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Interoperability is a wonderful thing, and in the IP phone market, it can be especially welcome news. A new development between Grandstream and BroadSoft (News - Alert) looks to provide a new level of interoperability, as the two firms noted that the Broadworks platform from BroadSoft now works on a range of IP phones released from Grandstream, including newer models like the HT800 and the GXP1700.

Essentially, firms that are already turning to BroadSoft for connectivity capability are about to get a new edge in the field thanks to the ability to pick from Grandstream's array of IP phones as a basis. Better yet, there's also a range of DECT (News - Alert) cordless IP phones to consider in the mix, and Grandstream is, at last report, looking forward to seeing how customers benefit from this improved interoperability proposition.

This should prove as a welcome development going forward; BroadSoft's line of services—from its unified communications (UC) entries to its contact center platform and beyond—are sufficiently powerful to be a part of 25 out of the top 30 service providers worldwide by revenue. That means there's a lot of BroadSoft—and Broadworks—users out there, users that may well be in the market for new IP phone opportunities.

Grandstream can effectively step into that huge new market with a variety of devices all ready to go, and that means new value. Plus, Grandstream has long had a history of success in analog telephone adaptor (ATA) operations, a measure which will build nicely on with BroadSoft's line of systems.

The appeal works both ways as well; BroadSoft can also suggest Grandstream devices to new customers and become an all-in-one service provider, a move which will make new IP phone projects easier to set up and potentially repair should something go wrong later. At the end of the day, the new BroadSoft / Grandstream interoperability move should produce value for all sides of the equation, from BroadSoft to Grandstream and to the customers of both firms.