AlphaWest, a subsidiary of Optus in Australia, launched a new Enterprise Collaboration Practice focus on Cisco Quad and other tools:

“The practice will primarily focus on supplying new collaboration solutions, aiming to help businesses improve their communication and information sharing.

At the Cisco Live event held in Melbourne, Alphawest was also one of the first local partners to show off Cisco Quad with a live demonstration.

Quad allows companies to make better use of their collaboration efforts providing them with better use of their social media, video, unified communications, mobility and productivity. The software platform uses the Optus Evolve MPLS-based IP network, its mobile network and cloud solutions. The integrator has also adopted the technology across its IT environment.“

My Comments
1. This is not an common model across the world – a telecommunications company with an SI subsidiary doing business IT and offering collaboration capabilities. In New Zealand, think Telecom and Gen-i; in Norway, think Telenor and EDB Consulting.

2. It’s good to see Cisco Quad coming out into the light. I hope to see more of these kinds of announcements in the months to come … and more evidence / hands-on experience with Cisco’s new tools in customer environments.