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Arkadin/NTT Communications Lands Challenger Ranking in Gartner Magic Quadrant Study

By Steve Anderson Contributing Writer

The most recent Gartner (News - Alert) Magic Quadrant study has emerged, and with it some exciting new revelations about who has what standing in the field. While the study itself offers four different rankings that express both what a company's doing well in and where it can improve, for Arkadin, the picture is much clearer after Gartner named it—along with NTT (News - Alert) Communications—a Challenger in the field.

Challenger is likely the second-best ranking a company can have in the Magic Quadrant, though the third rank is not far behind. The study breaks firms down according to two key factors: completeness of vision and ability to execute that vision, then using the two points as a kind of coordinate map, places the firms on a four-square grid, the Magic Quadrant. The highest rank, Leader, shows a firm has both a very complete vision and the ability to execute that vision.

What may be second highest, the Challenger rank, shows that a company has a great ability to execute a vision, but that its vision may not be so complete as a Leader's would be. A Visionary, meanwhile, is technically the third rank and has a higher completeness of vision than a Challenger, but a lower ability to execute. It's sort of a trade-off position. The fourth position is Niche Player, one whose ability and vision are both rated comparatively low, but still high enough to be part of the 16 companies considered for inclusion in the study.

The Challenger rank in the Unified Communications (News - Alert) as a Service (UCaaS) rankings worldwide came largely on the strength of offerings like the Arkadin Total Connect system. Designed for Office 365, Arkadin's system offers a complete Skype (News - Alert) for Business setup that's being used in data centers throughout the world. Local calling plans can be had with Arkadin Total Connect, as well as a slate of integration systems that make cost reductions—desirable in most any circumstances—much easier to obtain.

What this so clearly demonstrates is just what Arkadin (News - Alert) / NTT Communications needs to do next. If it can augment its overall vision, then the next time a Magic Quadrant study comes around, it should be able to move into a Leader slot without much incident. Of course, it assumes the ability to execute remains static or improves as well, because in all likelihood, all the Visionaries will be looking to improve execution and the Niche Players will be upgrading as well. No one in the Magic Quadrant study can remain stable for long, lest it become clear that competitors can find an advantage.

The Magic Quadrant study not only illustrates failings but also a clear path to success. Those who take advantage of that clarity can have a great chance at success in the market and beyond, and Arkadin / NTT Communications likely has just such a roadmap in mind.

Edited by Alicia Young