CounterPath targets 10 per cent share of softphone market

Telecommunications vendor launches European channel expansion strategy as it aims to increase market share

Telecommunications vendor CounterPath is hoping to secure a 10 per cent share of the market in the next two to three years as it expands its channel strategy into Europe.

The firm, which provides voice communications products across a range of devices for businesses, has between three and four per cent of the softphone market but it wants to hold a 10 per cent share, according to Terry Meredith, CounterPath's vice president for EMEA.

This hope for expansion of the Vancouver-headquartered firm is part of its new focus on launching a traditional channel base across Europe. Previously CounterPath has been operating a strategy of sales primarily through service providers, as well as OEMs, in Europe, but now it wants to operate more through the traditional channel and take on European resellers, according to Meredith.

"I think unified communications has been talked about for a while but we are at the point where the market is ready for it now. So in terms of our strategy going forward, it is to grow our channel base in Europe," Meredith said.

CounterPath recently announced it has signed ProVu Communications, which will be its second value-added distributor (VAD) in the UK, along with Vcomm, and has been charged by CounterPath with taking on board new VARs.

"If you take the UK for example, I want to support the VADs we have got and their VARs which they bring to the table. I want those VADS to help generate more VARs for us," Meredith said.

Darren Garland, managing director at ProVu, said he was very excited with the new partnership with CounterPath and he is hoping it secures a host of new resellers for the telecoms firm.

Meredith also suggested this strategy of using VADs to increase its channel base will be replicated across mainland Europe.

"We are going to be doing more of that [signing VADs] in other countries across Europe," he said. "For us, that is how we can scale and this is a great opportunity for the channel to get on board with CounterPath."