Advantix Enhances Platform, Rebrands It Grooov

Advantix, The MCx Provider®, announced today the enhancement and rebranding of its software-as-a-service Platform for connectivity and technology expense management customers. Formerly called Telecom Lifecycle Management (TLM), the more advanced platform is Grooov. These changes come at a time of growth and transformation for the company to deliver on its promise of providing the ultimate managed connectivity experience (MCx).

Advantix’s development team has implemented several updates that make it easier for customers to navigate and manage connectivity blended with TEM (telecom expense management) in Grooov. More functionality and features, as well as new standard and custom
reporting capabilities, have been added. There are also navigation and visual enhancements, real-time data on carrier switching, network uptime, and other measurables that produce an NOC-like experience in mobility.

“Our latest platform enhancements enable customers to optimize, manage and report on the entire service stack: SIM, device, usage, spend, carrier selection, location, and more,” explains Natasha Royer Coons, co-president of Advantix. “It’s a leap forward in connectivity management, and we feel these advancements warrant a brand-new identity for the platform. Everyone enjoys getting into the Grooov; a phrase also used when doing something easily, well, and enjoyable. Our mission is to reimagine the connected experience for the enterprise, and Grooov does just that.”

Advantix’s multi-carrier SmartSIM connectivity solutions have piqued the interest of enterprises worldwide, driving rapid adoption and growth for Advantix and catapulting it onto the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. For more information about SmartSIM solutions and the Grooov tools supporting them, visit www.advantixsolutions.com.

About Advantix

Advantix is a managed connectivity experience provider (MCx) specializing in wireless enablement and enterprise expense management. The company provides cellular connectivity solutions supported by proprietary SaaS tools that make it easy to manage carriers and plans, visualize and control usage, locate SIM-enabled devices, and analyze network performance in real-time.


ScanSource Acquires Advantix, Launches ISS Group

GREENVILLE, SC — ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC), a leading hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud, today announced the creation of its Integrated Solutions and Services (ISS) group. The ISS group is focused on developing solutions and services that will provide hardware VARs the opportunity to wrap additional value around their hardware offerings.

As the launching point for this new group, ScanSource has acquired Advantix, a VAR-focused, managed connectivity experience provider (MCx®) specializing in wireless enablement solutions. ScanSource has been working with Advantix for more than five years supporting hardware VARs looking to grow their mobility business. Advantix allows these partners to expand their mobility solutions and build their recurring revenue business, while realizing higher margins and providing greater value to their end-user customers.

Founded in 2001 in Frisco, Texas, Advantix’s employees are committed to helping ScanSource hardware VARs seamlessly provide multi-carrier and single-carrier solutions to the end user, providing flexibility and ease in managing their wireless devices.

“The launch of our Integrated Solutions and Services group, coupled with the acquisition of Advantix, allows ScanSource hardware VARs to combine connectivity with hardware, software and services, bringing additional value to the hardware sale and enabling a complete hybrid solution. With more solutions and services comes more margin for the VAR and deeper relationships with their end users,” said Tony Sorrentino, President, ScanSource Specialty Technologies. “Advantix has a proven track record of helping hardware partners add recurring revenue to their practice and will be instrumental to our partners looking to wrap additional services around their hardware sales.”

“ScanSource and Advantix have been long-time partners to Peak Technologies,” said Tony Rivers, CEO of Peak Technologies. “As a Systems Integrator, end-to-end Mobility services is critical to our customers, and having one provider to assist us in these efforts will allow us to deliver an even higher level of service.”

Ansley Hoke has been named SVP, Integrated Solutions and Services and will head up this group. Hoke has been with ScanSource for more than 23 years and has a deep understanding of the channel and the hardware VAR community with a focus on developing programs that will enable partners to be more successful. She most recently served as SVP, Worldwide Marketing. Prior to that, she held leadership roles on the Sales and Supplier teams at ScanSource.

Natasha Royer Coons and Nathan Brown will serve as Co-Presidents of Advantix, a ScanSource company.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the ScanSource team,” said Coons. “By wrapping value around the hardware that ScanSource sells, we are able to help our partners stack revenue and reduce complexity when integrating solutions for their customers.”

