News

Network Infrastructure Solutions and Services

September 03, 2010 03 Sep'10
Mitel CEO calls it a day

Mitel CEO Don Smith has announced his retirement from the company after a nine-year tenure. Smith joined the firm in the spring of 2001, and led the UC software through both its controversial 2007 acquisition of Inter-Tel, and this year's IPO.
September 02, 2010 02 Sep'10
Outsourcery, Nokia launch OCS scheme

Hosted IT services, UC specialist and Microsoft Gold partner Outsourcery has hooked up with Nokia through its in Partnership programme to push sales of the mobile version of Microsoft OCS.
September 01, 2010 01 Sep'10
Chess Telecom sticks with buy and build blueprint

Chess Telecom is forging ahead with a buy and build strategy despite posting modest revenue growth in its most recent financial year during which it made 12 acquisitions.
September 01, 2010 01 Sep'10
Blue Coat names new CEO

Blue Coat CEO Brian NeSmith is to step aside to take up a technical role within the company and will be replaced by newcomer Michael Borman, the firm has revealed. Borman joins the WAN optimisation vendor from switch vendor Avocent, which was ...

September 01, 2010 01 Sep'10
Wick Hill expands line-up with Panasonic appointment

Wick Hill continues to expand its portfolio in the voice and data convergence distribution space with the appointment of Panasonic.
September 01, 2010 01 Sep'10
Network neglect holds back IT innovation

A study of 235 organisations carried out on behalf of networking and communications integrator Kcom has found that network management is too often overlooked during IT strategy planning, with the effect that installations do not perform at their ...
August 31, 2010 31 Aug'10
Nortel bags $39m for switching unit

Nortel has sold off its multi-service switching (MSS) business- one of its last remaining units - for $39m (£25.2m) to a consortium of private equity investors and a comms tech firm called Samnite Technologies.
August 27, 2010 27 Aug'10
Netgear UK SMB boss leaves ahead of VAR restructure

Netgear is on the hunt for a new UK SMB and midmarket country manager to replace Mark Power, who left the firm earlier in August.
August 26, 2010 26 Aug'10
In-depth: Slow burning Cisco UCS gains traction at last

Speaking on a recent conference call detailing Cisco's most recent set of results, CEO John Chambers said that it had now sold 1,700 installations of its much-vaunted Unified Compute System (UCS).
August 24, 2010 24 Aug'10
Redstone ditches boss, secures new funding

IT and comms integrator Redstone may have pulled back from the brink after securing a fundraising round of £8.5m, restructuring its debt obligations with an extended banking facility, and dispensing with the services of executive chairman ...

August 23, 2010 23 Aug'10
DiData acquisition hits snag

The two billion pound acquisition of Dimension Data by Japanese communications firm NTT has been cast into doubt after South Africa's Financial Services Board (FSB) said it will investigate fluctuations in the company's share price immediately prior...
August 23, 2010 23 Aug'10
Avaya extends relationship with BT

Avaya and BT have added another three years to their worldwide tech partnership, giving end-users access to a combo deal on BT Global Services' IT portfolio and services machine and Avaya's rapidly expanding product suite.
August 23, 2010 23 Aug'10
Headsets a product to sell alongside UC

Those resellers looking to add some margin to a unified comms sale are being urged to put headsets into their product portfolios.
August 19, 2010 19 Aug'10
Brocade Q3 sales disappoint the markets

Brocade stock has taken a mild battering today after Q3 sales at the networking and storage vendor came in below previously detailed expectations. Sales of $504m were up 2% year-on-year - analysts had called for $508m on average - while net profits ...
August 18, 2010 18 Aug'10
Viatel joins BT shared broadband trials

Business comms provider Viatel is to participate in trials of BT Wholesale's Real Time Quality of Service (QoS) over shared broadband service, in the hope of fast-tracking business relevant comms services such as VoIP and on-demand apps.
August 17, 2010 17 Aug'10
Dell to launch networking and systems management badges

Dell is introducing reseller certification paths for networking/security and systems management next month amid efforts to build the data centre portfolio for partners.
August 16, 2010 16 Aug'10
ShoreTel adds marketing, on-boarding programmes

