Bytes Systems Integration (Bytes SI) has signed up as a value-added distributor for Internet protocol and cloud vendor Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, and created a business unit dedicated to its solutions.
Effective immediately, the agency covers South Africa and south-east Africa, including the Indian Ocean islands, and provides Bytes SI with access to the vendor's portfolio of products and services, making available secure, high-performance communications and network infrastructures via its reseller channel.
The companies are targeting the public and education sectors, as well as Internet service providers, among others.
Bytes SI divisional MD Patrick Hastings says the agreement is a natural progression as it has operated as an Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise sub-distributor for many years.
Hastings says by becoming a fully-recognised partner, Bytes SI now enjoys access to education services, which equips its resellers to validate skills and knowledge through official diplomas, and a certification programme which enables them to be compliant with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Partner Programme requirements and specialisations. "We currently have 114 certifications from Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise at various levels," he adds.
Ravin Naidu, regional director, South and East Africa, Alcatel Lucent Enterprise, says: "We are delighted to announce Bytes as our new value-added distributor in South Africa and south-east Africa. Distribution is vital in the future path for Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise as distributors have the flexibility to offer complementary and value-added services to support resellers, regardless of the size of their businesses. We look forward to growing all aspects of our distribution business to support our customers in the African continent and this new relationship with Bytes is in line with our growth strategy to widen the reach of our products and solutions in the market."
Bytes SI has appointed Leslie Cawood as divisional manager, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise. Cawood started with Standard Telephones and Cables in 1984 as a PABX technician after completing his telecommunications apprenticeship with the then South African Railways.
Over the years, he moved on from a technical position into a management role in the services division. During this time he completed numerous diplomas in business management at Damelin and returned to Damelin to lecture in manager development on a part-time basis.
When Bytes Communication and Bytes Connect merged, he took on the role as executive business development and started looking at changing the way the Alcatel-Lucent products were marketed by Bytes Connect and realised that a value-added distribution was the only way to really grow the product line.
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