Ingram signs with 3, seeks resellers

Ingram Micro and Hutchison celebrated the birth of their 3G reseller program last night in Sydney, promoting the IT&3 service to partners seeking to augment shrinking margins.

Hutchison Telecoms, a division of Hong Kong-owned telecommunications giant Hutchison Whampoa, launched its long-awaited 3G network -- dubbed 3 -- in Australia a year ago.

Steve Rust, MD of Ingram Micro Australia, said the distributor would be seeking resellers across a range of specialities to offer 3-based products and services. 'It won't suit all resellers,' he said.

However, looking at the way mobile phone retail operated in the mass market, it was likely that 3 products and services could take off in a similar, commoditised way, Rust said.

He said he wasn't necessarily expecting big earnings from the deal, but it was good to be in on the ground floor with a new technology.

Matthew Ball, channel engagement and programs manager at Hutchison Telecoms, said partnering with 3 offered resellers a chance to offer existing partners an 'exceptional' product.

'[Hutchison] has an annual turnover of $20 billion and Hutchison Whampoa has invested $20 billion globally in building its 3G network,' Ball said.

He said that Hutchison believed that 3G would be critical in accelerating the commercial convergence of IT and telecommunications.

Phones with 3G could support video-calling, video-messaging, transport data and streamed multimedia content at speeds of up to 384 kb/s, Ball said.

'This will enable the wireless extension of business applications and corporate email,' he said.

Sales development assistance, reseller training and points-based incentives would be a focus of the reseller program, Ball said.