ShoreTel Signs Partnership with Telstra to Join the Company’s Telstra Business Systems Program

Under an agreement announced March 21, ShoreTel, has entered into a partnership with Telstra to join the company’s Business Systems program and to jointly market and support ShoreTel’s IP telephony, UC, contact center and mobility solutions in Australia. ShoreTel has been on the hunt since 2009 for PBX partners and systems integrators in Queensland, Sydney and Adelaide, part of a three-pronged strategy to expand its installed Australian base.

Today, there are more than 20 Telstra Business Partners accredited to install ShoreTel’s solutions in the Australian market, with this number expected to grow as a result of the new ShoreTel and Telstra partnership. Logistics, dealer on-boarding and channel marketing services for the Telstra Business Systems (TBS)program are being provided by ShoreTel’s distribution partner, Express Data. Additionally, the flexible financial arrangements offered by Telstra through the program provide businesses, large or small, with the option to package carriage services with telephony equipment purchase, and installation and support, all managed through a single billing process.

ShoreTel is well known for executing a low total cost of ownershipgo-to-market strategy built on competitive pricing combined with consistent quality, ease and speed of purchase, and excellent, though not comprehensive, product selection. Its UC systems are scalable from small businesses to organizations with up to 20,000 users.

Jamie Romanin, ShoreTel Regional Director Australasia pointed out that: “[w]hile Telstra Business Partners have been installing ShoreTel solutions for the past two years through the TBS program, until now there was no direct partnership between Telstra and ShoreTel. Telstra partners and their customers now have the benefit of greater direct support from ShoreTel, streamlined certification and accreditation processes, and extended warranty support across both hardware and software.”

ShoreTel’s global footprint is widening in accordance with its ambition to make major international inroads as well as grow the U.S. business base. ShoreTel is now in 48 countries, and according to CEO Peter Blackmore, its Canada- and U.K.-based businesses are growing most quickly. The company has designs on India, and other Asia territories where IP telephony and mobility markets are growing rapidly. In its most recent quarterly report, the Company reported that international revenues have increased to a record $7.2 million, with the largest sequential expansion in revenue occurring in Australia. Today international revenue represents a 12% share of the total top line.

By several analysts' estimates, ShoreTel lays claim to about 9 percent of the U.S. IP telephony market, and its executives have made no secret of scaling its solutions upmarket to win more enterprise business. Peter Blackmore, who became ShoreTel's CEO in December, is a longtime observer of the channel and a veteran of top executive roles at UTStarcom, Unisys, HP, Compaq and other companies. During a recent ShoreTel conference keynote, Blackmore articulated why now is not the time to take the foot off the gas at ShoreTel. It is in growth mode while many other networking vendors are battling internal problems. "The whole industry is distracted," Blackmore said. "Eventually competitors will get their act together. Let's not miss out on this opportunity."

ShoreTel is targeting $1 billion a year and 20 percent market share – ambitious, Blackmore admitted, but as he and ShoreTel's executive team see it, attainable, though no firm timeframe for achievement of this objective was specified.