As part of the agreement, Mitel will become a&o UK's prime vendor for IP communications solutions. The IT services & support provider will have access to Mitel's full range of enterprise unified communications solutions, further extending its own communications and collaboration portfolio.
a&o has achieved Mitel Systems Integrator Accreditation in the UK; the accreditation programme is a key part of Mitel's strategy for recruiting a specialist enterprise IT channel capable of delivering high-end unified communications solutions.
a&o already supports more than 500,000 desktops on behalf of customers across Europe and has extensive experience of Microsoft's core technology platforms. This, combined with its experience in designing and deploying complex IT infrastructures and supporting distributed workforces, means a&o is ideally positioned to design and implement unified communications solutions that integrate with Microsoft Live Communications Server and Mitel Live Business Gateway, collaboration software - a key value-add to Mitel's technology.
"The underlying complexity of corporate IT systems infrastructure and networks often creates a barrier for businesses looking to implement advanced convergence solutions such as unified communications," said Steve Ball, managing director of a&o UK. "Our core expertise is in simplifying and supporting complex distributed IT environments, so we're perfectly placed to remove these barriers and implement solutions that enhance workforce productivity and team working. The Mitel partnership is a key strategic step in extending our capabilities and delivering further value to our customers."
"a&o is the type of specialist partner that we're looking to recruit to extend our channel reach in the enterprise market for unified communications," said Graham Bevington, EMEA managing director at Mitel.
"Convergence solutions require a deep understanding of IT infrastructure, operations and support. Partnering with a&o is an important milestone in establishing Mitel's unified communications solution of choice."
The a&o group employs more than 4,000 IT professional and has established operations in 13 countries across Europe.