Comms Dealer

Distributor Avnet has reported a 1.8% rise in Q2 revenue from the previous fiscal year, with strong sales in Europe.

Avnet Technology Solutions, the IT arm, reported revenue of $3.1bn, at the high end of expectations due to better than seasonal growth in the EMEA. This figure was a fall of 4.6% year-over-year driven by 13.4% decline in Asia, it says.

Kevin Moriarty, CFO, said: "TS saw better than expected growth in our EMEA and Americas region which led to above-seasonal growth as revenue grew 29.4% sequentially in constant currency.

"Our EMEA region grew 34.5% sequentially in constant currency while Americas and Asia regions grew 29.2% and 13.7% respectively. Revenue of $3.12 billion declined 4.6% year-over-year and was down 2% in constant currency driven by 13.4% decline in our Asian region related primarily to our continuing components business."

The decline in the Americas gross profit margin was partially offset by increases in EMEA and Asia. 30% of revenue and an even higher percent of operating income is derived in the EMEA region.

Rick Hamada, CEO, added: "At a product level, networking of security, services and storage were all up year-over-year while our sequential growth was led by software services and storage."

Converged solutions continue to be a hot area, he says, as a key building block of today's data centre.

BroadSoft has surpassed 10 million hosted UC lines deployed, a milestone that demonstrates strong and growing demand for BroadSoft's UC-One application by businesses of all sizes and across North America, Europe, Asia, and other global markets.

A broad range of service providers, including fixed, mobile, and Over the Top (OTT) players, have deployed UC-One, which allows voice, video, business directories, call logs, instant messaging and presence to be available on a single interface, regardless of the user's preferred mobile device, type of connectivity, or type of communication service connectivity (hosted or premise-based PBX).

BroadSoft customers have the option to deploy unified communications services via the BroadWorks platform or via BroadCloud, a managed service that significantly shortens the time it takes service providers to enter this fast growing market.

According to an August 2014 Infonetics Report, the global hosted PBX and UC services market is expected to grow from $8.5bn in 2014 to $12.3bn by 2018.

North America is the largest market for hosted VoIP and UC services, commanding 49% of all seats in the first half of 2014, compared to 24% in Asia Pacific, 22% in EMEA, and 5% in Central America/Latin America.

"The fact that BroadSoft's biggest customers have deployed over 500,000 hosted UC seats reinforces our market analysis that businesses are actively seeking out hosted UC solutions, and that adoption is occurring across all market segments - from SMBs to large enterprises," said Diane Myers, principal analyst, Infonetics Research.

Michael Tessler, president and chief executive officer, BroadSoft, added: "Ten million hosted UC lines deployed is more than a number, it's a statement that BroadSoft is redefining the future of work by inspiring workers to create, collaborate and perform in ways never before imagined.

"As BroadSoft continues to focus on developing and delivering innovative technologies that smash through traditional work silos to accelerate workforce collaboration and productivity, we can accelerate the enterprise shift from premise-based to hosted UC - and all of the benefits that come along with leveraging the cloud."

Britain's second largest mobile provider O2 could be sold to the owner of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa according to a BBC report.

Li Ka-shing, who owns the Three mobile network, is said to be in talks to buy O2 from Spain's Telefonica for £10.25bn. The move could create the UK's biggest mobile group.

Hutchison shares rose 4% on the announcement.

Allied Telesis has bolstered its converged wired and wireless solutions portfolio with the formation of Allied Telesis Wireless.

The new entity incorporates the former Extricom team and the assets acquired (intellectual property, technologies, product portfolio and its customer base).

The Extricom product portfolio has been deployed for over a decade in challenging environments such as large public venues, warehouse/logistics/industrial manufacturing facilities, schools, and hospitals throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Seiichiro Sato, Allied Telesis director of global product marketing, said: "The formation of Allied Telesis Wireless and the launch of the Extricom product line will allow Allied Telesis to offer a complete portfolio of wireless and wired LAN solutions to our customers."

Manchester-based Invosys (formerly ICS) has completed a staff recruitment drive that builds a solid platform for future expansion.

Following its rebrand from ICS last April the company sharpened its focus on innovating communications software to expand the product suite and level of technical expertise. The move created a number of key roles that Invosys has now fulfilled.

The product development team sees the arrival of Amina Marfoua, from Alternative Networks, who has been appointed in the newly created position of Head of Products, bringing over six years experience in designing and rolling out telecoms solutions.

Additions to the team include Tanya Schultz from Global Capacity as Tester and Graphics Designer, and Jim O'Brien as Graphics Designer, along with Hernan Carreras and Montserrat Areal as Java Developers (key roles which focus on innovation and product functionality).

