Managed Service Provider Week in Review

The focus this week in the MSP world was on partnering, building out networks and doing whatever it takes to deliver cloud computing and value-added services as quickly and efficiently as possible. Several major players made headlines this week, striking deals with smaller companies in an effort to get to market affordably while broadening their reach.

As part of its efforts to diversify its business, Ericsson announced a partnership with Myanmar-based Telenor this week. The consumer electronics giant will act as both a network supplier and MSP for the regional firm, enabling Telenor to expand network connectivity in the growing country as well as develop their own mobile network. Erisson’s five-year contract includes providing radio-access network and associated services for Telenor’s network in Myanmar, which will reach about 90 percent of the country’s population.

European cloud and colocation services provider Interxion teamed up with OnApp this week on the new CloudPOD toolset. The solution will help accelerate testing and launching of cloud-based services, and utilizes OnApp’s IaaS expertise. CloudPOD combines OnApp’s cloud management platform with a variety of software, hardware, hosting and connectivity options.

Time Warner Cable Business Class is building out its managed services portfolio with the announcement of a new turnkey solution. The Managed Router Services offering was created through a partnership with Cisco and provides provisioning, configuration change management, monitoring and remote operations services for complex LAN and WAN landscapes.

MSP Pinacl Solutions is building and installing a free, public Wi-Fi network in York, England for the City of York Council. The Council has retained the MSP in a five-year contract that includes a three-phase rollout plan to create key access points in city center locations and entry points. The first phase of the contract is scheduled for completion in time for the Tour De France.