Westcon's ConvergencePoint SMB Helps Resellers Deliver Customized, Secure Business Solutions to Small Businesses

September 12, 2006; 08:33 AM
Westcon Group, Inc. announced the launch of ConvergencePoint SMB at its Westcon division. The program, accessible at www.convergencepointsmb.westcon.com, provides SMB-oriented resellers with a single environment in which to access a best-in-class line card of targeted convergence and security solutions, along with state-of-the-art selling and lead generation tools to keep them ahead of the competition.

All of the products offered in the ConvergencePoint SMB program are interoperable with Nortel's Business Communications Manager (BCM) 50 offering, a proven IP-based system that has received industry accolades for its reliability, performance and functionality both here and abroad. When combined with other security and application products in Westcon's targeted portfolio, the BCM50 can be a powerful differentiator for many SMBs across a range of vertical markets.

Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, VP & GM Convergence, Westcon North America, commented: “When an SMB turns to the channel, they want the technology to translate into real business drivers that give them a competitive edge. ConvergencePoint SMB helps our customers put the products, knowledge, support and tools all in one place, creating an unmistakable value proposition. The Nortel BCM50 is a sensible foundation for the product solution, enabling SMBs to build on and protect their investment.”

ConvergencePoint SMB utilizes the same powerful infrastructure of Westcon Group's other ConvergencePoint programs, combining an unprecedented array of products, knowledge resources, market and competitive analysis (by Current Analysis), sales tools and lead generation tools. Through the web portal, resellers can access up-to-date information on vendors, channel news, promotions, industry trends and events, as well as product solution guides and positioning information for every product within the convergence product portfolio.

Westcon has carefully evaluated and selected a suite of best-in-class convergence products, services, and solutions designed to interoperate with and complement the Nortel SMB offering, which include APC, GN Netcom, Nice, Packeteer, PowerDsine, Quintum, Secure Computing, Spectralink, Trapeze, Tripp-Lite, Veramark, and many others.

Eric Schoch; vice president, North America Marketing, Channels & Distribution; Nortel, commented: "From a business perspective, the needs of an SMB are very straightforward - they want to improve worker productivity and lower operational costs. Westcon is in a great position to put all the products in place to achieve this, building on a core foundation of Nortel products, and ConvergencePoint SMB is a resource VARs can leverage immediately.”

Tom McDougall, president of West Fargo, ND- based High Point Networks, Inc., added: “We have been serving the SMB market for some time, but only recently began selling convergence. ConvergencePoint SMB is a way for us to quickly come to grips with the opportunities in IP telephony, what products we should focus on, and how we can align ourselves to achieve the best results."

About Westcon Group
Westcon Group, Inc. is a multi-national specialty distributor of networking, security and communications equipment for leading technology vendors, including Cisco Systems, Inc., Nortel Networks Corporation and Avaya, Inc. Through its Westcon and Comstor divisions, Westcon Group sells products and services to resellers, systems integrators and service providers. Westcon Group has particular expertise in the convergence of voice, data and video applications and technologies, including voice-over Internet protocol, or VoIP, security for networking and communications systems, remote access, Internet and e-business, virtual private networks, videoconferencing and wireless connectivity. For more information, visit www.westcongroup.com.