Comms Dealer

ScanSource Communications has developed a new tool, ScanSource Designer, in an bid to enhance the configuration services offered to its reseller partners.

The new tool builds on the services provided by the Avaya IP Office Designer tool, which was also developed by ScanSource and has been well-received by resellers for its user-friendly functionalities.

Through ScanSource Designer, resellers are able to save time creating quotes, obtain pricing faster and help their partners that may not have experience configuring solutions.

The new tool provides improved functionality, including the addition of Avaya Server Edition and the new Avaya Price Model (APM). The tool is also able to export to Avaya EC format, which helps to solve compatibility issues.

ScanSource Designer offers improved integration with Avaya offerings, including networking solutions, IP Office Support Services (IPOSS) and Radvision video.

The tool is capable of multi-site configurations and will soon be available in French, in addition to German and English. While the tool was initially designed for Avaya solutions, ScanSource is planning to add more of its industry-leading manufacturer partners.

"ScanSource Designer is a comprehensive configuration tool that helps our partners quickly and easily configure solutions for their end-user customers, even if they don't have extensive knowledge of the features and benefits of the solution," said Rudy De Meirsman, managing director, ScanSource Communications, Europe.

"We have received very positive feedback from our partners about the tool and look forward to adding additional solutions from our vendor partners."

Microsoft has snapped up Nokia's devices and services business for 3.79 billion euro, and will pay 1.65 billion euro to license Nokia's patents for a total transaction price of 5.44 billion euro in cash. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer, said: "It's a bold step into the future, a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies."

Building on the partnership with Nokia announced in February 2011 and the increasing success of Nokia's Lumia smartphones, Microsoft aims to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing.

For Nokia, this transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to earnings, strengthen its financial position, and provide a solid basis for future investment in its continuing businesses.

Ballmer added: "Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft's share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services.

"In addition to its innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.

"With ongoing share growth and the synergies across marketing, branding and advertising, we expect this acquisition to be accretive to our adjusted earnings per share starting in FY15, and we see significant long-term revenue and profit opportunities for our shareholders."

Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors and, following today's announcement, Nokia Interim CEO. "After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders. Additionally, the deal offers future opportunities for many Nokia employees as part of a company with the strategy, financial resources and determination to succeed in the mobile space.

Stephen Elop, who following the acquisition is stepping aside as Nokia President and CEO to become Nokia Executive Vice President of Devices & Services, added: "Building on our successful partnership, we can now bring together the best of Microsoft's software engineering with the best of Nokia's product engineering, design, and global sales, marketing and manufacturing."

Chris Millington, UK & Ireland MD at Doro, gave an early reaction to the news: "My first reaction is wow -the mobile industry is capable of such incredible change. While this news is not a surprise, it does mean that Microsoft will now have the platform to deliver its mobile strategy.

"For business users specifically, this really does signal a significant opportunity, especially for Nokia's smartphone offering. However, does it mean the end of Nokia's feature phone business? Will future product development and focus now shift to Microsoft-only smart devices?"

Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

Vodafone Group has agreed to sell its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion (£84bn), said to be one the largest business transactions in history. Strong speculation that a deal would be struck this afternoon prompted Vodafone's shares to rise more than 4% today.

According to reports Vodafone Chief Exec' Vittorio Colao is to return more than half of the sale price to shareholders.

Commenting earlier today on Vodafone's likely sale of its stake in Verizon, Victor Basta, MD of Magister Advisors, M&A advisors to the technology industry, said: "Vodafone looks set to successfully emerge from this strategic cocoon with a $130 billion butterfly. It is the culmination of a brilliant strategy of building up leading positions in key international markets, to the evident delight of shareholders.

"The risk for Vodafone is that outside of that cocoon the predatory competitor set has changed beyond recognition. The trend for consumers to shop, play, interact, and most importantly spend via their devices has made it imperative for mobile operators to metamorphose from operators into service providers.

"The biggest question for Vodafone today is what's next? Vodafone's DNA, and indeed where it has created most value, has been in its role as a savvy operator across markets. This creates a risk that Vodafone will become the largest 'digital drug mule' in the world, carrying other vendors' valuable content for a fraction of the upside. Vodafone must evolve, and quickly."

Adrian Barnard, Managing Director of Modern Communications, added: "Huge congratulations are due to the Vodafone board for securing £84 billion from Verizon. Vodafone can now invest in Britain, the EU and emerging markets. With this much cash to invest 4G services will develop quicker than originally anticipated and Vodafone could once again become the biggest UK provider.

"Today's deal frees up much needed cash as at a time that the company is investing billions upgrading its network to deliver next generation services."

