Network & Communications
Telindus hires for UK mobility push
Posted: Thu, 11 Mar 2010Telindus has appointed mobile industry expert Mike Bowerman to head up its new Mobile Broadband Framework as client director of mobile and spearhead the firm's drive into the mobile broadband...Read More »
Channel urged to ramp up video deployment
Posted: Wed, 10 Mar 2010Network quality is finally reaching the point where video applications can be sold successfully as part of a unified communications solution set, according to the buzz on the floor at...Read More »
PBX market declines ease in Q4
Posted: Wed, 10 Mar 2010The declines seen of late in the global PBX and IP PBX sector seem to be declining, according to the latest research from analyst house MZA Consulting, but the 12...Read More »
Polycom extends Avaya relationship
Posted: Tue, 09 Mar 2010Polycom has extended its existing relationship with UC networking vendor Avaya in order to jointly market integrated voice, video and collaboration solutions based on Polycom's Open Collaboration Network strategy and...Read More »
Motorola relaunches enterprise partner scheme
Posted: Mon, 08 Mar 2010Motorola enterprise and public sector partners are to be inducted into a new channel programme framework dubbed PartnerEmpower.The mobility and networking vendor said the amalgamation of the two separate channels...Read More »
Cisco backs off from WiMAX market
Posted: Mon, 08 Mar 2010Cisco has quietly let slip that it is quitting the WiMAX market, which it entered in 2007 with the $330m acquisition of Navini Networks.In a statement sent to MicroScope, Cisco...Read More »
Psion looks for channel to play role in vertical market push
Posted: Fri, 05 Mar 2010Smartphone specialist Psion is reaching out to developers to support its drive into vertical markets but wants resellers to get involved with its efforts to widen its market.The vendor yesterday...Read More »
Comment: Talking the talk on voice services
Posted: Fri, 05 Mar 2010Talk may be cheap but voice services could be raking in the readies for resellers, writes Jim Kent, chief executive officer of Datapoint, the communication systems integrator for businessesThe next...Read More »
RIM targets SMEs with BlackBerry server
Posted: Fri, 05 Mar 2010BlackBerry firm RIM is looking to work with more data resellers as it looks to increase its penetration into the SME market building on a growing slice of the consumer...Read More »
Touchscreen mobility set to grow 97% in 2010
Posted: Thu, 04 Mar 2010Close to 365 million touchscreen mobile devices will be shipped worldwide this year, an increase of 96.8% on 2009, according to new research from industry watchers Gartner.According to the latest...Read More »
Brussels signs off on Orange T-Mobile venture
Posted: Tue, 02 Mar 2010Orange and T-Mobile have been given the all-clear to merge their UK networks by the European Commission.The merger was first proposed last September after a period of speculation over the...Read More »
Euro IP telephony market sees buoyant end to '09
Posted: Mon, 01 Mar 2010The western European enterprise voice market began to show signs of recovery during the second half of last year, despite falling over 23% in value over the course of 2009.Market...Read More »
Avaya adds EMEA marketing programme
Posted: Mon, 01 Mar 2010Avaya has launched a new marketing programme designed to help EMEA partners ramp up their sales through training and lead generation.Dubbed MarketLeaders, the programme will encompass various partner-focused services and...Read More »
Carrier VoIP shows increased resilience
Posted: Fri, 26 Feb 2010The market for carrier VoIP appears to have made it through the recession relatively unscathed compared to other voice technologies, according to research released this week by analysts at Synergy...Read More »
D-Link unveils public sector finance offering
Posted: Fri, 26 Feb 2010D-Link has unveiled a zero percent offering targeted specifically at the public sector with the expectation it will overcome traditional resistance in that market to using finance.The networking specialist is...Read More »
Juniper pumps $50m into network development
Posted: Wed, 24 Feb 2010Juniper Networks has stumped up $50m to fund VC-backed technology start-ups investing in its Junos network ecosystem.The two-year Junos Innovation Fund will target firms that Juniper feels 'complement' its growth...Read More »
VoIP subscriptions top the 100 million mark
Posted: Tue, 23 Feb 2010The number of VoIP subscriptions worldwide topped 100 million for the first time late last year, according to research house Point Topic, representing 15% growth over the first three calendar...Read More »
Mobile data traffic will be 50 times higher by 2015
Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010by Ian GrantMobile phone traffic will grow by a factor of 50 as the mobile phone industry attracts three billion new mobile broadband subscribers and delivers billions of new content-rich...Read More »
ntl Telewest relaunches as Virgin Media Business
Posted: Thu, 11 Feb 2010Business-to-business network provider ntl:Telewest has relaunched as Virgin Media Business, setting out an ambitious strategy to become a compelling alternative to BT.The relaunch reflects the branding change that took place...Read More »
