Telstra extends Express Data deal

Local distributor Express Data is officially launching its partnership with Telstra and will pitch a range of the telco’s carriage services and other managed services to its resellers.

In October 2006 CRN had the exclusive story on Express Data signing an agreement to distribute Telstra’s business broadband packages to about 2000 local resellers.

The move follows the telco’s attempts to woo the SME market with product bundles tailored to their needs.

Ross Cochrane, general manager at Express Data, said the convergence between voice and data requires technical skills from both sides to converge.

“The agreement will take offerings specifically for SME through channel. Our resellers will have the opportunity also to provide services for these organisations,” Cochrane said.

“I can confirm there will be product offerings which include routers and switchers, and security will also be included in the bundle,” he said.

Cochrane said there will also be possibilities for resellers in VoIP, which will also include power outage bundles.

In the coming weeks Express Data will have a definitive list of what products will be available to its channel and will have a finalised list before the end of March, said Cochrane.

Express Data have been in talks with Telstra for the past 18 months about various plans to take various products to the channel.

“Telstra are comprehensive players in the fixed mobile and broadband market and we don’t have any qualms about going into partnership with them,” said Cochrane.