Microvitec boosts the Newbridge coverage

Newbridge hopes to strengthen its channel position and has signed Microvitec as a channel partner.

Canadian-based Newbridge Networks has boosted its channel partners byrovitec as a channel partner. signing Microvitec Network Technologies in an attempt to strengthen its position in the UK market.

The vendor admitted that it has been trying to make up for lost time since the company went indirect in May, and has also said it will continue to recruit managed partners to address the balance.

Steve Brigden, Newbridge Networks marketing manager for the UK and Ireland, said: 'We have been late in coming out with a channel strategy so a lot of the best resellers and distributors have been snapped up by the other major vendors.'

However, Brigden added: 'This has given the company a chance to look at other channel models and build a best of breed plan.'

Microvitec will join 14 other managed partners which buy from distributors, but will receive direct support from Newbridge Networks as opposed to unmanaged resellers that deal only with the distributor. Microvitec will now be known as a Newbridge Networks Managed Integrator.

Mark Morris, managing director at Microvitec, said: 'Because we will be working with Newbridge's technical and sales teams, this differs from other manufacturers that don't help and support the channel.'

He added: 'Newbridge previously went direct, but since it went indirect it has taken a more active approach in helping the channel.'

Newbridge Networks will double the number of managed partners to 30 within the next few months.

Brigden denied Newbridge would be taking on another distributor to join existing partners Ilion, Data Connectivity and Unity to cope with the increased numbers, but added: 'You can never say never.'

Under the terms of the agreement, Microvitec will become a Newbridge Networks Managed Integrator and will dedicate a team of four to selling the vendor's products.

The agreement also allows Microvitec to specify the Newbridge Main Street multiplexing and Vivid asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) Lan product range in networking systems and is expected to be worth more than #2 million per year.

Microvitec has a sales team of 14, and has dedicated four of its staff to Newbridge Networks' sales.