In-depth: A game-changing year
Posted: Thu, 11 Feb 2010The last year of the 'noughties' was a big one for the technology sector, and many of the developments will have repercussions throughout this year and beyond. David Binning reportsWe...Read More »
Mobile data traffic set to grow 39-fold by 2014
Posted: Tue, 09 Feb 2010Cisco has provided further evidence that smartphone technology will become a dominant force in the data industry after revealing the results of its Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Forecast...Read More »
Cisco and Tandberg show off video roadmap
Posted: Tue, 09 Feb 2010Cisco and Tandberg have outlined further details of their technology roadmap prior to formal regulatory approval, which is expected sometime during the first half of calendar 2010.The two companies, which...Read More »
BT jumps the gun on Cameron broadband pledge
Posted: Mon, 08 Feb 2010BT has jumped the gun on the Conservative party's broadband election pledge after revealing it is now in talks with the comms regulator, Ofcom, to open up its underground duct...Read More »
Daisy buys Managed Communications for £6m
Posted: Mon, 08 Feb 2010Acquisitive voice and data services provider Daisy Group has stumped up £6.3m in cash for Notts-based Managed Communications Ltd in its first buy of the new year.Daisy has undertaken to...Read More »
Dealers could benefit from carbon confusion
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2010Carbon management and green IT is pushing its way back up the agenda as the tentative economic recovery kicks in.But according to research carried out by Cisco and green technology...Read More »
Vodafone data revenues top a billion
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2010The growing take-up of smartphone devices saw Vodafone's data revenues top £1bn - up 17% year-on-year - for the first time during the quarter ended 31 December 2009.Vodafone now claims...Read More »
Magirus lands Cisco data centre distribution contract
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2010Magirus has been appointed by Cisco as its first data centre distributor in Europe after landing the contract after undergoing an extensive tender process.Under the terms of the relationship Magirus...Read More »
OFT targets Orange T-Mobile merger
Posted: Wed, 03 Feb 2010The proposed merger between UK mobile phone networks Orange and T-Mobile could become subject to additional scrutiny after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) asked the EC to refer "aspects"...Read More »
Riverbed sales fly on virtualisation ramp-up
Posted: Wed, 03 Feb 2010Network infrastructure performance vendor Riverbed Technology has posted record fourth quarter sales figures as WAN optimisation technology began to be recognised as a "critical" element of virtualisation installations.Sales rose 11%...Read More »
Extreme plans data centre assault as Q2 sales rise
Posted: Tue, 02 Feb 2010Network infrastructure vendor Extreme Networks has narrowly exceeded its previous Q2 sales forecast for the three months ended 27 December 2009, posting revenue of $79.4m (£49.8m), a little over $1m...Read More »
Cable & Wireless to split at end of March
Posted: Tue, 02 Feb 2010Cable & Wireless today named 26 March as the date for its demerger, pending a shareholder vote this month.The demerger was officially announced in November 2009 but is in fact...Read More »
Microscope Media Centre
Posted: Tue, 02 Feb 2010MicroScope.co.uk Media Information MicroScope is the longest established weekly newspaper for computer manufacturers, distributors and resellers who need to maintain a competitive edge in the channel. Hard-hitting opinionated editorial covers...Read More »
Nokia faces competitive challenges in 2010
Posted: Mon, 01 Feb 2010Analysts at IDC have warned that Nokia needs to make some smart moves in the coming months to maintain its lead in the European smartphone segment.Growing competition from Korean manufacturers...Read More »
Secret admirer chats up NetServices
Posted: Mon, 01 Feb 2010Salford-based Cisco Master Managed Services partner NetServices has revealed it is in talks with a mystery buyer after its share price leaped just before the weekend.In a disclosure made to...Read More »
Tories called out on broadband pledge
Posted: Mon, 01 Feb 2010The Conservative party has unveiled plans to slice off a portion of the BBC TV licence fee to fund 100 Mbps broadband across the UK by 2017, should the comms...Read More »
Juniper sales up on network spending rebound
Posted: Fri, 29 Jan 2010Juniper Networks has reported strong results for the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2009, giving more weight to talk that enterprise customers in the US are now ramping up their...Read More »
KCOM performance improving in second half
Posted: Fri, 29 Jan 2010Managed comms outfit KCOM Group continues to power through the second half of its fiscal 2010, according to an interim management statement released today.The group's performance to the end of...Read More »
Analysis: Turnaround in networking fortunes?
