{"id":25680,"date":"2026-02-06T15:25:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T20:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/?p=25680"},"modified":"2026-02-06T15:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T20:28:47","slug":"msps-are-becoming-the-telecom-channel-and-datagate-wants-to-make-billing-the-easy-part","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/msp\/msps-are-becoming-the-telecom-channel-and-datagate-wants-to-make-billing-the-easy-part.html","title":{"rendered":"MSPs Are Becoming the Telecom Channel and Datagate Wants to Make Billing the Easy Part"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>MSPs are increasingly responsible for selling and managing voice and UCaaS, but billing complexity is becoming a growth constraint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Datagate has launched a new Partner Program designed to fit naturally into how MSPs already operate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The approach focuses on integrating telecom billing into existing PSA and accounting systems rather than replacing them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Datagate is formally introducing the program at ITEXPO 2026, where the company will be exhibiting at booth 1264.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Something has quietly shifted in the telecom ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For years, voice and UCaaS were sold primarily through traditional service providers and agents. Today, managed service providers are often the ones leading those conversations with small and mid-sized businesses. They already own the customer relationship. They already manage the network. Adding voice or UCaaS feels like a natural extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Until billing enters the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is where things tend to get messy. Spreadsheets might work when an MSP has a handful of telecom customers. But once usage-based pricing, taxes, bundles, and compliance requirements start piling up, those spreadsheets break. Disputes creep in. Margins get harder to track. Growth slows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Datagate is positioning its newly launched Partner Program around that exact problem. The company is betting that the next phase of MSP-led telecom growth will be limited less by demand and more by whether billing can scale cleanly alongside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Hidden Friction Behind MSP Telecom Growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is easy to underestimate how complex telecom billing becomes at scale. Usage records come from multiple carriers. Taxes vary by jurisdiction. Invoices need to align with what customers were promised and with how MSPs already run their businesses financially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When billing accuracy slips, the impact shows up fast. Customer trust erodes. Support tickets rise. MSPs start hesitating before expanding their telecom offerings further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Datagate\u2019s approach is intentionally conservative in one important way. Instead of asking MSPs to replace their professional services automation tools or accounting platforms, Datagate integrates with what is already there. The company describes itself as a neutral financial system of record that sits above carriers, UCaaS platforms, PSAs, tax engines, payment systems, and accounting software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea is simple enough. Normalize the usage data. Automate the billing logic. Push clean, compliant results into the systems MSPs already trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Datagate CEO Mark Loveys put it, \u201cIt\u2019s true \u2014 Datagate is simpler. We don\u2019t ask MSPs to rip and replace their PSA, accounting platform, or financial history just to sell telecom. Datagate plugs into the systems MSPs already trust, so they can bill voice and UCaaS services accurately, compliantly, and without disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That emphasis on not disrupting existing workflows is a recurring theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Partner Program That Mirrors Reality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Datagate Partner Program is structured around how MSP ecosystems already function, rather than how vendors sometimes wish they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several paths into the program. Referral Partners can introduce qualified MSPs and earn one-time referral fees without taking on delivery or support responsibilities. That lowers the barrier for consultants, advisors, and ecosystem players who want to participate without changing their business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementation Partners, including PSA integrators and consultants, can support MSP automation and workflow projects. Datagate\u2019s upcoming Implementation Partner track is designed to let these firms deploy Datagate alongside PSA engagements, potentially reducing post go-live billing issues that often surface later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also a longer-term Reseller Partner initiative aimed at service providers and UCaaS platform vendors. That program would allow Datagate to be bundled directly into offerings, giving MSPs more confidence when selling telecom services.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.jpeg\" alt=\"Profile photo of Mark Loveys\" class=\"wp-image-25682\" style=\"width:341px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-90x90.jpeg 90w, https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-300x300.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Notably, Datagate expects many partners to start small. Referral today. Implementation tomorrow. Reseller later. That flexibility matters in an ecosystem where firms often evolve their roles over time rather than committing upfront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Billing Has Become the Bottleneck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand for voice and UCaaS has not disappeared. If anything, it has become more embedded in broader IT conversations. The constraint is operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When billing systems cannot keep pace with sales, MSPs respond in predictable ways. They limit offerings. They avoid certain pricing models. They slow expansion into new regions or customer segments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Datagate\u2019s pitch is that billing should not be the thing that holds growth back. By integrating with the PSAs, tax engines, payment systems, and accounting platforms MSPs already rely on, deployments can move faster without forcing organizations to retrain staff or rebuild financial history from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That may not sound flashy. But in practice, avoiding disruption can be the difference between adoption and hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introducing the Program at ITEXPO 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Datagate is formally introducing the Partner Program at ITEXPO 2026, taking place February 10 through 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The timing is deliberate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ITEXPO has long been a gathering point for MSPs, service providers, analysts, and vendors who sit at the intersection of communications and IT. As MSPs continue to play a larger role in telecom decisions, conversations around billing, compliance, and financial operations are becoming harder to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the event, Datagate plans to meet with MSPs, prospective partners, analysts, and media to discuss how simplifying telecom billing inside an MSP\u2019s system of record can help unlock the next phase of growth. Attendees can find the company at booth 1264 on the show floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For MSPs already selling voice or UCaaS, the question is no longer whether customers want these services. The question is whether the back office can keep up without becoming a source of friction. That is the gap Datagate is aiming to fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And in an industry where growth often stalls not because of lack of opportunity but because of operational drag, that focus might resonate more than most realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-10.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"299\" height=\"136\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-10.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20657\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>ISee you at the leading global business communications and technology events since 1999, the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.itexpo.com\/\">ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW<\/a>, Feb 10-12, 2026 Fort Lauderdale, Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t forget the collocated&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mspexpo.com\/\">MSP Expo<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 just for managed service providers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Aside from his role as CEO of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tmcnet.com\/\">TMC<\/a>&nbsp;and chairman of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.itexpo.com\/\">ITEXPO<\/a>&nbsp;#TECHSUPERSHOW Feb 10-12, 2026,&nbsp;Rich Tehrani is CEO of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt-advisors.com\/\">RT Advisors<\/a>&nbsp;and a Registered Representative (investment banker) with and offering securities through&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.4pointscapital.com\/\">Four Points Capital Partners LLC&nbsp;<\/a>(Four Points) (Member FINRA\/SIPC). He handles capital\/debt raises as well as M&amp;A. RT Advisors is not owned by Four Points.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The above is not an endorsement or recommendation to buy\/sell any security or sector mentioned. No companies mentioned above are current or past clients of RT Advisors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The views and opinions expressed above are those of the participants. While believed to be reliable, the information has not been independently verified for accuracy. Any broad, general statements made herein are provided for context only and should not be construed as exhaustive or universally applicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Portions of this article may have been developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence, which may have contributed to ideation, content generation, factual review, or editing<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways: Something has quietly shifted in the telecom ecosystem. For years, voice and UCaaS were sold primarily through traditional service providers and agents. Today, managed service providers are often the ones leading those conversations with small and mid-sized businesses. They already own the customer relationship. They already manage the network. Adding voice or UCaaS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":25681,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,3147],"tags":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25680"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25680"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25684,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25680\/revisions\/25684"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tmcnet.com\/blog\/rich-tehrani\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}