Resellers urged to embrace convergence

The loudest message from the TMA event last week was that resellers should move towards convergence.

The loudest message from the TMA event last week was that resellers should move towards convergence.

Thousands of communications technology and applications representatives descended on Brighton last week for the annual event to be told that the union of voice, data and video is the way forward.

Businesses want a more mobile workforce and must integrate their existing IT systems with wireless equipment such as mobiles and handheld PCs, said Richard Flegg, division manager at Global One UK.

Flegg claimed that the traditional distribution channel faces new competition from the likes of virtual internet service providers, application service providers and mobile operators that sell direct to customers.

"In the future, the majority of trade will be conducted over the web. Resellers need to address this issue and find ways to stay in the constantly changing market," he said.

Cynthia Gordon, marketing director at voice, data and internet service provider Thus, said that by partnering with IT resellers, companies such as Thus will be able to offer customers the complete converged package.

"Convergence is definitely the way forward for resellers," she said. "Thus is looking to establish a network of dealerships and resellers throughout the UK which will be able to offer our telecoms and internet solutions as one integrated package."

Mobile operator Orange has recently launched its own mobile high-speed data access transmission facility in the UK, which it claims will make mobile data communications up to three times quicker.

Richard Brennan, group director of commercial activities at Orange, said that staff are frustrated at being cut off from vital information when they are away from the office.

"The time constraints on today's business people mean companies like us must offer them faster, more effective and cost-effective communications tools," he said.