This post is from Matt Vasey, Senior Director, System Integrator Alliances, Parallels

 

Parallels recently joined IBM at the Telemanagement (TM) Forum Africa Summit in Johannesburg.  Together, we focused on helping service providers address many of the cloud and hosting issues facing the African communications market.  Like other developing areas, service providers in Africa need to grow and sustain their business, attract and retain their customers and adopt strategies to help differentiate them in the market.  Parallels has grown its presence in Africa during the years with this focus by working closely with partners across the continent.  This includes MTN Cameroon, who has developed an aggressive strategy with the help of Parallels for offering shared hosting, VPS, hosted messaging and other cloud and hosted services. MTNC has launched one of the most complete cloud services portfolios on Parallels Automation in any emerging market, including Microsoft Exchange, and SharePoint, in addition to shared hosting services with Parallels Plesk Panel with Web Presence Builder.  (MTNC is part of the MTNGroup, a multinational telecommunications group, operating in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.)

 

I was delighted when IBM invited Parallels to join them at the TM Forum Africa Summit for a number of reasons.  First, IBMs leadership in the telco space, now includes a compelling joint solution for the rapid deployment and integration of our flagship cloud enablement software, Parallels Automation.  Second, I attended a session presented by Gary Cohen, General Manager of IBM’s Global Communications Sector & Chairman, IBM Africa.  Gary’s talk – entitled “Integrated knowledge of customers, processes and business can become the source of true differentiation and accelerated growth”, is a theme you’ve often heard Parallels discussing, too.  So it’s a natural fit that IBM is the latest partner working side-by-side with Parallels.  Together, we’re continued on being focused on helping service providers — in both emerging and established markets around the globe — get their cloud services up and running faster and with the right mix of application bundles. 

 

Follow the ongoing dialogue from TM Forum Africa Summit on Twitter by searching on the hashtag #Africa12.  And expect more to come as a result of Parallels new alliance with IBM.

 

Matt Vasey, Senior Director, System Integrator Alliances, Parallels