WebEx weighs up channel move
Vendor's online conferencing technology could be made available to VARs
Vendor WebEx’s online conferencing technology could be made available to VARs for the first time once the vendor’s acquisition by Cisco closes.
Cisco announced this month that it will pay about $3.2bn for US-based WebEx to advance its unified communications vision in the SME market.
WebEx currently draws 85 per cent of its turnover from direct sales, with the remainder generated by telecom and ISP partners.
But Bert van der Zwan, vice president of EMEA at WebEx, told CRN the deal could prompt a review of its channel strategy. “We are open to expanding our channel play, but in line with Cisco’s strategy,” he said.
Van der Zwan added that WebEx could either pay VARs a finder’s fee and bill, and maintain the customer itself, or let the VAR take full control of the product and billing process. “The only thing we insist on doing is hosting the service,” he said.
Bob Tarzey, service director at analyst Quocirca, said: “It will be intriguing to see if the largest web-based conferencing vendor’s solutions will be made available to the channel.”