* BroadSoft upgrades its BroadWorks VoIP application platform
BroadSoft last week announced that it has upgraded its BroadWorks VoIP application platform to simplify hosted business communications solutions. The product enhancements focus on new device management functionality.
In its first upgrade, BroadSoft disclosed that is has enhanced its BroadWorks platform with new management capabilities that enable service providers to more easily pre-configure end-user access devices. Using the new features on the BroadSoft Device Management “providers can quickly provision analog terminal adapters (ATA), IP phones, integrated access devices (IAD) and IP PBX equipment — any access device that uses XML/HTTP for profile management — at the customer site,” according to the company’s statement. By configuring device centrally in the network, service providers can reduce the time it takes to provision devices and eliminate the need for a technician visit. The new management options will be especially attractive to service providers targeting the SMB market.
In a second announcement, BroadSoft and Polycom introduced a new phone-based login capability for Polycom IP phones. Using BroadSoft’s Xtended Services Platform, Polycom developed a “Quick Setup” key that is activated when the phone is powered up. The new feature lets users directly “retrieve their phone’s configuration files from the BroadWorks platform via a one-time secure phone login,” according to the announcement. With the upgrade, system managers no longer need to individually match physical Polycom phones to users, thereby reducing service provider expenses and providing flexibility to end users.
In a prepared statement, Jim Kruger, vice president of marketing for Polycom Voice Communications Solutions said, “Polycom and BroadSoft have a long history of bringing high quality, user-friendly VoIP solutions to market. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to do business with Polycom, and BroadSoft’s approach to BroadWorks Device Management does just that. We’re delighted to deliver intuitive products to market that our joint customers can leverage in their UC environment.”
Our comments: Readers may recall that BroadSoft acquired Genband’s M6 platform and Sylantro Systems last year, making BroadSoft the undisputed market leader supplying stand-alone VoIP application servers. We’re glad to see that BroadSoft’s strong market position hasn’t precluded the company from making continued improvements to its portfolio.
