ScanSource resellers in the U.S. will now have access to a range of Cisco wireless products – marking another win for niche distribution.
ScanSource specializes in automatic identification and data capture (ADIC) and point of sale systems. And now, at least in the U.S., it’s been designated a “specialty distributor” by Cisco for mobility products in key vertical markets.
The wireless market is considered by many to be the fastest-growing market in the ICT sector – but it’s also growing in complexity. Issues include installation, reliability and security, not to mention overcoming customer misperceptions about wireless.
Add to that a vast array of wireless technologies, from laptops to PDAs, to wearable computing devices and infrared distribution systems, to applications as diverse as healthcare and network storage management.
Then there’s the convergence of wireless technologies such as 3G, WLAN, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, GSM, wireless VoIP, mesh networks, voice-enable hotspots and RFID. And to the mix issues of standards and interoperability, spectrum and licensing, as well as network optimization, and you end up with a lot of confusion.
Broadband wireless mesh solutions, for example, are a high-growth area for resellers focused on enterprise, government or service provider markets. According to research firm In-Stat, Wi-Fi meshing, which allows wireless access nodes to achieve a longer range by using each other as repeaters, is becoming increasingly common in several markets, and almost 100,000 unit shipments are expected in 2010. But incompatibility among systems is a potential hurdle, and there’s no industry standard yet for mesh networking. (In-Stat sees Cisco as a “wild card” in Wi-Fi meshing since it was late to market, but it’s using the channel to make inroads into business and government networks.)
Wireless technologies are changing the way businesses communicate and operate, and it’s an area where expertise is desperately needed. ScanSource’s partnership with Cisco will allow it to provide Cisco Unified Wireless network products to thousands of resellers in the U.S., including industry-focused wireless solution providers. Products include access points, controllers, network management software, security, switching and routing products.
Perhaps more importantly, ScanSource will also have access to value-added services that will help resellers sell, deploy and manage these wireless solutions, including in-depth education and training, trained sales and technical support specialists, pre- and post-sales support, marketing assistance, custom configuration services and other dedicated Cisco resources.
Cisco sees specialty distribution partners like ScanSource as a way to build new routes to market and accelerate growth in specific segments or geographies. And while the agreement doesn’t extend to Canada at this point, let’s hope it will – and soon.
