Cloud and Mobile Solutions for Business Communications

I've been a fan of Cloud-based Business Communications ever since my team and I drew up designs for an IP-based Centrex Services in the late 1990s while working at the Advanced Technologies division of U S WEST / Qwest service provider.   It's been conventional wisdom that there are too many “PBX” vendors scrapping for a market that was at best growing at historical rates, while new, big players like Microsoft and Cisco were pushing into the market.  The assumption was that weaker, lower-share vendors would get acquired by bigger players.  Instead, we find that many are sticking around: Alcatel-Lucent sold off Genesys to private equity but otherwise hasn't made any moves towards further reduction of their Enterprise business unit.  Siemens Enterprise Communications evidently showed interest in ALU Enterprise but ended up passing on it.  At the same time, SEN seems determined to take a run at growing its market share in North America.  Enterprise communications platform vendors are staying on the field. And if they want to keep viable, they are going to have to expand their vision.  The future communications platform MUST include mobile and cloud solutions.  ShoreTel is a good example of a company to watch that's heading in these right directions within their sweet spot of small/medium enterprises.  Recently, ShoreTel's has made two acquisitions, of Agito Networks last October, and of M5 Networks -- both with a mobile and cloud solutions focus.   Every communications equipment vendor is going to also need to be a service provider as well.  It's not an either/or, it's more of a requirement.   Unified Communications (UC) with a PBX, UC without a PBX, and UC via the cloud.  Interesting choices will be offered as we continue to update investments in communications capabilities for the enterprise customer.  (Research Sources:  Enterprise Connect, etc)