Annual Global Event to Educate and Inform on Key Initiatives and Programs Grows into Ongoing Resource for the Latest News, Information and Interaction

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Avaya, a global leader in business collaboration systems, software and services, announced that the company’s annual Avaya Connect Virtual Partner Conference is transforming into an ongoing, always-on  forum for the latest news and information as a result of growing demand from channel partners. The Forum will provide channel partners with in-depth details on Avaya’s business strategies, technologies, new tools and training to support their business. The format will feature a combination of on-demand training modules, live Question and Answer sessions and downloadable reference materials.

The new Avaya Virtual Partner Forum  is open now. The first video broadcast and live  Question and Answer session with Jeremy Butt, vice president for Worldwide Channels, and others will be held February 15 at 11 a.m. – noon Eastern (4-5 p.m. GMT) for channel partners in the Americas, Canada and EMEA. Avaya subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions about Avaya’s product and solution roadmap for 2011 and upcoming product launches. For Asia Pacific channel partner audiences, the session will be held on February 17 from noon – 1 p.m. Singapore time  on the forum site. Throughout the year new modules will be added that showcase newly launched solutions as well as live sessions with experts and executives.

“The Avaya Virtual Partner Conference model has been highly successful in enabling us to engage with our extended global partner community to discuss important updates in a timely fashion with a flexible format. Now, we are taking it from an annual conference to an always-on forum,” said Patti Moran, senior director, Worldwide Channel Marketing, Avaya. “Because the content is on-demand and easily accessible, partners can participate at a time and location that is convenient for them and not feel rushed through content that they may want or need to spend more time absorbing.”

The on-demand Virtual Partner Forum will host a series of Flash video presentations delivered by Avaya executives in modules that include 2011 Strategy Sessions covering the company’s channel initiatives; Technology Sessions covering Data, Unified Communications and Collaboration, Contact Center, SME and Services roadmaps; Avaya Connect program updates; and sessions specific to EMEA channel initiatives. The forum will also offer “virtual briefcases” that allow channel partners to save pertinent resources for future use.

Avaya Connect channel partners can register for the Virtual Partner Forum through the Partner Portal at following sites:
Americas, Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa: https://enterpriseportal.avaya.com/ptlWeb/bp/so/CS2009105102523600086
Asia Pacific: https://enterpriseportal.avaya.com/ptlWeb/bp/so/CS20101112144257933033.