Video over IP

Artificial Intelligence

Zendesk introduces major new AI capabilities in their Resolution Platform to empower customer service, employee service and contact centre teams

October 8, 2025 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zendesk introduces major new AI capabilities in their Resolution Platform to empower customer service, employee service and contact centre teams
The enhancements to services which had been around previously, in addition to others which were just acquired or developed in-house, strengthen the Resolution Platform with stronger AI agents, better employee Service, and Contact Center as-a-Service with smarter automation, better collaboration, and deeper insights.

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Communications

AONMeetings reaches out to smaller businesses with affordable video conferencing platform

September 13, 2025 Mark Cox Comments Off on AONMeetings reaches out to smaller businesses with affordable video conferencing platform
Small businesses using professional communication tools see 34% higher client retention rates and 28% increased project values compared to those relying on consumer platforms. Industry data also reveals that small businesses spend 23% more time on administrative tasks when using complex enterprise software, time that could be invested in growth and client service.

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Distribution

D&H Canada restructuring of ProAV business posts strong returns

March 21, 2024 Mark Cox Comments Off on D&H Canada restructuring of ProAV business posts strong returns
D&H reworked its ProAV practice three years ago, investing significantly in it, and changing tactics around vendor and Go-to-Market strategies, with the result being that it has shifted from a minor area to a highly profitable one.

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Distribution

D&H Canada signs on innovative video collaboration vendor Neat

May 6, 2022 Mark Cox Comments Off on D&H Canada signs on innovative video collaboration vendor Neat
Norwegian-based Neat, available exclusively through D&H in North America, has some interesting capabilities that stand out, and also has relatively fewer partners here, meaning that partners can make larger margins.

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Hyper-converged

HCI vendor StorMagic moves into video and data management with SoleraTec acquisition

March 30, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on HCI vendor StorMagic moves into video and data management with SoleraTec acquisition
StorMagic’s move into the video market follows up their entry into encryption key management a year ago, also through an acquisition, and continues their strategy of dramatically increasing their TAM.

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Channel Programs

Zoom enhances benefits in Master Agent Referral Partner Program

March 22, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zoom enhances benefits in Master Agent Referral Partner Program
Zoom also increases the number of Master Agents in the program, and will also be evolving the Zoom Phone program so that partners in geos with different regulatory systems will be able to sell Zoom Phones on their own paper.

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Channel Programs

Brightcove adds MSP tier, better aligns resources in partner program reorganization

July 17, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Brightcove adds MSP tier, better aligns resources in partner program reorganization
Brightcove sees the enterprise market as prime for the introduction of legitimate enterprise grade video solutions, and needs an effective channel to more fully penetrate that market.

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Unified Communications

Zoom unveils true Hardware as a Service offering for Zoom Rooms

July 7, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zoom unveils true Hardware as a Service offering for Zoom Rooms
The channel angle with this offering is really aimed at the Master Agent channel, as it is targeted at smaller customers.

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Hyper-converged

Pivot3 combines Lenovo ThinkSystem SR655 server with AMD Rome chips in powerful new video solution

May 19, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Pivot3 combines Lenovo ThinkSystem SR655 server with AMD Rome chips in powerful new video solution
While the 2nd generation AMD EPYC processors contribute new efficiencies, the big breakthrough here is the new Lenovo servers delivering dual socket performance with a single socket, as well as density and versatility enhancements.

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Cloud

Cloud video provider Brightcove looks to expand channel with new Continuum suite

April 16, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Cloud video provider Brightcove looks to expand channel with new Continuum suite
Continuum is a versatile packaging of several Brightcove video products, designed to offer a variety of high-end video tools to enterprises, particularly as they face the need to connect a workforce that is now highly decentralized because of the pandemic.

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Channel Programs

Zoom launches Master Agent channel with related Referral Partner Program

March 9, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zoom launches Master Agent channel with related Referral Partner Program
The new channel and program are focused on taking Zoom’s video-first UC platform to market, which they believe will fit partner business models better through a referral system rather than doing deals on the partner’s paper.

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Unified Communications

Synacor sees Qumu merger as expanding channel opportunities for video in midmarket

February 14, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Synacor sees Qumu merger as expanding channel opportunities for video in midmarket
Synacor has a large channel, for whom the addition of Qumu’s enterprise-grade video will significantly deepen their collaboration offerings.

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Cloud

Lifesize converts Dash huddle room licensing to freemium model

November 15, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on Lifesize converts Dash huddle room licensing to freemium model
The changes will impact how channel partners monetize Dash, both by selling extra add-on features, and using it as a pre-sales tool to easily introduce customers to the technology on a small scale.

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Unified Communications

Poly looks to redesign huddle rooms with Studio X all-in-one video bars for Zoom Rooms

October 15, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on Poly looks to redesign huddle rooms with Studio X all-in-one video bars for Zoom Rooms
These new devices, which support Zoom natively and will support more third-party apps in the future, offer users greater simplicity, and offer channel partners 3x the margins compared to selling a solution around a PC.

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Cloud

Pexip reaches out to Microsoft customers with new free CVI promotion

July 15, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on Pexip reaches out to Microsoft customers with new free CVI promotion
The offer to new customers for both Microsoft Teams and Surface Hub 2 is also intended to get some Pexip channel partners from the AV side of the house to work more closely with Microsoft.

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Unified Communications

Plantronics, HP launch new collaboration on native Microsoft Teams video conference solution

December 20, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Plantronics, HP launch new collaboration on native Microsoft Teams video conference solution
Plantronics sees the HP Elite Slice G2 Audio-Ready as providing formidable conference room advantages, including the elimination of cable clutter from tables, and is transitioning from the Polycom MSR series to these Polycom + HP SRS Bundles for Microsoft room systems.

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Unified Communications

Avaya unveils channel-only video conferencing and collaboration service

September 25, 2017 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya unveils channel-only video conferencing and collaboration service
Avaya Equinox Meetings Online is a rebranded and significantly upgraded updating of Avaya Live Video. It is a service which integrates well with on-prem video, and is aimed at the premium part of the market where video quality matters.

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Internet of Things

Hitachi deepens IoT play with new Hitachi Video Analytics

February 10, 2017 Mark Cox Comments Off on Hitachi deepens IoT play with new Hitachi Video Analytics
Hitachi adds a Video Analytics solution to its Internet of Things portfolio, which also includes the Hitachi Video Management Platform and the Hitachi Visualization Suite.

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Unified Communications

Microsoft relationship now key for independent Polycom

July 12, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Microsoft relationship now key for independent Polycom
With the Mitel deal now off, Polycom needs to build its own bridge into a cloud future. Nick Tidd, who runs their Global Partner Organization, outlines the company’s plans to do just that, with one key objective being to get their own channel to sell Polycom and Microsoft together.

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Scott Delaney, vice president of business development for Avnet Services
Distribution

Avnet Services Adds Polycom Maintenance Support

September 18, 2013 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Avnet Services Adds Polycom Maintenance Support
The distributor’s Avnet Services division will provide a first point of technical support around Polycom’s videoconferencing family.

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