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Once again we have great new product information and company updates to share with our channel partners! Read about how we were honored this month with nine Partner’s Choice Awards from the Telecom Association. Take a look at our first Managed Security product, our Next Gen Firewall, which costs a fraction of what purchasing and staffing your own in-house security solution would cost. In our Partner Spotlight, we interview Eric Asquino, Founder and President of ACS, who gives us an inside look at the next big thing in telecom. We also feature our own Director of Network Product Management, Jon Honda, who once worked as an agent himself before becoming a network product specialist here at AireSpring. Finally, take a look at the various tradeshows where AireSpring will be exhibiting. Whether it’s Las Vegas, Chicago, or Long Beach, we hope to see you there!
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TA Honors AireSpring with Nine Awards
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 AireSpring has long known what Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook articulated when he said, "Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend." We know that the 3,800 voting members of the Telecom Association do not give their endorsement unless it is earned. That is why we were especially honored to receive 9 Telecom Association Partners Choice Awards.
The Telecom Association is a professional membership organization of telecom and technology consultants, agents, brokers and sales partners. AireSpring was selected as the 2015 Partners Choice Award winner in the following categories: Wholesale - Data, Wholesale - LD, Call Center (Carrier, Software, Equipment, Consulting), Data - MPLS Domestic, and Hosted VoIP - Metaswitch. Additionally, AireSpring was honored as a Top 5 Provider of choice in: SIP Trunks - Domestic, CLEC National, and Data - Reseller. AireSpring was also chosen as a Top 5 Provider for Call Center - Hosted for its AireContact Cloud Contact Center Solution.
Selection as a Partners Choice Award winner in so many categories showcases AireSpring's long term commitment to technology solutions, as well as dedication to customer service excellence. "Our association members are heavily experienced technology industry consultants and channel sales partners that have compared all the best and affordable vendors against one another before recommending one or two business clients who view them as trusted advisors," stated Telecom Associations Executive Director, Dan Baldwin. "They know which vendors to watch out for and which ones to recommend, so having them choose AireSpring so many times is a sign of proven trust and reliability."
This is not the first time that AireSpring has been honored by the Telecom Association, and it is not by chance that AireSpring was honored again in 2016. While business end users are critical of telecommunications products and services, the independent sales partners and reviewing members of Telecom Association are even tougher to please.
AireSpring is honored that we once again met the high expectations of our partners.
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Build a Wall Around Your Network with Managed Firewall Security
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 AireSpring's new Managed Firewall Security and Unified Threat Management (UTM) Service secures your network and information assets for a fraction of the cost of in-house security resources. Our managed security solution provides a comprehensive set of technology and support services designed to defend your company against a wide range of emerging cyber threats.
AireSpring's Managed Firewall Security Service offers:
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All-in-one Solution at an Affordable Monthly Fee. We combine Dell's SonicWALL® firewall appliance, Dell Total Secure gateway anti-malware products including patented intrusion prevention and content filtering technology into a single solution.
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Comprehensive Configuration and Reporting. All these security technologies are installed, configured, and deployed for you and managed as one unit. All event data is available via our reporting system for early threat identification so you can take appropriate measures BEFORE your security has been compromised.
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Hardware and Software Upgrades. Our managed security service includes ongoing firmware and software upgrades which are automatically deployed remotely as updates are released. We can also upgrade your firewall appliance as technology and business needs change.
To find out how you can deliver a turn-key network security solution to your customer's doorstep for a fraction of the cost of other vendors, contact your AireSpring Channel Manager or send an email to sales@airespring.com.
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Bring Your Election Traffic to AireSpring
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 With election season upon us, political organizations are looking to connect with more voters at the lowest possible cost. AireSpring offers a suite of tools to get their message out cost effectively including AireBroadcast Message Broadcasting, AireTXT SMS messaging and the most competitive rates on high volume, short duration calls in the industry. That is why we are the leader in handling call center traffic throughout the U.S. and Canada, processing over 12 billion call records per year.
While other providers shy away from the kind of high volume, short duration dialer traffic that characterizes political campaigns, AireSpring built its infrastructure from the ground up to support traffic of this nature using our advanced Least Cost Routing Platform.
AireSpring offers:
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6/6 Billing
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6 Digit Rounding
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No Short Duration Charges
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High CPS allocation
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Highest ASRs
Unlike other providers, we offer a billing scheme that makes sense for these customers including 6/6 billing which means that instead of being charged by the minute, your customers are billed in 6 second increments. We also round customer bills to the 6th decimal place instead of rounding to the penny. After thousands of phone calls, that translates to significant savings.
AireSpring does not add any surcharges for short duration calls and our service supports a high CPS rate while maintaining some of the highest ASRs in the industry. We also provide compliance with TCPA and DNC mobile blocking. On top of all this, we deliver your political clients the same first class customer service and billing that all AireSpring clients enjoy.
For more information about how to gain customers this election season, contact Kevin Griffo, SR. VP Wholesale Voice at 818.738.1996 or kevin.griffo@airespring.com.
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 If the picture does not make you crack a smile, then these SPIFFs certainly will!
Okay. We got your attention.
