4. Richard King, KeyStone Solutions

Broadcom CEO Hock Tan is reiterating to VMware customers and partners that Broadcom won’t raise VMware product prices or neglect SMB customers.

Broadcom in May announced its monumental $61 billion acquisition of virtualization giant VMware. The deal, recently approved by shareholders to close in its just-started fiscal year 2023, has sparked the interest – and concern – of the channel. 

They have a track record, partners have said both on- and off-the-record, that involves heavy cost-cutting and layoffs, price increases and a narrow focus on enterprise customers.

However, Tan has denied any plans to raise prices.

Richard King, chief strategy officer, KeyStone Solutions, said Tan’s words give him hope for KeyStone’s VMware customer base, which includes SMBs.

 “As an MSP and IT service supplier of the SMB market, we are always concerned and sensitive to price fluctuation — especially involving mergers that are, as in this case, large,” King told Channel Futures. He made waves for his candor. “Looking toward the future, it appears that the Broadcom/VMware merger will just bring more value to the SMB market that is often overlooked in these transactions. I commend Broadcom and VMware CEO Hock Tan for stating this position clearly.”

However, discover how others reacted here.