Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

In just seven months since entering the U.S. market, The Repair Academy—a French-based specialist in micro soldering and board repair training—has already sold out its first American course and is preparing for a second. In this ASCDI- and ITAD-focused interview with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, CEO Alexandre Isaac shares how the Academy’s intensive two-week program equips technicians with the skills to diagnose and repair high-value electronics, from MacBook motherboards to server boards, that might otherwise be scrapped.

The upcoming October 13–25 course, held at iFixit’s Chattanooga, Tennessee facility, offers 130 hours of hands-on training. Participants work at fully equipped stations with microscopes, soldering irons, hot air tools, and DC power supplies, learning to read schematics, use diagnostic equipment, and replace components as small as a human hair. The program is designed for both aspiring entrepreneurs and ITAD professionals, with graduates earning the iFixit Pro Repair Academy Certificate—a credential that verifies they can perform real-world board repairs efficiently and to industry standards.

Isaac emphasizes the business potential, noting that repair skills can be applied from a home workspace or scaled into a commercial shop. For ITAD companies, the training represents a way to recover value from “no power” devices, keeping high-value hardware like M-series MacBook boards and networking gear in circulation instead of the waste stream. Notably, the Academy offers lifetime course retakes at no additional cost, ensuring mastery and long-term skill retention.

The Repair Academy also assists graduates in sourcing quality tools and fosters peer connections through shared housing and group learning—creating a community of professionals who often continue to collaborate. With eight different training programs already established in France, Isaac sees this as the beginning of a broader U.S. offering, including more introductory-level courses.

To learn more or register, visit therepairacademy.us.

"What makes our events unique is the interaction." — Joe Marion, President, Cloud Communications Alliance

In this special Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Joe Marion (President) and Clark Peterson (Chairman) of the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) to preview the 2025 CCA Financial Summit, taking place October 7–8 at Washington, D.C.’s historic Willard Hotel.

Designed for C-suite executives, the half-day Financial Summit will follow the Cavell Group’s annual meeting and feature high-impact sessions on the intersection of finance, regulation, and AI in the cloud communications sector. The program combines top-tier industry analysis, real-world case studies, and collaborative networking in an intimate setting.

Highlights from the Conversation:

Venue & Networking – The Willard Hotel’s historic setting and curated size ensure high-value interactions among executives, analysts, and dealmakers.

Regulatory Realities – Sessions such as “Hotel California: The Regulatory Impact on Cloud Communications” will examine how state-level overregulation—especially in California—can derail deals and affect company valuations.

Expert-Led Finance Panels – Speakers include Michael Quinn (QAdvisors), telecom attorney Jonathan Marashlian, and regulatory expert Michael Pryor, providing actionable insights for M&A, compliance, and strategic planning.

Zoom’s Special Announcement – The summit will be the platform for a major product update from Zoom, the event’s gold sponsor.

AI and Valuation – Leading analysts and executives will discuss how AI integration impacts company value, and CEOs will share firsthand strategies for monetizing AI in communications.

Best Practices Roundtable – A moderated, interactive session where attendees can exchange strategies and address the most pressing issues in the industry.

Exclusive Capitol Hill Access – Limited to 20 participants, an exclusive Capitol tour and private dinner with CCA leadership and a special congressional guest will offer deeper relationship-building opportunities.

Marion and Peterson emphasize that the Financial Summit delivers three core benefits: direct access to the industry’s top experts, unmatched C-level networking, and visibility with analysts who influence major buying decisions. For members and first-time attendees alike, it’s a chance to align strategy with market reality while making high-value connections.

Learn more and register at https://www.cloudcommunications.com/events/financial-summit-2025

"Innovate with us. Don’t just issue an RFP—explore the art of the possible." — Dino Trevisani, Senior Vice President & Head of the Americas Region, Tata Communications

In this in-depth conversation with Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green, Dino Trevisani outlines Tata Communications’ strategy to deepen its U.S. presence by leveraging the company’s expansive global infrastructure, deep industry expertise, and focus on end-to-end “digital fabric” solutions.

Trevisani clarifies the scope of Tata Communications’ business—often mistakenly conflated with other Tata Group companies—highlighting its capabilities across subsea fiber optic cables, cloud interconnectivity, IoT, security, customer interaction services, and live media streaming for global events such as Formula One and NFL Thursday Night Football.

Looking at mid-2025 trends, Trevisani identifies three major forces shaping CIO priorities:

Global supply chain and manufacturing shifts — Companies relocating or expanding operations require complex, compliant, and secure communications networks that span multiple countries.

Network rationalization — Enterprises are seeking to consolidate and secure disparate networks, driving down costs and complexity.

