News Briefs December 2005

PAETEC Communications Inc. has partnered with Stevens Communications Inc., a VAR headquartered in Chicago. Stevens will offer PAETECs PINNACLE enterprise communications management software suite to its end users. Stevens specializes in call center solutions. PINNACLE provides workflow optimization, asset management, inventory control, cable plant management, cost allocation and invoice reconciliation.

Nancy Ridge has joined Telcombrokers, an agency representing more than 40 carriers in the United States and Canada, as vice president. Ridge has worked in the telecommunications and utility industries for 18 years, acting in senior management positions. She most recently led sales efforts for telecommunications reseller ATI. Ridge also has served as principal of a demand-side energy services company and as vice president of communications for a cost-containment consulting firm.

Ethernet provider Yipes Enterprise Services Inc., which sells through agents, has teamed with LiveVault Corp. to roll out Yipes PROTECT, an automated backup and recovery platform, which delivers automatic and continuous data protection to secure Exchange, SQL, other databases and applications, as well as standard file servers. All data is backed up over a secure connection and archived in off-site data vaults, where it is available for immediate recovery in the event of a system failure, virus, human error or other disaster.

Optim Systems, the multimedia conferencing division of Cornet Technology Inc., has been named an authorized reseller of Sony Electronics line of IPELA IP video conferencing products. Optim Systems designs and installs conferencing solutions technologies comprised of products from select manufacturers.

Mobile phone distributor Brightpoint Inc. has signed an agreement to distribute European Consulting and Computer Business S.A.s (ECCB) devices, including the Skype-certified USB handset, Simply Phone. Simply Phone lets users make Skype VoIP calls without a headset. The agreement initially authorizes Brightpoint to distribute ECCB products in the Americas; a provision in the contract allows Brightpoint to target more regions at unspecified dates.

Digium Inc., the creator of Asterisk, has launched its Digium Asterisk Partner Program. The program includes two sections: Asterisk Solution Partners and Asterisk Interoperability Partners. Each operates on two tiers. The Interoperability Partner type is available to companies whose technology complements Asterisk. Benefits for Interoperability Partners include up to 24 hours of testing toward verifying interoperability with Asterisk Business Edition and access to Digiums Asterisk Interoperability Certification program. Some of Digiums new partners include Empirix Inc., Fonality, Polycom Inc. and Switchvox.

Telecom equipment manufacturer Zultys Technologies has signed Paracon as one of its newest distributors. Paracon is a sales unit of ScanSource Inc. and a value-added distributor of converged communications products. The company will distribute Zultys products to authorized VARs in the United States and will provide Zultys resellers with delivery, system integration services, online ordering, technical support, pre- and post-sales support, sales training, customer financing, marketing services and education.