S.O.S

What S.O.S does

S.O.S. Incorporated is a privately held computer network installation and consulting firm founded in 1985 by Mary E. Samide, headquartered in a restored Victorian building in Munson Township (Chardon), Ohio, approximately 35 miles outside Cleveland. The company delivers turnkey network solutions spanning wiring (fiber-optic, 10-Base-T, coax), hardware procurement and installation, custom programming, training, support/maintenance contracts, and disaster recovery. Its core technology stack is centered on legacy enterprise platforms — Novell NetWare (versions 3.11, 4.1, Intranetware 4.11), Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95/98/2000, UNIX, and VAX/VMS — running primarily on Compaq, HP, and Mega hardware, with proprietary cross-platform gateway expertise (notably UNIX-Novell NFS gateway and NDS-based directory services) as its technical differentiator.

The firm generates revenue through three primary streams: hourly professional services at $95/hour (with volume discounts on 25/50/100-hour service agreements), hardware and software resale (50% deposit on order, balance on receipt — acting as Novell Reseller, Compaq Educational dealer, and Microsoft OEM), and on-site/customer-premises training seminars. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-based, leveraging RFP participation, direct enterprise field sales, and referrals. Served verticals are concentrated in K-12 and higher education, manufacturing, insurance, legal, and textile industries across Ohio with selected national and international engagements (e.g., BP America in Louisiana, Daewoo Corporation, J. I. Case work used in Wisconsin and England, Bridgestone/Firestone global cost analysis programming). The documented leadership team comprises only four individuals — CEO/President Mary E. Samide, Finance Director Carmella Shale, Office Administrator/Account Executive Kelly Mazeika, and Programming Specialist Jackie Samide — indicating a very lean operating footprint despite a firmographic headcount field listing 5,001–10,000.

Name

S.O.S

Legal name

S.O.S. Incorporated

Website

https://sosworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

S.O.S. Incorporated is an Ohio-based computer network installation and consulting firm founded in 1985, delivering turnkey network design, legacy cross-platform integration (Novell, UNIX, Windows, VAX/VMS), custom programming, and training to K-12 schools, manufacturers, law firms, and insurance companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chardon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Professional Services: Hourly consulting and service fees at $95 per hour. First-time service fees payable upon receipt. Special rate reductions available with 25/50/100 hour Service Agreements. Travel expenses from portal to portal are billable. On-site services incur one-hour minimum service charge.
2. Hardware and Software Sales: Hardware and software purchases with 50% payment upon order and remaining 50% upon receipt. S.O.S. acts as a Novell Reseller, Compaq Educational dealer, authorized service center, and Microsoft OEM.
3. Training and Seminars: Educational assistance and seminars conducted at S.O.S. headquarters or customer locations covering Novell, Visual Basic, GroupWise, Internet Access, Web Publishing, DOS, Lotus, Microsoft Office, and Windows-based software applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

S.O.S. Incorporated is a computer network installation and consulting firm that provides turnkey solutions from wiring (fiber-optic, 10-base-T, coax) through computer purchasing, system installation, setup, training, and disaster recovery. The company designs, purchases, and installs LAN/WAN communication systems across Novell, UNIX, VAX/VMS, Windows NT, and Windows 98/2000 platforms, and performs custom programming to suit business needs. Services are delivered on-site at client locations or at S.O.S. headquarters in Munson Township, Ohio.

