We’ve seen multiple new products and services launched in the last week, so today we’ll hit some of the highlights from announcements made by 8×8, Siemens Enterprise Communications and Genband.
8×8 announced plans to acquire privately held Contactual. 8×8 has been reselling Contactual’s call center technologies as part of its business communications services since 2007 and has seen strong, escalating demand for these services across its customer base. Contactual Call Center solutions will be provided through 8×8 channel partners that can resell 8×8’s cloud based services. Currently, 8×8 offers more than 20 cloud services including VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol), conferencing, video and cloud computing.
RECENT NEWS: 8×8 launches cloud-based videoconferencing
Commenting in a statement, Bryan Martin, chairman and CEO of 8×8, said, “The acquisition of Contactual … significantly broadens our technological expertise and service offerings in the customer interaction management and contact center space. At the same time, the acquisition allows us to realize operational cost savings and enhanced customer satisfaction resulting from the tighter integration of the Contactual technology platform within 8×8’s services and network.”
In other news, Siemens Enterprise Communications has introduced OpenScape Desktop Videoconferencing as part of the updated OpenScape UC Suite, designed to make things easier and more affordable for enterprises to deploy videoconferencing to the desktop. The new release of OpenScape UC Suite includes enhancements to OpenScape Voice including IPv6 support and SDES security, as well as expanded analog device support for OpenScape Branch and Skype Connect trunking options for OpenScape Session Border Controller.
OpenScape Desktop Videoconferencing is an embedded within the new version of OpenScape UC Suite, providing software-based, multi-party enterprise videoconferencing capability. Offered as a standard feature of OpenScape UC Application, the videoconferencing feature is accompanied by video-enabled OpenScape UC clients.
On the service provider infrastructure front, Genband has introduced GenView as a unified operation, administration, maintenance and provisioning (OAM&P) system for Genband’s portfolio of network elements. GenView manages all FCAPS (fault, configuration, accounting, performance and security) aspects of Genband’s product portfolio. GenView is an integral part of the Genband Genius unified IP platform.
In a statement, Mehmet Balos, chief marketing officer at Genband, said, “GENView is a stepping stone in the overall network transformation, convergence and optimization of service providers’ networks. By having one umbrella management system for all major network elements, GENView significantly reduces costs and complexity, and adds tremendous value for operators as well as end users.”
