Laptop and telco plans are a predictable, but resellers with a services string to their bow won't be hard hit, several industry representatives claim.

The comments come in reply to the launch of new laptop and telco data plans for business users from Acer and Telstra. The agreement will see three notebook models from Acer with embedded 3G cards sold exclusively through Telstra's dealer channel from February 9.

Axxis Technology director, Mathew Dickerson, saw notebook and telco services bundles as inevitable and an additional nail in the coffin for resellers solely focused on selling IT product.

If resellers bury their top in the sand, then they will forever struggle. The main message for these guys still buying product and now putting a mark-up on that product, is that that business is slowing down Dickerson said. You have to work out ways to make a services model around what the hardware and telco providers do.