NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) announced that it has achieved ServiceEdge Partner status for Aruba Networks’ wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions. This enables NCR to help telecom companies and system integrators on a global basis to meet growing demand for Aruba’s ubiquitous wireless access solutions. ServiceEdge is an invitation-only partner program from Aruba Networks for systems integrators and professional services organizations.
With the enterprise Wireless LAN market exhibiting 22 percent year-over-year growth, according to the May 2011 Enterprise WLAN Quarterly Report from industry analyst firm Dell’Oro Group, extending NCR's wireless capability is central to the company's aggressive growth strategy for its Telecom and Technology business, as enterprises continue to look for one, strategic partner to manage their wireless network needs, further reducing administration costs and IT complexity.
The market demand for knowledgeable WLAN engineers, project managers, installers and related professionals is growing rapidly, driven by an increased use of wireless laptop, tablet and smartphone devices and 802.11n networks. To meet this need, ServiceEdge program members have made significant investments in Aruba training, certifications, lab equipment and have a proven track record of successfully managing large, complex deployments, partnering seamlessly with value-added resellers inside their accounts.
Aruba wireless LAN customers can now benefit from NCR’s vast experience with 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless technology, including wireless network design, site survey and site preparation, inventory, staging and configuration, cable infrastructure, installation, project management and post-installation lifecycle support services. NCR has already provisioned over 100,000 Wi-Fi hotspots globally on behalf of telecom companies, OEMs and system integrators, delivering exceptionally high performance, security and availability levels.
“We’re moving to a mobile-centric world,” commented Nadine Routhier, vice president of NCR Telecom & Technology. “NCR helps transform businesses by connecting enterprise employees, partners and customers wherever they roam with whatever device they choose. In response to significant market demand we’re delighted to extend our Wi-Fi services for telecom companies and system integrators to include Aruba’s advanced solutions.”
NCR has built proven methodologies that use wireless software applications to perform pre-assessments and site design for on-time, on-budget projects in over 90 direct countries around the world. Its certified wireless LAN design engineers use Aruba’s VisualRF Plan and 3D Outdoor Coverage Planner modeling tools to analyze a building’s architecture and design a radio frequency (RF) plan that specifies Access Point (AP) locations. By taking into account the need to support multiple radios on different frequencies with different propagation characteristics, NCR is able to meet throughput requirements for all applications, including voice and video.
Jagdeep Singh, vice president of customer advocacy at Aruba Networks said, “A truly global service partner like NCR has the depth, breadth and scale of expertise to enable telecom companies and system integrators to roll out Aruba’s MOVE architecture and associated solutions in a rapid and reliable way. We’re delighted to be working together.”
Around 13,000 skilled NCR service professionals manage nearly 12 million service actions annually worldwide. NCR is already a strategic service provider to the world’s top 20 OEMs, as well as over 40 telecom companies – including eight of the global top 10.
