Ron McNab Named CRN Channel Chief 2017
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 AireSpring is proud to announce that Ron McNab, Senior Vice President of Channel Sales, has been added to CRN Magazine’s prestigious list of 2017 Channel Chiefs. A previous recipient of the CRN Channel Chief Award, Ron McNab is a well-known and highly regarded channel executive with decades of success building high performing sales organizations. He was recognized for his charismatic leadership and nuanced understanding of indirect sales channels which has allowed him to grow one of the largest and most successful channel programs in the nation. AireSpring is proud to have such a well-respected leader in the telecommunications space at the forefront of its channel team. Congratulations, Ron!
To read the full press release, click here.
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AirePBX Wins Internet Telephony Product of the Year 2017
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 AireSpring's AirePBX Cloud Business Phone System was recognized as one of the most innovative and highest quality IP communications solutions in 2017 by TMC and Internet Telephony Magazine. AirePBX was recognized for being highly configurable to customer business needs, with specialized tools for mobile teams to communicate in the office and on-the-go. Additionally, there is an optional AirePBX Call Center add-on which provides the capabilities of an inbound call center. AireSpring was also recognized for pioneering the fully managed, service-based UC solution model. AireSpring's UC solutions, including AirePBX, are layered over AireSpring's managed connectivity options to simplify the integration of cloud communications solutions to IP networks.
To read the full press release, click here.
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February Promo: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. AireSpring has SPIFFs, Just for You!
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The SPIFF Lord returns this month to offer some of the most amazing bonuses and commissions in the galaxy. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, even intergalactic dictators have the heart to bring you the incentives you need to have a sweet and successful month. Now, you can earn 1x MRC on our new SD-WAN offering! As always, we offer the best commissions in the industry - 1.5x MRC on Connectivity Services, 6x MRC on Voice/Cloud Services, and $800 Cash Bonus on Long Distance.
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AireSpring March Partner Training
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 We are excited to announce that our CEO, Avi Lonstein, will be holding a special partner training next month! Please join us on March 23rd, from 1:00 to 2:00 PST for this exciting webinar.
Register here.
Stay to the end and complete the survey to win a $100 Amazon Card! Congratulations to last month's winner, Morgan Spencer of Carrier Sales!
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See AireSpring at These Events!
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Meet AireSpring at these industry events. Here's a preview of what's coming!
Sandler Partners Partner Summit
Omni Hotel, Dallas, TX
March 23rd, 2017
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Intelisys Mindshare, Pacific Southwest
The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport, CA
March 29th, 2017
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Channel Partners, Las Vegas, NV, Booth 555
April 10th - 13th, 2017
Get your FREE Expo Only Pass here!
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Welcome to the latest edition in our series of profiles where we shine the spotlight on AireSpring's amazing partners. This time, we're speaking with Vince Bradley, Founder and CEO of WTG.
Hello Vince. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. To begin, please tell us a little about your background and the history of WTG.
I was born in Southern California and raised in Monterey, but I came back down to Southern California to attend college at UCLA. After graduating, I started working at Addtel Communications with Tony, Avi, Daniel, and David Lonstein. It was at Addtel that I got my start in telecommunications, managing direct and then indirect sales. In 1996, I started WTG. We were one of the first in the industry to pioneer agent channels as both a CLEC and master agency. The Dotcom bust and nuclear winter in telecom that came afterwards benefitted us because customers couldn’t afford telecom managers on staff, so they turned to agents for their telecommunications needs.
With over 150 providers, we consider ourselves to be the most diverse master agent in the industry. Ultimately, we are sourcing experts, working more as a connectivity services distributor than anything else as that resonates more in the VAR community. We extend this diversity to international business, where we have a tremendous portfolio of clients in Asia Pac, EMEA, LATAM and beyond. We virtually touch any populated area of the globe with our footprint and cover areas like wireless/mobility and IoT to enable our Agent Partners to get all of the business that comes their way.
What do you like about working with AireSpring?
AireSpring has everything our agents need to close business. First, AireSpring has an incredible underlying carrier network, which provides ubiquitous coverage. That network is coupled with a diverse and vast product set, giving agents a broad portfolio of services and access that covers just about any customer need. One of the worst things that can happen is to lose a deal during the process because someone else had something that you didn’t have. When you work with a carrier like AireSpring - that tends not to happen.
I’ve also known the owners for 24 years now, and WTG has been partnering with AireSpring for over a decade. I’ve seen AireSpring grow and I’ve admired the way the Lonstein brothers have established an effective, yet light-hearted approach to business. We share the belief that it’s important to have fun, and that has contributed positively to our partnership.
What is the secret to success in telecom?
Since many customers aren’t familiar with telecommunications technology, some agents will try and educate their clients about the options and technologies available. While this seems natural, in the cloud era, I think the best way to approach a sale is to listen to the customer’s problems, rather than immediately offering solutions. Before worrying about the technology, just focus on identifying the customer’s problem. Once you have a firm understanding of the customer’s situation, then you can discuss potential solutions with much more efficiency and clarity.
