News
Network Infrastructure Solutions and Services
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March 25, 2009
25
Mar'09
Nortel relegated after 2-1 away defeat
In a sad reflection of the troubles affecting its parent and namesake, Nortel FC is assured of relegation from the Northern Ireland Amateur League Premiership following a 2-1 defeat away to rivals Dunmurry Rec.
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March 25, 2009
25
Mar'09
ZyXEL teams up with security disti
Network access vendor ZyXEL is to make a move on the IP-CCTV sector after signing a partnership agreement with specialist surveillance kit disti and Panasonic house CCTV Center.
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March 24, 2009
24
Mar'09
Nimans snaps up Rocom for £12.45m
Nimans has splashed out £12.45m to acquire Rocom from the ATC group ending months of uncertainty over the future of the voice distributor.
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March 19, 2009
19
Mar'09
Cisco finally swoops on Pure
In what is becoming a busy week down at Cisco, the networking giant has splashed out $590m in stock for privately held consumer video specialist Pure Digital, with a further $15m to be doled out in retention-based equity incentives for continuing ...
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March 18, 2009
18
Mar'09
D-Link launches global reseller scheme to develop solutions
D-Link has enhanced its partner programme along global line swith the aim of encouraging resellers to share knowledge with the aim of developing solutions that can increase the services revenue for partners.
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March 17, 2009
17
Mar'09
Cisco partners must skill up for data centre push
Cisco is urging partners to start skilling up to meet demand for its Unified Computing System (UCS), a new computing architecture launched yesterday that knits together compute, network, storage access and virtualisation into a modular system.
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March 13, 2009
13
Mar'09
Digital Britain plan risks leaving UK in the slow lane
Independent watchdog Consumer Focus has become the latest body to lay into the government’s Digital Britain Interim Report, saying that comms minister Lord Carter’s plans lack vision, neglect consumer interests and risk leaving the UK in the ...
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March 13, 2009
13
Mar'09
Disruptive networkers spy opportunity on UK shores
Cisco boss John Chambers seems to have got it right. While the industry panics in the face of withering IT demand Chambers has hunkered down and stuck to his theory that as technological innovation carried the vendor through the murky days of the ...
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March 13, 2009
13
Mar'09
UK plc demanding managed UC
Resellers offering unified comms solutions as a managed service will find favour with the business community, with 56% of UK organisations advocating a managed service approach, according to research by Siemens Enterprise Communications.
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March 06, 2009
06
Mar'09
Alcatel-Lucent back in play
Twelve months have passed since Alcatel-Lucent last gathered its channel partners and customers together for its annual business forum. Although the Parisian backdrop remains the same, under the surface a lot has changed.
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March 06, 2009
06
Mar'09
WiMAX still growing despite rush to LTE
The death of WiMAX technology at the hands of LTE may have been announced prematurely, says ABI Research. According to analysts, even though some key players had backed away from the technology, with Nortel ditching its mobile WiMAX business.
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March 04, 2009
04
Mar'09
Alcatel-Lucent begins channel programme revamp
Streamlining partner engagement across its various business units will be the focus of Alcatel-Lucent's revamped channel programme, details of which began to emerge today.
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March 03, 2009
03
Mar'09
Downturn drives demand for flexible working
The impact of the recession is already being felt in the demand for flexible working applications that will enable companies to cut costs.
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February 25, 2009
25
Feb'09
Ex-Ingram director Patel joins 20:20 Mobile Group
Mobile phone distributor 20:20 has named Bhavesh Patel as its group commercial director, less than a month after he left IT broad liner Ingram Micro.
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February 25, 2009
25
Feb'09
Recession catches up with Ethernet switching market
The deepening economic downturn is catching up with sectors previously thought to be quite resilient, according to the latest report on the Ethernet switch market from analysts at Infonetics Research.
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February 25, 2009
25
Feb'09
Resellers urged to break down UC discussion
Comms dealers have been warned that they risk alienating potential customers if their pitches rely too heavily on still undefined concepts such as unified communications.
