NextPoint (News - Alert) has appointed Zane Long as the Vice President, Global Partner and Channel Sales. Long will lead the company’s global indirect sales efforts, working with NextPoint’s strategic partners and distributors, including network equipment providers (NEPs).

 

Long will be based out of NextPoint’s Gaithersburg, Maryland, headquarters and will report to Patrick Joggerst, Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Customer Support.

 

Joggerst said in a statement that their company is committed to supporting their current customers – more than 550 service providers and enterprises – by fostering an internetworked community. He indicated that their product suite enables community members to pursue VoIP interconnects while they implement the next generation network architectures and business models they require to offer fixed-mobile convergence solutions.

 

To better pursue global FMC interoperability, NextPoint looks to dramatically increase the number of community members. Joggerst said that for this reason he is excited to have Zane on board at NextPoint to manage indirect sales through their channel partners. The company believes this is the most efficient and intelligent way for NextPoint to achieve the kind of critical mass their community requires.

 

According to Joggerst, Zane’s demonstrated ability to develop value chains of resellers, distributors, and agents will extend their market reach to their community’s benefit.

 

Long has a 20-year sales management career that positions him within the telecommunications and online industries. This includes senior positions at Broadwing (News - Alert) Communications, FoodNetwork.com, and GTE Communications. Most recently, Long served as Vice President, Indirect Channels, at Level 3. Here he more than tripled revenues from indirect channels in two years and tripled value during the same period.

 

Long said that he has joined NextPoint at an optimal time. NextPoint enjoys an established reputation within the existing customer and interoperability partner community, and through global partners like Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung (News - Alert), NextPoint is working with Tier 1 carriers on FMC solutions.

 

“I believe growth – and as a result, increased internetworking opportunities – can be accelerated with the right distribution model,” said Long who explained that in working with channel partners, his objectives will be to broaden NextPoint’s market presence to the benefit of the community as a whole – customers, partners, and NextPoint.