Unified Communications (News - Alert) as-a-service (UCaaS) is slowly gaining traction among enterprises. For the reason that this pre-integrated, ready-to-go service enhances a client’s productivity, accelerates business processes and quick decision making, all while lowering costs.
A recent study titled “Unified Communications as-a-service (UCaaS) Market: Advancements, Emerging Applications, Business Models, Technology Roadmaps, Global Forecasts & Analysis (2013 – 2018),” conducted by MarketsandMarkets, reported that the global UCaaS market is expected to grow from $2.52 billion in 2013 to $7.62 billion by 2018.
Until recent times, UCaaS was popular only among large enterprises, as small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were skeptical about the return on investment (ROI) it would offer them. However, recently many SMBs too are leveraging the UCaaS for the same reason why large enterprises deploy them – cost efficiency.
Cashing in on this trend, Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) – one of the major players in the UCaaS market, has introduced a new cloud-based UCaaS solution, OpenTouch Office Cloud (OTOC), suitable for the SMBs.
Apart from rolling out OTOC, Alcatel-Lucent also announced expansion of services for mid-to-large enterprises thorough the updated OpenTouch Enterprise Cloud (OTEC) solution.
The new OTOC solution is a comprehensive UCaaS premeditated to improve employee productivity and enhance customer service, even for SMBs.
Built on the company’s OmniPCX Office RCE technology foundation, the new OTOC will facilitate existing SMB customers to migrate their central processing units to the cloud, while leveraging advanced UC services instantly and focusing on core business activities.
The OmniPCX Office, in general, provides a pre-configured server for business telephony, customer service and enhanced business operations, with reduced operational costs. It is utilized by more than 17 million users globally, cites Alcatel-Lucent.
Alcatel-Lucent, in a statement, also emphasizes that the new OTOC is useful for value-added distributors, as they help customers shift to the cloud and make a compelling offer for current CPE-based OXO customers to transform their networks, and help create customer retention and loyalty.
According to the company’s announcement, Avita in Ireland and Synelyans in France are named as launch channel partners for the first deliveries of OTOC in their respective countries. Additional partners for the Asia-Pacific and central northern European markets will be announced soon. ?
Apart from rolling out OTOC, Alcatel-Lucent has also announced updates to its OpenTouch Enterprise Cloud (OTEC) solution, such as a new CPE-2-Cloud transformation program, the new Voice Inbound contact center as a service (CCaaS), and more.
Some of the channel partners offering OTEC now include Telis in Monaco via its ‘U-Talk’ product, Quantum (News - Alert) ICT in Belgium via its Telic Secure Communications, offer, TDC in Sweden, Telephonie in Luxemburg, UXConnect in Australia and ICON Voice Networks in the United States.
Eric Penisson, general manager of the enterprise communications business division at Alcatel-Lucent, said in a statement, “The ability to help business adopt cloud-based services is the focus of our OpenTouch Cloud suite. Both OpenTouch Office and OpenTouch Enterprise Cloud give employees the collaborative experience they want, and have been extremely well received by our channel partners who recognize the value our cloud-based services bring to their existing and potential customers.”
Edited by Cassandra Tucker