Ingram Micro Unfurls Wireless Bundles

Several solution providers hailed the deal, saying it would help them break into the wireless market, simplify the process of working with carriers, cut down on the number of vendors they do business with, and expand their wireless offerings.

"It sounds like it could be a tremendous offering because all of my clients are either using voice and e-mail PDAs or they're asking about them," said Leonard DiCostanzo, president of Turnkey Computer Systems, Clifton, N.J.

Ingram Micro plans to offer the wireless services on communications-enabled PDAs from companies such as Handspring, Research In Motion, Sony and Nokia.

Solution providers will receive an up-front commission, as opposed to recurring commissions.

"We found the agent model allows VARs to maximize their cash flow," said Darren Yager, executive director of VAR sales for VoiceStream/T-Mobile. "[However, the recurring revenue was so small it was hard for them to really get behind the sales and marketing."

Ingram Micro is negotiating with the carriers to offer solution providers small commissions when a customer renews its service, said Kathy Riggs, Ingram Micro's director of business management.

The distributor plans to support the bundled products with dedicated sales, marketing and technical staff and additional VAR training programs. "Anyone that a VAR has to turn to for help will be trained in wireless," Riggs said.

Tech Data last month signed a deal to bundle Cingular services with RIM/BlackBerry devices, said Joe Serra, the distributor's vice president of systems product marketing. Tech Data expects to add another carrier/PDA offering in the next month, he said.

Meanwhile, Ingram Micro plans to continue its push to offer bundled solutions based on emerging technologies by introducing on Sept. 1 wireless packages that include Sierra Wireless, Citrix and Sprint products.

For the past year, Sprint has been working with a group of large solution providers to explore selling wireless data and voice services into the channel, said Jason Guesman, director of business marketing at Sprint.

"Essentially, Ingram Micro is providing a familiar place where VARs can procure PCS services," he said. "We're adapting to their world instead of making them adapt to ours."