CCOOMMMMSS N NEEWWSS
AVAYA LEVERAGES GOOGLE CLOUD
AVAYA HAS INTRODUCED its new cloud-native, Unified Communications-as-a-Service solution
running on Google Cloud Platform to help customers of all sizes, including small-to-medium
businesses (SMB), more fully leverage the flexibility, efficiency and scalability of cloud.
Initially available in 24 markets globally, Avaya says this new offer enables partners to
more effectively transition SMBs to cloud-based communications.
Avaya has also adopted Kubernetes to empower Avaya solutions with microservices and
containerisation, taking a true cloud foundation design approach in their solution offerings.
Chris McGugan (pictured), Avaya Senior Vice President, Solutions & Technology
commented, “This new offer is branded by our partners and accelerates the opportunities
for the global network of Avaya authorized partners to expand the market with a robust,
secure and reliable communications platform. Partners can leverage Avaya’s popular
communication offer deployed in the Google Cloud, without the need to invest in and support
their own infrastructure, providing an attractive option over competing cloud offers.”
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BYTES...
PORTAL
Aerohive Networks has launched a
Partner Portal, built on Salesforce
Partner Communities, to better
serve channel affiliates. Focused on
maximising efficiency through the
entire channel process and enhancing
user experience, the system will
deliver automated onboarding,
amplified marketing, accelerated
sales and analysed performance.
14,000
According to the ICO more than 14,000
data breaches have been logged since
the introduction of GDPR last May.
DECLINE
Canalys released its updated global
smartphone forecasts recently. The
latest numbers show that smartphone
shipments will reach 1.35 billion units
in 2019, a year-on-year decline of 3.1
per cent. With the Huawei US trade ban
Canalys has lowered its forecasts to
reflect an uncertain future.
UKFAST-ER
The fast-growing public sector arm of
British cloud hosting firm UKFast Group
is claiming it is set to deliver 100%
growth for a second consecutive year
and is on track to make up 10% of the
firm’s overall revenue by 2020.
10 | Comms Business Magazine | July 2019 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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June.ai 3 14/05/2019 14:40:01
GCI acquires Modality Systems
GCI HAS ACQUIRED fellow Microsoft provider
Modality Systems, with operations in the UK, USA,
Asia and Australia. The acquisition will enable GCI
to expand its business internationally for the first
time and capitalise on the growing global market
for its Microsoft-based, cloud-enabled intelligent
communications services.
Modality Systems provides a suite of video
conferencing services, with full-service video
room management, video bridging and web
consultation offerings, all integrated into the
Microsoft collaboration suite.
Adrian Thirkill (PICTURED), CEO of GCI explains
“The acquisition of Modality Systems provides
GCI and its customers with established scale
and support internationally. Geographically, it
expands the ability of the combined companies
to service larger, global companies and
additionally widens key new markets in the USA,
Australia and Asia where Modality has already
established sales and delivery capability for
enterprise customers”.
Mike Constantine, GCI CTO adds “The
acquisition of Modality Systems opens
up exciting opportunities for us. The scale of
engineering expertise we now have across the
Microsoft product stack puts us in a fantastic
competitive position. Additionally, we are investing
in datacentre modernisation services, powered by
Microsoft’s Azure public cloud to support customers
embracing modern ways of hosting and transforming
their applications.”
Zen extends auto compensation scheme to partners
ZEN INTERNET HAS announced it is extending the
voluntary auto compensation scheme announced
by Ofcom to its channel partners and wholesale
customers.
The voluntary auto compensation scheme is
designed to provide residential fixed broadband
and landline customers with protection.
Zen believe it is only fair that, should their
partners’ customers be affected by the service
they receive from the company or one of its
suppliers, partners are given the opportunity to
compensate their customers without incurring
prohibitive expense. As auto compensation is
a voluntary scheme, and Zen’s partners have
not signed up to it, there is no obligation for the
partners to pass any of the compensation they
receive onto their customers. This will be left at
the discretion of each partner.
“The voluntary auto compensation scheme is a
great step for consumers in the UK, however we
were keen to ensure that it doesn’t stop there,”
said Andrew Fryatt, Managing Director, Zen.
“Delivering great customer service is in our DNA,
so we have extended the scheme to ensure our
partners also receive the compensation that they
can then choose to pass on to their customers.”
/www.soscommunications.co.uk
/www.commsbusiness.co.uk