Swyx eyes hardware expansion

The UC software player looks to deepen reach into telephony kit as German facility turns out first handsets

Software-based unified communications (UC) vendor Swyx has plans to expand further into the telephony hardware world after debuting its first self-made handset this quarter.

The German previously had a relationship with Avaya, wherein the US player supplied the German firm with USB phones. It has a similar arrangement with Siemens for IP phones. Swyx has now begun manufacturing USB devices at a facility near Dortmund and its first models will ship later this quarter.

Executive vice president of sales and marketing Ralf Ebbinghaus said: "It is a very elegant device. This is not an OEM product, it is our own design and we manufacture them in Germany. This is the start of a family. We started with the USB device and are talking about further plans."

Last year the vendor announced plans to more than double its 40-strong base of UK resellers. Since then, partner numbers have swelled to about 100, and Ebbinghaus maintains there is still "room for improvement".

But the Swyx man outlined that the vendor is sticking by the decision, taken two years ago, to circumvent distribution.

"We believe that we have efficient support for our partners here in the UK," he said.

Ebbinghaus (pictured right) also claimed that increasing buzz around Lync, Microsoft's software PBX and UC platform, would actually benefit his firm.

"What Microsoft is doing with Lync is great for us," he said. "Lync is targeted at larger enterprises. Our sweet spot is maybe 10 to 500 users, and Lync is starting above 500, maybe even above 1,000. Microsoft is pushing harder with their product and this is a great opportunity for us."