The acquisition closed on August 15, 2024, and the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Advantix

Advantix is a managed connectivity experience provider (MCx®) specializing in wireless enablement and expense management. The company provides cellular connectivity solutions supported by proprietary SaaS tools that make it easy to manage carriers and plans, visualize and control usage, locate SIM-enabled devices and analyze network performance in real time. For more information, visit www.advantixsolutions.com.

About ScanSource, Inc.

ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC) is a leading hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud and accelerating growth for customers across hardware, SaaS, connectivity and cloud. ScanSource enables customers to deliver solutions for their end users to address changing buying and consumption patterns. ScanSource sells through multiple, specialized routes-to-market with hardware, SaaS, connectivity and cloud services offerings from the world’s leading suppliers of point-of-sale (POS), payments, barcode, physical security, unified communications and collaboration, telecom and cloud services. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, ScanSource was named one of the 2024 Best Places to Work in South Carolina and on FORTUNE magazine’s 2024 List of World’s Most Admired Companies. ScanSource ranks #817 on the Fortune 1000. For more information, visit www.scansource.com.


Advantix Recognized on the Inc. 5000 List

Advantix, the MCx Provider®, has been named to the Inc. 5000, an annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Microsoft, Meta, Chobani, Under Armour, Timberland, Oracle, Patagonia, and many other household-name brands gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Advantix is the telecommunications industry’s first and only managed connectivity experience provider (MCx) that delivers multi-carrier connectivity with SaaS tools built for optimization, visibility, management and monitoring of network uptime and carrier switching. The company’s SmartSIM connectivity solutions have piqued the interest of enterprises worldwide, driving rapid adoption and growth for Advantix.

“We’re honored to make the Inc. 5000 list,” said Advantix CEO Natasha Royer Coons. “We’re experiencing incredible momentum, and we are thankful to our hard-working employees, channel partners, and loyal customers for making this achievement possible. Their consistent drive, innovation and hard work are our greatest resources.”

The Inc. 5000 class of 2024 represents companies that have driven rapid revenue growth while navigating inflationary pressure, the rising costs of capital, and seemingly intractable hiring challenges. Among this year’s top 500 companies, the average median three-year revenue growth rate is 1,637 percent. This year’s Inc. 5000 companies have added 874,458 jobs to the economy over the past three years.

“One of the greatest joys of my job is going through the Inc. 5000 list,” says Mike Hofman, who recently joined Inc. as editor-in-chief. “To see all of the intriguing and surprising ways  companies are transforming sectors, from health care and AI to apparel and pet food, is fascinating as a journalist and storyteller. Congratulations to this year’s honorees, as well, for growing their businesses fast despite the economic disruption we all faced over the past three years, from supply chain woes to inflation to changes in the workforce.”

For complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, location, and other criteria, go to www.inc.com/inc5000. All 5000 companies are featured on Inc.com starting Tuesday, August 13, and the top 500 appear in the new issue of Inc. magazine, available on newsstands beginning Tuesday, August 20.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 

About Inc.
Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Methodology
Companies on the 2024 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2023. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2020 is $100,000; the minimum for 2023 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places.

About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience provider (MCx) specializing in wireless enablement and enterprise expense management. The company provides cellular connectivity solutions supported by proprietary SaaS tools that make it easy to manage carriers and plans, visualize and control usage, locate SIM-enabled devices, and analyze network performance in real-time.

 


CRN Magazine Honors Natasha Royer Coons

Advantix, The MCx Provider®, announced today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, named Advantix CEO Natasha Royer Coons to the Women of the Channel list for 2024. Every year, CRN honors women from vendor, distributor, and solution provider organizations whose vision and leadership benefit the technology industry.

The CRN 2024 Women of the Channel honorees are creative and strategic leaders committed to using their skills to innovate and drive success for their partners and customers. With this recognition, CRN honors these women leaders for their unwavering dedication and commitment to furthering channel excellence.Natasha Royer Coons picture

Royer Coons is an accomplished entrepreneur and channel executive with 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Under her leadership, Advantix created a wireless enablement program to help solution-provider partners more easily bundle cellular connectivity with mobile hardware they already sell. The program has been an enormous success, enabling partners to deliver more value to clients while generating a higher blended margin.

