Meru Networks is on the hunt for UK resellers, as the wireless LAN vendor aims to increase its European presence.

The US-based firm provides wireless voice and data technology. It is hoping to use UK resellers to replicate its presence outside Europe.

Mikko Kiukkanen, director of sales for western Europe at Meru Networks, said: “We are big in voice over wireless in Japan and the US, but we have not focused on the European market for the past two years. However, we have been in VAR-recruitment mode since November.”

Meru Networks signed a UK distribution agreement with 802Global last December, followed by one with Siracom in February this year.

“We have 200 resellers globally, with 10 to 20 integrator VARs in the UK,” Kiukkanen added. “Our UK figure will remain in the tens, not the hundreds. We want IP voice and wireless LAN resellers, and education and healthcare VARs.”

Kiukkanen said VARs will give Meru access to customer contacts, alongside integration skills.

“We focus at the high end of the wireless LAN sector, but we will become more mainstream,” he said. “We enable voice over wireless, so for a VAR doing voice over IP, we can provide the wireless plumbing.”

Meru competes with Cisco and a host of start-up firms, including Aruba and Trapeze, Kiukkanen said.

Tim Close, sales and marketing director at 802Global, said: “The Meru product is doing well. However, there is still an education process needed to show people the opportunities with vendors such as Meru.

“We have five Meru resellers, but voice over wireless is a high-margin opportunity for VARs. We want to get 15 to 20 VARs on board, provided that they are focused on Meru products.”

Close added that 802Global plans to run two-day training courses in the summer, alongside road shows to raise awareness in the channel.

trevor_treharne@vnu.co.uk