IP phone vendor ShoreTel has launched two channel initiatives with the aim of strengthening its partner ecosystem.
August 16, 2010 16 Aug'10
Nortel figures hurt by EMEA accounting changes

Nortel's net losses have widened to $1.5bn during its second fiscal quarter after incurring $1.4bn in non-cash charges relating to a change in accounting for its EMEA subsidiaries.
August 16, 2010 16 Aug'10
Social media reaching mass channel audience

After much encouragement from the vendor community, resellers in the communications channel are beginning to take up social media platforms in their businesses in large numbers, according to research conducted by UC specialists Mitel.
August 13, 2010 13 Aug'10
Phoenix accounts put on notice

Infrastructure and managed services provider Phoenix IT has received notice from two key customers with accounts worth a total of £12.5m that they have made plans to take in house some of the services provided by the company.
August 13, 2010 13 Aug'10
Google hit by Oracle lawsuit and 'sell out' charges

Oracle has launched a legal action against Google for allegedly infringing patents on Java technology in its Android operating system.
August 13, 2010 13 Aug'10
Profitability eludes ShoreTel in fourth quarter

IP telephony vendor ShoreTel has again capitalised on high levels of demand for cost-effective products during the downturn, with its Q4 sales up 30% year-on-year to $42.2m, but was unable to convert this growth to profits.
August 12, 2010 12 Aug'10
Mobile device margins fell in Q2, says Gartner

Despite recording the usual healthy growth in shipment volumes, average selling prices of mobile communications devices fell during calendar Q2, and margins have begun to slide, according to the latest market research figures from Gartner.
August 12, 2010 12 Aug'10
Avaya tinkers with senior services roles

Sun Microsystems services senior vice president Joe Heel has jumped ship to Avaya to take up the role of president of global services, replacing Chris Formant who is taking over Avaya's public sector business.
August 12, 2010 12 Aug'10
Cautious Cisco chief rejects possibility of double dip

Cisco CEO John Chambers displayed his usual cautious optimism in presenting the networking bellwether's fourth quarter and full-year 2010 results, reporting anticipated growth in both sales and profits but sounding a conservative note on the state ...
August 11, 2010 11 Aug'10
Cisco-watchers look for 28% sales jump

As networking sector bellwether Cisco prepares to release its quarterly results this evening, company experts are in bullish mood, predicting sales to rise 28% year-on-year - 4.4% sequentially - to approximately $10.86bn, a return to pre-recession ...
August 10, 2010 10 Aug'10
Alcatel-Lucent extends channel financing terms

Alcatel-Lucent has launched a new 0% financing and three month deferred payment scheme pitched at the SME end of the market, which will run until the end of November.
August 06, 2010 06 Aug'10
CWU members give BT pay deal thumbs up

The threat of strike action at BT has receded after CWU members overwhelmingly backed a three-year pay deal worth 9.3%, with over 85% of votes returned in favour.
August 04, 2010 04 Aug'10
Avaya retains Avnet relationship

Nortel distie Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS) has been retained by Avaya to distribute its UC and contact centre line-up in addition to the Nortel enterprise portfolio. Avnet already distributed parts of the Avaya line, but now has plans to double ...
August 04, 2010 04 Aug'10
Extreme ends CEO hunt after 10 months

Almost a year after it bid farewell to former CEO Mark Canepa, Extreme Networks has hired networking vet and computer science expert Oscar Rodriguez as its new boss.
August 03, 2010 03 Aug'10
Esteem Systems splashes the cash on SiRViS IT acquisition

Esteem Systems has stumped up £10m for maintenance and managed services provider SiRViS IT. Backed by Primary Capital and Lloyds TSB, this is the second deal Esteem has completed this summer after taking over small Oracle software house Midas ...
August 03, 2010 03 Aug'10
Nimans ups Avaya support levels

Network and comms distributor Nimans has upped its support levels on the Avaya line after adding to its face-to-face support team that it claims will be able to offer nationwide field-based service.
August 03, 2010 03 Aug'10
Product sales boost Extreme's Q4

