Brightpoint (Booth 229) has announced that its subsidiary Wireless Fulfillment Services LLC has been appointed as a master agent by 8x8 Inc., and master dealer for Cingular Wireless. The company’s subsidiary Brightpoint North America L.P. also has signed a master services agreement with Microsoft Corp.
Under the terms of the 8x8 agreement, Brightpoint will market and sell 8x8’s Packet8 business products and services to subdealers, VARs, retailers and systems integrators for small and medium businesses in the United States. Brightpoint will warehouse, activate, provision, program and fulfill Packet8 devices, eliminating the need for Brightpoint’s customers to maintain device inventory, and allowing them to receive commissions for the activation of services on Packet8 devices.
In addition, Brightpoint’s customers will be able to choose a device and a service plan to meet their needs through its online Wireless Enterprise Solutions (WES) Web site (wes.brightpoint.com), which will provide customers with access to Brightpoint’s catalog of wireless accessories, mobile applications and content.
Also targeting enterprises and small and medium businesses, Brightpoint’s master dealer agreement with Cingular Wireless gives Brightpoint the ability to market Cingular business products and services to data and voice solutions providers and systems integrators through its online WES program.
Through the Web site, solutions providers and systems integrators will be able to view the portfolio of Cingular devices and wireless voice and data plans, and select the package that best meets their customers’needs and requirements. These data services and devices include those enabled for Cingular’s EDGE network, which provides coverage in 13,000 cities and towns, and along almost 40,000 miles of highways.
As with 8x8, Brightpoint will inventory, activate, provision, program and fulfill Cingular devices and service, extending the opportunity for its solutions providers and systems integrators to receive commissions for activation.
“Brightpoint’s innovative development and use of WES will provide Cingular with a significant point of presence with Brightpoint affiliates, allowing them to quickly and easily choose from Cingular’s broad range of services and devices to meet business clients’ wireless data and voice needs,” said Valerie Kahn, vice president, Business Alliance Channel, Cingular Wireless.
Finally, Brightpoint North America L.P.’s master services agreement with Microsoft stipulates that Brightpoint will prepare and configure demo kits and trial devices to help the Microsoft sales channel demonstrate and conduct evaluations more effectively using Windows Mobile software for potential customers. This program allows Brightpoint to provide integrated logistics services to Microsoft.
The agreement will be serviced by Brightpoint’s Advanced Wireless Services team, focusing on Microsoft’s strategic initiatives in the Converged Smart Mobile and Pocket PC space.
“Brightpoint will help Microsoft’s sales teams deliver a world-class level of service to potential customers,” said Joe Levy, product manager at Microsoft. “Every day our customers are asking our field reps for demonstrations and evaluations of Windows Mobile, and keeping up with the demand has become quite a challenge. This agreement allows us to scale and meet the needs of our sales force without expending additional resources to create and manage a rapidly expanding fulfillment program.”