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Despite networking market declines last year, some technologies hold the promise of growth in 2010, writes GfK's Greg AllenThe past year has been particularly challenging for the networking market, with...Read More »
Analysis: Educators fear IT budget cuts
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Although the weather might have hit the numbers, more than 30,000 visitors were expected to walk the floors of London's Olympia at this year's BETT Show over its four-day span.One...Read More »
BT recruitment scheme rebooted
Posted: Wed, 27 Jan 2010Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400;...Read More »
Getronics numbers down as parent's profits soar
Posted: Wed, 27 Jan 2010Incumbent Dutch telco and Getronics-owner KPN has seen its Q4 net profit spike over 100% year-on-year on the back of a €705m tax gain, hitting €1.09bn (£945m) on sales of...Read More »
In depth: Lessons from BETT 2010
Posted: Tue, 26 Jan 2010Heavy snow, icy pavements and frozen roads only heightened the buzz at last month's BETT show at London's Olympia. The world's largest annual technology in education show, the event had...Read More »
Avaya lays down Nortel technology future
Posted: Tue, 19 Jan 2010Avaya set out its plans and roadmap for the newly-acquired Nortel enterprise business on Tuesday afternoon and pledged to build capabilities from Nortel's portfolio into its own product line-up....Read More »
Analysis: Remote working is business enabler
Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2010In February 2009, parts of the UK ground to a halt as the country experienced some of its heaviest snowfall since 1991. Many commentators seized the opportunity to talk...Read More »
Europe to lead mobile security market
Posted: Tue, 12 Jan 2010Third party apps will become the security safeguard of choice for corporate mobile users by 2014, with Europe and the UK at the centre of the trend according to...Read More »
Alcatel-Lucent launches green network vision
Posted: Mon, 11 Jan 2010Alcatel-Lucent’s R&D division, Bell Labs, today launched a green communications initiative dubbed Green Touch, a consortium promising to make comms networks 1,000 times more energy efficient than they are...Read More »
Flexible working achievable for SMEs
Posted: Thu, 07 Jan 2010A government sponsored report into flexible working has concluded that – within reason – SMEs can benefit from implementing flexible working policies. The Flexible Working: Challenges for Business...Read More »
Bono slammed by ISPs for flawed anti-filesharing argument
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2010U2 frontman Bono has been heavily criticised after penning an article in an American paper earlier this week lambasting ISPs for not doing more to prevent illegal filesharing.The singer has...Read More »
Intact expands global Cisco reach
Posted: Tue, 05 Jan 2010Datatec-owned Cisco services house, Intact Integrated Services, has expanded into the US with the acquisition of Ohio-based Cisco practice Millennium Technology Services for an undisclosed sum. Millennium was...Read More »
Cloud not yet getting through to CIOs
Posted: Mon, 04 Jan 2010Over half of CIOs fail to see how cloud computing can save them money despite the reduction of capital expenditure being a fundamental tenet of the cloud proposition. ...Read More »
Social apps to take on a corporate flavour
Posted: Tue, 15 Dec 2009The influence of consumer-focused technologies on business environments will continue to expand in 2010, albeit with more emphasis on providing business-tailored applications, according to communications experts. The expansion...Read More »
Nortel on top of global VoIP charts
Posted: Mon, 14 Dec 2009Nortel’s Carrier VoIP and Application Solutions (CVAS) unit is still at the top of the carrier VoIP market despite its parent’s ongoing troubles, according to new research from Dell’Oro,...Read More »
Sequential growth shows PBX sales could be back on track
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2009Mirroring sequential growth seen in other areas of the ICT industry, it appears as if the UK market for PBX and IP PBX systems is moving in the right...Read More »
