Voda One Helps Solution Providers Capitalize on Convergence Opportunities through Dedicated Small and Medium Business Support Team

Business Wire, Oct 4, 2004

OMAHA, Neb. -- Voda One Combines Market Leading Products from Avaya with its Renowned Training and Support, Helping its Reseller Base Gain Opportunity in Growing Segment of SMBs

Voda One, a specialty distributor of networking and communications technology products and division of Westcon Group North America, Inc., announced that it has created a dedicated support team to help resellers capture convergence opportunities in the growing small and medium business (SMB) market. The support team consists of pre and post sales support and technical specialists, a dedicated SMB team and business development personnel.

Voda One's solution portfolio for the SMB market is driven by Avaya(TM) IP Office, MERLIN MAGIX(R) Integrated System, PARTNER(R) Advanced Communication System, plus a complementary portfolio of network enhancement and mobility products from vendors such as SpectraLink, Multi-Tech Systems and Symbol Technologies. As part of its SMB market initiative, Voda One recently launched a 17 city road show targeted to Avaya BusinessPartners selling in the SMB market. The seminars, which ran through late August, included product demonstrations, positioning strategies and sales techniques designed to help Avaya BusinessPartners increase SMB sales.

Small to mid-sized businesses have increasingly turned to IP telephony solutions to reduce maintenance costs, while increasing network capabilities. IP telephony can be an efficient solution for SMB businesses that have remote or branch office locations. Rather than setting up and maintaining independent lines for voice and data, a single converged network can be managed more easily, bringing features and functionality that were simply not available with a traditional PBX solution. According to technology research firm InStatMDR, the overall market for PBXs will grow at a 4.2% Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) between 2003 and 2008. However, pure IP PBX line shipments are expected to grow even more dramatically, at a 28.9% CAGR.

Robert Linder, Voda One's vice president of sales, commented: "The objective of establishing the Voda One SMB team is to present our BusinessPartners with broad-based SMB solutions that fit their customers' business environment. Our industry leading portfolio, combined with our value added offerings such as our pre-sales support, online configuration tools, and focus on convergence training, presents a compelling opportunity for resellers who sell into this arena."

Patricia Hume, global vice president of sales and business development for Avaya's Small and Medium Business Solutions group, added: "When discussing the benefits of converged solutions with customers, particularly small and medium businesses, where communications investments are often a significant demand on their budgets, resellers need to clearly explain the benefits enterprises reap in improved productivity and customer service by moving to converged applications. Voda One, with its knowledge of convergence and newly-formed division with a focus on the needs of smaller firms, is well positioned to communicate those benefits."

Sandra Milewski of Amnet Voice and Data Systems, a Stamford, CT-based reseller, said, "We attended Voda One's Future Track session in New York City in July, and were astonished at how thorough the training was. As a result of this training, we are better able to articulate the SMB solutions to our customers. This is where Voda One excels, in preparing us to go out on the street and stay ahead of the opportunity."

About Westcon Group

Westcon Group, Inc. is a global specialty distributor of networking and communications equipment for leading technology vendors, including Cisco Systems, Inc., Nortel Networks Corporation and Avaya, Inc. Through its Westcon, Comstor and Voda One divisions, Westcon Group sells products and services to resellers, systems integrators and service providers. Westcon Group has particular expertise in the convergence of voice, data and video applications and technologies, including voice-over Internet protocol, or VoIP, security for networking and communications systems, remote access, Internet and e-business, virtual private networks, videoconferencing and wireless connectivity. For more information, visit www.westcongroup.com.

About Avaya

Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R). Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services. Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications - and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services - Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com.