This might be a little silly. But do not be mistaken.
We take our channel very seriously. That is why we offer some of the best commissions and SPIFFs around. Whether it is 150% SPIFF on Connectivity Services, 600% SPIFF on Voice/Cloud Services, or $800 Cash on LD Services, we make selling AireSpring products worth it.
Check out the full promotion here to see how you can earn big.
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 Get paid just for scheduling a demo for AireContact or AirePBX! Normally a Channel Partner has to close a deal to earn revenues, but with AireSpring's popular Dollar$ for Demo$ program, you get paid for bringing qualified, interested AireContact and AirePBX prospects to participate in product demos.
Contact your Channel Manager to schedule demos now or email sales@airespring.com for more details.
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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 Eric Asquino, President and Founder of ACS.
Hello, Eric. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. To begin, please tell us a little about yourself and your background and the history of DGI.
I started out in telecommunications at the beginning of the CLEC era working as an independent agent for Teligent, Inc., a facilities-based CLEC that provided local, long distance, high-speed data, and dedicated Internet services to SMBs. Teligent hoped to bridge the last-mile divide with its fixed wireless technology, but the company took on enormous debt, struggled with the technology and was forced into bankruptcy.
I started ACS in 2002 in part as a way to continue to provide support to my Teligent clients. The purpose of ACS is to provide customers with a real alternative to the telecom industry's direct sales channels. At ACS, we focus on customer support before, during, and after the sale - while still guaranteeing the lowest rates. Today, we are partnered with over 50 providers and have over 5,000 customers. With a team of 17 full-time, dedicated employees and over 500 agents, we have grown to be one of the largest master agents in the country. We also have an industry leading website, an in-house designed interactive customer quoting software, and a fiber lookup tool - all at no cost to our agents. We assist our agents with marketing campaigns and telemarketing to help surface opportunity. We are proud to say that ACS received an Inc. 5000 award in 2015, and was named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
How long have you been partnering with AireSpring?
I have been working with AireSpring since 2002, when it was just Lanny Eule and the Lonstein brothers. It has been a long and fruitful partnership over the last 14 years.
What do you like about working with AireSpring?
The best thing about working with AireSpring is the various self-help tools and systems available to agents, particularly the QuoteSpring quoting tool on agentStar. Having access to an automated system that is both fast and 100% accurate is a game changer, and I do not know of any other carrier that has something comparable. As agents, our company relies on fast turnaround, so being able to generate an accurate quote within minutes gives us an advantage. AireSpring's competition can take days processing orders, with a flurry of quotes flying back and forth in a tedious string of emails. With something as quick and consistent as QuoteSpring, I do not have to sit around, waiting for emails to get quotes finalized. It is also not just QuoteSpring - the people at AireSpring are very nice and pleasant to work with as well, and I have longstanding relationships with many of them.
What would you say is the secret to success in this industry and being a successful agent/VAR?
I cannot speak for anyone else, but ACS has been incredibly successful by giving our agents the support and tools they need to be successful. We make a point of dealing honestly with our agents, and as a result we have an incredible amount of agent loyalty.
For agents, the most important thing is knowledge. You have to understand the products, the solutions, where the industry is going, and everything in between. An agent is not just a salesperson - they are first and foremost a consultant. And you cannot properly consult with the customer unless you understand the product and how that product will help your customers achieve their business goals.
What is the “next big thing” you think agents and VARs should be aware of in 2016?
I see integration as being the next thing. Customers want to be able to access all their data at a single point - linking their phones, their CRM, and their documentation. As a result, there is going to be an increased need for integration in software, cloud computing, and telecom. Companies also crave integration. Many are currently trying to connect their existing management systems like Procurement, MIS and CRM to their phone system. A traditional hosted PBX system should integrate with the CRM system too. Carriers and other suppliers who are able to provide seamless integration are going to do good business over the next few years.
What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of telecom?
I used to have more hobbies before I started my own business. I work until 7:30 PM most days, so what little time I have I like to spend with my family. I have two young children - one is a toddler and the other is a newly born - so a full night of sleep is no guarantee. But when I do get some time, I like to sail, to play golf, and I have got a classic 1965 Mustang that I enjoy every day when I drive to work.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing your insights with us!
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 Nachurs Alpine Solutions is a liquid chemical manufacturer located in North America. They operate six plants in total, with four facilities spread across Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, and Ohio and two facilities in Canada.
Previously, Nachurs Alpine received phone service from Verizon on a PRI line. Even though service was channeled through a provider local to the Nachurs headquarters, they regularly experienced dropped calls and poor service quality. For the staff at Nachurs Alpine Solutions, picking up the phone did not necessarily guarantee a dial tone. For a multi-million dollar company, this was unacceptable.
Unreliable call quality was also coupled with poor customer service. The people at Nachurs Alpine Solutions were frustrated that a regional carrier was not treating them like the valuable customer they were. Nachurs is one of the largest companies in their industry, and yet they were being treated like an after-thought.
Since switching to AireSpring six years ago, Nachurs Alpine has reported no more than one or two phone issues in total. "Service has been flawless," said Nachurs Alpine Solutions IT Manager, Frank Shelby.