Cisco gets shareholder backing to complete Tandberg deal
Posted: Fri, 04 Dec 2009Increasing its offer for Tandberg has paid off for Cisco as it secured backing for its takeover of the Norwegian video conferencing specialist. Cisco has been attempting to seal...Read More »
BT pledges £30m to Northern Ireland broadband project
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2009Major Orders Fuel Fast Growth BT has pledged to invest £30m in the government’s Next Generation Broadband project in Northern Ireland, launched today by enterprise minister Arlene Foster. The...Read More »
SMB uptake to drive web conference services in 2010s
Posted: Wed, 02 Dec 2009Growing SMB adoption rates point to compound annual growth in the web-conferencing market of over 25% during the next five years, according to new research from Frost & Sullivan,...Read More »
UK still lagging behind in broadband stakes
Posted: Thu, 26 Nov 2009Despite the occasionally bright spot the UK is still lagging behind in the broadband speed stakes with some places still below the 2Mbps goal set by the government. ...Read More »
European performance buoys Blue Coat Q2
Posted: Wed, 25 Nov 2009Network application delivery specialist Blue Coat Systems has benefited from improving conditions in both Europe and the US recording sequential growth in its second quarter. Total net...Read More »
Ciena picks up Nortel units
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2009Network infrastructure vendor Ciena has won the auction for Nortel's optical networking and carrier Ethernet business with a bid of $769m (£463m).Earlier on Monday competing bidder Nokia Siemens Networks pulled...Read More »
EU blesses Avaya Nortel marriage
Posted: Thu, 19 Nov 2009Brussels has approved Avaya's billion dollar acquisition of Nortel's enterprise business, paving the way for the deal to close by Christmas. In a statement, the European Commission said: "The...Read More »
Office based mobile phone costs wasting millions
Posted: Mon, 16 Nov 2009Tightening up on the use of mobile phones could save users a fair bit of money and provide resellers pitching smart phones with a foot in the door after...Read More »
Cisco finds more dough for Tandberg
Posted: Mon, 16 Nov 2009Cisco has upped its bid for Norwegian video-conferencing hotshot Tandberg, revaluing the firm at $3.4bn after shareholders turned their noses up at its previous offer. The networking giant had...Read More »
Tandberg shareholders snub takeover
Posted: Wed, 11 Nov 2009Cisco's whirlwind romance with Tandberg's shareholders in its $3bn acquisition of the Norwegian video hotshot is not going entirely to plan, the vendor has revealed. "Cisco has received...Read More »
In depth: Bright ideas in the cloud
Posted: Tue, 10 Nov 2009It has been a long time since a concept was hyped by the IT industry quite as much as cloud computing. Just about every vendor and many a channel partner...Read More »
Five minute interview: Ian Cummins, Network Instruments
Posted: Tue, 10 Nov 2009MicroScope puts its questions to Ian Cummins, vice-president of Network Instruments EMEAWhat is the best book you have ever read?J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. It’s so good we even...Read More »
Nortel Enterprise channel on notice
Posted: Fri, 06 Nov 2009The Nortel enterprise channel is now officially living on borrowed time after Avaya announced that resellers selling Nortel gear will be inducted into its Avaya Connect channel from 1 March...Read More »
Tandberg shareholders call on Cisco to raise bid
Posted: Fri, 06 Nov 2009The war of words between Cisco's senior management and a group of Tandberg shareholders arguing over the value of the US vendor's proposed $3bn take-over of the Norwegian firm has...Read More »
Avaya connects global partner community
Posted: Thu, 05 Nov 2009Avaya has launched a fresh global channel programme - Connect - designed to streamline its existing channel structure and, it claims, drive profitability and growth for comms VARs and system...Read More »
Government in broadband time warp
Posted: Tue, 03 Nov 2009Westminster has once again come under fire for being trapped “in a time warp” over its plans for a 2Mbps universal broadband service. The Federation of Small Businesses...Read More »
