Sphinx has many years of networking experience and has enjoyed a successful start to its tenure as an Alcatel-Lucent voice distributor. By combining its expertise with Alcatel-Lucent's industry leading IP networking and telephony solutions, the distributor is now well placed to grow Alcatel-Lucent's position in the UK convergence arena.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sphinx will look to develop Alcatel-Lucent's partner base by encouraging existing voice partners to up-skill and move into the lucrative convergence market, as well as recruiting additional partners - both those new to convergence and those currently offering rival vendors' voice and data solutions.
"As convergence continues to gather pace, the opportunity in the UK marketplace is massive, so it's vital that we can provide partners with the equipment and expertise they require to deliver complete end-to-end solutions for customers," said Mark Hatton, managing director at Sphinx. "The scale of Alcatel-Lucent's reseller base and its breadth of solutions make this the ideal partnership for tackling the market head on and dislodging the current convergence leaders."
In addition to its current voice portfolio, the agreement means that Sphinx will now supply Alcatel-Lucent's leading OmniSwitch and OmniStack IP networking technology, as well its OmniAccess wireless LAN solutions. Sphinx will provide all partners with a dedicated internal Alcatel-Lucent account team possessing in-depth knowledge and experience of converged solutions.
"Sphinx has continued to demonstrate its commitment to Alcatel-Lucent and has already shown its capabilities within the voice space, which has resonated well with both our business partners and end-users," said Peter Tebbutt, regional support centre director for Alcatel-Lucent's enterprise activities in the UK and Ireland. "Extending Sphinx's remit to include a fully converged offering is the next logical step in the partnership, and we anticipate it substantially boosting our share of the convergence market, as well as adding value for everyone in the supply chain."