IP telephony distributor Vcomm has leapt into the security space with a new unit focused on Alcatel-Lucent’s latest laptop security technology.

The distributor hopes the division will turn over £3m to £4m in its first 12 months of trading. Its focus will be on Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian, a wireless platform that remotely secures, monitors, manages and locates stolen mobile computers.

However, Scott Dobson, managing director of Vcomm, admitted Vcomm harbours longer-term plans to address the voice security market.

“Laptop Guardian gives us a chance to spread our wings from IP telephony. But in 12 to 18 months’ time, we believe we will have garnered some security skills that are relevant to IP telephony.”

Dobson argued that IP telephony security would be a huge issue by 2010. “We had a client that lost £15,000 because someone piggybacked on its circuits,” he explained.

David Parker, vice president for Alcatel-Lucent enterprise activities in UK and Ireland, which also partners with security distributor Sphinx, said both of its distributors will offer the Nonstop Laptop Guardian.

“Enterprise customers do not know that this solution is available, but awareness is beginning to grow,” said Parker.