June's Channel Program Changes
AT&T, Sprint, Mitel, Dell: This edition of channel-program changes includes some heavy hitters in telecom and IT.
July 6, 2016
June’s Channel Program Changes
Two of the biggest telcos on the planet had channel news of note in June, as did an IT giant that’s about to get a whole lot bigger.
This month’s channel-program roundup includes the latest on Dell’s acquisition of EMC and channel ramifications; a new partnership between AT&T and Samsung; and some big strides Sprint is making among its partner base.
As is the norm, our gallery features new channel programs from some companies you might not know, plus enhancements to programs that might already be your cup of tea.
There are simply too many channel-program updates from the past month to include in this update, but it does offer a nice sampling.
Missed May’s big channel changes? Find those here.
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Channel Program Changes: Sprint
Sprint has changed its direction with the channel since the recent formation of its Global Wireline Business Unit, focusing on fewer partners, and launching new programs to incent activity and growth. The wireline unit was announced in May and is focused on B2B, with customers ranging from Fortune 100, multinational corporations and large national accounts, to midmarket customers and the SMB space.
You can read all about what Sprint’s doing in the channel here.
Channel Program Changes: AT&T
AT&T Partner Exchange added a Samsung-specific segment to its Mobility Certification Achievement Program (CAP), in addition to the ability to resell three Samsung devices. The carrier is bringing Samsung in to work directly with partners. The program’s goal is to “make it as easy and seamless as possible for solution providers to find success with mobility.”
Click here to read more about this partnership.
Channel Program Changes: ThousandEyes
Boasting one of the coolest names in the channel, ThousandEyes, the network intelligence company, launched its first channel program to help partners assist their clients with cloud adoption.
The ThousandEyes Channel Partner Program offers technical certifications and training, sales and marketing resources, and a “compelling incentives framework to reward ongoing success and future growth,” the company said. Resellers get tools and resources aimed at delivering value to their customers while fostering recurring relationships and revenue with a SaaS-based platform and subscription model.
Get the full scoop on ThousandEyes here.
Channel Program Changes: Mitel-CNSG
As part of a new agreement, master agent Converged Network Services Group (CNSG) will offer Mitel’s business communications portfolio to its agents and managing partners. The Mitel MiCloud portfolio includes, mobility solutions, voice, video, contact center, conferencing and collaboration.
Read the full story about this deal.
Channel Program Changes: Dell
Dell’s pending $67 billion acquisition of EMC is the biggest of all time in the IT industry, so naturally, partners might be interested in how the integration of these two giant companies is going to go.
Cheryl Cook, Dell’s channel chief, told Channel Partners in a Q&A that, from a channel perspective, working through “all the communications and messaging” is key once the acquisition closes later this year.
We’ll still likely operate in parallel as independent companies when the bell rings – so they [EMC partners] are still going to process orders in their tools and we’ll process orders in our tools,” Cook told us. “We will look for any kind of integrated changes to programs or structures to occur in the February [2017] time frame, which will be at the beginning of the new fiscal year of the combined company — to be called Dell Technologies.”
Cook had much more to say. Read it here.
Channel Program Changes: Tufin
Tufin, the network security provider, enhanced its Global Partner Program to help VARs sell more and increase their margins. Program improvements include updated partner designation tiers with enhanced benefits; better margins with deal registration; a new partner portal with personalized access to resources; and specialized certification training programs.
This is where to read about all of the changes at Tufin.
Channel Program Changes: Luminoso