Avaya Enables Channel Partners to Deliver Innovative Real-time

Dubai UAE – Avaya, a global leader in business communications systems, software and



services, today announced new skills, certifications and support systems to help Avaya Connect



Channel Partners in the Emerging Markets region provide innovative, real-time business



communications and collaboration solutions to their customers. Avaya Connect Channel



Partners will have access to new technology certifications, business management, increased



marketing funds and a global Partner HelpDesk to help evolve both their customers business as



well as their own. Partners serving the SME sector will particularly benefit from this increased



support structure and will now be able to gain their SME certification with greater ease.



The announcement was made as more than 400 Avaya channel partners from the across



Avaya’s Emerging Markets region gathered in Dubai, UAE, for its 2011 Partner Conference that



runs from November 30 to December 1.



“The innovations Avaya is now bringing to market allow our Avaya Connect Channel Partners in



the Emerging Markets to change the conversation,” said Jeremy Butt, vice-president, Worldwide



Channels, Avaya. “Our partners can have a strategic impact helping enterprises reinvigorate



their business by using open, standards-based real-time communications and collaboration



applications. Avaya is equipping channel partners with the technology, skills, certifications and



support to enable their success in this industry.”



The announcement follows a series of technology innovations announced by Avaya through



2010 that included advancements in unified communications and collaboration, contact



centre and data networking for businesses from small to very large. Most recently, Avaya



announced a new portfolio of video-enabled collaboration solutions highlighted by the Avaya



FlareTM Experience, the industry’s first next-generation user experience that delivers unique



collaboration capabilities across video, voice and text.



The recently launched Avaya Connect Partner HelpDesk provides a single point of contact for



channel partners who have questions about Avaya’s partner programmes, tools and services.



Available in 10 languages, this new resource offers truly global assistance to channel partners



to make it easier for partners to do business with Avaya, regardless of their level, geography,



or portfolio sold. The new training and certifications will be available over the next two quarters.



The Avaya Connect Partner HelpDesk is available now.



Avaya is offering access to courses leading to a Professional Diploma in Marketing Business



Services and Solutions provided by ITSMA and the Chartered Institute of Marketing to help



channel partners build business skills. The curriculum will help channel partners understand



what they need to do within their own business to create and deliver business services and



solutions and how to win, grow and defend key customer accounts.



The new and expanded technology training, designations and skills reflect Avaya’s expanded



portfolio into Data and Video Solutions and include Video or Data Authorisations, Video or Data



Expert, Avaya Certified Solutions Architect , and Avaya Connect Video Solutions certification.



“Vendors with clear and strong certification programmes enable partners to develop



comprehensive skill-sets and build and grow their business,” states Chris Ilg, director,



Infrastructure Channels and Alliances, IDC. “As enterprises look for innovative collaboration



solutions to fuel innovation in their business, partners with the latest capabilities are best



positioned to meet the needs of customers today.”



About Avaya



Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems. The company provides unified



communications, contact centers, data solutions, and related services directly and through



its channel partners to leading businesses and organisations around the world. Enterprises



of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency,



collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. For more information please visit



www.avaya.com.

Cisco Aims to Energize Small-Business Productivity with $100 Million Investment

Dubai, UAE – January 27, 2009 – Cisco today announced a $100 million global strategic initiative focused on small business networking and communications solutions for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Cisco aims to help small businesses gain greater agility and efficiency in working with customers who are increasingly expecting to do business on the move, on the Internet and via video. According to research firm IDC, the SMB market in the Middle East will account for more than a third of all IT spending by 2011 and comprises of 70 to 80 percent of businesses in this region.

A new Cisco® Small Business Technology Group (SBTG) is being formed to develop technologies focused on six areas consistently highlighted as top priorities by small businesses for enabling business growth: connectivity, security, remote access, productivity, customer interaction and customer support. The SBTG is part of a companywide initiative composed of sales, marketing, services and technology groups that will focus solely on the small-business segment.

Sam Alkharrat, managing director of Cisco Gulf and Pakistan, said: “The No. 1 priority for small-business owners is growing their companies, not becoming technology experts. Small businesses learn about and implement technology in very different ways than do large enterprises. In recognition, Cisco has transformed the way we communicate with small-business customers with a customized SMB-specific Website and marketing campaigns that focus increasingly on business capabilities and benefits of complete solutions rather than on products and technologies.”

Alkharrat added: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of today’s economy and in today’s environment, it’s critical that small-business owners have a technology partner they trust to help them find and deploy the right solutions to grow their businesses. With the widest range of solutions, from value-driven point products to expandable and upgradeable solutions to grow on, Cisco can meet any small business’ communications needs.”