Extreme Networks CFO and acting CEO, Bob Corey (pictured), has singled out both the North American and EMEA theatres for praise after the company posted improved sales figures and profits for the fourth quarter and full-year Monday evening.
August 02, 2010 02 Aug'10
Mobility leaders under pressure, says IDC

Competitive pressure continued to pile on the mobile sector market leaders through the second calendar quarter of 2010, according to new figures from analysts at IDC.
August 02, 2010 02 Aug'10
Redstone names M&A experts as non-exec directors

Redstone has welcomed on board merger and acquisitions specialists Ian Smith and Tony Weaver as non-executive directors. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange this morning, London-based Redstone confirmed the appointments.
July 30, 2010 30 Jul'10
HP Networking tweaks lifetime warranty policy

HP Networking will not be extending life time warranties to the entire 3Com and H3C portfolio, with many core products receiving one to three year guarantees.
July 30, 2010 30 Jul'10
Components drought hits Alcatel-Lucent

Crucial supplies of semiconductor network components have been bled close to dry with no sign of resolution in sight, according to Alcatel-Lucent.
July 30, 2010 30 Jul'10
TalkTalk launches Vodafone MVNO, cracks open interims

TalkTalk, owners of the Opal b-2-b comms brand, has today announced the formation of a new MVNO agreement with Vodafone to offer customers mobile voice and broadband services alongside their landline and home Internet plans.
July 29, 2010 29 Jul'10
Earnings soar at BT Global Services

BT's troubled IT services division, BTGlobal Services (BTGS) appears to have secured its recovery at long last after adjusted EBITDA soared to £130m in the first quarter, and overall losses continued to reverse.
July 29, 2010 29 Jul'10
Watkins to quit Teksys as DiData integration wraps

Serial entrepreneur Alan Watkins, who took control of Microsoft LAR Teksys in January 2008, is to leave the company to concentrate on his private equity venture, Blackhawk Investments, as the integration of Teksys by Dimension Data wraps up.
July 28, 2010 28 Jul'10
Wireless spend forecast to return to growth

Increased deployment of 4G networks in the coming months will reverse two years of declining revenues in the wireless infrastructure market, according to stats from analysts at iSuppli.
July 28, 2010 28 Jul'10
Virgin Media Business ups sales, buys back shares

Business communications provider Virgin Media Business has reported a 7.2% increase in sales during the quarter ended 30 June, hitting £152.7m after booking stronger than expected growth in data revenues, up 26.3%.
July 28, 2010 28 Jul'10
Juniper buys mobile security vendor

Juniper Networks has picked up smartphone and tablet computing security software builder SMobile Systems for $70m (£44.9m) barely a week after CEO Kevin Johnson told analysts the firm planned further market consolidation.
July 27, 2010 27 Jul'10
Azlan handed Tandberg video contract

Computer 2000's enterprise and networking division Azlan is to take on the Tandberg telepresence, conferencing and mobile video portfolio after being appointed as a UK Channel Development Partner by the firm, which is now owned by Cisco.
July 27, 2010 27 Jul'10
Radware ups sales, profits once again

Israeli application delivery networking and security vendor Radware turned in another record set of revenues Tuesday, posting sales of $35.2m (£22.64m), up 30% year-on-year, with GAAP net income up to $1.4m, reversing a $1.7m loss in the ...
July 27, 2010 27 Jul'10
Ofcom highlights broadband speed discrepancy

Average broadband speeds in the UK are increasing, but there still remains a serious discrepancy between advertised speeds and average actual speeds, according to new research from comms regulator Ofcom and broadband monitoring specialists SamKnows.
July 26, 2010 26 Jul'10
Ericsson takes hit from component shortage

Ericsson, the Swedish networking and comms kit giant, has blamed a components shortage for an 8% year-on-year decline in group sales, indicating that the networking supply chain is still struggling to get back into gear after the global downturn.
July 26, 2010 26 Jul'10
BT goes after cable thieves in new scheme

