Nology, a specialist value-added distributor of unified communications and converged IP solutions, is bolstering its B2B networking portfolio to meet an expected surge in demand in South Africa.
Marc Kushner, Business Unit Executive for Nology’s networking division, says networking is emerging as a pillar business unit for the company.
He explains that Nology was founded in 2001, with its initial business model supplying modems to ISPs and network operators. Nology has since grown into a specialist value-added distributor of converged IP solutions to service providers, network operators, systems integrators and resellers across southern Africa. Its initial networking portfolio was launched 12 years ago, to support its VOIP solutions and IP phones.
Kushner says: “The networking division evolved as technology changed. Around 10 years ago, there was a massive boom in wired networking because of mobile data crunches and because organisations needed to upgrade their networks to accommodate vast amounts of data and cloud computing. Today, we are seeing a massive boom in wireless networks in the B2B space. Organisations need everyone and everything connected across their sites, and they don’t want to crawl in ceilings laying cables to do it.
“There remains significant room for growth in the local networking market,” he says.
“In South Africa, a relatively small percentage of the country is truly connected. There is still a massive market out there. Many existing networks in use are built on old networking standards and are becoming slow, unreliable and unable to cope with modern demands. Organisations are realising they need to upgrade.”
“We have been connecting businesses for over a decade and now we’re gearing up to connect the masses. While there are many players in this space, we regard ourselves as a true value-added distributor – not just a box dropper,” he says.
Kushner says the distributor has strategically selected leading brands to meet all the networking needs of a diverse local market.
“We offer networking solutions covering all scenarios from SMEs to service providers, and operators to IOT. We try to find brands that have unique features and USPs – for example, MikroTik for the hardcore IT techie who wants to configure and manage everything themselves; Teltonika for industrial connectivity and IOT; Telrad for bulletproof wireless; and Huawei for cost-effective reliability,” Kushner says.
Changing the game with Huawei eKit
Damian van der Walt, Nology Product Manager for Huawei solutions, says Nology’s recent launch of the Huawei eKit in the South African market is a game-changer for SMEs seeking enterprise-grade networking at a price they can afford.
“The eKit range inherits Huawei’s renowned enterprise technology, but with an SME flavour,” he says. It has been packaged in a user friendly and commercially viable way for SMEs. It offers high quality networking switches, WiFi access points, routers and kit that's very cost-effective and simple to use. For our MSP partners who sell and support networks for their customers, eKit offers faster roll-out and simpler management. They need only the minimum amount of human time and skills to get it up and running, while more experienced technicians can set it up and manage it via a simple mobile app and cloud-based management portal.
Kushner adds that eKit also supports the expected next big thing: fibre inside the building. “Fibre to the room (FTTR), which was initially built to deliver full gigabit access in every room of residential homes, is now getting a business flavour. We expect to see more of this technology being rolled out to commercial properties and campuses in future, as current networking standards based on copper cable have limitations in terms of speed and distance. In new builds, where cables aren’t long enough to span premises, you currently need network switches. With fibre, you can run it from one distribution point across kilometres, eliminating the need for breakout switches, which will prove cheaper and simpler in a new build,” he says.
Adding more value
Nology’s focus on adding value also extends to its approach to supporting customers throughout their journey.
Kushner says: “We have always invested massively in our technical resources, pre-sales and post-sales support, and walk-in warranty and service centres. We walk the journey with our customers from beginning to end, and repair or replace any faulty devices to get their customers back online as quickly as possible.”
An example of Nology’s commitment to adding value is its logistics division, he says. “Many years ago, we looked at the ISP landscape, where they had to set up and send out thousands of routers to their customers every month. Subsequently, we developed systems and integration with our partners to automate all of that, so when a customer plugs in a new router, we can automatically connect them to the internet. We have an in-house courier department, we pick and pack the items, and the customer gets a router the next day. This has grown from a small value-add to a service that supports several major ISPs, shipping more than 10 000 routers every month,” Kushner says.
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