Micro-P helps VARs Conect to 'complicated' VoIP market

Distie launches Conect to help inexperienced resellers move into VoIP market quickly

Distributor Micro-P is launching its own hosted voice over IP (VoIP) product for its resellers in an effort to help VARs struggling to make headway in the space.

The firm claims its new Conect product allows VARs with little or no experience to move quickly into the VoIP market, which it said can be very complicated for newcomers.

The product will be available to its reseller base from this month, and will see them receive "huge upfront commission payments" as well as recurring revenue thereafter.

Conect is based on IP vendor Broadsoft's network and the distributor will support its VARs on the platform with technical support and fixed-line connectivity as well as with deployment and training.

The distributor's hosted portal will allow resellers to test the strength of connectivity at a customer's location, and then the product will recommend both connectivity and hardware options.

Rob Hendry, head of business development at Micro-P, said the move came in response to VAR feedback.

"We have consulted our resellers about what they are doing with [our routers and switches] and how they are connecting them to the network, and based on that feedback we are now bringing to market a simplified hosted solution," he said.

"This new hosted VoIP service will allow resellers who may be concerned about stepping into either voice or hosted solutions to go and sell this service with confidence. Our strategy is to keep the VoIP and connectivity as simple as possible, which we are very excited about.

"Voice and data can be very complicated for those who have not sold it before."