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UKCloud has introduced its tenth round of price reductions across its Cloud Storage and Enterprise Compute Cloud, its most popular services.
 
The company's investment in hyper-converged infrastructure has refreshed its cloud storage platform, which is designed to deliver improved performance and functionality at a reduced cost.

Customers with large-scale requirements will pay just 1.5p per GB per month, a reduction of 66%.

Customers with smaller requirements will see the price of their services fall by almost 80%, from 9p per GB per month to 2p per GB per month.
 
"Our continued growth means that we can pass on these savings to our public sector customers," said Simon Hansford, CEO of UKCloud.

"Our tenth wave of reductions coincides with cost increases from other providers, most notably US corporations."
 
Various virtual machine sizes on UKCloud's Enterprise Compute Cloud will also see price drops from 1st February 2017.

Intelisys Global has signed its 40th EMEA sales partner since launching its US two-tier distribution channel model in the UK less than six months ago.

The technology services distributor reached this milestone following deals with UTelcom, Primetel and Allumno.

"Selling cloud-based solutions is very different to selling traditional telecoms or IT systems, and firms such as UTelcom, Primetel and Allumno recognise that they need a new kind of approach to succeed," said Stephen Hackett, MD for Intelisys Global. "That's where Intelisys Global can help."

Lorent Reid of UTelcom, added: "The Intelisys Global model immediately opens up opportunities for smaller channel players like us. We're now able to bid for larger projects that previously we wouldn't have been considered for.

"With the backing of Intelisys Global, we can take advantage of its supplier partners, effectively broadening our solutions range and opening up the prospect of more secure, sustainable business.

"Since joining the Intelisys Global community, we've already looked into projects with Level 3, Masergy and RingCentral, and we look forward to building out our proposition for customers."?

Mobile data firm Tutela has launched a $1.2m recruitment drive to sign-up new mobile app developers into its partner programme.

With a focus on the UK and Western Europe, Tutela is actively signing agreements with mobile app publishers with one million-plus daily active users (DAUs).

Tutela currently works with over 100 app developers with over one billion combined users and aims to double that amount in the first quarter of 2017.

Large app publishers who enrol in the programme can typically expect to see $1 to 4m in additional revenues within the first 24 months, claims the firm.

Tutela collects and monetises mobile network quality data using a software package that mobile - and particularly mobile game companies - embed in their apps.

The software runs in the background and collects anonymous data about the coverage and quality of mobile networks, which Tutela uses to create reports and heat-maps of the world's network coverage.

Tutela sells these reports to mobile telecoms companies and shares the revenue with the app publisher.

"Mobile coverage and quality data collection is a multi-billion-dollar industry and our doors are open. We are actively looking for app publishers to partner with," said Tom Luke, VP Sales and Marketing at Tutela.

"We call this model Anonymous Data Monetisation (ADM). The data we collect doesn't affect the user or device, but it helps mobile telecoms companies quickly understand and improve networks for their users.

"They pay us for the data and we share the revenue with the mobile app publishers, so it's a win-win-win for the mobile companies, the app publishers and the users."

Virgin Media and BT have sealed a new five year Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement.

Under the new deal, EE, a BT Group company, will provide wholesale mobile network services to Virgin Media, a subsidiary of Liberty Global.

The full MVNO agreement, which covers voice and data services, replaces an existing MVNO wholesale agreement between the two companies and extends its exclusivity to 2021.

Peter Kelly, MD of Virgin Mobile, said: "This will give Virgin Mobile more control and firepower to deliver services to the UK mobile market."

Gerry McQuade, CEO of Wholesale and Ventures, BT, added: "This has proven a successful relationship for both parties for many years and, as we enter a period of further technological change in the mobile market, we are very pleased to renew and extend our 17 year old relationship.

"BT values the economy of scale that Virgin Media brings to our network."

Virgin Mobile was established in 1999 and is said to be the world's first virtual mobile operator. It boasts three million UK subscribers.

In November 2016 Virgin Mobile launched fast 4G in the UK.

Wholesale and Ventures is a BT business that provides network products and services to more than 1,400 communication providers operating in the UK.

Cisco partner Ideal has appointed former Trustmarque cloud and managed services chief Mike Henson (pictured) as MD, taking over from co-founder Claire Hopkins who becomes Founding Director and will focus more on supporting the executive management team.

