In Miami Beach, at ITEXPO, Dr. Satwant Kaur's keynote this morning centered on how technology, especially nanotech, is transforming healthcare. Robotics, sperm and magnets combine to improve conception. I wonder what that procedure is like (and how much it costs).
Nextiva hired Ira Feuerstein to run its channel. Listening to the CEO, Nextiva has a lot of analytics on its product and company. As they roll out an indirect channel, they will be looking for real partners, not just to sign up anyone.
Panterra has launched its cloud backup service as an added feature to its UC service. What they would really like is if you would stop selling cheap voice and start selling the value and benefits of UC. You know, actually sell it on the benefits of all the features that come with Unified Communications. (Otherwise, just go sell magicjack and let everyone know that you really don't understand the value of IP.)
The more I talk to VoIP providers, the more I hear about the licensing penalty that is Broadsoft. It will be interesting to see when that shifts to less of a penalty and more of a cost of doing business. Broadsoft's announcement that Sprint will use it for VoLTE made the stock jump. I have no idea why. Sprint has been sitting on its Broadsoft for years. They must have finally realized that they were paying handsomely for something they were not using. And VoLTE is more like SIP Trunking than Hosted PBX.
JAB Wireless stopped by to fill me in on where they are. 97 acquisitions finished. WOW! About 1 acquisition per month. It goes to prove that fixed wireless is an effective delivery of broadband especially to rural communities.
Allworx showed me their new mobile client. Probably one of the best ones I have seen. It makes your cellphone an actual replacement for your handset, complete with the office number replacing the cell number on the phone.
Cbeyond will be rolling out OTT (over the top). OTT delivery of services, especially Hosted PBX or UC is a tricky business due to the quality of service issues. The big names in that space - RingCentral, 8x8, Nextiva, Vocalocity - all deliver over the top (or BYOB bring your own broadband) and have built a business around it to the tune of north of $30 million each. Megapath will be offering OTT HPBX too.
I am speaking on the Top Trends affecting the Channel in 2015 at 11:30 am today on the CVX Expo stage on the ITEXPO show floor.