BT has responded to the surge in cable thefts across its network with the launch of a nationwide campaign to forensically tag malfeasants and bring them to justice.
July 23, 2010 23 Jul'10
Nokia CEO under fire as profits slip again

The CEO of Finland-based mobility giant Nokia, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, has called for an end to speculation on his future at the firm, which has reached fever pitch after it posted another lacklustre set of results.
July 23, 2010 23 Jul'10
Vodafone returns to growth in June quarter

Mobility giant Vodafone has booked organic and reported revenue growth for the first time since the recession hit for the quarter ended 30 June, according to an interim management statement released today.
July 22, 2010 22 Jul'10
Azzurri bags BT's Mark Quartermaine as CEO

Networking services provider Azzurri has bagged the former UK president of BTGlobal Services, Mark Quarter maine, to fill the vacant role of CEO. Quarter main spent only 12months in his previous position, and will start at Azzurri in September.
July 22, 2010 22 Jul'10
Sales, profits down at cautious Colt

Comms provider Colt Group has said its cautious business outlook during the first six months of 2010 is now giving way to increasing confidence for the coming period.
July 22, 2010 22 Jul'10
BSkyB sells b-2-b comms arm Easynet

Easynet Global Services, the b-2-b communications and managed network services provider has been sold to private equity outfit Lloyds Development Capital for £100m by current owners BSkyB.
July 22, 2010 22 Jul'10
Comstor inks distie pact with network design firm

Network design and proposal generation platform developer Netformx is to bolster its European presence and Cisco relationship after signing Comstor to distribute its DesignXpert CCE, Silver and Gold Cisco editions.
July 21, 2010 21 Jul'10
European recovery lags for Juniper in Q2

Kevin Johnson, the CEO of Juniper Networks, has expressed concern over the pace of the economic recovery in Europe as the networking vendor announced its Q2 results. Speaking on a conference call, Johnson said that European recovery continued to lag.
July 20, 2010 20 Jul'10
Blue Coat launches network optimisation sales tool

Application delivery networking vendor Blue Coat is to launch a dealer-focused cloud-based reporting and analytical service that it hopes its partner community will use as a sales tool in both potential and current customer installations.
July 20, 2010 20 Jul'10
Cable & Wireless to cut on public sector fears

Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW) is to up its cost cutting drive as the ongoing furore over public sector cuts under the coalition government gives its board the jitters.
July 19, 2010 19 Jul'10
Nokia Siemens buys Motorola wireless business for $1.2bn

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has today splashed out $1.2bn (£784m) on Motorola's wireless networking infrastructure business in yet another networking mega-deal.
July 16, 2010 16 Jul'10
Polycom powers to new record quarter

Video, telepresence and voice comms specialist Polycom has broken its previous quarterly sales record, set back in April, after posting revenues of $295m (£191.7m) for the three months to the end of June.
July 15, 2010 15 Jul'10
BT takes knife to partner commission structure

BT Indirect Channels has incurred the wrath of some partners by overhauling its voice sales compensation structure in favour of new business. At the same time the telco giant has notified Ofcom of numerous cuts to discount and other cost savings ...
July 15, 2010 15 Jul'10
Coalition austerity plan unsettles Datatec

An interim management statement released today by Datatec has highlighted improving profitability across the group's constituent firms, but the firm warned that the long term impact on its SI division, Logical is, of government austerity measures in...
July 15, 2010 15 Jul'10
ShoreTel CEO John Combs to step down

ShoreTel CEO John Combs has announced he is to leave the company after posting above guidance preliminary numbers for the quarter ended 30 June.
July 15, 2010 15 Jul'10
NTT buys DiData for £2.1bn

Japanese communications firm NTT has put £2.1bn on the table in an all-cash offer for Cisco powerhouse Dimension Data. The offer, which represents an 18% premium on DiData's most recent closing price, has already been agreed unanimously and ...
July 14, 2010 14 Jul'10
Datatec's Montanana plans network security roll-up

Datatec boss Jens Montanana is embarking on an ambitious roll-up of businesses in the security networking space after taking a non-executive seat on the board of AIM-listed BPM software minnow Corero.
July 14, 2010 14 Jul'10
Nokia Siemens emerges as bidder for Motorola network biz

