Westcon-Comstor expands Ericsson private 5G in APAC

Westcon-Comstor has expanded its agreement with Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions across Asia-Pacific, adding Ericsson Private 5G to its regional offering.

The companies have worked together in Asia-Pacific since 2022, with Westcon-Comstor already distributing Ericsson enterprise wireless products in Australia and New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The latest expansion broadens both the product range and the geographic reach of that relationship.

Until now, the distributor had focused on Ericsson's Wireless WAN portfolio, including NetCloud and Ericsson Cradlepoint routers. Under the broader arrangement, it will now also take Ericsson Private 5G to partners across Asia-Pacific, as Ericsson seeks wider market coverage for its enterprise wireless portfolio.

The deal extends a relationship the companies already have in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In Asia-Pacific, the arrangement is intended to give channel partners greater access to wireless networking products for enterprise customers.

Regional demand

The expansion comes as companies across Asia-Pacific explore private 5G and other wireless networking tools for operations that require dedicated connectivity. The companies pointed to sectors including public safety, emergency services, smart cities and critical infrastructure, where network resilience and security are often key buying factors.

Private 5G has drawn interest from organisations seeking more control over wireless coverage, traffic and reliability than a public mobile network alone may provide. Wireless WAN products, meanwhile, are increasingly used to connect branch sites, vehicles, temporary locations and remote operations where fixed-line connectivity is limited or impractical.

Ericsson is pursuing what it describes as a channel-first route to market for these products, relying on distributors and resellers to recruit partners and support deployments. Westcon-Comstor is backing the Asia-Pacific push with partner recruitment, training and go-to-market support across the region.

That approach reflects the structure of much of the enterprise networking market in Asia-Pacific, where vendors often depend on distribution networks to reach fragmented national markets. The region includes a mix of mature and developing technology markets, each with different telecoms regulations, enterprise buying habits and partner ecosystems.

Partner strategy

For Westcon-Comstor, the broader Ericsson range adds another product line in a market where distributors are seeking growth from networking, cybersecurity and cloud-related infrastructure. The company describes itself as a global technology distributor with a presence in more than 50 countries, operating through its Westcon, Comstor and Rebura businesses.

Its role in the Ericsson relationship is not limited to logistics. In this market, distribution partners are often expected to provide technical support, sales enablement and local market coverage for resellers, systems integrators and service providers that may not have direct relationships with large vendors.

Patrick Aronson, APAC Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Westcon-Comstor, outlined the company's view of market demand in the region.

"Enterprises across APAC are rapidly embracing private 5G and advanced wireless solutions to support critical operations, digital transformation and AI-driven innovation. Our expanded offering with Ericsson strengthens our ability to deliver secure, scalable connectivity through a channel-first model that drives real value for our partners and customers," Aronson said.

The reference to AI-driven applications points to a wider trend in enterprise networking, as companies rethink connectivity to support more automated operations, machine data and connected devices. In industrial sites, transport systems and public sector environments, those workloads can place different demands on networks than conventional office traffic.

Julie Hens, Senior Vice President of Global Distribution Partners at Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions, said the wider tie-up would help the vendor reach more partners in the region.

"Our expanding work with Westcon-Comstor enables us to extend our reach across APAC, equipping partners with the expertise and solutions needed to deliver secure, high-performance wireless connectivity that powers modern enterprises. Together, we are enabling partners to capture growing demand for private 5G and Wireless WAN, supporting organisations across industries as they adopt AI-driven applications and as the network moves from a business utility to becoming part of how operations run," Hens said.