Alcatel-Lucent has signed a distribution deal with Incanix, aimed at targeting new resellers and increase end-user uptake of converged IP solutions in the UK and Ireland.
The agreement, says Alcatel-Lucent, builds upon a series of converged products and incentives it has launched the channel during the past twelve months in order to grow the company’s UK & Ireland market share.
Incanix will gain access to Alcatel-Lucent’s full portfolio of converged solutions (including VoIP, data, security and applications), including the vendor’s range of OmniStack and OmniSwitch LAN switches, as well as its enterprise security portfolio.
While offering a full portfolio of complementary ICT products, Incanix says it will not carry any competitive products to Alcatel-Lucent’s convergence portfolio. It has also set up a dedicated team to offer Alcatel-Lucent resellers assistance with both business development and pre- and post-sales technical support, as the partnership gets underway.
Incanix is a new company created by a group of channel and direct sales veterans. Its management team includes Wendy Askew, who has experience in UK & Ireland sales and distribution from her previous role in Cisco.
“Convergence uptake continues to grow, with many companies now looking to deploy converged technologies that will reduce communications costs and lower carbon footprints – a key focus for 2010 – while providing a competitive advantage as the recession subsides,” says Askew, sales director at Incanix. “Our partnership with Alcatel-Lucent will allow us to target resellers with an industry-leading end-to-end portfolio, enabling these partners to provide convergence offerings that deliver speedy ROI and meet end-user communications needs both now and in the future.”
Having evaluated a range of potential partners, Alcatel-Lucent says hose Incanix due to its internal convergence expertise and commitment to providing dedicated single-vendor distribution.
“During the past twelve months we’ve undertaken many initiatives to increase end-user awareness about the benefits of IP convergence, culminating in the Incanix distribution agreement, which is key to expanding our UK & Ireland coverage and reach – particularly in the small-to-medium-sized enterprise space, where there is massive growth opportunity,” explains Eamon Connaughton, head of distribution for Alcatel-Lucent UK & Ireland.
“We wanted a new partner that could augment our existing distribution activities and provide a dedicated Alcatel-Lucent focus – Incanix fits the bill perfectly in this respect. Its remit will be to reach new resellers, equip them with the tools they need to get started and reward them for their sales efforts, ultimately helping more businesses save money and make money through the deployment of converged ICT solutions.”
