The content team at Channel Partners tracks stories of interest to the technology advisor and wider channel communities. Anyone selling communication and connectivity solutions will want to stay abreast of these developing stories or catch up on ones they have missed. All links are valid as of June 17.
OpenAI Follows Anthropic Into the Channel
OpenAI unveiled a partner program for enterprise resellers, independent software developers and consulting firms at its first partner summit. The AI model maker pledged $150 million in initial funding to the nascent OpenAI Partner Network. The partner program has a three-tier structure that rewards sales, technical certifications, co-sell engagement and deployment experience. OpenAI aims to have 300,000 consultants trained and certified in GPT tools by the end of the year. Read the Channel Dive story.
Ericsson Names CEO to Replace Börje Ekholm
Ericsson appointed company stalwart Per Narvinger as its new CEO, replacing retiring CEO Börje Ekholm. Narvinger, who has been with Swedish telecoms equipment vendor since 1997, will take up his new post on Oct. 1. He will also become company president. Describing the move as “a great honor,” Narvinger said: “It has been a pleasure working with Börje in our joint efforts to create a stronger Ericsson. This is a pivotal time in our industry.” Read the SDxCentral story.
HPE Execs On 67% Channel Growth, Juniper Partner Integration
HPE’s partner revenue rocketed by around two-thirds in its latest quarter, the vendor claimed as it revealed it is switching more of its software portfolio to a channel-only model. Around 1,700 partners descended to HPE’s Partner Growth Summit in Las Vegas this week to hear its latest channel updates ahead of HPE Discover tomorrow. Chief among these was the news that the HPE and Juniper Networks partner programs will come under the HPE Partner Ready Vantage roof Nov 1. Read the IT Channel Oxygen story.
AT&T CFO Desroches will Retire, Biry Nmed as Replacement
AT&T’s CFO Pascal Desroches will retire from the company on Dec. 31, 2026, according to an 8-K filing with the SEC. AT&T has appointed Jennifer Biry as deputy CFO, and she will assume the CFO role next Jan. 1. Biry, 52, was most recently CFO and COO of McAfee, where she worked since 2022. Prior to McAfee, she did a stint as EVP and CFO at WarnerMedia from 2020-2022. Read the Fierce Network story.
Most of SpaceX's AI number is not Grok
Goldman Sachs, the lead underwriter in SpaceX’s IPO, projects $322 billion in AI revenue in 2030 within a $474 billion consolidated total. The question worth asking before is not whether that number is real. The important question is what the number is built from, and how much of it rides on Grok, the model Elon Musk names most often. See the Light Reading story.
Verizon Launches Simplicity Pricing, New Loyalty Program
As part of Verizon’s customer-centric reboot, the carrier is launching “Verizon Simplicity,” which it calls “the industry’s most simple and cost-effective plan.” Verizon says there are no network tiers with Simpliciy: everyone gets the same 5G quality of service. In tandem with Simplicity, Verizon is launching Verizon One, a streamlined plan that combines mobile and home internet on one bill, with taxes and fees included. You know, convergence. Read the Fierce Network story.
Everpure Bets the Data Layer is New Battleground for Enterprise Al
Everpure (formerly Pure Storage) unveiled the next step in its data management evolution with a “data primacy architecture.” Showcased at the company’s annual Pure Accelerate conference, Everpure’s Data Intelligence platform sees the flagship platform of the recently acquired 1Touch augmented to help enterprises move away from application-centric data silos and toward a governed, AI-ready data foundation. Read the SDxCentral story.
HPE Names Ingram Micro 2026 Global Distributor of the Year
Ingram Micro Holding Corporation has once again earned the title of HPE’s Global Distributor of the Year. At the HPE Prtner Growth Summit 2026, HPE recognized the Ingram Micro global team’s commitment to delivering value to HPE partners who are helping businesses of all sizes achieve their growth ambitions. Read the Ingram Micro press release.