Network transformation and management company Kore-Tek recently announced a shift in its business model, enabling it to interact more directly with service providers. Channel Insider asked the company’s sales executive, Hal Baylor, about the change and how he plans to meet providers’ needs.
Updated strategy aims to meet market demand
The expansion strategy was announced to align with Baylor’s attendance at ITW as the company aims to meet more customers in the market as demand increases.
According to a press release detailing the shift, the move reflects Kore-Tek’s strategic pivot from a primarily channel-driven model, supporting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value-added resellers (VARs), to working directly with operators to complete complex, large-scale projects and deliver white-glove optical network services at scale.
“I think a lot of the recent momentum around this shift was driven by my addition to the company,” said Baylor. “They were really focused on OEMs for a long time, but I come from the other side, and that is the experience I now bring to how we go to market.”
The company will continue to support and maintain its OEM and reseller partners as it expands into a wider market share. Where Kore-Tek previously relied on OEM partners for pre-deployment service offerings, it has built capacities in-house to meet those needs, according to Baylor.
“For over a decade, Kore-Tek has been a trusted partner behind the scenes, helping major OEMs and resellers deliver best-in-class optical infrastructure projects,” said Ryan Young, the CEO of Kore-Tek. “Now, as demand for network expansion accelerates, we see an enormous opportunity to bring our expertise directly to service providers. Our national reach, proven field execution, and deep OEM alignment uniquely position us to help operators meet their build timelines and maintain the highest quality standards.”
Building in-house capabilities for end-to-end optical network delivery
Kore-Tek’s expertise in optical networking differentiates it from competitors focused on more traditional technology.
The company’s service portfolio spans full lifecycle optical network deployment, including field implementation, DWDM turn-up, routed optical migrations, and advanced testing. Kore-Tek’s offerings deliver a deployment that meets modern latency needs for the latest AI-enabled technologies.
“We have to build the foundation for the AI house in order to meet all the demand,” Baylor said. “Being a nimble company, we’re able to jump on projects for existing or new infrastructure and get companies what they need quickly.”
The provider also offers white-glove NOC services to those who want a fully managed offering backing their operations. Kore-Tek describes it as a “high-touch, expert-led network operations offering tailored specifically for optical and routed optical environments.”
“Our channel partners often need NOC support, and it’s unusual to find a team with the capability to support optical 24/7, but we can do it for them,” Baylor said.
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