BroadSoft creates VoIP
application software designed to enable telecommunications service providers to offer the most advanced calling features to enterprise and residential customers. The company’s BroadWorks application software is used by carriers worldwide for the delivery of hosted telephony, multimedia and unified communications and mobile services.
application software designed to enable telecommunications service providers to offer the most advanced calling features to enterprise and residential customers. The company’s BroadWorks application software is used by carriers worldwide for the delivery of hosted telephony, multimedia and unified communications and mobile services.Franics Hopkins is senior manager of corporate communications at Broadsoft. I had the opportunity to catch up with Hopkins to discuss the various trends facing the industry and ask about what the future of IP communications industry holds.
communications industry holds.RT: What has been your company’s biggest achievement in 2007?
FH: Being named de facto market leader in the VoIP application feature server category. Over the past two years, six separate industry research firms have named BroadSoft the leader, culminating with IDC’s (News - Alert) declaration last summer.
RT: What can we expect to see from your company in 2008?
FH: BroadSoft will lead the way in marrying the functionality of advanced telephony with Web 2.0. In fall 2007, we announced our integration of the BroadWorks platform with the leading Web-based CRM application salesforce.com. Look for more mashups of BroadWorks with both enterprise and consumer applications.
Also, BroadSoft will remain at the forefront of the network migration trend currently underway in the telecom industry, as carriers move from legacy networks to IP-based networks.
RT: How do you see the communications market evolving?
FH: With Microsoft’s entry into telephony services, telecom service providers must begin to look beyond basic dial-tone services for new revenues. Microsoft’s play should help accelerate integration of voice functionality with other applications, such as accounting, CRM, HR and social networking software.
RT: How have presence, SIP and video changed your business?
and video changed your business? FH: No. BroadSoft has been ahead of the game when it comes to presence, SIP and video. For instance, video capabilities such as video calling and video voicemail are inherent in the BroadWorks platform features. BroadSoft has been an evangelist for SIP, and has worked with partners such as Kakapo to integrate our applications with presence.
RT: How do you think the future of the market looks?
FH: BroadSoft is optimistic about the market. End-users — both consumer and enterprise — are embracing VoIP and have shown a willingness to adopt new technologies. Mobile VoIP offers new avenues for service providers, along with Web 2.0. More than ever, service providers have an opportunity to own the end-user beyond the desk or mobile phone.
RT: Are you growing more quickly in the U.S. or abroad?
FH: Our overseas markets are growing at a faster pace than the U.S. market, particularly in Southeast Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. However, the market remains vigorous in the U.S., where new deals abound for network transformation at CLECs and for residential and business services at cable providers.
RT: Do you see the large service providers like Verizon (News - Alert), AT&T and cable companies as allies or enemies?
FH: These are our customers.
RT: Is open source software changing your corporate strategy?
FH: Nothing new here. Open source is part of our strategy.
RT: How about hosted solutions?
FH: BroadWorks is the market leader for hosted VoIP/UC solutions. BroadSoft is well-positioned to take advantage of the SaaS (News - Alert) trend, which is seeing SaaS grow in popularity among enterprises.
RT: What do you think the communications market might look like in five years?
FH: The winning service providers will be the ones who took market share from competitors using IP innovations; namely, fixed line operators that used VoIP to extend desk phone features to mobile devices, mobile operators that use VoIP to offer feature-rich landline-like services to enterprises. Also, winning service providers will have expanded their offerings beyond the dial tone to integrated services that make the service provider a constant part of the end-users work and home life.
RT: What will attendees see in your booth at ITEXPO this month?
FH: Demos include:
- BroadWorks Anywhere, a feature that allows users to use one business number (the user’s desk phone, cell phone and a soft phone can be reached simultaneously) and gives users access to all of their business features, regardless of which device is used to receive or make the call.
- Unified Connector: Web 2.0 Today — BroadWorks enables calling features in salesforce.com and integrates with popular ACT application.
RT: What sorts of companies should come to your exhibit?
FH: Service providers.
RT: Why should customers choose your company’s solutions?
FH: If customers place value in going with a solution already chosen by industry leaders, then BroadWorks is their choice. If customers place more value on interoperability, then BroadWorks — with more than 300 equipment and technology partners — is their choice. BroadWorks allows service providers to deliver voice services to their customers who want either state-of-the-art communications or applications that work old equipment. Best of all, with BroadWorks customers get a platform that can deliver advanced features today and is future-proofed for IMS and Web 2.0.
and Web 2.0. RT: Please make one surprising prediction for 2008.
FH: Here are three:
- One of the Portals (Microsoft, Yahoo, Google) offers business voice services to end-users.
- Ebay spins out Skype (News - Alert).
- Video calling (finally) creates a buzz as the new hot “VoIP” service to have among consumers.
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Rich Tehrani is President and Group Editor in Chief at TMC (News - Alert). In addition he is the Chairman of the world’s best attended IP Communications event, Internet Telephony Conference & EXPO. To read more of Rich’s articles, please visit his columnist page. He blogs for TMCnet here.
