This week in the ICT Channel...
Comms Dealer magazine rounds up the top channel news that broke during the week.....
Uplands OneTelco scores CNA hat-trick
The ICT channel's best performers were celebrated at this year's Comms National Awards ceremony (main sponsor Giacom ) on September 26th, staged at The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and hosted by Journalist Clive Myrie. This year's stellar event saw Uplands OneTelco scoop a trio of gongs including the Reseller of the Year award.
SCG Connected Executive Chairman Paul Bradford ?was crowned Entrepreneur of the Year.? He said: "I am honoured to have received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, although as I said in my speech, I accept the award on behalf of the 800+ people that work so hard to make SCG such a fantastic business.
"This industry has looked after me over the past 36 years of my career and I don’t think there’s a better place to be. As I reflect on the journey I’ve been on to get here, my main advice to others is to focus on your people, people are at the heart of any business. I would like to extend my thanks to the judges and Comms Dealer for the recognition."
Other notable winners on the night were MS3 Networks Limited , Global4 , Windsor Telecom and Jola Cloud , which all picked up a brace of commendations.
Comms Dealer Editorial Director Nigel Sergent said: "The Comms National Awards once again demonstrated why the ICT channel is so special. The judges reported another uptick in the quality and quantity of entries and the teams who put the submissions together deserve the utmost praise, regardless of the final outcomes.? During the awards, the feeling of togetherness in the room was tangible. This truly was our industry united.
“Many?congratulations?to all the winners and highly commended teams and special thanks must go to all our sponsors, especially our headline sponsor Giacom which continues to support the channel in so many positive ways.”
Before the Awards Ceremony began, guests were treated to House of the Dragon themed pre-dinner drinks sponsored by Sky Business Wholesale and Giacom . Celebrations continued late into the night at an afterparty sponsored by BT Wholesale and DJ’d by DJ Jazzie B.
BT Group commits ￡4m to support apprentices
英国电信集团 will provide access to ￡4m in apprenticeship funding over a four-year period to boost local skills and support small businesses.
Companies with an annual wage bill over ￡3m must pay an apprenticeship levy, using funds to recruit and train apprentices. They can also transfer up to 50% of their levy to support other companies.
BT?Group has partnered with apprenticeship training provider Babington to launch an Apprenticeship Fund, transferring up to ￡4m from its levy funds to help SMEs, charities and the public sector to train new apprentices and upskill their workforce.
Babington will match businesses with appropriate training providers and guide them through the application process.
The Fund is open to SMEs, charities and public sector organisations across England, including the NHS, focusing on apprentices aged 22 and older. it can scale up depending on take up and could support up to 550 apprentices.
Dr Chris Sims , MD for Small and Medium Business at?BT, said:?"We’re giving businesses the financial support they need to invest in talent.
“This not only helps create a more skilled, diverse, and competitive workforce, it also provides SMEs with additional resources to grow and scale their business.”
Focus fundraising in full swing at 4th annual golf day
Focus Group ’s 4th Annual Golf Day, hosted on Friday 20th September at East Sussex National Golf Resort, raised ￡42,000 for Focus Foundation.
Former Arsenal footballer Paul Merson joined as guest speaker, along with Rachel Swann from Grassroots Suicide Prevention plus Alice Caldecott and Sam Webster from Team Domenica. Both grassroots charities are previous beneficiaries of the Foundation.
Over 80 guests enjoyed a round of golf, uniting in support of Focus Foundation’s impactful work.
Capturing the event on camera was a member of the Creative Collective from the Shoreham-based charity, Esteem.
With the support of a grant from Focus Foundation, young adults at Esteem built a creative suite from the ground up.
Chris Goodman , Co-founder & Trustee of Focus Foundation, said: “This event has become a key fixture in our fundraising calendar, and this year’s golf day was exceptional.
“With numerous grant applications awaiting approval, these funds will make an immediate impact on changing many lives in the community.”
Tech Xpert community attracts 3,000 members
Westcon-Comstor Tech Xpert community, which enables technical professionals working in the channel to exchange ideas and engage in peer-to-peer learning, has reached 3,000-members.
Tech Xpert was launched across EMEA region in 2022 to bring cybersecurity and networking experts together in a tech-to-tech setting. It offers access to?training, insights, events, networking and points-based participation rewards.
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Daniel Hurel , SVP, Westcon EMEA Cybersecurity & Next-Generation Solutions at Westcon-Comstor, said: “As a tech-exclusive, multi-vendor community for peer-sharing between partner, distributor and vendor, Tech Xpert represents something unique for the channel.”
The scheme will now be expanded to?APAC, covering Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and India initially.
Stage set for Gammaverse 2024
Gammaverse 2024, taking place on 10th October at the QEII Centre in London, is set to provide Gamma partners with the knowledge and tools to navigate challenges and capitalise on opportunities.
The event will feature an expert UCaaS panel hosted by Richard James , Gamma 's Head of UCaaS Product Management.
The session will see Executives from Microsoft UK, Cisco Collaboration and Ericsson-LG Enterprise dive into the growing UCaaS market, the importance of offering choice, and how businesses of all sizes can leverage these technologies for success.
Gamma’s keynote speaker will be Jason Fox, former Special Forces Sergeant and star of Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins. He will share his thoughts on leadership, resilience, and teamwork under pressure.
Gamma’s 2024 acquisitions Pragma and Candio will be present, showing their AI-driven solutions and cybersecurity expertise respectively.
For further detail, visit: Gammaverse 2024 - Gamma (gammagroup.co)
Connectus builds Mobile division with PRS Group deal
Connectus Business Solutions Limited has established a Mobile Device-as-a-Service division through a deal with PRS Group.
According to CEO Roy Shelton , the new company targets demand among?clients for fully managed mobile workflow solutions on devices including tablets and phones on an as a service model.
Connectus and PRS Group have also set up a second joint venture, PRS IT, to offer PRS Group clients the full range of Connectus’ Connect, Protect and Collaborate managed services.
Shelton said: “Collectively, we service over 1,300 businesses across the UK in vertical sectors such as financial services, legal, sports and leisure, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics, property developers and retailers.
“Our white label IT managed services offering along with PRS’s extensive experience in the field of mobility solutions provides a wider range of proven capabilities for our current and new clients.”
Patrick Gill , Chairman and Founder of PRS Business Holdings, added: “Our clients have always asked us to take care of them on the IT front and giving them access to the portfolio of Connectus will be a development for the betterment of our customers’ satisfaction.”
This comes weeks after Connectus reached a deal with Genius Technology Solutions to support its 100 customers. Connectus has now completed three transactions in the past six months.
Wildix sets Autumn dates for partner roadshows
Wildix will kick off its Autumn partner engagement roadshows in November, with six dates set at locations across the county.
This follows the completion of six roadshows in the first half of 2024, which attracted a record number of attendees, resulting in a 70% year-on-year increase in partner acquisitions
The upcoming roadshows will offer a first glimpse at Wildix’s latest AI functionalities through live demonstrations.
Upcoming Wildix Roadshow Dates:
Rob Loakes , Country Manager at Wildix UK, said: “Our roadshows so far this year have not only strengthened our existing partnerships but also attracted new ones.
“Our upcoming events will continue to provide MSPs with the insights and tools they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”
For more information: wildix.com/roadshows
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