Two tiers for Lightpointe
Vendor plans to sign UK distributor
Free Space Optics (FSO) vendor Lightpointe intends to sign a UK distributor shortly as part of a move from a single-tier to a two-tier channel. At present, the firm counts Comstor, Adiva, Seicom and Voda One among its partners overseas, but it deals direct with about a dozen VARs in the UK.
"What we will be doing formalises the relationship we have with VARs," said Roger Baskerville, vice-president of EMEA sales for Lightpointe. "We intend to appoint a single UK distributor by the end of the quarter. Distribution is vital as far as we are concerned."
Baskerville cited areas such as account management and training as benefits to his firm recruiting distributors across Europe.
Jess Thompson-Hughes, managing director of wireless reseller React Technologies, said low-cost devices will make FSO a viable alternative to Radio Frequency (RF) and Digital Subscriber Line.
"FSO has offered a lot of bandwidth, but it's been too expensive for many customers. If the price is coming down to the same area as RF, then that's great," he said.
FSO point-to-point wireless data connections use light beams instead of radio waves.