The Future of Communications Platforms - a review by ICON

Hosted versus CPE

The days of the plain old CPE IP-PBX are numbered.  CPE PBX solutions that support cell phone mobility, smartphones & tablets, third party UC apps and have the capability to be deployed as a traditional CPE, in the cloud, or a distributed solution are the future.  

FortiVoice works with IP and analogue handsets

In the medium term the flexibility to work with either analogue or IP will be needed if vendors want to capture the legacy as well as the IP sites, but long term this capability is likely to become less important.  FortiNet with its FortiVoice solution offers one of the best examples of a CPE PBX that can work with IP phones, analogue phones or both. 

On the issue of cloud versus CPE, versus centralised, Mark Shane, ICON Sales Director commented,

“The demarcation between the CPE PBX, cloud, or centralised versus distributed solutions markets is very grey." 

"Let’s not forget that if a customer has multiple sites and wants a cloud based solution this does not rule out a CPE PBX sale. Vendors such as Vertical Communications with its Wave IP-PBX can deliver a CPE solution which can be deployed anywhere in the network - on-site or in the cloud”

Thje Wave IP-PBX offers built in applications and cell phone mobility

Microsoft Lync and UC

Mark Shane observed,

“Microsoft Lync is making an impact in the telephony and UC market and ICON with its vendor partner are looking at this market as one of the few growth opportunities available for the channel”

In terms of delivering UC capability Lync is one of many solutions available.  However, in its target niche it is a strong contender with an almost unassailable position.  Mark Shane, Sales Director at ICON, explains

“ICON distributes a range of UC solutions as well as MS Lync approved mobility solutions and it is the Microsoft tag, pedigree and connections that hold sway in its target niche.  This means that in those business and enterprises which are committed users of Microsoft solutions Lync is the natural solution and a contender has to be able to exceed the performance of the Microsoft brand for delivering reliably. There are very few UC solutions which have the brand credentials to do this.”

That is not to say that MS Lync will dominate the entire UC market.  Outside of its target niche where the emphasis shifts from brand credentials to features, functionality, and price, MS Lync competes on a more level playing field with other UC solutions.   Mark explained

 

“In niches which are brand agnostic and the focus is more on features, functionality and price than on brand there are other UC solutions that can stand up tall against Lync.  Solutions, such as Wave from Vertical Communications, which are continually stretching the envelop by offering novel business apps in a very advantages commercial package can often be a strong contender against Lync especially in vertical sectors needing specialist solutions.”

Mark added

Lync is unquestionably a force to be reckoned with in the market and it has to be a strong and confident brand to take it head on in its target niche.  ICON and our partner vendors who provide MS Lync approved mobility solutions are betting that there are very few who can do this successfully in its target niche.

The future CPE PBX

The concept of the CPE PBX is changing. Vendors or now delivering highly functional communications platforms capable of supporting third party apps. Mark explained,

“The notion that a CPE PBX is a platform for third party UC apps, just like the cell phone is a platform for apps, is a novel trend but one that long term will provide businesses with many more solution options and the capability to customise and add to the functionality of the PBX platform throughout its life. "

"Vertical Communications is pioneering this with its Wave IP solution which provides a platform to run applications traded on the VerticalAppMarket”

 

Investing in a CPE PBX platform that allows you to add functionality at will means your communications platform can change, develop, and be customised to suit the needs of the business throughout its working life unlike the monolithic CPE PBX solutions that, perforce, deliver the same functionality at the end of their life as on day one.

Leading the change in communications platforms are the Vertical IP-PBX solutions 

CPE PBX integrated applications fall into one of two categories.  There are the core UC feature set applications which vendors such as Vertical Communications include as standard on its Wave series of PBX and the traditional and not so traditional call management applications such as such as contact centre, call recording, IVR, fax plus a host of others. Mark commented,

“A few years ago integrated applications were the novel differentiators in the CPE PBX market.  Now they have become de facto standard necessary features.  Presence and instant messaging are the UC applications many UC PBX vendors package as UC standard features."

"However, true UC PBX solutions, such as Vertical’s Wave IP, provide a host of other UC applications such as visual voicemail, conferencing, document sharing, and screen based call management for mobiles.”