Channel Vision
In this interview Paul Heritage-Redpath, Head of Products, Entanet, explains why the Channel is so crucial for
achieving a Digital Britain
organisations – and the market
as a whole. Channel partners
that choose to promote ultrafast
and reliable connectivity
through a cutting-edge full bre
network, will be able to provide
a more responsive and exible
customer service, backed up with
robust service level agreements.
In doing so, these progressive
channel players will move ahead
of the competition and enable
their customers to operate more
e ciently and compete more
e ectively. ey will be able to
forge closer relationships with
customers and thus be in a prime
position to help them transform
for the new digital era, in
which just about all processes
and interactions will depend
on having access to online
services. Fast, reliable, scalable
and dependable connectivity
will become the lifeblood of our
economy and the foundation
for all commercial activity
– arguably we are already
at that point now and
the faster we can move
to full availability of full
bre, the better.
But while channel
players who get on-board
now will have a much better
chance of prospering
in the future, it’s
important to note
that it’s not just
about selecting the
right supplier and
getting early-mover
advantage. Partners
at every level of
the channel must also have
their own unique value to o er
customers. ey need to develop
their own value propositions
to layer on top of the rm
foundation that reliable, full
bre connectivity gives them
and their customers. Knowing
that they can depend on their
connectivity supplier to deliver
that solid platform, they can put
a clear focus on developing that
unique identity and value.
CBM: Is the ISDN switch-off
date (2025) delaying the
speed at which the UK is
moving right now?
PHR: It’s certainly not holding
us or our partners back. As
far as we are concerned, the
ISDN switch-o is a catalyst for
positive change in the telecoms
sector and a great way to open
up the market and extend
choice to customers. We need
to do that to deliver a truly
e ective range of choices and
move towards a truly Digital
Britain.
e ISDN switch-o is a
fantastic opportunity for the
channel to get ahead of the
game by promoting full bre
solutions – for both voice and
data – that o er great reliability
and cost-e ciency. In fact, we
recommend and expect almost
all ISDN users to switch over
to full bre as soon as they have
the chance. If partners have
customers who are currently
on ISDN, they should look to
switch them over to full bre as
Incredible connectivity. Award-winning customer service.
From FTTC, FTTP and G.fast, to Ethernet, MPLS IPVPN,
voice, cloud and data centre services.
soon as possible.
From a wider perspective,
we believe it is vital that the
ultimate copper switch-o is
seen as something that the
whole industry owns. It is not
just about Openreach shutting
down one of its legacy platforms
to save costs, it’s an opportunity
to open the market up and give
UK businesses a much better
range of connectivity options
than they had before. It would
be a missed opportunity if ISDN
customers were to be simply
switched over without being
made aware of the di erent
choices available to them.
is is why we think channel
partners should be talking to
customers about switching
o ISDN as soon as possible.
Alternative providers like
CityFibre are already investing
heavily in full bre today and
are able to o er that service
wholesale at a lower charge than
Openreach makes for ISDN.
e ISDN switch-o gives
the industry a real chance to
open up the market, deliver
more choice and accelerate
the move to higher speed
connectivity. We need to do that
to ensure Britain’s businesses
can compete e ectively in the
digitally transformed world.
It really does put the power to
take customers forward into the
hands of the channel – and by
encouraging an earlier migration
onto full bre, they will also
be advancing the progression
towards a truly Digital Britain.
zen.co.uk/partnerwithus
INTERVIEW
Comms Business Magazine
(CBM): What role will the
channel play in bringing the
Digital Britain vision into
reality?
Paul Heritage-Redpath (PHR):
e channel has a crucial role
to play in achieving a Digital
Britain, especially forwardthinking
channel partners who
look at the market di erently.
e decisions taken on who to
partner with, and which full
bre solutions to champion and
take to market will be crucial.
is will have a direct impact
both on the pace at which the
UK’s digital landscape will be
transformed and therefore the
delivery of the bene ts that
full bre brings to the UK’s
businesses and consumers, and
on the future potential and
prosperity of channel businesses.
e out- date d
legacy copper
infrastructure
is increasingly
struggling
to support
the needs
of modern
commercial
Paul Heritage-Redpath,
Head of Products, Entanet
14 | Digital Britain 2019 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
/partnerwithus
/www.commsbusiness.co.uk