Asterisk-Based Channel Program Shows Promise for astTECS India

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

A channel program and framework to assure partners double-digit margins has been announced by astTECS India. The IP telephony and open source PBX vendor is focused on securing traditional EPABX resellers to market its products. The company’s products are based on the versatility of Asterisk (News - Alert).

Local IT channels were an initial focus for astTECS India, according to this CRN report. Now, the vendor wants to work with traditional EPABX resellers, launching a seminar series to educate them about the opportunities IP telephony offers and the power of the Asterisk platform.

Devasia Kurian, MD, astTECS India, said in the CRN piece that traditional EPABX resellers are facing tough direct competition from service providers (SPs) who are bundling or leasing an EPABX free of cost, to any enterprise that commits to a minimum monthly billing or usage. The boxes are leased for free and are plain vanilla EPABX. The vendor is also trying to offer partners an alternative at an attractive price-point to help them upsell to their customer base. 

Using standard x86 hardware, astTECS is manufacturing PBX appliances to offer a feature-rich, IP telephony solution that is built on Asterisk. According to Kurian, commodity hardware and open source help the vendor to build appliances that will perform as well as those from an already established vendor. 

In addition to Asterisk support, the PBX (News - Alert) appliance offered by astTECS will include support for automatic call distribution, VoIP, voicemail, IVR, conferencing and video calls. Given the growing demand for all of these features, as well as the popularity of Asterisk in the global marketplace, the product is likely to be well-received. 

Kurian also noted that over a period of time, IP telephony is more cost-effective than regular telephony. And, with a platform like Asterisk, companies can set several different rules in the PBX system so they can realize an immediate reduction in their bill of up to 40 percent, depending upon the plan to which they subscribe. 

As this strategy unfolds for astTECS, the vendor is set on attracting roughly 100 partners across the country, and plans to start offering free training in sales and basic support. Kurian noted that the price-points offered by the vendor will ensure that partners make higher double-digit margins, as well as earn extra money from services. As the demand for Asterisk continues to grow, this potential is likely to be realized.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jamie Epstein