U4EA Packs VoIP, Networking Into One Box

Company: U4EA Technologies

Headquarters: Fremont, Calif.

Technology Sector: VoIP

Key Product: U4EA Fusion Multi-Service Business Gateway

Year Founded: 1999

Number of Channel Partners: 10 distributors globally (including two in North America)

Ideal Channel Partner: Small business-focused solution provider

Why You Should Care: U4EA offers all-in-one products that bring VoIP -- plus a whole lot more -- to small businesses.

The Lowdown: U4EA has been around for roughly a decade, but as unified communications and VoIP continue to take hold, it's now broadening its partner base and highlighting the CapEx and OpEx benefits its multiservice business gateways enable VARs to offer their clients.

U4EA's line of multiservice business gateways ties VoIP, networking and security services

U4EA Fusion 500

together with nine-dimensional quality of service. Its Fusion Series Business Gateway is essentially a single LAN-attached device with a WAN interface on the other side that combines switching, routing, VPN, firewall, IDS, VoIP and session control. The gateways are compatible with U4EA's WLAN controller for mobility and also include nine-dimensional QoS to ensure real-time and near real-time communications applications are not plagued by delays, jitter or packet loss, said Jim Greenway, U4EA's vice president of worldwide marketing.

For solution providers, an all-in-one offering means less gear to sell, as well as the ability to get customers up to speed with advanced services while also quelling LAN-to-WAN bandwidth issues. With an all-in-one approach, VARs will spend less time installing and configuring equipment, Greenway said.

While U4EA works in a two-tiered distribution model going through 10 distributors -- including Interlink Communication Systems, Clearwater, Fla., and NETXUSA, Greenville, S.C., in North America -- the company is quietly ramping to get VARs and resellers up to speed. Part of that effort includes working with partners to offer bundles aimed at SMBs and branch offices.

"We're working very closely with a few select partners for solution bundles for the SMB and branch," Greenway said.