Technology Reseller - v13 2018

01732 759725 COVER STORY 18 Connectivity Services Made Simple with Union Street specialist skills that prohibit entry into this market,” he explains. “The truth is that, today, providing these services is no more technically challenging than the data networking that IT resellers and VARs already provide. Once established, connectivity services will generate ongoing revenue streams that customers are unlikely to change unless there’s a major disruption in service. This can also help to prevent rival suppliers breaking into accounts, keeping customers sticky.” Managing Director Tony Cook adds: “Following the BT announcement to withdraw ISDN services in 2025, the replacement of millions of ISDN lines with IP-based telephony is the biggest opportunity the ICT channel has seen in years. IT resellers who can offer the right service and package will clean up. The channel can also take advantage of many other interesting revenue streams, such as cloud computing, data services and M2M.” Getting started So, where should an IT reseller start? “We’ve produced a whitepaper on this very subject,” says Disneur, “and you can request a copy by emailing us at UST@ unionstreet.co.uk. But, in short, the first step is to select service providers. Direct relationships with carriers like Openreach can be advantageous, but also quite risky With a customer base of over 600 communication providers and a user community of 3,500, Union Street Technologies is one of the leading software vendors in the communications channel. Although the company is best known as a supplier of billing and provisioning solutions for connectivity services, it has in recent years diversified its service offering to supply a broad portfolio of back-office solutions for ICT services management. As Head of Sales and Marketing for Union Street, Vincent Disneur is well placed to observe market trends. He firmly believes that for VARS and suppliers of managed IT services, there’s never been a better time to break into the connectivity market. “The IT industry is increasingly moving towards a converged market for voice, data and IT services. Many IT resellers and VARs are excellently placed to supply connectivity and associated billing services to their customers. However, there’s a common misconception that connectivity services, particularly VoIP and other types of voice product, require Technology Reseller speaks with Tony Cook and Vincent Disneur from Union Street Technologies, the UK’s leading supplier of comms billing software, to find out why there’s never been a better time for VARs and IT Resellers to supply connectivity services Channel Live This September, Union Street will be attending the Channel Live exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. One of the most important events in the ICT channel calendar, Channel Live provides the perfect opportunity to network with industry peers, meet suppliers and find out what they have to offer. Commenting on Union Street’s involvement, Disneur says: “It’s highly beneficial to have an event like this that is 100% channel-focused and brings together some of the most forward-thinking companies in the ICT industry. We’re looking forward to meeting both new and existing partners, to discuss how we can add value to their businesses, and to demonstrating how our products can increase profitability and efficiency. If you’re there, make sure to pay us a visit on stand 316.” Vincent Disneur & Tony Cook