Siemens urges channel to drive FMC solutions

Vendor bullish over market performance in emerging fixed-mobile convergence sector

Siemens Enterprise Communications has claimed the channel has seen red-hot demand for fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) solutions over the summer, despite recent research suggesting that the new technology has yet to grab significant end user mindshare.

In June the vendor launched a slew of FMC products under its Fixed Mobile Convenience banner. To accompany this, Siemens has added a mobile business specialisation to its partner programme.

Dave Dyer, UK channel marketing manager for indirect sales at Siemens Enterprise Communications, said six resellers are already working towards the specialisation.
“From what I’ve seen from partners and customers this summer there is no doubt at all that there is real and tangible customer demand for FMC,” he said.
“We’re finding it leads customers to upgrade their whole communications infrastructure. A number of health trusts have gone down this route in the last few weeks, which has been great for our partners.”

Dyer claimed Siemens is the first vendor to deliver seamless handover from a GSM to a Wi-Fi network from a single box server, without loss of functionality. The vendor’s solutions scale from 10 users up to the largest health trusts, he said.

Andy Beynon, managing director at Abtech Network Systems, which is training its staff on Siemens’ FMC portfolio, said: “FMC is something people are asking about. But the lack of appropriate handsets is holding it back from progressing.
“In a few months, most of the handsets will support dual mode so more customers will take it up.”