Edge computing and AI readiness — Preparing infrastructure today to support robotics, AI, and real-time applications that will demand near-100% network uptime.

Trevisani’s U.S. growth strategy targets companies with more than half of their operations outside the country—where Tata Communications already has dominant market presence—and those seeking to simplify complex, multinational communications environments. He stresses that the company’s collaborative global leadership model and innovation-focused acquisitions position it as a proactive partner for clients facing rapid technology and market changes.

The discussion also touches on opportunities in rural and underserved areas, the critical importance of subsea cables to the global economy, and the need for programmable, intelligent networks that can adapt to future technology shifts without costly infrastructure overhauls.

Trevisani’s advice for enterprises: fully understand your current network assets, anticipate where your market is heading, and work with innovation-minded partners to design flexible, resilient infrastructures.

To learn more about Tata Communications’ U.S. and global solutions, visit tatacommunications.com.

"The whole is far greater than the sum of the parts—especially when telcos and satellite operators work together." — Gareth Kentish, Alvatross

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Gareth Kentish of Alvatross about how the company is enabling global connectivity through the convergence of terrestrial and satellite communications—powered by open standards, modular software, and strategic industry collaboration.

Alvatross, a five-year-old startup backed by Spanish systems integrator Satec, blends the agility of a tech disruptor with the resources and telecom experience of an established player. Kentish explains that Alvatross’ “Lego block” approach to operational support systems allows telcos and satellite operators to add, modify, and scale services without costly, monolithic system overhauls.

A key focus is enabling hybrid terrestrial-satellite models to ensure continuity of communications—even in disaster scenarios—through projects such as TM Forum’s “Tech for Good” Catalyst, which demonstrated how first responders could rapidly activate connectivity via a user-friendly marketplace.

Kentish highlights several industry drivers:

The growing importance of LEO satellite constellations and seamless integration with terrestrial networks

Open digital architectures to reduce cost-to-serve and accelerate service innovation

The role of AI in enhancing operations—provided operators first address data quality

The need for collaboration to unlock opportunities across telecom and satellite ecosystems

Looking ahead, Kentish sees major opportunities for MSPs, MSSPs, and service providers who embrace convergence, modularity, and partnerships. He emphasizes that success will depend not just on technology, but also on cultivating the right culture, collaboration, and consensus—both within companies and across the industry.

To learn more, visit www.alvatross.io.

"Can I make money selling AI... or should I give it away to sell more of something else?" — Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst, Metrigy

In this special preview podcast for the upcoming Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) Financial Summit, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst at Metrigy, to discuss how AI is reshaping the economics of cloud communications—and how that impacts everything from vendor strategy to company valuations and M&A activity.

As part of a diverse panel at the CCA Financial Summit, October 7–8 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., Lazar brings the voice of the buyer to the discussion. Drawing from Metrigy’s extensive buyer-side research, he offers a data-driven look at how AI is being implemented, monetized, and evaluated across the communications and contact center landscape.

Key Insights from the Podcast:

The Monetization Dilemma: Vendors face tough choices—charge premiums for AI features or offer them for free to drive core product adoption.

Strategic M&A: Recent deals, like NICE acquiring Cognigy, suggest buyers are favoring tech-focused acquisitions over ego-driven, market-share plays.

Build vs. Buy: With AI coding tools becoming more accessible, enterprises face classic tradeoffs—develop internally using models like OpenAI and Anthropic, or accelerate capability through acquisitions.

Risks on the Horizon: Lazar identifies power availability, data trust, and model disruption (e.g., DeepSeek’s entry) as potential speed bumps for future AI adoption.

Avoiding the Avaya-Nortel Trap: Today’s acquirers appear more cautious, focused on adding capabilities—not just size.

With AI influencing everything from product development to boardroom decisions, Lazar's perspective will be a highlight of the CCA Financial Summit’s finance-focused programming. His message is clear: AI isn’t just a tech trend—it’s a business driver that’s rapidly influencing enterprise strategy, investor sentiment, and go-to-market approaches.

Learn more about Metrigy at https://metrigy.com

Learn more about the Cloud Communications Alliance at https://cloudcommunications.com

“We want to bring the human back. That’s what we want to do.” — Danielle Foster, Founder, D Foster Consulting

In a conversation that challenges current tech trends, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Danielle Foster and Shelby Page of D Foster Consulting, LLC to explore the real-world impact of AI on contact centers—and the people who staff them.

Founded by military spouse Danielle Foster, D Foster Consulting (DFC) is a fully remote, boutique contact center powered by a team of over 40 employees—many of whom are veterans and fellow military spouses. The company offers human-led sales and customer service solutions, primarily to B2B clients in home services, construction, legal, and other high-touch sectors.

