Aastra signs Redington to build ME channel

Enterprise communications specialist Aastra has signed Redington Gulf as a distributor for the Middle East and North Africa.

Redington will carry Aastra's SIP and IP terminals and small IP-PBXs, to improve their reach with value-added resellers and systems integrators in the region.

Aastra solutions will be handled by Redington Value, the value-add arm of Redington Gulf. To introduce the deal and the launch of Aastra IP phones for Microsoft's Lync communication server, Redington will release a promotional offer for Microsoft's voice partners for use as demos and proof-of-concept, which will be available during the second quarter of 2011.

Dr Roger Hage, vice president Marketing & Business Development, Aastra MENA said: "Aastra is continuing in its regional channel expansion strategy in the Middle East and North Africa, and is happy to partner with Redington Gulf in order to reach a wider range of value-added resellers and systems integrators in the region. Our vast portfolio of SIP phones are certified to interwork with enterprise grade call manager platforms like Aastra's MX-ONE, BusinessPhone and MDevolution as well as with Open Standards based solutions like Asterisk®, and carrier grade IP Centrex platforms such as BroadWorks from BroadSoft Inc. and MMtel (IMS) from Ericsson. We are also one of the few vendors offering high quality stand-alone Desktop IP phones, which are certified and optimized for Microsoft's latest Unified Communication solution Lync Server 2010."

"The selection process has taken several months and we have carefully weighed crucial criteria like geographical reach, logistical capabilities including in-country stocking and channel satisfaction, and came to the conclusion that Redington Gulf is the perfect regional partner for our key markets in the GCC, the Levant and Egypt," he added.

Ramkumar Balakrishnan, vice president, Redington Gulf, Value Division, said: "We strive to offer our channel partners complimentary solutions so as to enable them to meet their customers need most efficiently. Aastra's portfolio will complement some of our existing offerings especially HP Networking-with whom Aastra has a tight alliance called the Open Network Ecosystem (ONE). We are confident that with our VAR network across Middle East and Africa more customers across the region would have better access to Enterprise Communication solutions and help us meet our partners needs better."