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), rebuffed last year in its attempts to buy Nortel's carrier Ethernet, optical networking, LTE and CDMA assets, has today emerged as a potential acquirer of Motorola's network business, according to claims made by the ...
July 12, 2010 12 Jul'10
Intrinsic Technology hails 2009 profit and sales surge

Unified comms and managed service provider Intrinsic Technology has navigated through the recessionary waters relatively unscathed, bolstering its top and bottom lines in fiscal 2009.
July 12, 2010 12 Jul'10
BT and CWU pay deal averts strike action

BT has resolved its pay dispute with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) after agreeing to cough up a 3% rise for each of the next three years.
July 12, 2010 12 Jul'10
Mitel reverses losses after IPO

Despite a harrowing debut on the stock market, Mitel has posted a profit for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended 30 April, in its first set of financial results released since its recent IPO.
July 12, 2010 12 Jul'10
Prime Minister backs web for all campaign

The Prime Minister has backed calls to provide universal UK web access as part of a campaign that has been kicked off to get everyone of working age familiar with the internet.
July 08, 2010 08 Jul'10
Talk Talk and BT challenge Digital Economy Act

The Digital Economy Act is being challenged by Talk Talk and BT as the campaign to beat off the threat of pressuring ISPs to help crack down on illegal downloader's takes another twist.
July 07, 2010 07 Jul'10
Days are numbered for 'unlimited' broadband

Even before the Advertising Standards Authority review of claims of 'unlimited broadband' has reached its conclusions several players in the industry have called for an end to the misleading description of broadband services.
July 06, 2010 06 Jul'10
BT industrial ballot shelved due to legal issues, says CWU

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has shelved the industrial action ballot in BT due to "legal technicalities" that may have rendered the process null and void.
July 05, 2010 05 Jul'10
D-Link appoints Bell Micro to support business growth

Networking vendor D-Link has extended its relationship, already established in the US, with distribution partner Bell Micro appointing it in the UK to support its market growth ambitions.
July 02, 2010 02 Jul'10
Cisco makes major changes to worldwide channel team

Cisco has announced a major reshuffle of its worldwide channel team as it looks to grow its SME business and get more for resellers selling into vertical markets.
June 30, 2010 30 Jun'10
UK slips in digital economy rankings

Even before the private sector has come up with an answer to how to extend rural broadband as the Channecloor expects them to do the UK has slipped further in the global internet provision rankings.
June 29, 2010 29 Jun'10
Virgin Media Business courts channel

With voice margins declining broadband provider Virgin Media Business has launched a reseller programme aimed at attracting those with the expertise in data sales.
June 28, 2010 28 Jun'10
Riverbed looks to the channel to provide greater support

Riverbed is looking to its first tranche of services specialists in the channel to take the pressure of its support call volumes.
June 25, 2010 25 Jun'10
RIM Q1 performance over shadowed by future product plans

Shipment delays and a focus on forthcoming products has had an impact on Blackberry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) revenues and device sales.
June 24, 2010 24 Jun'10
Three joins the ranks of data capping phone operators

The days of unlimited data on smart phones are coming to an end just as Apple launches its latest incarnation of the iPhone. As customers queue to get their hands on the iPhone 4 they will be signing contracts that set caps on the amount of data ...
June 24, 2010 24 Jun'10
World Cup game causes internet surge

Fears that World Cup games would put a strain on the network were borne out yesterday as England played its first game during office hours.
June 22, 2010 22 Jun'10
Daisy reveals financial losses, buys MurphX IS

The multi-million pound losses Daisy Group chalked up in preliminary results released today has clearly not dampened its appetite to expand, as it shelled out £4.8m to acquire MurphX Innovative Solutions.
June 21, 2010 21 Jun'10
Xchanging acquires Data Integration

Business process services provider Xchanging has forked out £6.5m for privately owned networking, security and comms reseller Data Integration (DI).
June 18, 2010 18 Jun'10
Demon returns with sights set on SME broadband market

