HelloSoft beefs up channels in SEA region

HYDERABAD: Close on the heels of getting $11 million venture funding in the month of January, HelloSoft, a Hyderabad based Communication software Internet protocol provider is all set to increase its channel network in the South East Asian (SEA) region.



"We want to concentrate our efforts in this region and that is why we need to have more channel partners working for us over there. As of now, we have around 110 distributors working globally for our different product lines. As we increase our focus in the SEA region, we are going to add another 50 distributors in countries like Korea, Japan and Taiwan by the end of this year," said, Rama Rao Sreeramaneni, Co-founder and general manager - Indian operations at HelloSoft.


The company is also looking forward to expanding its sales and marketing team within India by adding 50 professionals to its current strength of 110 software professionals during this year. As part of its strategy, the company is going to emphasize more on licensing IP products to semiconductor companies and OEMs in the SEA region.


"As Internet Protocol becomes a more common transport for voice communications, OEMs are looking to include VoIP functionality in their next-generation connected devices. However, it is very difficult to have a Box level OEM and we are working very closely with some of our customers like Fujitsu and Sharp to achieve that," he explained.


Going into Japan, Korean and Taiwanese markets, wireless LAN, GPRS/GSM and VIOP technologies would be the prime focus of the company. "We are expecting that about 30 percent of our growth will be propelled by these new markets. Our team in Hyderabad has been focussing on IP and the next step that we are looking forward to is developing our own standard and then come out with products," he added.


Earlier in the month of January 2003, the company raised funds from Venrock Associates, Sofinova Ventures, Acer Technology Ventures and JumpStartUp Venture fund. HelloSoft licenses physical layer and networking protocol software to semiconductor companies and equipment manufacturers for different technologies including VOIP, and WLAN.