ChannelCloud floats UK strategy

London-based MSP clinches exclusive deal to launch US firm in UK this year

Hosted infrastructure vendor ChannelCloud US is on the hunt for partners ahead of the launch of its UK arm later this year.

The firm launched in the US last year and provides VARs and managed service providers (MSPs) with the infrastructure to host cloud-based business applications.

London-based MSP On Line Computing has secured an exclusive licensing agreement with ChannelCloud US and plans to launch the brand in the UK and Ireland this summer.

Paul Byrne, managing dir­ector of On Line Computing, will head up ChannelCloud UK, and said its services will include SharePoint and Mic­rosoft Ex­change, as well as hosted desktops and servers.

"A lot of VARs and MSPs cannot afford to build their own platform. They cannot afford to ignore cloud and this could be a way in for them," he explained.

Unlike its competitors, Byrne said that the Channel­Cloud UK approach is slanted towards education and training. "It is about much more than just giving partners access to a platform," he said. "We will train them, share market experience and demystify cloud for them.

He added that the company will not im­pose fixed pricing on partners.

Rob Lovell, chief executive of rival firm ThinkGrid (pictured), said ChannelCloud UK's pricing could create in-fighting in its partner community.

"There is not a lot of margin to be had by selling Micro­soft Exchange," he said. "And without price fixing, there is a risk that partners will undercut each other to such an extent that there is no benefit in selling it."

Bob Leibholz, senior vice president of business development at hosting provider Intermedia, added: "The most successful partners combine hosted Exchange with their own ser­vices, packaged under their own brand to build loyal customer relationships."