3Com and Lefatshe announce exclusive partnership to deliver high-end networking solutions to South African market
Leading global networking company 3Com has launched a new channel to take to market its high-end H3C networking technology, and has appointed black-owned Lefatshe Technologies as its exclusive H3C Advanced Solutions Partner in South Africa.
The announcement was made at the GovTech 2008 conference in Durban on Tuesday, 29 July 2008.
"3Com, through H3C, has a world-leading offering in the arena of IP networking infrastructure with IP security, IP communication and IP storage," said Chris Huggett, regional sales director for 3Com in EMEA. "Lefatshe’s experience in network management, security, operations control and consultancy, and its strength in the public sector, makes it an ideal partner for 3Com’s H3C offering.
"It was important for 3Com to select an independent locally-owned company that has a national footprint, but is focused enough to embrace an exclusive arrangement. We believe that Lefatshe’s strong management team has the ability to execute, the potential to grow, and the vision to establish H3C as a leading brand in South Africa in the near future."
"Lefatshe’s philosophy focuses on providing solutions to our customers through partnership," said Noedine Isaacs-Mpulo, CEO of Lefatshe Technologies. "Our partnership with 3Com to deliver H3C’s quality IP networking infrastructure to South Africa’s public and corporate sectors will challenge the status quo, offering the market an alternative networking solution at an extremely competitive price point.
Lefatshe’s locally accredited systems engineers and skilled consultants will provide the services required in supplying the customer with an end-to-end networking infrastructure solution.
"It is often said that technology is a key enabler for service delivery. H3C’s competitive pricing structure will enable government to channel these savings from IP networking infrastructure into developing applications to better serve its stakeholders."
According to Derek Wiggill, regional sales director for 3Com in Africa, "The combination of 3Com and H3C brings together the innovation and price/performance leadership of H3C, and the established global infrastructure (sales, channel, service and support) of 3Com.
"H3C develops latest technology networking products, based on new generation silicon, which gives significant advantages in the areas of efficiency, cost and power consumption; in short, better price-performance."
H3C is the principal technology partner on several Beijing Olympics projects including modernising the Beijing public transportation system and powering video-on-demand for the official Olympic news site.
"3Com is pleased to be making this new range of technology available to the South African market through Lefatshe Technologies, and will continue to invest in the country and the region," says Wiggill.