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February 24, 2009
24
Feb'09
Nortel loses billions on Alteon sale
It has emerged that Nortel has effectively lost the entire value of its Alteon layer 4-7 application delivery switch business after revealing that last Friday's sale of the unit to Israeli comms specialist Radware netted it just $17.6m (£12m).
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February 24, 2009
24
Feb'09
Fragmented communications wastes thousands
Research by Siemens Enterprise Communications has revealed compelling evidence that dealers should encourage SMEs to ramp up their unified comms spend.
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February 23, 2009
23
Feb'09
Brocade eyes bigger slice of LAN market
Brocade has made clear its intention to aggressively hunt down business in the networking space and given its clearest hint yet that it aims to do a number on Cisco's market share.
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February 20, 2009
20
Feb'09
Radware stalks Nortel assets
Application delivery solutions specialist Radware has pounced on parts of Nortel's Layer 4-7 Application Delivery business for an undisclosed sum under what is known as a 'stalking horse' asset purchase deal.
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February 19, 2009
19
Feb'09
Target gets into broadband
Target Components and 3G network provider 3 have put their signatures to a distribution agreement that will see Target offering 3 mobile broadband starter kits alongside its wireless router and laptop offerings.
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February 18, 2009
18
Feb'09
Brocade channel boss to drive Foundry integration
Brocade has promoted Barbara Spicek to the role of vice president worldwide channels, having previously held the role of senior director of partner sales and marketing for EMEA.
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February 18, 2009
18
Feb'09
Alcatel-Lucent forms 4G alliance
Alcatel-Lucent has launched a global multi-vendor technology alliance designed to foster development of device, applications and content for 4G and LTE services. Launched at this week’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) event and dubbed NG Connect, the ...
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February 16, 2009
16
Feb'09
Ofcom plans to speed up wireless
Ofcom has proposed biting into parts of the spectrum bands operated by Vodafone and O2 in order to make good on the government’s promise to provide universal broadband in the UK within the next four years.
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February 16, 2009
16
Feb'09
Mobile data demands to soar
Mobile internet usage is set to soar dramatically in spite of the severe recession, according to new research carried out on behalf of voice, video and data services specialist Tellabs.
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February 16, 2009
16
Feb'09
KCOM culls 150 services jobs
KCom has today confirmed that as part of a cost-cutting drive, 150 services staff will lose their jobs across its managed services and contact centre business.
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February 09, 2009
09
Feb'09
Blue Coat focuses on applications not just ports
Blue Coat believes it can shake up the networking channel with a product that focuses on application management rather than just the standard ports and ISP addresses.
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February 06, 2009
06
Feb'09
Recession boosts uptake of managed services
The provision of managed services is likely to be one of the brighter spots in an otherwise difficult economic landscape this year and has the potential to become a safe haven for those channel partners that get their offerings right.
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February 06, 2009
06
Feb'09
Even to a BT shareholder VoIP just makes sense
As a BT shareholder, I probably should not be saying this, but Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) seems pretty much a no-brainer in these straitened times.
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February 06, 2009
06
Feb'09
Network at the heart of Digital Britain
Network infrastructure will form a key element of the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform's (BERR) plan for Digital Britain, which was released last month.
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February 03, 2009
03
Feb'09
Information superhighway open despite snow, say UC specialists
As parts of the UK shut down yesterday after experiencing their heaviest snowfall since 1991, unified communications vendors have been talking up the benefits of collaborative and home-working solutions.
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February 03, 2009
03
Feb'09
DiData swoops on Teksys
Hants-based Microsoft LAR Teksys has been bought by Dimension Data for an undisclosed sum barely 12 months after it was picked up by private equity money. In January 2008 serial entrepreneurs Alan Watkins and Kevin Lewis bought out the firm's ...
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January 30, 2009
30
Jan'09
KCom cuts 150 staff
Over a hundred more jobs are to go at comms services group KCom's Integration and Managed Services unit after it saw its revenue slip by 10% over the nine months to the end of December.
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January 22, 2009
22
Jan'09
Comstor ProCurve alliance to target Westcon channels
Comstor will target its existing partner base as well as resellers already working alongside its sister distributors within the Westcon Group when developing business for Hewlett-Packard's ProCurve brand.