In the podcast, Foster and Page share candid insights about how AI is being misapplied in the contact center world, especially when companies try to replace humans with automated agents. One client replaced DFC with AI voice callers for outbound appointment setting—only to return weeks later after conversions plummeted from as high as 15% to just 0.57%. “People were hanging up because they knew it was AI,” said Foster.

While AI has potential, both guests caution against relying on it exclusively for customer-facing roles. Tools like AI-generated call notes, automated IVRs, and chatbots often miss emotional cues, personal context, and the nuanced needs of frustrated or high-stakes callers—such as those contacting a law office or roofing company during an emergency.

“AI isn’t going to note that the client was excited—or that they were nervous, or confused,” added Shelby Page. “That’s something only a person picks up.”

The conversation also touches on the unintended burnout AI can cause for human agents when escalations come in too late or customers are already frustrated by the time they reach a real person. DFC’s approach—manual notes, live human engagement, and personalized service—results in stronger ROI, higher customer satisfaction, and improved employee retention.

With flexible pricing, no contracts, and a mission-driven team model, D Foster Consulting is not only helping businesses preserve their customer experience, but also offering meaningful remote employment opportunities to military and first responder families across the country.

Learn more about how D Foster Consulting is “bringing the human back” at https://www.dfosterconsulting.com

"This is not only a replacement, it’s an improvement." — Jake Jacoby, TELCLOUD

In the latest edition of the POTS and Shots podcast series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, reconnects with Jake Jacoby of TELCLOUD to dive into one of the most essential yet often overlooked parts of communications infrastructure: life safety lines. From elevators and fire panels to emergency call systems, these critical connections—traditionally powered by POTS lines—must not only work but never fail.

Jacoby shares how TELCLOUD is helping resellers deliver next-generation POTS line replacements that not only meet but exceed five-nines (99.999%) uptime, thanks to an architecture grounded in multi-layered redundancy:

On-premise hardware equipped with triple power redundancy (building power, battery, and backup battery)

Connectivity via multiple broadband, cellular (multi-carrier), and satellite options

Fully redundant, geographically diverse global data centers

“Every single one of our data centers is redundant within itself—and each data center is redundant of each other,” Jacoby explains.

While legacy copper lines continue to grow more expensive and unreliable, TELCLOUD’s solution is both cost-effective and compliant, making it a natural choice for sectors like public safety, healthcare, and education, where uptime and code compliance are non-negotiable. Resellers can offer monthly pricing, national installation, and a stable, future-ready service—without the scramble when copper lines are finally shut off.

Most importantly, Jacoby emphasizes that this is a reseller opportunity with immediate ROI. By empowering an army of partners to educate and implement, TELCLOUD is enabling a seamless and scalable transition to modern infrastructure—helping organizations avoid emergencies before they become disasters.

And as always, the episode closes with a tour of tequila. This time: Emerald Spear Blanco, a clean, organic tequila crafted by four Navy SEALs, paying tribute to San Diego’s military roots and TELCLOUD’s own HQ hometown.

Learn more about TELCLOUD’s POTS replacement solutions at https://www.telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

Lou Borrelli on Empowering 650+ Members Through Shared Innovation and the AI Center of Excellence

“Connectivity is king. Without connectivity, you don’t really have a business.” — Lou Borrelli, CEO, National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC)

In this in-depth conversation with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, Lou Borrelli, CEO of the National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC), shares the evolution of an organization born from a Kansas City poker game into a powerful force connecting over 650 members across all 50 states and U.S. territories—and over 40 million broadband users.

What began 41 years ago as a content-buying co-op for small and medium-sized cable operators has transformed into a modern technology and content hub, offering members buying power not just for programming, but also for hardware, software, broadband, mobile services, and now AI-driven solutions.

At the heart of the conversation is NCTC’s latest initiative: the AI Center of Excellence (AICOE). This strategic program is currently in its second phase, piloting AI applications for network monitoring, customer service, and predictive maintenance—all designed to help smaller operators stay competitive with national giants like Comcast and Charter.

Borrelli emphasizes real convergence—not just of telecom technologies, but of content, connectivity, mobility, and AI. With the explosion of digital tools, even the smallest provider can now offer scalable, competitive services thanks to shared innovation and cooperative economics. From rural Kentucky to the suburbs of Boston, NCTC members benefit from centralized procurement, support, and emerging service models.

The conversation also previews The Independent Show, NCTC’s signature annual event, which brings together technologists and content creators. Borrelli calls it “the last great cable convention,” providing a unique venue for collaboration amid an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

On the topic of content delivery, Borrelli is blunt: “Discovery is broken.” He points to the decline of unified cable guides and the rise of app-based content chaos. Consumers are subscribing, unsubscribing, and re-bundling content in real time—often recreating cable-like bills through a mix of streaming services. NCTC is exploring ways to aggregate and simplify the content experience while delivering sustainable value to customers and members.

