IP-based communications services provider Broadsoft announced the
release of BroadCloud, a cloud-based, hosted infrastructure that will
serve as the foundation for the company's software-as-a-service
communications capabilities. The platform will feature a set of UC
(Unified
Communications) services, including corporate instant messaging and
presence, which integrates a subscriber's phone status (desktop and
mobile).
Other UC services include a high-definition videoconferencing
application, a suite of Web-based collaboration options, including
screen sharing, a document library, chat, audio and video support and
whiteboarding, PacketSmart, a network assessment and monitoring service
and Casabi, a consumer focused solution that enables the delivery of
group SMS, personalized content and tools. BroadCloud also enables
BroadSoft to extend its online marketplace distribution platform,
Xtended. In addition to a traditional direct sales model, service
providers can offer their customers the option to access, purchase and
start using their communications services within a carrier branded
marketplace.
"Rather than following the market and attempting to dictate which
services should comprise a UC offering, we have focused our product
development efforts on what services enterprises say they want," said
Michael Tessler, CEO of BroadSoft. "With the addition of our BroadCloud
hosted platform, we are offering a service delivery model that we
believe accelerates time-to-market for our service provider customers,
enables them to brand and customize a UC solution and allows them to
quickly capitalize on the growing demand of these communications
services."
BroadCloud's infrastructure, which the company said would be
strengthened by the acquisition of cloud-based services specialist
Casabi, is expected to allow carriers to shrink time-to-market for
delivering UC services from years to months or even weeks, and enable
them to offer a comprehensive portfolio of UC services when combined
with their existing BroadSoft application server platform. Casabi helps
cable, fixed-line and mobile telecommunications service providers to
expand their consumer offerings to include fixed-line SMS and
customized information services. Through this hosted application, users
can send text message blasts to any phone number (fixed-line or
mobile), access voicemail and share a network address book.
"Another compelling capability of our BroadCloud platform is the
ability for carriers to leverage the growing acceptance and adoption of
app stores," added Leslie Ferry, vice president of marketing for
BroadSoft. "We are enabling our service provider customers to
complement their existing distribution channels for Unified
Communication services with an online marketplace, which is a growing,
preferred purchase option by end-users and offers higher service
margins."
Cloud Computing 