Product overview

S.O.S. Inc. is a computer network installation and consulting firm providing turnkey technology solutions. The company offers a portfolio of integrated services centered around network infrastructure (design, installation, wiring using fiber-optic, 10-base-T, or coax), custom programming across multiple platforms (Novell, UNIX, VAX/VMS, Windows NT/98/2000), network support and maintenance contracts, disaster recovery, and technology training seminars. Services are primarily delivered to educational institutions (school districts, universities), manufacturing, insurance, legal, and brokerage firms in the Cleveland metropolitan area and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Network Installation Services Complete network installation services including fiber-optic, 10-base-T, and coax wiring; computer purchasing and installation; system setup and configuration for enterprise and educational clients.
• Network Design and Analysis Technical analysis and design of network infrastructure for local and global computer needs, including needs assessment, technology planning, and WAN/LAN design for multi-site organizations.
• Custom Programming Services Custom programming services for operating system platforms including Novell, UNIX, VAX/VMS, Windows NT, and Windows 98/2000, tailored to specific business requirements such as cost analysis, employee loan programs, and inventory control.
• Network Support and Maintenance Contracts Ongoing network support and maintenance services including hardware/software support, system analysis, and technical assistance through service agreements and support contracts.
• Training and Education Seminars Educational seminars and training programs covering Novell, Visual Basic, GroupWise, Internet Access, Web Publishing, DOS, Lotus 1-2-3, graphics, Microsoft Office Professional, and Windows-based software. Training delivered at customer sites or at S.O.S. headquarters in Munson Township.
• Disaster Recovery Services Disaster recovery planning and implementation services for computer network systems.
• Hardware and Software Resale Resale of Novell, Microsoft, and Compaq hardware and software products as an authorized reseller, educational dealer, and OEM partner, with 50% payment upon order and remaining 50% upon receipt.

Quantifiable outcome

• Progressive Insurance underwrote $20 million in six months using the Bank Insurance program developed by S.O.S.

Named customers22 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NovellcoreTechnology or IntegrationS.O.S. is a Novell Reseller providing Novell NetWare solutions (versions 3.11, 4.1, Intranetware 4.11) to clients. The company has extensive experience implementing Novell network solutions across multiple industries.
• CompaqcoreTechnology or IntegrationS.O.S. is a Compaq Educational dealer and authorized service center. Provides Compaq systems as the primary hardware platform for network implementations.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationS.O.S. is a Microsoft OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) providing Microsoft-based system solutions including Windows NT, Windows 95/98/2000, and related Microsoft software products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CompuCom: CompuCom is a managed IT services provider offering end-user computing support, network integration, and technology consulting to enterprise and mid-market clients. It is comparable to S.O.S.'s network support and maintenance contract business, but at national scale with managed services capabilities.
• CDW Corporation: CDW is a large multi-brand IT solutions provider delivering hardware, software, and integration services to business, government, and education customers. CDW's education-vertical focus and combined hardware-plus-services model closely mirror S.O.S.'s school district and SMB customer base, though at national scale.
• Pomeroy: Pomeroy is an IT infrastructure services provider offering network integration, managed services, and technology lifecycle support to enterprise and mid-market customers. It is comparable to S.O.S. as a network installation and ongoing support services firm, though with broader geographic reach.
• ePlus: ePlus is a technology solutions provider delivering hardware, software, and professional/managed services with significant networking and education-sector exposure. Its blend of integration services and vendor partnerships is structurally analogous to S.O.S.'s model.
• Connection (PC Connection): Connection is an enterprise IT solutions provider combining hardware/software procurement with professional and managed services for business, education, and government customers. Its combined resale-and-services model and education-vertical strength are comparable to S.O.S.'s bundled offerings.
• Logicalis: Logicalis is an international IT solutions and managed services provider with deep networking and data-center integration capabilities. It is comparable to S.O.S. as a systems integrator serving enterprise customers, though Logicalis operates globally and across modern cloud and managed services.
• Presidio: Presidio is a global IT solutions integrator offering advisory, deployment, and managed services across networking, cloud, and security. Its core networking integration practice and education-sector exposure map directly to S.O.S.'s network design, installation, and ongoing support offerings.
• Insight Enterprises: Insight Enterprises is a global IT solutions and services provider offering hardware procurement, software licensing, and systems integration across enterprise and public-sector clients. It overlaps with S.O.S.'s model of bundling hardware resale with consulting and integration services, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Black Box Corporation: Black Box is a network infrastructure services specialist that designs, deploys, and supports enterprise voice, data, and network systems for clients. It is directly comparable to S.O.S. as a focused network integration and installation services provider serving enterprise and mid-market customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S.O.S