Resellers face stubborn wi-fi resistance over security

RESELLERS are missing valuable opportunities in wireless network installations because they cannot overcome customer objections to security and performance issues.
The charge comes from US Robotics operations director for EMEA Peter Blampied whose recent countrywide road show tried to educate resellers to the benefits of selling wireless technologies.

Blampied admits he was "disappointed" with the quality of the resellers in terms of their wireless knowledge on the two week tour which attracted just over 100 resellers.

"Most of the resellers we met were not aware of the wireless issues and how you can overcome them," said Blampied. "It seems there is a lot of confusion in the channel still. Resellers are saying that wireless is not secure and that it doesn't perform well and that is just not true anymore."

While Blampied claimed that the road show had its desired effect in helping to open reseller eyes to the fact that wireless "is now more secure that wired networks," he admits there is still a long way to go for many resellers and if they don't get sorted out quickly, they will miss a good margin opportunity.