Nortel targets small players

Vendor signs Computer 2000 to distribute small business product set

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Nortel has signed up Computer 2000 (C2000) to distribute its small business products, and recapture the market share held by Bay Networks in the 1990s.

The deal includes distribution of Nortel's BCM 50 small business IP PBX, which the company strongly hopes to sell into its existing Norstar market. The services will be provided on a white label basis by BT, Unisys and Phoenix.

"Products will encompass data, security and convergence," said Tony Bailey, vice president of UK and Ireland channels at Nortel.

Nortel has had a pan-European distribution agreement with Azlan since it bought Bay Networks in 1998. The vendor has worked with C2000's parent Tech Data in other regions, but this is the pair's first UK distribution deal.

Lee Perkins, general manager of networking at C2000, said: "Data will be the foundation. Our reseller base is traditionally very strong in data, but it has a very strong desire to get involved in the voice space."

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