Unified Communications

Cloud

Avaya adds Oceana to customer engagement portfolio

June 7, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya adds Oceana to customer engagement portfolio
Built on top of the Avaya Breeze engagement platform, Oceana is designed to deliver on industry promises of next-gen customer engagement, and while it is much more of an enterprise play than mid-market, should be a useful tool for partners who play in the enterprise space.

Distribution

Westcon-Comstor sees major Canada opportunity with new Oakville logistics centre

April 29, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Westcon-Comstor sees major Canada opportunity with new Oakville logistics centre
The move of the distributor’s facilities from Montreal to a facility of double the size in the Greater Toronto Area will enable more Canadian integration work, better SLAs for more customers, and improved co-ordination with the U.S. distribution facility in Indianapolis.

Distribution

Gentek broadens solutions portfolio with new 3CX, Patton, VTech partnerships

March 17, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Gentek broadens solutions portfolio with new 3CX, Patton, VTech partnerships
Toronto-based distributor Gentek has announced three new vendor relationships. They now carry 3CX phone systems, Patton SmartNode gateways, and VTech’s SIP-based commercial phone offerings.

Cloud

Avaya creates new company, Zang, with cloud communication and app-as-a-service platform

March 10, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya creates new company, Zang, with cloud communication and app-as-a-service platform
Mo Nezarati, the founder and CEO of Richmond Hill ON-based Esna, which Avaya acquired last year, has been named the GM of Zang, which was created as a separate company because its business model is radically different from Avaya’s. There will be channel opportunities though, and Zang is developing a channel program.

Channel Programs

Avaya fleshes in details of channel program changes

March 1, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya fleshes in details of channel program changes
Avaya’s program changes give more partners ways to make more money, but also step up the requirement to have happy, satisfied customers.

Cloud

ShoreTel Connect HYBRID Sites offer single user experience for cloud and on-prem

February 24, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on ShoreTel Connect HYBRID Sites offer single user experience for cloud and on-prem
The new HYBRID Sites complete the integration of ShoreTel’s cloud and on-prem solutions which began with the new ShoreTel Connect branding last year. They improve partners’ selling ability with the single solution, and its suitability for larger deployments.

Cloud

Avaya enhances two midmarket hybrid cloud solutions, and broadens availability

February 9, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya enhances two midmarket hybrid cloud solutions, and broadens availability
Both Powered by Avaya IP Office and OnAvaya – Google Cloud Platform have already been available to customers through the channel. Now however, their availability has been opened up to more partners, and both solutions have also been enhanced from their initial versions.

Networking

Walter Andri leaving Avaya Canada; no permanent replacement named

February 4, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Walter Andri leaving Avaya Canada; no permanent replacement named
ChannelBuzz has learned that Walter Andri, who has been President and Managing Director at Avaya Canada, is leaving the company. Andri, who had been senior vice president of sales at Primus Telecommunications Canada, joined Avaya
Channel Programs

Avaya Networking Partner of the Year Combat grades vendor’s message at partner forum

February 3, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya Networking Partner of the Year Combat grades vendor’s message at partner forum
Ottawa’s Combat Networks won the Networking Partner of the Year award from Avaya. The solution provider, which has a deep Avaya practice, also listened closely to the details about Avaya’s strategy and approach going forward.

Cloud

New products and plan in place: Avaya now needs to execute

February 3, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on New products and plan in place: Avaya now needs to execute
After a long restructuring, Avaya now has its two core next-gen offerings available, and has a systematic and well thought out plan to take them to market, leveraging both its channel and internal resources better than in the past. They still have to execute on these better than in the past however.