New Services to Sell: AT&T and Windstream SD-WAN, Verizon Contact Center
Video conferencing, work-from-home and SD-WAN were popular themes last month.
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AT&T
You can officially describe AT&T's 5G network as "nationwide." Ma Bell announced in late July that the network passed the threshold of 200 million people.
In the meantime, the carrier teamed up with with a second SD-WAN partner. AT&T was already working with VMware, but it recently added Cisco
Read about AT&T's 5G and SD-WAN announcements.
Verizon
Verizon added artificial intelligence to its contact center.
The company is using Google Cloud Contact Center AI in hopes of shortening call times and resolving customer issues more effectively. The new capabilities include natural-language recognition. The update enhances Verizon's customer service strategy.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Windstream
The business communications giant enhanced one of its SD-WAN solutions.
Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, which Windstream Enterprise partnered with last year, now comes with a managed network service. The SD-WAN Concierge service helps customers monitor and optimize the networking environment.
Concierge is not new to Windstream, however. It already was attached to the VMware SD-WAN offering that Windstream also offers.
“We found our high-touch managed service resonated with customers, and extending SD-WAN Concierge to the Fortinet platform was a natural fit,” Windstraem Enterprise's chief marketing officer said.
Get details on the expanded solution.
Masergy
The software-defined networking company revamped its SD-WAN portfolio.
Masergy introduced hybrid networking options and cloud on-ramps to its portfolio, as well as new service level agreements (SLAs). The updates helped the company meet Gartner's main requirements for secure access service edge (SASE).
In the meantime, Masergy unveiled a new partner program, which helps partners sell next-generation offerings like SD-WAN.
Read more about Masergy.
LogMeIn
MSPs can sell the vendor's password manager service internationally.
The LastPass Enterprise solution uses a central admin console and monthly billing options. It also allows the partner to add or remove seats. LogMeIn executives describe LastPass as a service they specifically designed for the MSP.
Check out the article.
Barracuda/Microsoft
Microsoft Azure added Barracuda's SD-WAN service to its virtual WAN hubs.
You can now deploy the Barracuda CloudGen WAN solution directly from Azure portal. Joint customers benefit from the announcement, which helps facilitate public cloud adoption.
See what Microsoft and Barracuda executives had to say.
Pax8
Pax8 now distributes RingCentral Office.
The Colorado-based distributor/master agency joined the RingCentral partner program. As a result, its channel partners can sell RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams.
Lynn Haber wrote about the partnership.
Fortinet
The vendor gave its SD-WAN a multicloud spin.
Fortinet unveiled Secure SD-WAN for Multi-Cloud, which it will deploy through its virtual appliance. The update establishes an overlay network across multiple clouds, allowing enterprises to run their workloads on a diverse array of infrastructures.
Learn about the update.
ScanSource
The distributor added new "contactless" payment solutions.
As a result of increased demand for a touch-free point-of-sale experience, ScanSource unveiled the Contact-LESS suite. Mastercard research shows that customers are eager to avoid pens, keypads and cash when they make purchases.
Lynn Haber wrote about the new suite.
Zoom
The video conferencing giant officially entered the hardware business.
Zoom announced its hardware-as-a-service program early last month. Historically, customers have simply attached Zoom software to other vendors' hardware. However, Zoom now partners with four hardware vendors to sell hardware directly to the customer.
Read why Zoom wanted to make this change.
HP
HP rolled out a work-from-home suite.
The portfolio features touch-free printing and an output management system. HP's announcement came after its market research concluded that businesses need to shift their printing strategy.
Read the story on Channel Futures.
Microsoft
Microsoft is spicing up Teams features to make users more engaged.
The service uses segmentation technology to put conference attendees in an imaginative visual setting (such as an auditorium). “Together” mode also features transcription and a fancy-shmancy whiteboard.
Take a look at Jeffrey Schwartz's story.
Microsoft
Microsoft is spicing up Teams features to make users more engaged.
The service uses segmentation technology to put conference attendees in an imaginative visual setting (such as an auditorium). “Together” mode also features transcription and a fancy-shmancy whiteboard.
Take a look at Jeffrey Schwartz's story.
AT&T, Windstream and Masergy enhanced the partner experience by updating their SD-WAN portfolios last month.
Software-defined wide area networking features prominently in our latest new services roundup. AT&T announced a second SD-WAN partner, and Masergy revealed a host of portfolio updates. Barracuda and Fortinet also enhanced their SD-WAN solutions.
In addition to SD-WAN, we saw other technological trends emerge in July. For example, we noticed vendors supplying more “touch-free” products. ScanSource introduced contactless payment solutions and HP released a portfolio containing touch-free printing.
Video conferencing was also a common theme, as Zoom revamped its hardware strategy and Microsoft updated Teams.
We compiled 12 of the most significant new offerings into one gallery. Scroll through the images below to see what you missed.
Missed the June gallery? Find it here.
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