In the rare event that they experience a hiccup, AireSpring's customer service has been there to help. Mr. Shelby reports that AireSpring's customer service department has always remained on top of things. "All it took to solve a problem was a single phone call."
In addition to excellent call quality and top-notch customer service, AireSpring was able to offer Nachurs Alpine Solutions significant savings of 40-50% on their phone bill. Previously, Nachurs Alpine's phone lines were being served through a legacy PRI circuit. By switching from their PRI to AireSpring's SIP Trunking service, Nachurs saves nearly $1000 each month and enjoys the benefits of VoIP technology.
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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 Jon Honda, our Director of Network Product Management.
Hello, Jon. To begin, please tell us about your professional background and your role at AireSpring.
I have had two careers. Long before AireSpring, I served in the ministry as both a pastor and church administrator for 25 years. I spent 14 years as a pastor in several churches across California, Washington, and Arizona and 9 years as superintendent of a group of Japanese American churches.
In the 90's, during the dotcom Boom, I changed careers and tried something new. I had actually majored in Computer Science during college, and my interest in technology had remained with me over the years. So I started working for a web development company, where I was Director of New Customer Implementation. Part of my role was to capture the technical and design specifications for customer websites, and coordinate the creation and launch of each site. However, the other role I played ultimately proved more relevant to my career to come. Since I also served as facilities manager, I was responsible for the office phone system. I interfaced with vendors, set up new lines and new seats, and dealt with any and all office phone and network issues.
I enjoyed that aspect of my job, so I eventually left the web development firm and joined a small telephone sales and installation company. There, I took on a wide ranging managerial position, where I gained experience in an incredible variety of telecom roles. I was in charge of managing customer relationships, taking orders, designing solutions, working with technicians to install equipment, ordering circuits from carriers, and physically installing the circuits at customer sites. I also provided training to our clients and handled customer service. We were a small company, so everything was incredibly hands on, and I learned a lot—especially what it was like to be an agent.
Then one day, I saw a tiny ad in the LA Times for a Sales Support Manager at a young company called AireSpring.
Previously, I was on the agent side, so I was excited to see what it was like to work on the other end. In my first role at AireSpring, I managed a small team that was responsible for all quoting and order processing. We were only selling dedicated long distance at the time, but soon after I joined, we began to also sell local services.
Since I had dealt with local products at my previous company, I was able to help with the product expansion. Specifically, when it became clear that we needed someone to serve as sales engineer for our new local services, I was assigned the job. I was the first sales engineer at AireSpring.
As the company grew, we were able to separate staff into more specified roles. Later, I ended up taking on a role in the provisioning department as a way to learn how to work with carriers. In that role, I started taking responsibility for network circuit orders, as we had just began installing network equipment in Downtown Los Angeles. This served as a precursor to the position I hold today. Since I was there at the birth of our network—watching it grow from a single hub to a comprehensive national network—I have become somewhat of a network expert here at AireSpring.
Eventually, our network grew more and more complex, and it became my official job to manage all of our network products—the circuits, installations, facilities, and anything that is relevant to the network.
Although I no longer work as a sales engineer, I sometimes do work with agents and our customers when they have complex orders or complex design criteria. This mostly comprises MPLS orders and specialized applications of our products. We have customers that do some pretty complex and creative things with our services and, in those circumstances, I bring my experience to the table to help things run smoothly for our agents and their customers.
What do you enjoy most about working with AireSpring?
I am heavily invested in what we’ve done here, and that makes my work incredibly personal and rewarding. But one can become invested at any company if you stay as long as I have. The chief reason I love being here is that I have a deep respect for our leadership. The Lonstein brothers have always conducted business with a high level of integrity. They absolutely refuse to do anything but what is right for our agents and our customers, even if it affects the bottom line.
AireSpring has withstood the test of time, we are one of the few companies in our space that still remains after 15 years. Our longevity is due in large part to foresight, seeing how the industry is changing. But I believe it also has to do with the integrity of our leadership in an industry where partnership is everything.
What is the most fun you have had at AireSpring?
After 11 years, it is difficult to pinpoint a single event which was the most fun. I just love coming in every day to see the same people I have worked with for years. There is a lot of loyalty, and we are certainly a family, which makes every day at work enjoyable even when we aren’t having a party!
What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of the office?
While I do not preach anymore, I am still very involved at my church. I also have two daughters and two grandsons, with whom I spend a lot of my free time.
I love sports and used to play basketball, but it isn’t as easy as it used to be. Fortunately, my eyes and ears work just fine, so I can still watch my favorite teams play!
Thanks, Jon, for sharing a bit about yourself and especially for everything you do to help AireSpring deliver excellent service on our new orders!
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AireSpring is an award-winning provider of Managed Connectivity and Cloud Communications solutions providing fully managed and connected end-to-end, next-generation solutions for multi-location enterprise customers, including:
AireSpring's services are delivered over its revolutionary nationwide MPLS Mesh Network, providing customers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from a single vendor.
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AireSpring
General Inquiries
888.389.2899
Wholesale
888.389.2899 ext. 352
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