After picking up LifeSize as a vendor in January, IPL Communications has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Panasonic’s range of IP telephony products.
Panasonic, which was using a direct to market model for its IP telephony range, had been in discussions with the communications distributor for several months before confirming the partnership. According to IPL CEO, Stead Denton, the vendor selected the company based on the distributor’s expertise in the growing IP telephony sector.
“We were a specialist IP PABX company and have been dealing in the enterprise space for quite some time,” he said. “With the world moving to IP, Panasonic found our skill sets valuable.”
The distributor is most excited about the vendor’s key phones and Pure IP PABX range. Key phone is a new technology for IPL and this deal finally gives resellers access to a type of product that was previously unavailable. Pure IP PABX’s ability to allow a multitude of applications through a data network on a voice platform also provides IPL with a differentiating factor in the market.
With more than 200 resellers, the distributor expects the Panasonic deal will add value to the vendor’s existing dealers. It also wants to take the range to a group of new partners.
While Denton conceded that the new addition might conflict with IPL’s existing line-up he did not see it as a problem.
Alcatel and Siemens products already have a strong presence in the market. Denton did not see this deteriorating despite the added competition and said the distributor planned to grow those businesses aggressively.
