News & Updates

Alaska Communications Selects AppDirect to Power Its SMB Marketplace

By Andy Ellerhorst / April 10, 2019

For years, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have been enthusiastic adopters of cloud-based applications. In fact, nearly three out of four SMBs—or 73 percent—use cloud in some capacity, and nearly an equal number, 71 percent, plan to increase their investment cloud technologies in the next year.

While SMBs are eager to use more SaaS applications, many don't have the resources to find the software that is best for their businesses. It's a problem that Alaska's leading broadband and managed IT service provider, Alaska Communications, is tackling head-on with the launch of its new business app marketplace, AKTechDirect. 

AKTechDirect’s hand-picked applications are ideal for small businesses.

According to Jim Gutcher, the company's Senior Director of Product Management, the marketplace applications "are essential tools to maintain and enhance business operations. Perfect for small businesses, AKTechDirect’s hand-picked applications can be purchased and managed through one portal and are a scalable model, allowing the freedom and flexibility to add users as needed.”

Powered by AppDirect, the AKTechDirect marketplace offers in-demand solutions, including Microsoft Office 365, Mozy Backup, and Symantec Endpoint Protection. Customers purchase applications through a newly updated checkout flow and can begin using them immediately.

Alaska Communications prides itself on a string of “firsts” in the state—the first Internet service provider, the first Metro Ethernet, MPLS and VPLS provider, the first Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certified provider. AppDirect is proud to work with Alaska Communications to add another first to the list: The first fully featured marketplace for cloud applications to help SMBs in Alaska thrive.

You can click here to read more about the AKTechDirect marketplace.

Andy Ellerhorst is Vice President of Customer Success at AppDirect.