RedSox, a convergence solutions provider, was established in May last year, and focuses on selling Inter-tel solutions, distributed by Tellumat, to what Friedman, the company's MD, says is the C-level of an organization - the CXO level of management which makes business decisions.

Friedman says the company is only now picking up speed, due to the proliferation of technologies such at VOIP, IP Switching and Computer Telephony Integration in a more converged environment.

"Inter-tel and Tellumat needed dedicated dealers for Inter-tel products that adhered to specific business, technical and empowerment criteria, and we had difficulties in finding such companies. So, I decided to establish one," he adds.

The company's shares are held by: wholly black-owned Malebo Manyeleti Investment (MMI), which owns a 55 percent stake, and which focuses on business management, IT and telecommunications consulting; Logitel Holdings, a manufacturer and supplier of communications technology hardware and software, as well as local distributor of NEC products in SA, which has a 30 percent shareholding; and the Friedman Family Trust, which holds the remaining 15 percent stake.

Says Friedman: "We wanted a partner which also manufactures solutions, in order to tweak products to customers' individual needs, and to supply support on a very technical level, which is difficult to find."