The content team at Channel Partners Newsletter tracks stories of interest to the technology advisor and agent community. Anyone selling communication and connectivity solutions will want to stay abreast of these developing stories or catch up on ones they have missed. We are tracking—with the help of ChatGPT along with AI tools our parent Informa has developed—a roundup based on story traffic, mentions, impressions, reposts, social media engagement. You can read a few of the stories of importance to the TA community then head to our web site for a longer list. All links are current as of July 22.

Broadcom Slashes VMware Partner Program

Broadcom is significantly reducing its VMware partner ecosystem, ending the Advantage Program on October 31, 2025. The company states these changes align with their strategy to "focus more and go deeper with VCSPs who have demonstrated commitment." OTAVA confirms it remains an authorized partner despite the reorganization. Read more at Channel Insider.

As AI Plans to Make us Stupid, Telco Jobs Vanish

The combined workforce of the 20 operators tracked by Light Reading shrank by 52,000 jobs or 4% last year, and the telco site looked at research to find out why. The conclusion: “Earth is suddenly in danger of becoming very dumb – thanks to overuse of what today passes for AI.” Read the full Light Reading story.

One Year Later: CrowdStrike Looks Back On Massive IT Outage, Aftermath

At the one-year anniversary of the global IT outage caused by a CrowdStrike outage, its president says his company emerged from the outage stronger. The outage impacted 8.5 million Windows devices, and affected airports, banks, hospitals, retailers and more globally. Read more at Channel Futures.

Intel Cuts Over 5,500 Jobs Across Four States

Intel is implementing significant layoffs affecting approximately 5,500 employees across the United States, primarily in California and Oregon. This represents the latest phase in the company's broader restructuring plan under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who took over earlier this year. Read this Industry
Dive story and there is more on Network World.

AI Advancements in Advisor Productivity Tools

Advisor360 and Nitrogen have unveiled significant AI updates focused on advisor productivity. Advisor360's chief product officer Mat Mathews notes their AI assistant "moves beyond intelligent response to intelligent action," helping advisors work more efficiently and focus on client relationships. Read more at Investment News.

Microsoft's July 2025 Patch Tuesday Addresses Critical Security Issues

Microsoft's latest Patch Tuesday release fixes one zero-day vulnerability and 137 other security flaws. This substantial security update is critical for IT professionals managing enterprise environments. Read more on LinkedIn.

Advisor CRM Partners with SmartData for Enhanced Client Onboarding

Advisor CRM announced a strategic integration with SmartData's data aggregation platform, enabling advisors to automatically access client portfolio data and streamline the onboarding process. The partnership aims to reduce administrative work and improve client relationship management. Read more at Investment News.

JPMorgan Implements Fees for Fintech Access to Customer Data

JPMorgan Chase is now requiring fintech firms to pay for access to customer data, a policy change that could significantly impact the fintech ecosystem and potentially influence how other major financial institutions handle data sharing. Read more at Investment News.

Fidelity Expands Technology Platform for Advisors

Fidelity has announced significant enhancements to its advisor technology platform, adding integrations with AdvisorEngine, Advyzon, Agreement Express, Laser App, Orion, and 55ip, strengthening its position in the wealth management technology space. Read more at AdvisorEngine.

IT Industry Trends and In-Demand Skills for July 2025

The IT community is actively discussing emerging technologies and skills in high demand. This thread provides valuable insights into current market trends and career development opportunities for technology professionals. Read more on Reddit.