Swyx eyes data channel with Computerlinks deal
Deal marks distributor's return to IP telephony market since the end of its relationship with Zultys
IP telephony (IPT) vendor Swyx has increased its data channel presence by signing up Computerlinks as its third UK distributor.
Swyx already has distribution agreements with MTV Telecom and IP Telecoms, but has signed Computerlinks to swell its data reseller ranks. The signing also signals Computerlinks’s first foray into the IPT market, since its relationship with Zultys ended (CRN, 27 March).
David Pitts, distribution sales manager at Swyx, told CRN: “MTV is focused on the voice market and IP Telecoms is a small, niche technical-based distributor. We wanted to add a more broadline distributor. There is still a very clear segmentation so everyone can add value.”
Pitts said the motivation of the Computerlinks signing is to increase the vendor’s presence in the data channel.
“We have targeted a short list of Computerlinks’s mid-tier VARs, with 30 to 50 partners coming on board,” Pitts said. “In 12 months we expect to have about 100 UK partners in total [from all distributors].”
David Caughtry, head of e-business at Computerlinks, said: “After the Zultys relationship ended we took a step back and looked at the market.
“We have been looking at voice over IP [VoIP] and IPT, and assessing various companies, but we wanted something different. We wanted an IP telephony offering that was based around data, because that is where our VARs sit.”
Caughtry added that Computerlinks also wanted an IPT offering that is easy for its VARs to take to their customer base.
“I didn’t want to go to market with a product that was the same as our rivals’ products,” he said. “However, Swyx is software-based and this offers a broader reach in the market. We will add other vendors that will be complementary to Swyx.”
Martin Hatcher, chairman at MTV Telecom, said: “The Computerlinks signing is a shot in the arm for the Swyx product. We are pleased because it will give the product more visibility, and Computerlinks operates in a different area to us.”
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