Avaya is bolstering its audio collaboration technology portfolio with its acquisition of Umeå, Sweden-based audioconferencing system vendor Konftel. The move is a potential positive for both Avaya and its channel partners. Here’s why:

Avaya is a well-known player in IP communications technologies, no argument, and in the last two years has carved a niche in the unified communications and collaboration space. But while the company has made inroads with its Aura communications platform and accompanying hardware for video collaboration, its audioconferencing product set has made less of an impact, especially for conference room settings – less than the likes of Polycom and Cisco technology. Adding Konftel’s technology to its lineup will boost its overall rep in the audioconferencing space and give its channel partners a more complete unified communications solution to offer their end user customers.

With the Konftel buy, Avaya gains Konftel’s product set and its OmniSound audio-enhancing technology, which Avaya plans to incorporate across its entire product line, including the Avaya Flare Experience tablet-based unified communications solution introduced in 2010.

Konftel’s technology could very well put Avaya on par with Polycom and Cisco in the audioconferencing arena. It’s worth noting that Polycom is the only vendor of the three that has created a top-notch conferencing product set organically; Cisco was helped along by its acquisition of Tandberg in 2009.

With acquisitions such as this, channel partners could see upside. Avaya now has a respectable stable of audioconferencing products, from desktop to large auditorium settings, and its channel partners likewise now have access to more solutions for their customers.

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