Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, March 9, 2018.
Actually, there are 10 timely updates designed for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents and telco agents to sip on. Take a look…
10. Layoffs: Ricoh apparently is having job cuts. We're checking to see if the alleged cuts have any impact on the company's managed services business unit, mindSHIFT.
9. Digital Currency: Multicoin Capital, an asset management firm with a long-term positive view on digital currencies, has raised capital from a slew of big individual and institutional investors. Key investors include Netscape co-founder and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Reuters says.
8. First Responder Network: AT&T has issued a progress report for FirstNet, a nationwide first responder network. The network buildout has accelerated in recent months, and is expected to eventually blanket all 50 states and several U.S. territories.
7. Distribution Part One: Tech Data shares fell nearly 20 percent yesterday after the distributor essentially said hardware vendor partner programs are pressuring Tech Data's margins. The chatter dragged down rival Synnex shares by nine percent. Despite the negative chatter, Tech Data's latest quarterly results exceeded Wall Street's profit and revenue expectations, according to SeekingAlpha.
6. Distribution Part Two: Arrow Electronics will enable its channel customers in the Nordics to offer the complete portfolio of digital transformation software from Tata Consultancy Services’ Digital Software & Solutions Group, the companies say.
5. Unified Communications: CenturyLink is now a Cisco Spark Service Provider (SP). Spark is a cloud-based collaboration suite that allows teams and individuals to meet, message, call, conference, white board and share, regardless of location.
4. Partner Program: Ugam, a data and analytics specialist, has joined the new Qualtrics Partner Network (QPN).
3. SaaS Payment Tool: LaterPay has launched LaterPay Pro for SaaS solutions providers. LaterPay saves customers’ time and increases conversions for digital content and services. Instead of requiring upfront registration and payment – which derails the majority of all intended purchases – LaterPay Pro defers this process until purchases reach a predetermined threshold, the company claims.
2. Momentum: Passportal, the password management platform for MSPs, continues to gain momentum. CEO Colin Knox and President Dan Wensley shared some company milestones with ChannelE2E earlier this week. Or was it last week? Admittedly, I'm a little behind on my reporting. Stay tuned for a detailed update in the next few days.
1. IBM PartnerWorld: The technology giant's partner conference is now part of IBM Think 2018, a new companywide customer and partner event set for later this month in Las Vegas. We plan to attend. If you'd like to potentially meet at the conference please email me ([email protected]).
Bonus: Have an awesome weekend, and thank you for reading ChannelE2E. Check the site regularly for updates ahead of Monday. You never know when breaking news and analysis will surface...
