Lexmark Middle East has appointed Abdullah Fouad Information Technology Co. (AFC) as one of its corporate business partners for Saudi Arabia. As a leading local IT provider with a network of branches across the Kingdom, AFC will provide corporate customers with Lexmark printing solutions.
“We are pleased to have AFC as a Lexmark business partner in the Kingdom and are looking forward to stronger growth which will be the result of AFC’s strong customer relationships and its ability to deliver our world-class printing solutions,” said Robert Kikano, managing director at Lexmark Middle East. “AFC’s capabilities and successes in delivering a wide range of IT solutions to the Kingdom’s most respected organizations make it a perfect fit for offering Lexmark solutions in Saudi Arabia.”
Abdullah Fouad Information Technology Co. delivers turnkey, integrated IT solutions to its customers across the Kingdom, backed by customized support packages and consulting. AFC will offer cutting-edge laser printing solutions through its partnership with Lexmark.
“Abdullah Fouad Information Technology Co. is especially focused on providing enterprise solutions and services to the petrochemical and government sectors of the Kingdom,” said Samir Noman, GM, AFC. “We are pleased to be partnered with a global leader such as Lexmark which has pioneered in the development of printing solutions through its own R&D capabilities and offers a wide range of products like MarkVision and Lexmark Document Solution Suite. Its products and solutions compliment our broad range of solutions and we are looking forward to extending this partnership well into the future.”
Dell’Oro Reaffirms Alcatel’s No. 1 Position
Industry analyst firm Dell’Oro has again confirmed Alcatel’s worldwide lead in the DSL market. According to third quarter 2004 data from the Dell’Oro Group, Alcatel now has a cumulative market share of 37.6 percent and a total of more than 54 million cumulative DSL lines shipped — more than four times that of the nearest competitor. Alcatel holds the No. 1 position in all regions in the world.
Alcatel’s global year-to-date shipment numbers have increased by 45 percent compared to the first three quarters in 2003. Major advancements in Alcatel’s strategy to help service providers offer 100 percent triple play services (voice, video and data over DSL) to all their customers took place in Q3 2004. Alcatel’s wire-speed, IP-based broadband access platform, the 7302 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM), which was launched during the quarter, is the first solution enabling the deployment of 100 percent triple play services for all subscribers simultaneously. China Telecom was the first customer to deploy the new product.
“With the recent evolutions in our product portfolio, Alcatel demonstrates its commitment to lead the broadband access market today and tomorrow based on a forward-looking and innovative strategy,” said Michel Rahier, chief operating officer of Alcatel’s fixed communications activities. “The trust that our customers are placing in our network integration capabilities, as well as our products and solutions, is a testimony to our vision for the development of user-centric broadband services.”
Program Enhances Professional Certification
3Com, a leading networking technology company, has unveiled an enhanced training program in the Middle East planned for 2005, comprising new instructor-led courses focused on educating distributors, partners and customers on its broad product portfolio, which will prioritize professional development in Saudi Arabia.
Having conducted a focused program of scheduled classes in the region in 2004 — in addition to a significant number of customer-dedicated on-site closed training sessions — 3Com has exceeded its 2004 target of awarding professional certificates to over 250 participants.
Commenting on the effectiveness of the training programs, Wael Fakharany, regional manager, 3Com Middle East, said: “Effective, committed training programs help to support the rapid deployment and development of advanced networking technology across the region. The positive feedback that we have received from participants in 2004 validates the strength of our approach.”
Demand for training and certification has been rising across the Middle East as companies implement increasingly-advanced networking solutions, particularly in innovative fields such as IP telephony and wireless technology.
“The ‘flying classroom’ concept that we adhere to enables us to deliver these courses throughout the region. This was successfully demonstrated in 2004 when we conducted courses in major cities across the Middle East including Cairo, Dubai, Muscat and Riyadh,” explained Raffaella Ciopponi, 3Com Global Services.
The number and diversity of classes available in 2005 will be even broader, driven both by ambitious targets and by the expansion of 3Com’s product portfolio. Among the innovations that will be covered by these courses is 3Com’s new Switch 8800 family of terabit switches.
“3Com provides one of the broadest product lines in the industry, supported by decades of experience in the marketplace,” concluded Fakharany. “These courses are a value-added feature that enables us to be a strong partner with both distributors and customers.”