Cisco hits back at Tandberg doubters
Posted: Tue, 03 Nov 2009Cisco chief strategy officer Ned Hooper has responded to a group of Tandberg shareholders who are holding out for a better offer from the vendor. Last Friday the threat...Read More »
Juniper takes sledgehammer to network strategy
Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2009Network infrastructure vendor Juniper has today announced a complete refresh of its strategy and partnerships with the intention of beating rival Cisco at its own game. In a...Read More »
Five minute interview: Craig Whitney, Axway
Posted: Tue, 20 Oct 2009MicroScope puts its questions to Craig Whitney, vice-president and managing director of AxwayWhat is the best/worst advice you have received and from whom? Always have a ‘plan B’ – from...Read More »
Cisco faces hiccup in Tandberg acquisition
Posted: Thu, 15 Oct 2009Cisco could be forced to pay more than $3bn to secure the Norwegian video conferencing specialist Tandberg after a major shareholder group blocked the offer. An cash offer was...Read More »
Cisco goes mobile with $2.9bn Starent buy
Posted: Wed, 14 Oct 2009Network equipment maker Cisco today said it would pay $2.9bn to acquire Starent Networks, a supplier of IP-based networking equipment for mobile and converged carriers.Starent's access-independent technology is used in...Read More »
Cisco Tandberg marriage to boost video market
Posted: Fri, 09 Oct 2009Cisco and Tandberg have moved to reassure their respective channels that last week's $3bn acquisition of the Norwegian video specialist will be a positive move. In a corporate video...Read More »
The driving power behind the cloud
Posted: Fri, 02 Oct 2009As many companies move into the cloud there is a growing need for tools that can monitor, analyse, optimise and secure the supporting infrastructure. There are a number of benefits...Read More »
Tandberg falls to growing Cisco video empire
Posted: Thu, 01 Oct 2009Norwegian video and collaboration specialist Tandberg has been bought by Cisco for an aggregate price of $3bn. The Cisco juggernaut rolled into Oslo on Thursday, touting an 11% premium...Read More »
No sign of pick up in PBX market
Posted: Wed, 23 Sep 2009The prognosis for the UK PBX and IP PBX market remains gloomy, according to comms analysts at MZA, who have just released their Q2 market figures. During calendar...Read More »
In-depth: UC step by step
Posted: Tue, 22 Sep 2009BAlthough organisations are purchasing elements of the unified communications (UC) vision to boost staff productivity in difficult economic times, few beyond the largest are buying into the full dream. Instead,...Read More »
Analysis: Channel adjusts to Nortel exit
Posted: Fri, 18 Sep 2009The purchase of Nortel's enterprise communications business by Avaya for $900m marks the beginning of the endgame for Nortel. With few units now remaining, this once powerful vendor has little...Read More »
Contact centres demonstrating more value
Posted: Wed, 16 Sep 2009Systems and network integrator Dimension Data has revealed we may be on the “cusp” of a massive change in the contact centre environment, according to findings in its latest...Read More »
Avaya victorious after lengthy Nortel auction
Posted: Mon, 14 Sep 2009Avaya has emerged victorious from the protracted bidding process for Nortel's enterprise unit, walking away with the prize after forking out $900m with an additional pool of $15m for employee...Read More »
Analysis: Future Orange for channel
Posted: Fri, 11 Sep 2009Last week's merger of Britain's third and fourth largest mobile phone networks, Orange and T-Mobile, has raised eyebrows across the industry.The merger creates a 50:50 joint venture. It is expected...Read More »
Juniper and Nokia Siemens finalise JV deal
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2009Juniper Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks are putting the finishing touches to a new Carrier Ethernet joint venture after receiving regulatory approval to push ahead with the scheme. ...Read More »
Ruckus Wireless looks to expansion and improved support
