there are a lot of businesses out there that have a PBX or a premise based solutions who question if they need to change? “I also think the UCaaS market will still see a huge amount of consolidation because it’s a very different kind of sale where you invest a huge sum of money upfront to get a long-term return. So it will ultimately come down to how much money businesses have and how long they can last through that process.” ? Is the PSTN switch-off proving an effective angle for sales? Steve Rafferty: “The current PSTN infrastructure has an array of benefits, particularly in reliability and usability. The infrastructure has existed for decades and the technology has been refined to the point of perfection. “As it’s powered by a network of copper wires and not internet connectivity or electricity from the national grid, they remain unaffected by power outages, lack of broadband connection or network crashes. Furthermore, PSTN networks are low maintenance and easy to set up. “However, PSTN infrastructure has its drawbacks. For businesses, PSTN infrastructure can be considerably more expensive with limited features. As such, the switch-off does present an opportunity for businesses to modernise their communications approach. “Businesses shouldn’t wait until the forced migration to ensure preparedness. They should review their connectivity now and for example, ensure their broadband has a strong connection and bandwidth to handle calls and involve employees in the transition process to ensure they’re equipped to use the technology. “VoIP is easy to buy and set up with no line rental costs, it’s flexible and scalable which allows you to access your number over the internet. There is also disaster recovery which means that we can provide an automatic failover capability to ensure you don’t miss a call. This among many other benefits will be advantageous for businesses to maintain business as usual and have access to the latest innovations fit for their needs today.” Justin Hamilton-Martin: “I think the PSTN switchoff has been over- marketed in the last 4 years Many end users do not yet view the PSTN switch-off as a compelling event — making it hard to get those
as much as half the market has yet to move. “Perhaps 50% of the market has not moved to see this as a compelling event. Whether this is driven by apathy, a belief that the deadline will move, an expectation that their supplier will just deliver a different sort of line to plug in, or thinking they will ‘get to it’ this year. “Regardless, I feel the channel needs to help investigate benefits beyond just the switch off, suggest migration plans and potentially grease the wheels with free contract overlap periods, to get the conversation moving. “It is pretty disappointing that in an age where we (the sellers) are so convinced by the benefits of cloud solutions, it is a surprise that so much of the market is yet un-moved many telcos have yet to update their bases to SIP trunks or the cloud and so will soon come under threat from other, more mondernising convergence players. “Telco resellers must really be aware of the growing threat from IT and connectivity players who are hunting new blended revenue business and can use this stalled cohort to boost their move to converged provision.” ? Does the service model make solutions more popular? Steve Rafferty: “At a time when businesses are more cost- conscious and progressing with digital transformation phases in increments, our service model at RingCentral allows businesses to try our solutions before a lengthy commitment to a particular product/service. “Customers can see how the solution fits with what they already have, how employees are adapting to it, and adjust their add-ons or customisations to make it even more bespoke to their Business.” Justin Hamilton-Martin: “We are in a period where the customer is likely to have more than one trusted provider, so the service wrap, the detailed support in technology investigation, and the simplicity of transition plans will affect who owns the UC element of the combined communications business. “Telco players may need to rapidly establish an IT capability as well as provide great ongoing service. This is true, especially in the SMB sector, which will be dictated by the revenue the customer spends with each provider. To get great service smaller
Andrew Cooper, Head of Nimans Connect
nimans.net
Justin Hamilton- Martin
enreach.co.uk
CONTINUED
ucadvanced.com
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