“I’m honored to be recognized on CRN’s esteemed list of women in the channel who are driving innovation and making a positive impact in our industry,” said Royer Coons. “This recognition and our channel sales success and growth would not be possible without the tireless dedication of our incredible channel team, support staff, and the growing number of forward-thinking partners who collaborate with us to deliver the ultimate managed connectivity experience (MCx) for end-user clients.”

“It is a great privilege to honor the remarkable achievements of these women leaders in the IT channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP of U.S. Content and Executive Editor, CRN at The Channel Company. “Each woman on the list has demonstrated a deep commitment to innovation and leadership that advances their organizations and drives transformation and success across the IT channel.”

The 2024 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine, with online coverage starting May 13 at www.CRN.com/WOTC.

About Advantix

Advantix is a managed connectivity experience provider (MCx) specializing in wireless enablement and expense management. The company provides cellular connectivity solutions supported by proprietary SaaS tools that make it easy to manage carriers and plans, visualize and control usage, locate SIM-enabled devices, and analyze network performance in real time.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by over 40 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com

 © 2024. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Channel Company Contact:

Kristin DaSilva
The Channel Company
kdasilva@thechannelcompany.com


SmartSIM Beats a Massive Network Outage

On February 22, AT&T suffered a massive nationwide network outage that impacted users coast to coast. SmartSIM customers with mobile devices using the AT&T network did not experience a single service disruption. Their devices automatically failed over to the next available carrier, ensuring business as usual.

To illustrate, we pulled usage data from an enterprise customer that had set AT&T as their preferred carrier. When the outage occurred, all of their SmartSIM-enabled devices that lost connectivity immediately switched to other carriers.

February 21 - The Day Before the Outage

About 95 percent of total session time across all SIMS is on the AT&T network, with T-Mobile, Rogers and other carriers accounting for just 6 percent.

picture of session time day before outage

February 22 - The Day of the Outage

AT&T's session time dropped to 81 percent because so many devices switched to T-Mobile, Verizon, Rogers or other carriers as a result of the outage.

When the network outage was resolved, the customer's AT&T session time returned to pre-outage levels.

In assessing the incident, Forrester suggested it may be time for IT leaders relying on single-carrier cellular connectivity to consider multi-carrier redundant connectivity.

For more information and case studies involving SmartSIM multi-carrier connectivity for routers, tablets, computers and other mobile hardware devices, contact smartsim@advantix.net.


Natasha Royer Coons Named 2024 Channel Influencer

Channel Futures has honored Advantix chief executive officer Natasha Royer Coons with a 2024 Channel Influencer Award. Royer Coons is one of 50 individuals recognized by the editors of Channel Futures as a thought leader who has impacted the direction of the IT and communications indirect sales channel in 2024.

In selecting this year’s influencers, Channel Futures’ editors considered the organization’s partner growth, channel innovation and the individual’s commitment to the indirect sales channel along with the standing each person had among their peers.

“It is an honor and privilege to be recognized as a Channel Influencer alongside other leaders who are making an impact in the channel," said Natasha Royer Coons, CEO of Advantix. "I am very proud of the talented and committed team we have at Advantix. This recognition reflects on them and their efforts to provide an exceptional experience to our valued partners and their end-user clients.”

Royer Coons is an accomplished entrepreneur and channel executive with more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. She is the first woman and Asian American to be elected President of the Enterprise Technology Management Association (ETMA). She is a Chuck Mache Award winner, a prestigious honor that Intelisys bestows annually for being a role model in the information and technology channel. Throughout her career, technology publications have recognized her as a visionary, channel chief and DEI champion.

Royer Coons and the other 49 Channel Futures Channel Influencers for 2024 will be honored at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 11-14 at the Venetian Resort & Expo in Las Vegas.

About Channel Futures
Channel Futures, a media and events destination for the information and communication technologies (ICT) channel community, is part of Informa Tech. It provides information, perspective and connection for the entire channel ecosystem, including solution providers (SPs), managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), cloud service providers (CSPs), value-added resellers (VARs) and distributors, technology solutions brokerages, subagents and agents, as well as leading technology vendor partners and communication providers.

