Avaya Communications -Formerly Lucent Technologies- Enhances Dealer Channel By Investing in Unified TelData.

Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 2001

In an effort to strengthen its indirect dealer channel, Avaya Communications, recently invested an undisclosed amount in San Francisco-based Unified TelData (UTDI).

UTDI, named by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the 25 largest Telecommunications Firms Serving the Bay Area for 2001, has an office in Oakland and plans to use the funds to leverage its small-business and Woman Managed Business Enterprise (WMBE) status.

The Avaya funding will help UTDI focus on two, first-growth targets: Oakland and the Greater East Bay area, as well as the North Bay including Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. The goal is to develop new Avaya city and county business, expand into the educational sector, and saturate the business enterprise sector.

Traditionally, Avaya has maintained a strong internal sales and service organization. But, since spinning off from Lucent last October, Avaya is looking to embrace and enhance competitor Cisco's dealer model using qualified dealers to design, sell and service its products, while retaining global accounts in-house.

As Cisco has moved into Avaya's telecommunications territory through its LAN-based communication servers, Avaya has moved into Cisco's data switching and router space. With this added value, Avaya is working to strengthen its highest-ranked exclusive dealers to better transition its regional and national clients to the indirect channel. Unified TelData has been chosen as one of these dealers.

"Lyhn Haller and her team have developed a premier business model for growth and expansion. Avaya is pleased to be able to support UTDI and we look forward to a long-term relationship," said Avaya Area Vice President for the Western Area James Seay.

"A strong dealer means superior system designs, first-class installations, quick response times, and competitive pricing; in other words -- satisfied customers. Another benefit for Avaya users, who will more often buy now through the dealer channel, is their ability to purchase through an FSSP (full-service solutions provider) like UTDI," said UTDI Chief Executive Officer Lyhn Haller.

While Unified TelData sells exclusively Avaya voice and data equipment, it has developed noncompeting relationships with other leaders in its arena, like Sprint, Pacific Bell, Sprint PCS, Octel, and InfoChip.

"These relationships help UTDI offer clients a full range of voice and data solutions that Avaya direct cannot. We also offer stronger local representation and local associations. Our motto `The right team, the right tools, right around the corner,' says it all," Haller said.

Avaya and UTDI have already successfully partnered to serve a number of private and government clients such as the City and County of San Francisco.

Unified TelData Inc. sells and installs telephone and voice processing systems to a broad range of customers including France Telecom; Hummer Winblad; Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLT; Royal & Sun Alliance; PC Tel; Respond.com; Days Inn; Gordon E & Betty Moore Foundation; and Any Mountain Stores.

A B2B full-service provider, UTDI provides consultation, quality installations, on-site training, technical support, financing options, and maintenance programs. UTDI is an authorized Avaya Diamond Dealer (one of the top 25 ranking dealers in the United States), a Sprint partner, and a Pacific Bell Agent.