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January 21, 2009
21
Jan'09
Nortel can still have a bright future
Following the collapse of Canadian communications giant Nortel, analysts have been busily assessing just what went wrong and what lies ahead.
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January 16, 2009
16
Jan'09
Nortel business won't go quietly, says channel
While analysts and pundits pick over Nortel's future after it filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, customers and channel partners are largely standing by their investments.
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January 15, 2009
15
Jan'09
Comstor signs HP ProCurve
Westcon-owned Cisco distributor Comstor is to sign a distribution agreement with HP ProCurve that will bring to an end its virtual exclusivity on Cisco. ProCurve and Comstor confirmed exclusively to MicroScope that talks had been in progress between...
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January 14, 2009
14
Jan'09
Nortel goes into administration
North America's largest communications manufacturer, Nortel Networks, has filed for protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act in its native Canada and Chapter 11 in the US. As predicted earlier today, this brings a century of ...
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January 12, 2009
12
Jan'09
Networking: what does 2009 hold?
The networking world finds itself in the position of being at the bleeding edge of an industry that prides itself on cutting through to the next way to speed up life and business processes.
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January 08, 2009
08
Jan'09
Cisco ploughs into consumer channel
Cisco has ploughed headlong into the consumer channel with the launch of the Cisco Consumer Channel Network formed from the remnants of the Linksys channel. The new programme accompanies Cisco's launch of a home audio portfolio at CES Las Vegas, as ...
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December 18, 2008
18
Dec'08
Redstone slashing costs after loss
IT and comms solutions provider Redstone is attempting to slash up to £7m from its cost base by the end of December after posting a net loss for the six months to the end of September.
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December 11, 2008
11
Dec'08
Shakespeare, Toohey leave Westcon in board shake-out
Westcon Europe group executive vice president Barry Shakespeare and European financial director Jon Toohey have resigned, the distributor has announced.
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December 08, 2008
08
Dec'08
Making the most of legacy systems
The widening credit crunch and fear of recession have led to a drop in confidence among IT buyers. New projects are being delayed or sliced into smaller pieces that are easier to pass through the purchasing and financial departments.
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November 26, 2008
26
Nov'08
Affiniti blamed for KCOM revenue drop and losses
KCOM has blamed its integration arm for a fall in revenues during its fiscal first half year. More dramatic however was the group's £101m loss which resulted largely from a goodwill impairment charge but a £1m unpaid bill from Lehman ...
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November 07, 2008
07
Nov'08
Cisco details Linksys channel strategy
Cisco has unveiled a small business division and products aimed specifically at companies with less than 250 users as it integrates the Linksys channel into its mainstream business.
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November 03, 2008
03
Nov'08
Comstor slips Linksys kit into SMB line-up
Westcon-owned Cisco house Comstor has announced it is now handling the Linksys by Cisco Connected Office portfolio as part of its Cisco-SMB oriented product set.
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October 29, 2008
29
Oct'08
Alcatel-Lucent shares rally as Verwaayen preps results
Shares in struggling Alcatel-Lucent have rallied today as recently-installed CEO Ben Verwaayen puts the finishing touches to his first earnings announcement in charge, scheduled to be released tomorrow.
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October 17, 2008
17
Oct'08
Linksys name is no more
Having spent five years mulling over the future of its SOHO and consumer brand Linksys, Cisco quietly announced this morning that the division.
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October 09, 2008
09
Oct'08
Cisco keeps mum on Linksys future
Cisco has continued to maintain its silence over the definitive future of the small business-focused side of its prosumer and small office Linksys brand after folding Linksys' SMB channel into the Cisco registered partner programme last month.
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September 26, 2008
26
Sep'08
Affiniti parent KCOM latest to reveal Lehman Brother's hit
The fall-out from the collapse of Lehman Brothers continues to ripple across the channel with Affiniti and Kingston Communications parent KCOM warning it could be hit by £3m by the demise of the financial institution.