Sennheiser has launched three new marketing campaigns for its channel resellers to use for promotion of Sennheiser headsets to businesses and call centres.

For each of the three campaign themes Sennheiser channel resellers will have access to a range of marketing collateral including co-brandable advertisements, e-shot templates, animated online banners and e-mail signatures.

The 'Inspiring Award-Winning Performances' campaign emphasises brand awareness. 'Giving you the Freedom to Perform' promotes the productivity benefits of wireless headsets and advantages of Sennheiser's premium wireless DW series. 'Unleash Your UC Potential' can be used to promote Sennheiser's products optimised for Unified Communications including the newly launch Bluetooth headset Presence and Sennheiser's premium wired Circle and Culture series with leading HD voice clarity, noise cancelling microphones and patented ActivegardTM hearing protection.

Charlotte Gaskin, Channel Marketing Manager for Sennheiser UK Telecoms, stated: "These are three areas where Sennheiser has a strong advantage in the headset market allowing our channel community to promote the USPs of the Sennheiser brand and products to their customers."

Fast-growing cloud and colocation firm UKFast has appointed Mark Walker to lead the company's move into the public sector with the introduction of cloud range, FlexPod.

Walker joins the team having worked as regional sales manager at both cloud firm ANS and IT firm Proact, bringing years of experience in storage solutions and the cloud range FlexPod.

Walker brings FlexPod to UKFast for the first time, expanding the firm's eCloud portfolio and cementing its place as the most dynamic player in the UK cloud market.

Lawrence Jones, CEO of UKFast, said: "The tremendous success of our eCloud range and our involvement in G-Cloud have meant UKFast has surpassed expectations and 2013 is set to be an incredibly good year.

"Now we've brought Mark in to add even more to our cloud portfolio - it is a really exciting time for UKFast.

"With this appointment we are able to offer the public sector the opportunity to move away from their traditional risky in-house data centres into secure, resilient and modern facilities to experience how the internet should be."

Walker said: "It's brilliant to be part of a technology firm that focuses on service as well as technology."

UKFast will be offering FlexPod - a cloud range developed by a conglomerate of three tech heavyweights, Cisco, NetApp and VMware, to optimise performance of data centre storage - alongside its current eCloud range, colocation and dedicated portfolio.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has named Peter Tebbutt as Country Sales Director for the UK & Ireland.

Tebbutt, who previously held the position of Global Strategic Business Development Director for Network Infrastructure, takes over from David Parker who is moving to manage the company's Channel Sales and Pre-Sales teams for the North American region.

In his new position Tebbutt will build upon recent major wins Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise earned in the UK for Campus Networks, whilst also working to develop the company's channels for Data Centre Switching. This focus is in line with market reports from Infonetics Research which show that Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise is one of the fastest growing player in Data Centre Switching players in EMEA.

Tebbutt will also look to strengthen the company's position in the Unified Access Market for campus networks, whilst also offering customers and partners an evolutionary Unified Communications strategy that helps businesses of all sizes fully leverage existing investments through multi-party, multi-media and multi-device conversations. Tebbutt will also drive the extension of Alcatel-Lucent's current offering into the cloud, through the company's business partner network.

Tebbutt said: "The UK&I is already one of our most important and largest markets from a data perspective, and the major key for our success is to build on our existing channel strategy.

"Unified Communications is evolving to offer users a full personalised communications experience. Our open and unique architecture in OpenTouch provides a great solution for organisations across the UK&I region to move to the forefront in exploiting these new developments as CPE solutions and/or cloud offerings.

"I am looking forward to drawing upon my previous experience across the globe, and bringing it to the UK&I market to open up more opportunities for our resellers. We are a 100% channel-based organisation and I am committed to supporting and developing our business further with our business partner community, both with medium and large enterprises as well as the SMB market segment."

Gerry De Graaf, Vice President, CNE Europe, added: "Peter has significant expertise in the data market, and has proven his ability over the last three years within the EMEA region driving the network infrastructure business.

"This is a great opportunity for him to use his recent experience combined with his understanding of the UK&I market, to build upon the success we are seeing here."

Rallying cloud telephony sales have played a major role in pushing Coms plc's H1 revenues to £2.476m, a 249% hike compared to H1 2012 (£0.708m). In its unaudited interim results for the six months to 31 July 2013 Coms plc reported that its core cloud telephony business division notched up a 161% lift in revenue to £1.846m, and 96% of total revenues are recurring.

Overall gross profits were up by 124% to £1.026m (H1 2012: £0.457m), with margins also up to 41.5% from 33.3%

An overall loss for the period of £119,000 (H1 2012: £337,000) was reported, along with a net cash balance £1.026m (H1 2012: £0.1m).