He also critiques the state of U.S. regulatory policy, calling for an overhaul of retransmission consent rules and emphasizing that consumers haven’t truly “cut the cord”—they’ve unbundled it.

For service providers, MSPs, or content vendors wondering if they have a place in the NCTC ecosystem, Borrelli extends a clear invitation: “If you have products or services that help our members succeed, we’re open for business.”

Learn more about NCTC and how your technology or content can help shape the next phase of convergence: https://www.nctconline.org.

“Well-being is a stronger metric of success than productivity when it comes to AI adoption—and a natural outcome of that well-being is more productivity.” — Paul Sephton, Global Head of Brand Communications, Jabra

In this enlightening episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green interviews Paul Sephton, Global Head of Brand Communications at Jabra, about a new study conducted in partnership with the Happiness Research Institute. The report reveals a compelling insight: workers who use AI at work report higher well-being and job satisfaction.

Why does this matter to Jabra? As Sephton explains, Jabra’s mission goes beyond engineering headsets and video solutions—it’s about optimizing the modern work experience. And as AI changes the nature of work, Jabra believes that cultural shifts, not just technical upgrades, will define whether AI enhances productivity and happiness.

Key findings and themes from the podcast include:

AI + Happiness: While not conclusive causation, there's a clear correlation between AI use and improved workplace well-being. Those who use AI more often tend to report higher satisfaction and purpose in their roles.

From Fear to Optimism: The study shows a positive turn in sentiment. As AI becomes more ubiquitous and embedded in the day-to-day, optimism is rising—especially when organizations communicate transparently about their AI strategies.

People-to-Machine Communication: Jabra is preparing for a future where not just people talk to people, but where we interact directly with AI agents. Enabling seamless communication between humans and AI will be essential—and Jabra aims to be at the center of that evolution.

Well-Being as Strategy: Sephton urges leaders to treat employee well-being as a core indicator of successful change management. Transparency, experimentation, and culture are critical levers for embracing AI meaningfully.

Jabra’s Role: From professional audio and video collaboration gear to AI-optimized meeting room solutions, Jabra is developing the “eyes and ears” for enterprise AI—ensuring communication systems evolve as work itself transforms.

To explore the full study, visit: https://www.jabra.com

This podcast is part of Technology Reseller News’ continuing coverage of AI, the future of work, and cloud communications. Jabra is a member of the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA).

“We’re now close to a quarter billion dollars in revenue, with operations across North America, EMEA, and APAC—and we’re just getting started.” — Russ Reeder, CEO, XTIUM

Technology Reseller News spoke with Russ Reeder, CEO, and Leon Schuurmans, Managing Director of EMEA at XTIUM, about the company’s official launch of direct operations in Europe. The podcast, hosted by publisher Doug Green, offers a deep dive into XTIUM’s journey from a merger of ATSG and Evolve IP into a global managed service provider (MSP) with a full suite of IT, UCaaS, CCaaS, MDR, and AI-powered offerings.

The move into Europe builds on a longstanding foundation. Schuurmans recounted how the company—then Evolve IP—pioneered contact center and unified communications services in the Netherlands as early as 2007. Now, the new XTIUM brand brings integrated IT and communications services to a market increasingly seeking consolidation, scale, and security.

Reeder emphasized the strategic advantages of global reach paired with local expertise. The company has over 1,700 customers and supports over one million endpoints. Backed by more than $1 billion in acquisitions and $350 million in private equity investment, XTIUM is well-positioned to serve multinational customers across North America, EMEA, and APAC.

Key offerings discussed include:

Full MSP services including managed network, help desk, UCaaS, and CCaaS

AI-enabled services, from internal sales and support tools to client-facing AI onboarding, security, and optimization

Cybersecurity and MDR, especially critical in the face of regulatory and infrastructure shifts like Windows 11 adoption

The company also shared how its premium support model and customer success focus drive long-term growth. “We don’t throw customers over the wall,” Reeder noted, outlining a high-touch process from onboarding to strategic reviews aimed at turning clients into evangelists.

In EMEA, Schuurmans sees key vertical growth in healthcare, finance, retail, and professional services, driven by urgent needs around cybersecurity and desktop virtualization. He plans to scale both direct customer engagements and indirect channel partner relationships over the next 12–18 months.

Looking ahead, XTIUM will continue to grow both organically and through acquisition. With a clearly stated goal to become the go-to global MSP for mid-market and enterprise customers, Reeder summed up the company’s mission: “Think globally, act locally.”

Learn more at: https://xtium.com