SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug 14, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM), the world's largest technology distributor, today announced it has expanded its portfolio of IP communications solutions and services. The new lineup will help Ingram Micro's solution provider partners build out their unified communications offerings and gain a competitive advantage by providing access to exclusive manufacturers, training programs, and dedicated technical and sales support.
Ingram Micro, which has been successfully offering IP communications solutions for three years, believes unified communications is the next burgeoning market, driven by connecting technologies such as telephony, video and managed communications. These solutions, combined with Ingram Micro's professional service offerings, will help generate demand and opportunity for solution providers with expertise in networking, security and telecommunications.
Ingram Micro has expanded its IP communications offering with such industry leaders as Cisco, 3Com, Microsoft, Polycom, Linksys and Allied Telesis. In addition, Ingram Micro's recent agreement with Nortel* rounds out its full portfolio, offering VARs the most complete array of IP communications solutions. To meet customer needs, Ingram Micro continues to offer the popular Cisco CallManager and 3Com NBX/VCX VoIP solutions as well as the entire 3Com data portfolio. Ingram Micro also carries the full line of Nortel voice and data products, including data switches, enterprise telephony and an entire portfolio of data security solutions. These solutions, combined with Ingram Micro's established relationships with Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, and other manufacturers leading the unified communications vision, give solution providers a head start on building business around the latest growth trend.
"Our IP communications offerings have always been robust, and now that we've rounded out our line card to include whole converged solutions from major vendors, Ingram Micro has the most comprehensive portfolio of any distributor, hands-down," said Ken Bast, vice president, vendor management, networking at Ingram Micro. "Couple those solutions with our unified communication training events, dedicated technical support, and our market development managers that will help solution providers seek out and identify deals, and we are able to help VARs develop and grow a unified communications practice like no other partner."
Programs to Capture a Growing Market
Businesses today typically have complex communications environments with a variety of systems, including land lines, voice mail, e-mail, two-way mobile communications devices and videoconferencing. With diversified systems and competing technologies, productivity can suffer and the cost of doing business can increase. Unified communications solutions can help streamline business processes and reduce costs, creating a growing market.
Ingram Micro is helping solution providers learn this market and build their practices by hosting a series of unified communication training events designed to simplify the certification process. Held at the Ingram Micro Solution Centers, these training sessions provide hands-on technical training with equipment and software from all of Ingram Micro's manufacturer partners.
Going beyond the hardware, Ingram Micro also offers market development managers and specialists dedicated to helping solution providers seek out and identify opportunities. Once solution providers are up and running with unified communications offerings, Ingram Micro is there to provide dedicated voice and video technical support.
"With our portfolio, education series and support center, VARs have a sophisticated partner to help them develop their business, expand their networking portfolio and provide the best options to suit their customers needs," said Bast. "We are excited about this market and the opportunity it brings to our partners. Solution providers should take advantage of our offerings and grow their business through unified communications."
For more information on Ingram Micro's unified communications offerings, contact Ingram Micro's voice and data convergence desk at (800) 445-5066, ext. 76101. Or, contact your sales representative at (800) 456-8000.
About Ingram Micro
As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company serves 140 countries and is the only broadline global IT distributor with operations in Asia. Visit www.ingrammicro.com.
(C) 2006 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the registered Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used under license by Ingram Micro Inc. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. *Nortel is a trademark of Nortel Networks.
SOURCE Ingram Micro Inc.
Media, Marie Meoli of WhiteFox Marketing, +1-714-680-0335,
marie.meoli@whitefoxpr.com, for Ingram Micro Inc.
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