USA.NET, HP Partner to Deliver SaaS to Target SMBs

USA.NET will partner with Hewlett-Packard to deliver a more comprehensive set of hosted services and advanced collaboration tools that can generate new revenue streams for solution providers.

The agreement, announced last week, will allow HP’s approximately 25,000 solution provider partners access to USA.NET’s hosted e-mail, messaging and collaboration solutions as a part of their software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering for HP channel partners, says Doug Howard, president of USA.NET.

The partnership will also increase USA.NET’s penetration into the lucrative SMB market, Howard says, where many of HP’s solution providers play. Of USA.NET’s nearly two thousand current customers, Howard says the majority are currently SMBs with fewer than 500 seats. The company also has solution providers selling into about 100 large enterprises, the biggest of which has about 67,000 seats.

“USA.NET is a smaller company, though we have big name recognition in the hosted services market,” Howard says. “This HP relationship will expedite our success in the SMB market because of the market distribution of their VARs, most of whom serve customers in the SMB space,” he says.

For HP solution providers, Howard says the agreement will provide a more complex and comprehensive set of tools for those partners looking to increase SaaS revenues and drive greater value for their customers.

“In this challenging economic climate, our channel partners can evolve their business model and leverage the collaboration between HP and USA.NET to become successful in the SaaS marketplace,” said Duncan Campbell, vice president, Small and Midmarket Business, HP in a statement.

This joint initiative will enable USA.NET and HP to equip solution providers with comprehensive tools and guidance to help them better deliver hosted messaging, collaboration, email archiving, security and mobility services, says Howard. As a result, they can generate new revenue streams by offering their SMB customers greater choice and new solution delivery methods.

USA.NET’s hosted Microsoft Exchange 2007, Windows SharePoint Services, Commercial Messaging Services, Mobile Messaging, Email Archiving, Enhanced Messaging, and Secure Messaging Services can be sold to solution providers and managed service providers (MSPs) looking to expand their hosting business through the addition of new services, or to augment existing services, says Howard.

“In addition to the SaaS revenues, the potential is there for solution providers to add integration, customisation and remote provisioning to customers, as well,” Howard says.