BANGALORE INDIA: Nortel Networks Small Medium Business portfolio provides flexible and reliable communication solutions targeting 5-100 users. The company helps SMBs to choose a simple and cost effective solution that recognizes your unique business needs. Sanjay Singh, Director, SMB, Nortel Networks in an interview with Sharath Kumar of CIOL shares his companies offering, advantages of using the company's products and solutions and future strategies.

Excerpts from the interview:

CIOL: What is Nortel offering to the SMBs?

Sanjay Singh: Nortel is offering a range of products to small and mid-sized businesses. The company's Business Ethernet Switch portfolio provides the building blocks for creating a data information infrastructure that supports the requirements of small to medium sized businesses. Besides, Business Secure Router, Business Access point, Business Communications Manager (BCM) and LG-Nortel KTS Systems (ipLDK) that have been well accepted in the market.

CIOL: How strong is your focus on SMB segment?

SS: Nortel has established a long-term strategy to cater to specific needs and challenges of SMB customers. The SMB customer while looking at value for money, purchases products and solutions, which frequently are, scaled down versions of existing enterprise products. This segment is looking at something designed for them as per their need; a consolidated voice and data solution from a single vendor. This does not exist any other competitor of Nortel's in the SMB segment today. Nortel has designed a strong enterprise portfolio; voice, data and converged solutions. We have gone ahead and leveraged this in the SMB segment that is currently the fastest growing segment in India. Nortel has streamlined its training processes and established a robust ecosystem for its SMB solutions that will help channel partners deliver the value of Nortel's voice and data solutions across India at a really affordable cost. Their solutions will cater to businesses even as small as three to five staff.
Also, Nortel is offering their products and solutions on OPEX model through leading service providers which helps SMB customers by saving them from upfront capital investment and provide ease of paying on monthly basis as rental. Also, Nortel provides easy financing option to end users through a leading bank.

CIOL: What edge does Nortel products/solutions offer vice versa your competitors?

SS: Nortel understands the India SMB customer; who is looking at a value for money, consolidated voice and data solution, which is scalable and designed for them– all this from a single vendor. This does not exist today from any other competitor of Nortel's in the SMB segment today.

CIOL: Does Nortel have any new products/solutions in pipeline?

SS: Nortel's new product ranges includes IP based Soft PBX, a digital hybrid PBXs supplied by Nortel's Korean JV, LG-Nortel and all-in-one data solution with integrated switching, routing and firewall features. SMB customers will benefit from both voice and data enabled solutions backed by Nortel's carrier-grade industry standards.

CIOL: What is your market projection for the year and beyond?

SS: For Nortel, SMB is very critical to the overall enterprise strategy and they expect this segment to contribute to 25 percent of their business in the coming three years. As a company Nortel is investing hugely to take advantage of this fast growing sector. Nortel is gearing up to become a dominant player in this segment.
The year ahead holds a distinct focus on 4 verticals – Retail and services, Hospitality, Media and Entertainment, and BFSI. Nortel has devised segment-focused solutions that will cater to business requirements and needs, in these industries.