T-Mobile has signed a pan-European distribution framework agreement with Tech Data, but it is unclear when the partnership will be activated in the UK.

The carrier is keen to appoint Tech Data’s UK arm Computer 2000 (C2000) as its third UK distributor, on top of Ingram Micro and Northamber, but is waiting to find out how Tech Data’s mobility joint venture with Brightstar (CRN, 1 February) pans out.

Mark Jones, head of European channel development at T-Mobile, said: “The intention is to link up with Tech Data and Brightstar in the UK in some way, but we have to wait for them to sort out who’s doing what.”

The deal should eventually see C2000 push T-Mobile’s range of data card products to its UK mobility VARs.

Bhavesh Patel, UK commercial director at Ingram Micro, said: “There will always be a time when carriers appoint more distributors when they reach a certain level of maturity.”

Tech Data to enter mobile distribution market through new joint venture