More smartphone distribution contracts to come as Ingram’s exclusive ends
Tech Data Mobile will announce further smartphone distribution deals later this summer after it secured an agreement to supply Nokia Lumia devices to the IT channel.
The deal sees it join Exertis Micro-P and Ingram Micro as distributors of Lumia devices and brings to an end Ingram’s exclusivity in the IT channel.
Tech Data Mobile UK and Ireland managing director Peter Hubbard told Mobile News its existing relationship with Microsoft meant that when its acquisition of Nokia’s handset division completed in April, the deal was a natural progression. It will supply the handsets to its 13,000-strong IT reseller base.
“We’ve been talking to Nokia for several years and the real catalyst was when Microsoft acquired Nokia,” he said. “All of a sudden, as Nokia are looking to grow and invest into their business in the IT space, and with the background of Microsoft and Tech Data, it made a lot of sense for the three of us to be working together.
“It’s very much focused on the IT channel, based on our background, the reach that we have into the IT space and the fact that mobility is becoming a much more important part of a customer’s infrastructure, as well as the fact that Microsoft were looking to move many of their customers to the cloud.”
Hubbard said internal volume and revenue projections have been set both internally and with Nokia. It is advertising for a BDM for its Nokia business on a salary of up to £55,000 but Hubbard says that the team is 85 per cent in place thanks to its existing Microsoft relationship. He added that before the end of the summer he envisages deals with a number of other smartphone manufacturers.
“We have a number of other vendors that we will be announcing in the short-to-medium term for our other managed service solutions. We do a lot of work with Phones 4u on supply-chain management, so we’re looking to extend those services to other customers as well as extend the range of services that we offer.”
As part of this plan to grow its services business, the firm has poached Simon Smale from rival Data Select to become its new director of service and solutions. Smale spent almost 10 years at Data Select, most recently as strategic development director.