Channel Futures’ properties include many awards programs such as the Channel Futures MSP 501, a list of the most influential and fastest-growing providers of managed services in the technology industry; Channel Partners events, which deliver unparalleled in-person events including Channel Partners Conference & Expo and the MSP Summit, and a DEI Community Group, our initiative to educate, support and promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the ICT channel industry. Channel Futures is where the world meets the channel; we are leading Channel Partners forward. More information is available at channelfutures.com.

About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider specializing in wireless enablement for enterprises. The company provides cellular connectivity solutions supported with proprietary SaaS tools that make it easy to manage carriers and plans, visualize and control usage, locate SIM-enabled devices, and analyze network performance in real time.


Natasha Royer Coons

Natasha's Journey to CEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq5YPypq7p8


Intelisys Honors Advantix as Top Mobility Supplier

Intelisys, a ScanSource (NASDAQ: SCSC) company, and a leading technology services distributor of connectivity and cloud services, has named Advantix, the managed connectivity experience provider (MCx™), its top mobility supplier in 2023. The annual awards honor supplier partners for consistently going above and beyond to deliver excellence, support and value to Intelisys sales partners.

Award acceptance photo 2
From left to right: Advantix President Nathan Brown; Advantix CEO Natasha Royer Coons; and Paul Constantine, EVP of Supplier Services -- Digital Distribution at ScanSource/Intelisys.

“At Intelisys, we are proud to honor our supplier partners who consistently go above and beyond to deliver excellence, support and value to our Sales Partners,” said Paul Constantine, Executive Vice President, Supplier Services, Intelisys, a ScanSource company. “We’d like to congratulate Advantix on their recognition as Top Mobility Provider. Their outstanding achievements throughout the year have set the standard for success by driving growth in the channel. We look forward to even greater collective success in the future.”

Winners were selected based on a number of criteria that include, but are not limited to, revenue performance, year-over-year growth, and overall impact of their solutions and programs in the channel.

Award acceptance photo
From left to right: J.R. Cook, SVP Strategic Relations at Intelisys; Advantix CEO Natasha Royer Coons; Advantix President Nathan Brown; and Bruce Glenn, Sr. Regional Partner Manager at ScanSource.

“We are honored to be recognized by Intelisys, an enduring and trusted Advantix partner,” said Natasha Royer Coons, chief executive officer at Advantix. “Our SaaS platform and managed wireless connectivity solutions were purpose-built to provide a uniquely positive partner and customer experience. This recognition demonstrates that our formula is valued by partners, which is very gratifying. On behalf of everyone at Advantix, I’d like to thank the Intelisys team for recognizing us this year.”

The awards were presented to the honorees during ScanSource Channel Connect in Orlando, Florida.

About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs and network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.


Natasha Royer Coons Named to Channel Futures DE&I 101 List

The list recognizes individuals promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the technology channel.

Natasha Royer Coons, a principal and chief executive officer of Advantix, is among the honorees on the third annual Channel Futures DE&I 101 List. The list recognizes individuals from a wide spectrum of multicultural backgrounds who are driving diversity, equity and inclusion in the communications and technology channel through their words, actions and leadership.

Royer Coons is a proven entrepreneur and accomplished executive with more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. She is the first woman and Asian American to be elected President of the Enterprise Technology Management Association (ETMA), a non-profit with a membership of leading technology solution providers. She is a Chuck Mache Award winner, a prestigious honor that Intelisys, a ScanSource company, bestows annually for being a role model in the information and communications technology channel. Throughout her career, technology publications have recognized her as a visionary, channel chief and DEI champion and frequently quote her as a wireless technology expert.

“I am honored to be on the Channel Futures DE&I 101 list,” said Royer Coons. “At Advantix, we put the same passion and energy we have for business into DEI to create a culture that encourages whole selves and whole hearts at work. This cultivates authentic connections with one another and inspires collaboration, creativity, and innovation.

