Unified Communications

Unified Communications

Plantronics rounds out noise cancelling office portfolio with first wireless stereo UC headset

June 8, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Plantronics rounds out noise cancelling office portfolio with first wireless stereo UC headset
The Voyager Focus UC becomes the top of the line model in Plantronics’ noise cancelling office products line. It also features Dynamic Mute Alert feature, which senses and alerts users when they are trying to talk when muted.

Cloud

Avaya buys Richmond Hill’s Esna to easily integrate multi-vendor communications into cloud apps

May 29, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya buys Richmond Hill’s Esna to easily integrate multi-vendor communications into cloud apps
Esna will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avaya, with Avaya ‘planning to adopt’ Esna’s over 200 active channel partners. Avaya also said the deal will provide existing Avaya partners with significant new opportunities.

Data Centre

Why heresy is good business strategy: Dell’s Armughan Ahmad

April 10, 2015 Mark Cox 1
Digital disruption is intensifying IT democratization, and Dell is responding with a datacentre strategy which some competitors likely consider heresy, but which Dell believes is the wave of the future.

Distribution

ScanSource, Mitel launch new North American distribution agreement

April 1, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on ScanSource, Mitel launch new North American distribution agreement
In the U.S., ScanSource will carry Mitel’s entire product line, but in Canada, where the core Mitel products do not go through distribution at all, ScanSource will be limited to the Aastra product line.

Channel Programs

ADTRAN greatly simplifies channel program with new pricing policies

March 12, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on ADTRAN greatly simplifies channel program with new pricing policies
ADTRAN has dumped product discount rules intended to ensure quality by limiting discounts to partners specializing in the area, while at the same time expanding training with free self-serve modules, and eliminating the deal registration revenue threshold.

Cloud

Mitel’s MiCloud 2.0 cloud communications solution strengthens partner capabilities

February 12, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Mitel’s MiCloud 2.0 cloud communications solution strengthens partner capabilities
The new version of Mitel’s cloud communication enhances partner capabilities to offer customers new functionality, while helping the partners deploy and provision their resources more effectively.

Mobility

Plantronics enhances office products portfolio with four new devices

February 5, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Plantronics enhances office products portfolio with four new devices
A key theme with these releases is the adapation of superior noise cancelling technology, which was originally deployed in the consumer space, for enterprise products.

Pierre-Paul Allard, senior vice president of worldwide sales at Avaya
Cloud

Embrace cloud or perish: Avaya sales chief

January 27, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Embrace cloud or perish: Avaya sales chief
Avaya sales boss Pierre-Paul Allard tells the company’s partners they have to ramp up their cloud game or they risk losing relevancy with their customers.

Cloud

PanTerra Networks adds Business Analytics to unified communications offering

December 17, 2014 Mark Cox Comments Off on PanTerra Networks adds Business Analytics to unified communications offering
Business analytics joins unified communications, collaboration, and file-sharing among PanTerra’s service offerings.

Unified Communications

Avaya repositions collaboration offerings with Avaya Engagement Solutions portfolio

December 10, 2014 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya repositions collaboration offerings with Avaya Engagement Solutions portfolio
Avaya rebrands and reorganizes its collaboration solutions to focus on engagement, and announces some significant new and enhanced solutions, including a beefed-up version of IP Office.