“While Ethernet is delivered over fibre traditionally, EFM is delivered over copper pairs. EFM is a service that is becoming increasingly accessible, partly due to noticeable launches by BT and TalkTalk, as well as the fact that copper pairs allow for quicker installation times. Many of Daisy Wholesale’s partners are looking at EFM as an alternative to ISDN30 as well as SDSL, as they begin to enter a sunset period. Being able to genuinely offer your customers an alternative to ISDN30 with EFM and SIP Trunks is when you really begin to break down the boundaries between voice and data.
The Ethernet market has experienced a considerable commercial shift in the past 12 months, presenting some additional opportunities for resellers.
While Ethernet was once a relatively prohibitive service in terms of cost, this isn’t necessarily still the case. It is now considerably more accessible to the SME market in the same way it was to the large corporates with bigger budgets. It is therefore important that resellers revisit those customers who have previously looked at broadband, including bonded broadband and SDSL, and offer those Ethernet options.
Ethernet services are what matters when it comes to high speeds and reliable connectivity. This is what is going to give end users the opportunity to deliver converged applications and additional value added services.
Another great advantage to Ethernet is that it is very ‘sticky’ as a service once you have it installed. Not only does it commonly involve a long term agreement with the customer, but allows you to interconnect into the end user’s premises. This presents an opportunity to further integrate into that business, cross selling additional products and applications utilising the Ethernet service.
It’s imperative for the channel to really begin to look at these services and work with their aggregator to identify opportunities within their customer base. The proof is in the pudding when you consider Daisy Wholesale has seen a 400% increase in Ethernet orders since this time last year.”