The way the term Service Provider is used is also confusing. In its pure form a prostitute and a bartender are service providers, so at some point we need to clarify the term. Carrier, cableco, cellco, telco, ISP and MSP are different types of service provider. Especially during a talk or webinar, be clear, give context.
Channel Partner today seems to be anything from agent to system integrator. That is too broad a definition. (It may be why your channel program is flagging.)
An Agent is like an insurance broker, helping the customer choose the best solution from a wide range of carriers.
An Agent can be direct with the SP (here I mean SP as any service provider) or can be indirect through a relationship with a Master Agent. the master agent will hold quite a few contracts directly with SPs.
A VAR is a value added reseller who typically sells hardware and service in the IT space. Typically the VAR handles the IT and the LAN and stops at the router. A VAR can be a small IT shop or it can be like CDW.
An inter-connect is like a VAR, whereby their business model is designed around the sale and maintenance of on-premise PBX's. The business model cash flows around the big ticket sale of the box and its maintenance. That model is in conflict with the monthly recurring model that most channel partners see.
The MSP is the managed service provider who handles some or all of the IT services for a business in a monthly recurring charge. MSPs used to be VARs or break/fix shops that moved up the ladder to the MRR role.
System Integrators are software based shops that usually sell, maintain, and integrate software systems - POS, Microsoft, IBM, blah blah blah.
]]>An MSO is a TV distribution system like cable or satellite (DirecTV). TWC is Time Warner Cable, whose business division is TWCBC (TW Cable Business Class).
VZ is Verizon. VZW is Verizon Wireless. Ma Bell will always be ATT or AT&T or the RBOC. Pa Bell is VZ.
The C-Suite means the CEO and his decision makers like the CFO, CMO, CTO, CIO or even senior vice presidents.
An FCO date is the installation date that phone company gives you. It used to be pretty firm, but as the telecom companies lobbied for deregulation (and won it!), the FOC date is a guideline if that. It gets changed the day of or the day after!!
Here is a small glossary of terms (CLEC, ILEC, MSO, VAR, MSP)
Hope this helps.
]]>