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2009Ruckus Wireless is expanding its research and development facilities and aiming to improve its support for its resellers after gaining $12m in its latest round of venture capital funding....Read More »
BT pushes super-fast broadband in retail store format
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2009BT is attempting to ramp up awareness of advanced super-fast broadband technologies such as fibre-based connectivity, its BT Vision TV service and other home and business-related applications with the...Read More »
WAN specialists tackle London web outage
Posted: Tue, 08 Sep 2009A key pitch in WAN optimisation sales of late is the ability to work remotely, connecting to the office via a VPN over a home broadband connection,However, those relying...Read More »
In-depth: Mobile market opportunities
Posted: Fri, 04 Sep 2009Demand for mobile solutions is at its highest as more and more organisations realise the potential of improved productivity and new ways to interact with customers and partners.But the sheer...Read More »
ForeScout launches ConSentry lifeboat
Posted: Tue, 01 Sep 2009In the wake of last month’s collapse of network access control (NAC) vendor ConSentry, as reported in MicroScope, competitor ForeScout Technologies has launched a buyback programme to help ConSentry’s...Read More »
Business security policies muddled in recession
Posted: Thu, 27 Aug 2009Application delivery specialists F5 Networks have published research suggesting that nearly half of businesses don’t consider that cutting their IT budgets will increase vulnerability to security threats and are...Read More »
Cisco and Avaya sued over voicemail patents
Posted: Mon, 24 Aug 2009Networking industry giants Cisco and Avaya are being sued by a firm called Klausner Technologies over the inclusion of visual voicemail technologies in their solutions. The suit was...Read More »
Vizioncore iland partnership targets back-up demand
Posted: Mon, 17 Aug 2009Virtualisation management vendor Vizioncore is putting the finishing touches to a new data recovery and business continuity scheme with UK newcomer iland Internet Solutions. The service will utilise...Read More »
Analysis: What future for Avaya Nortel channel
Posted: Fri, 24 Jul 2009The long-running Nortel soap opera took another twist last week, as the auction of the bankrupt network supplier's wireless business neared. Presumptive buyer Nokia Siemens was challenged by venture capitalist...Read More »
3Com unveils Willis as country manager
Posted: Wed, 15 Jul 20093Com has unveiled a fresh country manager to fill the gap left by the Gary Newbold who departed to go Extreme Networks to take over as regional director...Read More »
ANS numbers up in tough market
Posted: Wed, 08 Jul 2009Cisco Gold Partner ANS Group has announced its full-year results, with operating profit up 13% year-on-year to £1.2m on sales of £12.3m.The Manchester-based reseller, which also works alongside Microsoft, VMware...Read More »
C&W looks to exploit user focus on telco costs
Posted: Fri, 03 Jul 2009Cable & Wireless believes that with the channel it can make serious gains in the SME market as customers facing the recession review their telecom strategies. Speaking to...Read More »
MPs to probe government broadband tax
Posted: Tue, 30 Jun 2009The Digital Britain report is to be investigated by a cross-party committee in the wake of its launch on 16 June in order to assess if its recommendations are...Read More »
KCOM outsources network to BT as it looks to cut costs
Posted: Mon, 22 Jun 2009KCOM has signed a deal with BT to outsource the management of its network in a move aimed at cutting costs. As expected KCOM has followed up...Read More »
Comms tsar to quit after Digital Britain report
Posted: Fri, 12 Jun 2009Communications minister Stephen Carter is expected to leave government, according to a report in The Times. If confirmed by the government, Carter's departure will be a blow to...Read More »
PBX market decline continues
Posted: Tue, 09 Jun 2009The seemingly inexorable decline of the British corded PBX and IP PBX market is continuing in the face of the economic downturn. Research out today from consultants at...Read More »