Avaya hopes to add as many as 600 VARs to its roster as a result of a new partnership with Access Distribution. It would mean a 24 percent increase in Avaya's reseller ranks to 3,100 and a much- needed boost in the channel, the company said.
The agreement calls for Access Distribution, a General Electric company, to distribute Avaya's entire portfolio of voice and data solutions, including maintenance and installation work from Avaya Global Services.
Access would be Avaya's third distributor, alongside Westcon Group's Technology Solutions Group, signed in September and ScanSource's Catalyst Telecom division, a more specialized distributor distributing Avaya since 2003.
The deal opens Avaya products to more than 600 Access VARs operating in the converged communications space, including voice, data, network security and storage VARs, Access executives said.
For Access, the deal capitalizes on growing interest among VARs in converged solutions, especially VOIP (voice over IP), said Scott Zahl, vice president of vendor relations at Access Distribution.
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"The time is right for us to bring on a VOIP vendor in response to this market opportunity," Zahl said in a prepared statement.
"Adding a leading VOIP vendor like Avaya to our portfolio is a significant milestone for Access. We are excited about this partnership because it opens up additional revenue channels for our reseller partners and new growth opportunities for Access."
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