It has been a while since the name Demon was heard in connection with broadband provision but the brand is being brought back into the daylight with a plan to target SME users.
June 18, 2010 18 Jun'10
BT workers balloted over strike action

BT staff are being balloted by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) as the first national strike in more than two decades moves even closer.
June 17, 2010 17 Jun'10
ASA launches review of unlimited broadband offers

A review by advertising chiefs could put an end to the word "unlimited" being applied to broadband offers that are anything but.
June 17, 2010 17 Jun'10
Daisy offloads WiMAX and WiFi businesses

Daisy Group has offloaded its peripheral WiMAX spectrum licenses to UK Broadband for £12.5m.
June 16, 2010 16 Jun'10
GCI Telecoms acquisition spree far from over

The telco market has been one of the most active on the acquisition front during the recession with the likes of Daisy and GCI expanding their operations by opening their wallets.
June 16, 2010 16 Jun'10
Digital Britain could become key element of recovery

The managing director of TalkTalk's b-2-b division Opal, Paul Lawton, has called for the new government to assess the direction of the Digital Britain project and make strategic changes to it, saying it could become a key element of the fragile ...
June 15, 2010 15 Jun'10
Carter returns to Nimans to bolster communication

The senior management team at telecoms distributor Nimans has a 2005 feel to it as Richard Carter rejoins the business after a recent stint at Rocom.
June 15, 2010 15 Jun'10
Former BT Engage IT recruitment boss sets up new venture

The former director of BT Engage IT's Red and Blue recruitment operation is back in the channel after launching a contract arm at executive IT search firm Fresh field Services.
June 15, 2010 15 Jun'10
D-Link ups partner discounts, flexibility in new programme

Networking vendor D-Link has relaunched its reseller programme pledging to increase upfront discount levels to partners and introduce a note of flexibility to proceedings.
June 14, 2010 14 Jun'10
Ex-ProCurve boss Soto to lead Brocade EMEA sales

Alberto Soto, the former vice president and general manager of Hewlett-Packard's ProCurve networking division - now HP Networking - has joined storage and infrastructure vendor Brocade to head up its EMEA sales team.
June 10, 2010 10 Jun'10
HP picks Vidyo for conferencing line-up

Hewlett-Packard has signed an agreement with video-conferencing software provider Vidyo to run Vidyo's software-based desktop and room video solutions on HP servers as part of its Halo desktop and room-sized telepresence offering.
June 10, 2010 10 Jun'10
O2 rolls out data usage charges for smartphone users

O2 has announced plans to introduce data charges for smartphone users ending the more unlimited usage attitude it had taken in the past.
June 10, 2010 10 Jun'10
Daisy splashes out on mobile distie

Just days after securing a new credit facility, acquisitive SME comms provider Daisy Group has splurged £3.6m in cash on Northumberland-based mobility distributor Fone Logistics.
June 09, 2010 09 Jun'10
Novell, Fujitsu team up for flexible clouds

Novell and Fujitsu have announced the formation of a new vendor alliance designed to deliver flexible cloud solutions that are scaled to business needs.
June 09, 2010 09 Jun'10
Ciena sales soar, losses narrow following Nortel acquisition

Network infrastructure vendor Ciena has reported unaudited second quarter sales of $253.5m (£174m), up 75% on the year-ago quarter, after booking $53.5m worth of sales from the former Nortel Metro Ethernet Networking (MEN) business.
June 09, 2010 09 Jun'10
Government sets more ambitious broadband targets

The Coalition government has pledged to give the UK the best broadband network in Europe. Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt described the previous government's commitment to 2Mbps speed for all as "pitifully unambitious." He also ...
June 09, 2010 09 Jun'10
Strike ballot to go ahead despite BT offer

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has said it will press ahead with a strike ballot of 50,000 BT workers in spite of a revised two-year pay offer made by BT yesterday.
June 08, 2010 08 Jun'10
BT makes new pay offer as CWU strike ballot looms

BT has made an improved offer to its staff in a bid to avert the Communication Workers' Union's (CWU) threatened strike ballot, according to reports still emerging.