**Editor’s Note: Read our list of 20 top UCaaS providers offering products and services via channel partners.**

RingCentral tops IHS Markit’s latest UCaaS North America Vendor Scorecard, followed by 8×8 and Verizon.

The scorecard analyzes and rates the top 10 UCaaS providers in North America. After tying with 8×8 for the top spot last year, RingCentral emerged as the No. 1 provider, thanks to its “above-average market growth and market share leadership position,” according to Diane Myers, IHS Markit’s senior research director for VoIP and UC.

IHS Markit’s Diane Myers

“Over the past few years, RingCentral has worked to expand its customer base, continually moving upmarket with a focus on servicing larger businesses,” she said. “Its investments in professional services and customer care have paid off.”

8×8 had the strongest financials among the top 10 providers, demonstrating an ability to expand its business while maintaining a solid balance sheet.

“8×8 has consistently been near the top of our scorecard, and its market-leading financial position keeps it ahead of providers with larger installed bases,” Myers said.

Verizon continued to show strong acceleration in customer adoption in 2017. It took the No. 3 spot based on seats, up from fourth the previous year, and tied for the highest momentum score.

The most significant jump in this year’s scorecard was made by Mitel, which leapfrogged from eighth position to fourth, due in large part to its acquisition of ShoreTel. The acquisition added to Mitel’s UCaaS customer base and gave it a platform to sell its own branded services to the midmarket and smaller companies.

Comcast rounds out the top five UCaaS providers. In the past year, Comcast has become the fifth-largest provider in terms of installed base of UCaaS seats, moving up from seventh as it continues to outpace average market growth. Comcast also received a solid financial score from IHS Markit.

Rounding out the top 10 were Vonage, West, Star2Star, Nextiva and Fuze.

“Our scorecard this year shows that while the leading pure-play providers are a force, they have serious competition, particularly among older, more established companies — namely incumbent operators like Verizon, traditional UC vendors such as Mitel, and cable operators like Comcast,” Myers said. “The ongoing demand for UCaaS services is vast, with a broad set of customers and requirements.”