XPress Cloud to Become the World's First Wi-Fi-as-a-Service Solution

Meru Networks is continuing to expand the opportunities offered by its Wi-Fi networking solutions by forming a new strategic alliance with WestconGroup, a global value-added distributor of a range of technology solutions. The two companies will collaborate on delivering a subscription-based Wi-Fi-as-a-Service (WaaS) offering for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) — to be the first of its kind in the world.

The offering is based on Meru XPress Cloud, an 802.11ac cloud-based Wi-Fi management solution that eliminates the need for an on-premise WLAN controller and is aimed at SMEs as well as highly distributed medium or large enterprises. The plug-and-play solution is available through a pure subscription model that bundles the cost of Meru XP8i access points and the company’s capable management software.

XPress Cloud provides a way for businesses to easily deploy and scale their Wi-Fi networks by avoiding the hassle of on-premise equipment and relying on auto configuration and channel selecting to do most of the work. The upcoming jointly-developed WaaS solution further eases the burden on customers by completely taking over management duties and freeing up companies’ time and resources to focus on more important aspects of their businesses. Furthermore, the monthly payment model that is becoming more and more common makes it easier for companies to effectively manage their budgets and account for expenses on the same schedule as revenues.

“According to analyst firm IDC, cloud-managed Wi-Fi is set to reach $2.5 billion in 20181,” said Don Trimble, Vice President of WW Channels and Cloud Sales at Meru. “SMEs require the security and reliability of enterprise-grade wireless networks, but they often do not have the luxury of large enterprise IT departments. By introducing this subscription-based WaaS model to the channel with WestconGroup, Meru is helping SMEs get affordable enterprise-grade Wi-Fi that can be seamlessly deployed and easily managed without substantial IT overhead. Meru is pleased to be the first to offer SMEs with a subscription-based WaaS model that fits their unique business needs.”

WestconGroup will be the first distributor of the XPress Cloud solution and will guide resellers through the process of offering it effectively and maintaining profitability. The company emphasizes comprehensive support that includes an evaluation of business needs and planning as well as technical enablement and education. In an increasingly competitive business environment as mobile devices and cloud-managed services become more prevalent, this support will be the key to ensuring partners thrive with efficient and effective operations.

“Our partners are focused on providing innovative and cost-effective solutions for their customers and the Meru XPress Cloud WaaS is such a solution," said Barat Dickman, Vice President and General Manager of the Unified Communications and Collaboration business unit at WestconGroup. “With this offering, WestconGroup is giving resellers the power to enable Wi-Fi for the SME market.”