create the right solution, and be
prepared for a long contract with
recurring revenue.”
Lee Broxson continued, “For
many resellers, low usage, low
management IoT opportunities
are problematic because they
require specialist support and
device management software.
Higher usage mobile data
opportunities that are more
complex but where the heavylifting
can be outsourced to a
specialist supplier-partner, can be
very lucrative and easier to win
and support. ese opportunities
include solutions such as pre-
Ethernet, multi-network backup,
Private APN and mobile
broadband.”
“ e biggest growth sectors
for 4G are in retail, logistics
and public sector and this will
only accelerate as 5G rolls out.
ISPs are taking Private APN
with 4G now, as pre-Ethernet
and backup, and 5G is likely
to replace xed line back-up
completely where its available.”
Heavy or lite?
Bringing IoT into an established
portfolio may seem daunting
but partners must realise there
are options to partner with
industry specialists in fairly low
risk models.
Colam commented, “I think
there are two choices – lite
or heavy touch. For channel
players who haven’t leapt yet,
a stepping stone into a lite
environment is recommended.
Here it’s about identifying
opportunities and then bringing
in IoT connectivity partners
to farm the opportunity –
remembering at all times that
revenue share is the key driver.
I refer to a heavy approach by
which channel partners become
more involved in the sale and
technical process. By this I mean
their own sales teams fronting
the opportunity, identifying the
need and scoping out the entire
communication requirement.
is is where trained and skilled
resource comes to the fore. As
my predecessors and I have said
on numerous occasions, it’s
not just about selling another
SIM. IoT solutions are typically
mission-critical applications
which require resilient and
stable connectivity. Whilst the
connectivity might be construed
as merely ‘the plumbing’, if
and when that fails, it can be
disastrous.”
Cunli e continued, “Partners
don’t need to uproot their
current setups to deliver IoT. As
we always say, the best play is to
do what you do best. Carve out
success within your own niche,
and incorporate IoT into your
o ering by entering into an IoT
partnership with a trusted IoT
provider. By combining sector
Lee Broxson, Sales Director, Jola
experience and expertise with an
IoT specialist’s knowledge and
capabilities across connectivity,
devices and solutions, partners
will be best able to address their
customers’ needs and tap into
new opportunities that IoT
opens up within those existing
relationships; all without
needing to completely overhaul
their current infrastructure and
o erings.”
Digital Britain and IoT
With the rising importance
of businesses using IoT, and
subsequent analytics which
follow, the importance of
the technology can’t be
underestimated in delivering a
digital landscape.
Cunli e said “Digital Britain
is of paramount importance.
It’s a requirement if Britain
is to continue to be seen as
a powerhouse within the
technology space—and success
on that front is going to thread
through to raising the country’s
economic health and quality-oflife
standard.
Britain has been a driving
force within tech innovation
and progression for many years,
and with the ‘smart’ revolutions
taking place across industries,
mastering IoT is the next logical
step in the country’s tech
journey.”
Broxon’s advice is “Choose
a partner with a wide range of
wholesale 5G services when it
is available, managed within
self-service portals. Partners with
experience delivering solutions
to key vertical markets with a
competitive 5G proposition are
more likely to succeed.
With theoretical speeds of
around 5Gbps, 5G could make
some of the physical local loop
redundant. e bre backbone
suppliers should sell signi cant
backhaul bandwidth to the
MNOs, however they may need
to reconsider the business case
for putting bre into every home
a nd o ce.
Every one of Jola’s partners
has at least one mobile data
opportunity in their base of
customers - even if it’s just SIMs
for sta handsets. Suppliers
o ering data in xed, aggregated
and bu er pools, provide resellers
with control and di erentiation.
When 5G services become
available, new services will be
packaged for partners to meet
the unique requirements of the
vertical markets they serve.”
ED SAYS…
I have been excited about IoT for a long time, for many partners who are looking at this
market they often fi nd themselves dipping their toe into the waters with traditional
mobile connectivity type offerings. As a complementary servicewithin their own
portfolio this is a sensible place to start. However, the true potential of IoT will only be
realised by the Channel once they emerge themselves in an established IoT ecosystem.
Zen. More competitive
than you think.
We’ve slashed our
Ethernet prices –
check it out.
zen.co.uk/partnerwithus
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