“Karen Harris, an amazing DEI champion in the public sector, once told me ‘it begins with visible commitment from leaders and a willingness to be more vulnerable about their lived experiences,’” added Royer Coons. ”It starts with each and every one of us to lead by example and drive DEI in our organization as an imperative. I’m humbled to be recognized for playing a small role in this sea change for the channel."

The Channel Futures DE&I 101 list was created to spotlight the efforts of dedicated and determined individuals working to eliminate discrimination in the industry. Many of these individuals work behind the scenes and too often their efforts go unacknowledged.

“DE&I work requires levels of dedication and determination that many people do not possess,” said Kelly Danziger, general manager, Informa Tech Channels. “But as anyone on this list can tell you, the work is as rewarding as it is hard. We are pleased to be able to recognize these individuals and, hopefully, amplify their efforts.”

“DE&I is alive and well in the channel,” said Robert DeMarzo, vice president of content, Informa Tech Channels. “This year we received more nominations than ever before and learned of some remarkable achievements that should be celebrated.”

Nominations for the DE&I 101 list were solicited on the Channel Futures website and through social media. Between April 12 and July 14, individuals could nominate themselves or others for the list. Applications were open to managers, leaders and individual contributors. All submissions were reviewed by members of the Channel Futures editorial team with input from advisory board members.

About Channel Futures

Channel Futures, a media and events destination for the information and communication technologies (ICT) channel community, is part of Informa Tech. It provides information, perspective and connection for the entire channel ecosystem, including solution providers (SPs), managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), cloud service providers (CSPs), value-added resellers (VARs) and distributors, technology solutions brokerages, subagents and agents, as well as leading technology vendor partners and communication providers.

Channel Futures’ properties include many awards programs such as the Channel Futures MSP 501, a list of the most influential and fastest-growing providers of managed services in the technology industry; Channel Partners events, which deliver unparalleled in-person events including Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Channel Futures Leadership Summit, Women’s Leadership Summit, the MSP Summit and Channel Partners Europe; and a DEI Community Group, our initiative to educate, support and promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the ICT channel industry. Channel Futures is where the world meets the channel; we are leading Channel Partners forward. More information is available at channelfutures.com.

About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs and network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.


Advantix Adds Jim Hilton as Strategic Advisor

Hilton will team with Advantix channel managers and strategic partners to help foodservice distributors with field mobility solutions and looming FDA compliance requirements.

FRISCO, TEXAS – Sept. 26, 2023 – Advantix, the managed connectivity experience provider, has tapped Jim Hilton as a field mobility advisor. The appointment of Hilton is the latest in a series of moves to add resources and top-level expertise that support the company’s growing number of customers in the foodservice distribution vertical.

Hilton is an accomplished foodservice industry executive with extensive experience in transportation and logistics, supply chain optimization and field mobility solutions. His career spans 40-plus years as a user, end customer, integrator and solution strategist in both software and hardware.

“It’s an honor to have a well-known and respected pro of Jim’s caliber join the Advantix team,” said Natasha Royer Coons, CEO at Advantix. “I’ve known Jim for years and witnessed him solve for key business challenges in the foodservice distribution vertical. He has a deep understanding of mobile hardware, software and connectivity solutions and how to bundle them to deliver a better experience for foodservice distributors. He will be an excellent resource for our strategic partners and customers.”

Hilton intends to work side-by-side with Advantix channel managers and partners to help foodservice distributors optimize their field mobility solutions and gain compliance with looming Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates on food traceability to the final customer. Indeed, Hilton and Advantix teams have partnered with select vendors to deliver a hardware-software-connectivity bundle that enables FDA compliance out of the box.

“Food, beverage, and foodservice distributors that aren’t familiar with Advantix SmartSIM and its growing footprint in the industry will be soon,” said Hilton. “Actionable visibility to mobility brings both compliance and a competitive advantage to management, and that can only happen with optimal and reliable connectivity. Advantix brings exactly that to the enterprise while easing the burden of their IT teams because trouble tickets related to connectivity issues virtually disappear. Advantix is quickly becoming a welcome supplier among a growing number of foodservice distributors and I’m excited to play a role in that.”

About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs and network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.