in cybersecurity, by hiring some of the best talent while training up the next generation of experts at our BT Security Academy."