How the Channel Fueled Cox’s Acquisition of RapidScale

…RapidScale’s 100-percent channel driven strategy. RapidScale has multiple close relationships with master agents, including Telarus and Intelisys, who Jeter says will be happy to work with a partner like RapidScale that has an increased breadth of offerings and deep financial backing.

Cox Business’ channel program has been around for more than six years, and Rowley has worked with partners at multiple companies. He led channel partners at Sprint Nextel from 2006 to 2009.

“I look at the channel as a very important way to go to market. Knowing some of the senior executives with these companies, it’s clear that they’ve built deep relationships with customers,” he said. “Being able to partner with those owner and operators and drive deeper into their customer base prospecting opportunities is something we value very highly.”

Jeter assured partners that his company’s distribution model will not change. In fact, he says Cox has no plans to change any of the company’s vision.

“RapidScale is a partner-focused company, and that will not change,” Jeter said. “They are going to double down on the channel. They are going to invest more in the channel. And ultimately they believe the channel is the distribution arm for IT technology of the future.”

Fierce Telecom says this marks an entrance in to the SD-WAN space for Cox. RapidScale partnered with Citrix to launch an SD-WAN offering last year.

We first reported on the story on Thursday, and RapidScale’s Brian Leonard sat down for our podcast to talk about the transaction..