They are joined by Zeeshan Hussain as iOS developer, who will have a focus on communication related apps.

Invosys has also increased its client services offering with three new appointments. Ed Cheung, also formerly of Alternative Networks, joins as Project Manager. He brings experience in managing a wide range of products including inbound/outbound and mobile, LAN/WAN solutions, Mitel and Avaya system installations.

Cheung is supported by Stephanie Warwick from Redrow Homes in a customer service role along with Andrew Lindley, who joins the order desk.

Amina Marfoua said: "2014 has been a critical year in the evolution of ICS to Invosys. We are thrilled with our new additions to the team who bring a wealth of expertise, which will help us achieve our vision to become the global innovators in the communication software industry, at the forefront of product development."

Radio comms specialist Icom UK welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to its stand at the 61st Annual London Boatshow.

Bob Stockley, MD, said: "We are proud and honoured that HRH The Princess Royal took time to visit us and was interested in our new models, particularly our new Wi-Fi digital radios.

"As a company we have been attending the Boatshow for over 20 years. To have Her Royal Highness visit our stand at the end of our 40th anniversary year in business was absolutely fantastic."

During the show Icom showcased its range of marine radio and navigational equipment.

The company launched two new fixed marine VHF radios to the boating media including new models called the IC-M323 and IC-M423 which feature integrated GPS receivers.

Distributor Nimans has unwrapped its 2015 trade catalogue and according to Group Sales & Business Development Director Richard Carter the launch banner could read 'there's more to Nimans than you think'.

"The world of communications continues to evolve and we remain at the vanguard of all the industry's latest developments," he said.

"From our own hosted voice service to the latest Wireless LAN technologies, low-cost video conferencing and an expanding networking and infrastructure portfolio - including cost-effective own brand cabling, there's a lot more to Nimans than you may realise."

The 472-page Voice & Data Book features 10 colour-coded technology sections and over 7,000 products.

Unemployment has fallen to 1.9 million in the UK and according to Clive Jefferys, MD of recruiter JMA Network, this downward trend could prompt ambitious companies with a growth agenda to reconsider their staffing policies.

"You could not wish for a stronger indicator of how the economy is picking up," he said. "Unemployment is not just scraping below two million, it's now 100,000 lower and still falling."

The Office of National Statistics has revealed that Britain has its biggest ever employed workforce at 30.8 million and wage rises are outstripping CPI inflation.

"For the first time in years, most people will find the cost of living getting a little easier, not by much, but it's a start," added Jefferys.

"The biggest worry for business now is how to support growth plans. Those having trouble securing staff will need to reevaluate their recruitment model."

Jola has joined the growing posse of comms providers accredited to the Government's Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme which has been extended to March 2016.

The business communications supplier is helping partners win connectivity and hosted telephony deals while claiming up to £3,000 to fund the implementation.

"With so many organisations moving to hosted voice and the cloud there has never been a better time to persuade customers to upgrade their connection to the Internet," said MD Andrew Dickinson.

"As long as the end user is in a qualifying area and meets the basic eligibility criteria for the scheme I am confident we can apply for a voucher regardless of the contract term or published set-up fee.

"Although the end customer has to physically apply for the voucher, we do all the work for them and their dealer.

"Approval times vary but none are onerous and the incentive of taking £3,000 off the total cost of a service should be incentive enough to go through the process and upgrade from broadband."

York City Football Club has called in a North East based business telecommunications specialist to overhaul its telephony system. 

Gateshead's Eclipse Networks has just completed the installation of a new hosted telephony system at the League Two club's current ground. 

York City, who have been at their Bootham Crescent ground since 1932, called in Eclipse Networks to assist with a much needed updating of its ageing, traditional telephone system. 

The club didn't want to invest in a long-term solution as the go-ahead has just been given for an 8,000-capacity community stadium in the town's Monks Cross development which the club will move to.

James Drake, MD at Eclipse Networks, said: "York City presented us with a unique challenge. Most clients are looking for long-term solutions. Understandably, we didn't want to offer them a lifetime fix as in eighteen months time they will be in their new stadium with other tenants and the requirements could be quite different.

"We worked closely with the office-based team at York City to understand their frustrations with the old telephony system and have provided them with our hosted Horizon system.

"It comes within their existing communications budget, and allows them the chance to communicate better with each other and their fans. It also gives them to flexibility to transfer the same system to the new stadium when they relocate."

General manager at York City FC, John McGhee, said: "The new system offers us far more efficiency than expected, and unearthed considerable cost saving opportunities too that meant the whole project was cost neutral." 

Pictured: James Drake, MD at Eclipse Networks; John McGhee, general manager at York City FC; and Dean Lamb, hosted telephony specialist at Eclipse Networks.