Henson has also held senior roles at Maxima, Xchanging and Morse.

Hopkins, who set up Ideal in 2009 with Mo Merrick, commented: "Mike is taking responsibility for leading Ideal through the next phase of its growth, building on last year's move to larger offices and our continued investment in our team and portfolio.

"We have always been about delivering on our promises, and bringing Mike on board means that we can continue to do this as we grow the business.

"He has great experience in putting the customer first and creating propositions that leverage technology to deliver tangible business outcomes."

Henson added: "I'm hugely excited about the company's potential for further growth."

The deal registration schemes of multiple vendors can now be accessed by Tech Data resellers via a new streamlined Bid Portal.

Cathi Low, Director of SMB at Tech Data, said: "The idea is to remove all of the complexity and make it as easy as possible to apply for special bid pricing.

"Every vendor handles bids in their own way, making it confusing and time-consuming for resellers. The Bid Portal irons out the differences and provides customers with a single form to complete for all vendors covered."

Initially, around 15 of Tech Data's vendor partners will be covered by the portal, including HP and Dell. More will be added at a later date.

A reseller event hosted by Nimans, Microsoft and Yealink at the Belfry golf and leisure resort aimed to raise awareness of Skype for Business and its projected 250% growth trajectory this year.

Keynote speaker Ian Woolner, Microsoft's Skype for Business Development Professional, was joined by Ian Brindle, Head of Conferencing and Telephony Sales at Nimans, and Yealink General Manager Steve Watts.

"Globally, 75 million people work from home, there are 600 million mobile workers along with one billion office cube spaces," explained Brindle.

"Full collaboration of voice, video and content sharing is the way forward with Skype for Business revolutionising the way many people work."

Pictured: Ian Brindle and Steve Watts

Pennine stalwart Geoff King (pictured left), Product and Services Director, has retired following the sale of the business to the Nycomm Group.

He joined Pennine in 1984 as a technician and after a series of promotions became a board member in 2004.

Following King's departure Pennine named Stephen Duffy as its new Group Head of Technical Services, reporting to former Pennine MD Andrew Roberts who now sits on the Nycomm board.

Duffy (pictured left) is a Fellow of the Institute of Science and Technology and brings over 26 years experience working in IT and technical services.

He joins Bury-based Pennine from the Higher Education sector, moving from the Manchester Metropolitan University where he was Head of Technical Services responsible for 200 staff across 35 technical teams.

Duffy's previous experience also includes a stint at the University of Manchester where he was responsible for the School of Electrical Engineering and Electronics' £200m estate, including the development of its specialist teaching and research facilities.

"Through the knowledge and experience I bring, I aim to make a significant contribution to the continued success of a fast growing business," said Duffy.

Zen Internet has been awarded Public Service Network (PSN) accreditation for its IP VPN product, allowing the independent connectivity provider to offer services to the public sector, including local authorities and NHS hospitals.
 
PSN accreditation recognises that Zen's infrastructure and protocols are sufficiently robust and secure to safely carry sensitive public sector data.

To demonstrate this, Zen had to achieve CESG Assured Service (Telecoms) certification - known as CAS(T) - and undergo an IT health check. 
 
Jon Bauer, Zen's Technical Director, said: "PSN accreditation will give us the opportunity to support a whole new sector. 

"But what is equally important is that it shows all our partners how seriously we take the security of their customers' information and data. Our network, and the management that supports it, have achieved the high standards expected of a public sector supplier."
 
PSN accreditation comes on the back of a major investment in Zen's core network and an expansion of the company's on-net presence to over 500,000 postcodes, covering nearly every corner of the UK.

iHub and Panasonic Business have launched a joint hosted telephony offer including Panasonic SIP handsets with iHub's BroadSoft based hosted voice platform.

Steve Day, CEO at iHub, said: "We have seen the requirement for bundled minutes decline as fast as the costs of minutes.

"This proposition is provided on iHub's latest BroadSoft voice platform that is fully virtualised and geo resilient."

Panasonic Group Sales Manager for the UK Bob Mercer added: "The way telephony is bought is changing, with strong choices in traditional bundles or hosted solutions. Panasonic has developed a SIP telephony range to meet the needs of this market and we believe that this collaboration helps do just that."