Nortel eyes SME sector for expansion in 2008

Vendor reveals ambitious plans for vertical and high-end markets in the year ahead

Networking vendor Nortel plans to charge further into the SME space in 2008 after a successful launch in the sector last year and is looking to the channel to help it fulfil its goals.
The firm, which recruited Rocom last year to help with its SME push, has already signed about 60 SME resellers and is on the hunt for more. It also works with Westcon, Clarity and Azlan in the UK.
Tony Bailey, vice president of UK and Ireland channels at Nortel, told CRN: “We are also looking to focus more on vertical markets such as healthcare, finance and government in 2008. In addition we are planning more focus on our high-end direct touch strategy next year.”
Particular technology areas of interest for Nortel this year will be communications-enabled applications and service-oriented architecture, Bailey said.
He added that the vendor will be working closely with both existing and new partners to help them take advantage of Nortel’s recently launched Channel Marketing Bureau to generate new business.
“We are also looking to increase our market share in the new year
and will be focusing on taking market share from our competitors,” Bailey said.
“We have been working hard this year to establish the right channel programme and distribution coverage and now feel we have a good launch pad going into 2008.”
Simon Welch, marketing director at Clarity, said: “We have had another good year with Nortel. It has a good existing channel and I see no reason at all why it should not have a very successful 2008.”
Welch said Clarity is not planning a massive recruitment drive on behalf of Nortel.
“We are in a good position now and do not want to get into a commoditised Cisco type situation where all the resellers are competing against each other for the same contract,” he added. “With Nortel there are still margins to be made.”
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