Ingram Micro Goes Mobile

The Irvine, Calif.-based distributor has formed relationships with both carriers like Verizon Wireless, Sprint/Nextel and Cingular as well as with device manufacturers and ISVs including Palm, Nokia, Motorola, Research in Motion (RIM) and Good Technology.

"Our customers are IT resellers, selling software, the networks, the desktops " making living from products and services in information technology. Mobile devices are more and more becoming part of the IT provider's responsibility whereas in the past that fell on whatever group handled the phones and telecommunications," said Ken Bast, vice president, vendor management, mobility, security and networking, Ingram Micro U.S.

"We're going to take our resellers into the adjacencies that are going to help them make money, and mobility is one of those adjacencies. You've got to bring it focused. It's not just as simple as a hardware solution, rolling it out, deploying it and it's as easy as that," he said.

The distributor will offer sales and technical training to solution providers both in-person and on-line, as well as back office support and device activation. Solution providers will also have access to Ingram's network of marketing and sales support.

"IT resellers have kind of steered away from this because it's the world of the carriers. It's commission-based. It's a little trickier business, and they basically just steered away from it. Our goal here is to make it easier for them to be part of it," said Bast. " We engage with the carrier. We go through all of the headaches for activations like turning on 200 phones for an enterprise."

Activation and dealing with carriers have been pain points for resellers, he said, not offering support for devices out in the field, and Ingram is offering support and instruction on how to incorporate wireless mobile devices into a reseller's portfolio.