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September 19, 2008
19
Sep'08
Call centres ring the changes
Call centres - with their endless queues, incomprehensible menus and automatic voice recognition systems - have often been regarded as the stuff of nightmares.
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September 16, 2008
16
Sep'08
Alcatel-Lucent rolls out SME strategy
Alcatel-Lucent has announced it is to give business partners in the UK and Ireland increased assistance in addressing the SME sector with the launch of a new strategy aimed specifically at the small to medium end of the market.
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September 05, 2008
05
Sep'08
Verwaayen calms troubled waters
Newly-appointed Alcatel-Lucent boss Ben Verwaayen has moved swiftly to calm shareholders still bitter over the tenure of his predecessor, Pat Russo, and has hinted to reporters that he could seek to turn the struggling comms giant around without ...
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September 02, 2008
02
Sep'08
Verwaayen heralds Alcatel-Lucent turnaround
Alcatel-Lucent has appointed ex-BT head Ben Verwaayen as its new CEO just weeks after Verwaayen ruled himself out of the running.
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August 28, 2008
28
Aug'08
Mobile broadband will force regulatory change
Telecoms and media analyst consultancy Analysys Mason has called for Ofcom to begin considering regulatory change as the dramatic growth in mobile data usage is altering the nature of the mobile proposition.
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August 27, 2008
27
Aug'08
Alcatel-Lucent embarks on partner recruitment drive
Franco-American comms giant Alcatel-Lucent is ramping up its partner recruitment activities in the UK in a bid to encourage more specialist data and security resellers to sell its Omni Access Laptop Guardian and Web Services Gateway security ...
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August 13, 2008
13
Aug'08
Linksys dealers told: join Cisco scheme or find another supplier
Linksys dealers that opt not to join Cisco's SMB programme when their existing scheme becomes extinct next month will have to find an alternative supplier for the small business market.
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August 12, 2008
12
Aug'08
Linksys SMB partners join Cisco fold
Cisco's SMB channel could be diluted with up to 20,000 new resellers worldwide after the vendor announced plans to amalgamate the Linksys small business channel partner programme with its own and promote cross-selling opportunities.
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August 08, 2008
08
Aug'08
Business as usual for Alcatel-Lucent
It did not take long after the merger for things to start going wrong for Alcatel-Lucent CEO Patricia Russo, who opted to leave the vendor last month after admitting she could no longer work with fellow board resignee chairman Serge Tchuruk.
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April 04, 2008
04
Apr'08
Magic web's tawdry truth
Amazing what you can do on the web these days. For instance, you can upload a bunch of photos to Tagcow.com and get them all back accurately tagged with keywords like "beach", "rain", "nightclub" and "Aunt Emma".
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April 04, 2008
04
Apr'08
Security is the key for remote working
Remote working is an increasingly popular choice for millions of people in the UK. It makes sense for increasing business productivity, boosting employee motivation, as well as the added bonus of helping to save the planet.
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April 04, 2008
04
Apr'08
Cisco unveils plans to drive server farm programme
The influence of the internet is changing the timetable of large software releases, forcing vendors to brief resellers at a much earlier stage.
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April 03, 2008
03
Apr'08
Motorola addresses concerns over splits
Motorola has assured its business partners they have nothing to fear from the imminent break-up of the communications giant. The company announced it was to divest itself of the struggling and unprofitable mobile handset division at the end of March.
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April 02, 2008
02
Apr'08
Spending curb could push hosted services
Ahead of the inaugural EMEA Enterprise Networking and Communications Summit, to be hosted by Gartner in London towards the end of April.
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January 28, 2008
28
Jan'08
Brick designs blueprint to build solid ProCurve
When HP ProCurve's UK country manager, Jon Weather all, hit the road at the tail end of July 2007, some in the channel rushed to paint his departure as the end of an era. But six months later, and with his successor now installed in the hot seat, ...
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November 14, 2007
14
Nov'07
Brick to head up HP ProCurve in the UK
Hewlett-Packard is believed to be close to naming new UK country manager for its ProCurve networking division with Darryl Brick expected to take up the reins early next month.