Another rule I keep for myself is that you should never leave business on the table. We once lost a 900k MRC deal because a competitor offered something that our agent partner failed to mention – even though we could also offer that service. The issue was that the agent approached the customer with a single product, instead of advertising our entire arsenal of solutions.
Finally, networking yourself is key to success in an industry with so many players. We really value that at WTG, which is why we hold so many events both for our team and our agent and provider partners. For example, we go on the road around the country and educate partners through our Cloudology program, which serves both as an educational vessel as well as a means for networking.
What would you say is the next big thing?
I would divide the “next big thing” into two categories for 2017 – the hot product, and the hot topic. The hot product will, undoubtedly, be SD-WAN. This is a game changing disruptive technology that will shift connectivity and the WAN in general. It should be considered mandatory for MSPs and VARs to learn as much about SD-WAN as they can so it is a great way to recruit and enable your VAR Partners. For one, it’s a new leading edge box for them to sell. On top of that, it allows VAR’s and MSP’s to break into the connectivity space just by virtue of selling and supporting the box. Router sales are already dropping because of SD-WAN. As a surfer, I’ll tell you that I believe it’s better to catch the wave now rather than let it pass while waiting for the perfect wave.
The hot topic is going to be the Internet of Things (IoT). For many sales agents, this is still an abstract topic as the products and services are not yet defined. However, many people don’t seem to understand that selling connectivity is the first step in selling IoT. If any industry is poised to deliver IoT solutions once the market really catches up, it will be those of us that already deal in connectivity. Also, our sister company NuAge Energy (it means “cloud” in French) offers a lot of IoT products and services like building controls (like HVAC) in the Cloud, Lighting, Solar, etc. I would suggest that Agent Partners get educated and start offering IoT solutions this year to keep up with where the industry is going.
What do you do outside of the office? Do you have any hobbies?
Having grown up in Monterey, I found a similar spot where I now live and work, in Malibu, CA. My wife and I have three daughters, and if I’m not coaching their soccer games - something I have done for the past five years now – or having fun with them, then I’m either surfing or playing golf. Monterey is a breeding ground for golfers and I’ve never lived far from the ocean so the "Bu" is a comfortable place to be. We also like to go hiking and traveling as a family.
Thank you, Vince, for the opportunity to speak with you! We wish WTG ongoing success!
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 At AireSpring, we know that it is our dedication to customer service that sets us apart, and customer service begins with great employees. Here is your chance to get to know the AireSpring team that oversees your orders and delivers great service every day. This time, we are speaking with Liza Browning, NOC Technician.
Hi Liza, tell us a little bit about yourself and your history in telecom.
My first job in telecommunications was for Pacific Telephone, where I worked as a Service Technician (photo below). For roughly a decade, I worked in the field, mostly handling residential and small business customers. It was incredibly physical work - climbing poles, pulling lines, and crawling under houses – but it was a great way to stay active while working. The only really tough part of the job was going into customer homes, where I’d encounter living spaces that hadn’t been cleaned for what seemed like centuries. After ten years of getting my hands dirty fixing phones, I decided to join Pacific Telephone’s provisioning team. I stayed with the company as it changed from Pacific Telephone to SBC and finally to AT&T - all over the course of 19 years.
 In 1998, my office moved to St. Louis, but I didn’t want to leave California. AT&T kindly offered me an early retirement package, which I took and invested. For a while, I worked as a personal trainer, returning to my active roots. But eventually, I started to miss telecom, and so I applied to work at AireSpring in 2008. For about 2 years, I worked as an LNP Coordinator before moving to the Repair Department as a Tier 2 technician. Then, almost two years ago, I was moved into the Network Operations Center at AireSpring where I currently work as a NOC Technician.
What do you like about working at AireSpring?
AireSpring has grown a lot as a company since I joined, and being a part of that growth is incredibly rewarding. I have also grown a lot in my roles here. While I started out as an LNP Coordinator, I was interested in learning more about IP networks, so I went and got my CCNA and CCNP certifications so that I could engage with higher levels of repair. AireSpring not only allows, but encourages its employees to gain more skills and develop as professionals.
Of course, my job is also incredibly challenging. As a NOC Technician we are constantly monitoring AireSpring’s nationwide network, addressing issues pre-emptively and responding to customer issues with rapid urgency. The good thing is that I am never bored in my job, and each day presents new, technical obstacles for me to overcome.
What are your hobbies?
I am still a very active individual these days, especially since I work in an office all week. I enjoy hiking, running, and swimming, I’ve competed in three triathlons, and I exercise regularly. My daughter (pictured below) takes after me, and works as an outdoor adventure tour guide in Europe and South America. I am certainly jealous of how much she gets to travel and see amazing places, but most of all because she gets to be outside all day!
My husband and I take advantage of the arts that are ubiquitous here in Los Angeles. We go to shows and exhibits when we can. As it happens, he also works in telecom at UCLA in their networking department!
Thank you, Liza, for sharing with us!
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Sandler Partners Partner Summit
Omni Hotel, Dallas, TX
March 23rd, 2017
Intelisys Mindshare, Pacific Southwest
The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport, CA
March 29th, 2017
Channel Partners
Las Vegas, NV,
Booth 555
April 10 - 13th, 2017
Get your FREE Expo Only Pass here!
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