David Breith, CEO of Coms, said: "My first six months in this business have been a real challenge, but rewarding, and this has been a classic business turnaround. I have had to make tough decisions and rely upon key people. I am, however, pleased and proud to report on our tremendous progress to date and I am really looking forward to more of the same during H2."

Coms plc noted that where appropriate the results have been presented in a format excluding the discontinued VComm business in order to provide a like-for-like comparison and full transparency.

Congrats to Chess Telecom CEO David Pollock and his son Charlie for peaking Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, rising to 5,895 metres or 19,341 feet above sea level.

"At 7-03 am Charlie and I reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and watched the sun rise over Africa. It was very emotional!"

Vodafone has confirmed it is in talks to sell its 45 per cent stake in US mobile operator Verizon Wireless.

In an interview with Sky News, Adrian Barnard, Managing Director of Modern Communications, said: "These talks have happened before and there's no certainty that Vodafone will sell its stake. If Vodafone does sell its stake we have to ask whether Vodafone can really be a global player if it's no longer in North America? Vodafone has been active in Asia which is important but the US remains the biggest mobile market and Verizon is the biggest mobile operator in that market.

"Vodafone's stake in Verizon is believed to be worth at least £65 billion. Selling its stake would free up much needed cash, especially at a time that the company is investing billions upgrading its network to deliver next generation services. Vodafone launches 4G services in the UK today, along with O2."

Dr Ronald Klingebiel, Warwick Business School Assistant Professor of Strategy, commented: "The revived discussions about Vodafone selling its 45 per cent stake in Verizon Wireless indicate an increasing focus on the European market.

"Both the US and European telecommunication markets stand to face some tough competition with the increasing move towards converged triple-play offers. To weather these impending storms, Vodafone is right to sell the stake so it can concentrate on its priority markets in Europe.

"The proceeds from the sale, if not passed on in forms of dividends, could improve its debt position following the recent Cable&Wireless and Kabel Deutschland deals, and provides Vodafone some leeway to further expand its network presence in Europe. Such moves provide the capacity and level of integration necessary for competing effectively in a future pan-European market."

To see the full interview with Adrian Barnard, click here

Continuing market challenges in the second quarter of 2013 hit sales of video systems, with overall videoconferencing equipment revenue declining -10.7% year over year and -5.5% quarter over quarter.

The total market revenue of just over $532m represents the second consecutive quarterly drop and is 34.3% below the market record established in the fourth quarter of 2011, says the IDC report on Worldwide Enterprise Videoconferencing and Telepresence.

From a market segment perspective, multi-codec immersive telepresence continued its decline with a -32% year-over-year decrease. Video infrastructure equipment, including hardware MCUs, declined -20.4% year over year, and room-based video systems decreased -5% year over year. On a brighter note, desktop video systems showed positive 7.7% revenue growth year over year in 2Q13.

Regionally, Asia/Pacific (-14.1%) and Latin America (-11.3%) showed the largest year-over-year declines in 2Q13, with both EMEA and North America down -8.8% year over year. While North America (5.5%) and Asia/Pacific (1.9%) both had positive quarter-over-quarter revenue growth, EMEA and Latin America revenue declined more than 20% quarter over quarter in 2Q13.

"The macroeconomic situation, including the recession in Europe and sequestration (i.e. budget cuts) in the U.S., produced a cautionary IT spending environment that carried over into the first half of 2013 with the spending outlook for the second half of the year not much more promising," said Rich Costello, Senior Analyst, Enterprise Communications Infrastructure at IDC. "In addition, and most significantly, we are definitely starting to see the impact of lower-cost video systems and more software-based products and offerings on the enterprise video equipment market."

Cisco's 2Q13 results showed a -7.5% year-over-year decline and a -10.6% quarter-over-quarter decline in video equipment revenue. Cisco remains the leader in enterprise videoconferencing equipment with a 41% share of the worldwide market.

Polycom's revenue increased 4.2% quarter over quarter in 2Q13, but was down -14.8% year over year. Polycom ranks second in enterprise videoconferencing equipment with a 29.2% share of the worldwide market. Huawei's 7.1% quarter-over-quarter revenue increase in 2Q13 was good for a 7.6% share of the worldwide enterprise videoconferencing market.

"Despite the overall weak 2Q13 results in the worldwide enterprise videoconferencing equipment market, we are still seeing interest in videoconferencing being driven by integrations with vendors' unified communications and collaboration portfolios, and the proliferation of video among desktop and mobile users," said Petr Jirovsky, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Networking Trackers Research at IDC. "Video as a key component of collaboration continues to place high on the list of priorities for many organizations."