Fusion Relaunch, RingCentral Platinum Partner, GTT Expansion Top Channel Program Changes
For one, Fusion Connect has offered its partners new agreements in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings.
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Fusion
Fusion Connect is offering its partners a new agreement.
The company, which is still working through chapter 11 bankruptcy, hopes to relaunch its channel program in early January. It has offered partners the opportunity to sign an agreement that contains elements of Fusion, Birch and MegaPath — the three large legacy companies that comprise Fusion Connect. Matthew Rosen, Fusion’s senior vice president of channels and alliances, told us partners may stand to earn increased commissions.
Edward Gately caught up with Rosen.
RingCentral
The UCaaS vendor tapped ConvergeOne as a platinum partner.
The IT services provider will benefit from exclusive RingCentral training and support, and will carry the role of a "strategic" partner. ConvergeOne has chosen RingCentral as its strategic (UCaaS) partner as well.
Get details on the partnership.
GTT
The Tier 1 internet service provider is recruiting partner managers as its scales its North American channel.
Ernie Ortega, who recently took over as GTT’s division president of the Americas, said he hopes to push the channel's share of Americas revenue from 30% to upwards of 40%. To that end, the company is hiring more than a dozen channel managers as it also hires salespeople.
Learn more about Ortega's plans for the channel.
Extreme
Extreme Networks is offering its partners a cloud management partner specialization.
The vendor launched trainings for ExtremeCloud IQ, which is the rebranded and enhanced version of Aerohive Networks' HiveManager application. Extreme bought Aerohive earlier this year.
See the announcements Extreme made at a recent partner conference.
Zoom
Zoom Video Communications launched three partner support programs.
One of those is to help resellers with marketing development funds (MDF). Zoom also updated its certified integrator program and certified hardware programs. Furthermore, the vendor added two members to its Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) program and another two to its contact center program.
Learn more about "Zoomtopia."
Rackspace
Rackspace is streamlining and gamifying its sales and marketing resources for partners.
Rackspace partnered with a sales and marketing enablement firm called Seismic to provide the changes. Seismic will be the "one simple source of truth" for direct and indirect sellers to locate their resources.
Lynn Haber wrote about Rackspace for Channel Futures.
BCN
The New Jersey-based company is recognizing partner loyalty with a new program.
Partners will earn quarterly rewards based on six accomplishment tiers, thanks to the new BCN Partner Excellence Program. BCN launched the program as part of a customer experience initiative.
Learn more about the program.
Tech Data
Tech Data‘s president of the Americas said the distributor recently made the largest investment in its history.
Joe Quaglia said the EOS initiative is based on pillars: reducing complexity, next-gen technology, deepening its partner coverage model and an operating system. Quaglia spoke about the initiative at a TechSelect event. The TechSelect partner community targets SMBs and the midmarket, which have been crucial growth areas for Tech Data.
“The cornerstone of that growth starts and ends with TechSelect, and your growth and your support has been outstanding,” Quaglia said.
Read more of Quaglia's remarks.
Cloud Migration
8×8, Poly and ScanSource pooled their resources to create a cloud migration program. The CloudFuel program helps partners that want to move on-premises communication systems to the cloud. The program uses 8x8's platform, Poly's equipment and ScanSource's resellers. CloudFuel officially launches in December.
Read about the CloudFuel program.
Critical Start
The Texas-based managed detection and response (MDR) provider said it will expand its channel presence.
Critical Start had been focusing on Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, but it will use the channel to become better known nationally. The company's MDR business grew 300% last year, according to Dwayne Myers, Critical Start’s vice president of channels and alliances.
"In order to take that to the next level we want to expand nationally," Myers said.
Learn more about Critical Start.
Ubiq
Solution providers, integrators, MSSPs and IoT security providers get access to Ubiq Security's new channel program.
The data encryption platform provider said the Ubiq Security Partner Program will "remove administrative burdens" for partners and help them monetize Ubiq's platform. Recently hired Steve Pataky is leading it.
“This is a massive opportunity for partners to monetize their security practices incrementally, by truly securing the data, not just by adding another layer to the perimeter," Pataky said.
Get details on Ubiq.
BlackBerry
BlackBerry added a fourth tier to its Enterprise Partner Program (BEPP) to help its partners capture IoT security revenue.
BlackBerry announced a silver tier and has streamlined its accreditation process. Partners can earn the certification using a virtual lab. VARs, resellers and MSPs can use the program to build differentiated solutions for technologies like endpoint management, encryption and data privacy.
Read about how the program has changed.
BlackBerry
BlackBerry added a fourth tier to its Enterprise Partner Program (BEPP) to help its partners capture IoT security revenue.
BlackBerry announced a silver tier and has streamlined its accreditation process. Partners can earn the certification using a virtual lab. VARs, resellers and MSPs can use the program to build differentiated solutions for technologies like endpoint management, encryption and data privacy.
Read about how the program has changed.
GTT Communications is hiring channel managers, and Fusion Connect is preparing to kickstart its partner program again.
Our latest channel program update features multiple expansion stories. Tech Data, for example, is pouring big money into capturing the SMB/midmarket segment, and Critical Start is harnessing the channel to break into the national market. Technology companies are viewing the indirect sales channel as a key strategy to bring in new customers.
The updates vary. A security company introduced a new program and a new channel chief; a household mobility name is going after IoT security; and RingCentral has a new platinum partner.
We assemble a list of new, revamped or otherwise updated partner programs each month. Scroll through the 12 images below to stay up to date on the latest happenings in the IT/telecom channel.
Missed last month’s gallery? Find the September recap.
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