Under the terms of the agreement with Philips, Nessco will distribute and support the SOPHO 2000 IPS, Philips’ IP communications server for medium and large companies with up to 1000 extensions, and the recently launched SOPHO IPC 100, a hybrid IP-PBX communications system for businesses under 100 extensions. Nessco currently only distribute Mitel systems.
Austin Davidson, Managing Director of Nessco INS says, “We are approached by telecommunications suppliers on a regular basis to distribute their products but Philips was one of the few companies that appealed to us because its product line supports both packet-switched and circuit-switched traditional (TDM) telephony. We are still seeing that there is a strong demand for TDM systems in some markets such as the hospitality and education sectors and we have previously had to limit our penetration of these market sectors because we didn’t always have a suitable solution to meet their communication requirements.”
Davidson continues, “We have aggressive plans for growth and we are looking to expand our share of the UK market for voice and data services. The Philips product range will significantly enhance our offering to resellers, giving us the opportunity to establish ourselves in new vertical markets that have a requirement for a very flexible, robust, cost-effective communications platform.”
Commenting on the joint venture between Philips and NEC, Davidson says, “This is very positive news for resellers and for end users. NEC and Philips are both household names and this union means that we will have a very compelling proposition to take to market, utilising the latest IP technology products, as well as the heritage and track record of both of these brands.”
Philips is currently working with Nessco to recruit new resellers for the SOPHO 2000 IPS and SOPHO IPC 100 products. Chris de Silva, Managing Director of Philips Business Communications, says, “We are very pleased to announce Nessco as our new Distributor. They have a proven track record in the market and an excellent reputation amongst the reseller community for providing the very best service levels. Combined with the strength of the Philips product range, this partnership provides resellers with a great opportunity to make money.”
de Silva continues, “Nessco is one of the leading distributors in the UK, who pride themselves on offering complete communication solutions. They work closely with their resellers and offer full installation services, engineering support and training to ensure that resellers have the necessary back-up and resources to sell effectively into their markets. We believe this partnership agreement will enable both companies to significantly increase market share in the SME sector.”