Alcatel-Lucent launches new channel recruitment drive in UK and Ireland and announces security partnership with Abraxas

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced a new UK and Ireland channel recruitment drive designed to encourage specialist data and security resellers to become Alcatel-Lucent business partners.

The company will recruit direct partners to sell its recently launched OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian and OmniAccess 8550 Web Services Gateway security products, as well as its rapidly expanding portfolio of enterprise data solutions, including the successful OmniSwitch 6850 family of LAN switches.

To coincide with the recruitment effort, Alcatel-Lucent has revamped its business partner training programs. The sessions offered now include technical training for the company’s full range of data and security products, as well as providing increased emphasis on sales methodologies, helping partners to better engage with end-users and to map Alcatel-Lucent solutions to address their needs. Both new and existing partners will be able to access the training programme schedule by visiting the partner extranet at: https://www.businesspartner.alcatel-lucent.com

The new initiative, which supports Alcatel-Lucent’s strong end-to-end portfolio, provides its business partners with a real competitive edge by helping increasingly dynamic enterprises strengthen relationships, simplify interactions, and improve performance as they interconnect people, processes and knowledge through the network core.

“As we bolster our position in the UK and Ireland data market and establish ourselves as a leading provider of enterprise security solutions, it’s vital that we have similarly ambitious and skilled partners on board,” said David Parker, vice president for Alcatel-Lucent’s enterprise activities in UK and Ireland. “Furthermore, with end-users recognising the vast potential of IP solutions to enable dynamic communications, it’s no longer acceptable for resellers to just pitch one-size-fits-all technology at these organisations. Our training helps partners take a new approach to sales, understanding end-user business needs and demonstrating how Alcatel-Lucent solutions can transform their businesses by turning every interaction into a business opportunity.”

Alcatel-Lucent has also today announced a new security partnership with leading financial sector reseller Abraxas Partners. Abraxas gains access to Alcatel-Lucent’s full ICT product portfolio through the partnership, and is focused in particular on promoting the Alcatel-Lucent OmniAccess 8550 Web Services Gateway information security and compliance solution to UK financial institutions. Abraxas chose to partner with Alcatel-Lucent based on the unique proposition offered by the OmniAccess 8550 Web Services Gateway, along with the impressive environmental credentials of the Alcatel-Lucent product portfolio.

“None of Alcatel-Lucent’s competitors has a product similar to the Web Services Gateway. Combining this with our financial sector expertise positions us well to target the large number of organisations looking to tighten their information security procedures and improve the secure flow of data within their business,” said Iain Roache, managing director at Abraxas. “Furthermore, our environmental focus is to reduce the carbon impact of these companies through the deployment of smart technology, and with its emphasis on low power consumption, the Alcatel-Lucent product range certainly fits the bill.”