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Channel M&A: 8×8, Cisco, Mitel-Avaya Talk
Also: Private equity grabs TPx, and Sprint and T-Mobile continue to fight to join forces.
Cisco and 8×8 upgraded their portfolios via acquisition in the last two months.
The networking vendor and UCaaS vendor led a star-packed list of IT/telecom companies taking part in recent consolidation. And there was consolidation aplenty.
Cisco bulked up its contact center practice by purchasing CloudCherry, and 8×8 bought a CPaaS provider. VMware splurged on two acquisitions, and TPx agreed to be acquired by a private equity firm. And of course, T-Mobile and Sprint continued to fight for their merger.
All could have significant impacts on the channel.
We assembled the last two months’ biggest M&A news into one gallery. Scroll through the 11 images below to see the highlights.
Missed our June recap? Find it here.
8x8
The hot UCaaS vendor bought Singapore-based Wavecell in order to enter the communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS) market.
A high ranking 8×8 executive told us that partners can gradually build CPaaS-focused services thanks to the purchase. 8x8 also enlarges its foothold in Southeast Asia. The deal cost approximately $125 million.
Learn about 8x8's CPaaS strategy.
The hot UCaaS vendor bought Singapore-based Wavecell in order to enter the communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS) market.
A high ranking 8×8 executive told us that partners can gradually build CPaaS-focused services thanks to the purchase. 8x8 also enlarges its foothold in Southeast Asia. The deal cost approximately $125 million.
Learn about 8x8's CPaaS strategy.
Charter
The cableco offloaded its Navisite unit to a database infrastructure provider.
RDX announced plans to buy Navisite's resources, facilities, employees and customers. RDX enlisted the help of a private equity firm to make the transaction. Charter is narrowing its focus on being “a national service provider of scalable, fiber-based technology solutions.”
Read Edward Gately's article.
The cableco offloaded its Navisite unit to a database infrastructure provider.
RDX announced plans to buy Navisite's resources, facilities, employees and customers. RDX enlisted the help of a private equity firm to make the transaction. Charter is narrowing its focus on being “a national service provider of scalable, fiber-based technology solutions.”
Read Edward Gately's article.
T-Mobile-Sprint
The federal government all but approved the $26 billion T-Mobile-Sprint merger, but the approval came with some strings.
The U.S. Justice Department asked T-Mobile and Sprint to divest particular asset to allow for the entrance of a fourth major U.S. wireless carrier. The new player will be Dish Network (yes, you heard us), which spent $5 billion to buy spectrum licenses and prepaid mobile businesses.
T-Mobile's very – let's say charismatic – CEO went on to spike the football during an earnings call, criticizing Verizon and AT&T's 5G strategies. Meantime, more than a dozen state attorneys general are still challenging the plan in court.
Read about the Justice Department's ruling.
The federal government all but approved the $26 billion T-Mobile-Sprint merger, but the approval came with some strings.
The U.S. Justice Department asked T-Mobile and Sprint to divest particular asset to allow for the entrance of a fourth major U.S. wireless carrier. The new player will be Dish Network (yes, you heard us), which spent $5 billion to buy spectrum licenses and prepaid mobile businesses.
T-Mobile's very – let's say charismatic – CEO went on to spike the football during an earnings call, criticizing Verizon and AT&T's 5G strategies. Meantime, more than a dozen state attorneys general are still challenging the plan in court.
Read about the Justice Department's ruling.
Avaya
Analysts buzzed last month as Avaya reportedly considered a Mitel purchase offer.
Avaya wouldn't comment on media reports about a Mitel merger and rumors of a potential private equity takeover. But that didn't stop a couple of collaboration experts from helping us envision an Avaya-Mitel marriage. Think about a company that rivals Cisco and Microsoft in the communications space, one analyst said.
Read Edward Gately's analysis.
Analysts buzzed last month as Avaya reportedly considered a Mitel purchase offer.
Avaya wouldn't comment on media reports about a Mitel merger and rumors of a potential private equity takeover. But that didn't stop a couple of collaboration experts from helping us envision an Avaya-Mitel marriage. Think about a company that rivals Cisco and Microsoft in the communications space, one analyst said.
Read Edward Gately's analysis.
TPx
A private equity firm announced plans to buy the managed connectivity provider TPx Communications.
Siris bought TPx from its investors after the company scrapped its original agreement to go public on the Nasdaq. TPx will receive an influx of new resources as it keeps pace with the hot UCaaS, CCaaS and managed IT services markets.
Learn about the change of mind.
A private equity firm announced plans to buy the managed connectivity provider TPx Communications.
Siris bought TPx from its investors after the company scrapped its original agreement to go public on the Nasdaq. TPx will receive an influx of new resources as it keeps pace with the hot UCaaS, CCaaS and managed IT services markets.
Learn about the change of mind.
Vonage
A prominent musician sold an AI platform to Vonage.
The cloud communications provider will buy Over.ai's technical team and intellectual property from one of will.i.am's company. That's right – the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am.
Over.ai's "voice over AI" capabilities will integrate with Vonage's unified communications and contact center solutions.
Learn more about Vonage's plans.
A prominent musician sold an AI platform to Vonage.
The cloud communications provider will buy Over.ai's technical team and intellectual property from one of will.i.am's company. That's right – the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am.
Over.ai's "voice over AI" capabilities will integrate with Vonage's unified communications and contact center solutions.
Learn more about Vonage's plans.
VMware
VMware bought two of its partners as part of its growing cloud and DevOps emphasis.
The first purchase is Carbon Black, a cloud security provider that protects workloads "through big data, behavioral analytics and AI." VMware will pay $2.1 billion for Carbon Black. The vendor will shell out another $2.7 billion for the cloud-native platform provider Pivotal.
Read about the acquisitions.
VMware bought two of its partners as part of its growing cloud and DevOps emphasis.
The first purchase is Carbon Black, a cloud security provider that protects workloads "through big data, behavioral analytics and AI." VMware will pay $2.1 billion for Carbon Black. The vendor will shell out another $2.7 billion for the cloud-native platform provider Pivotal.
Read about the acquisitions.
Cisco
Cisco will enhance its contact center solution by buying a customer experience management (CEM) software provider.
Enter CloudCherry, whose predictive analytics and customer "journey mapping" improve the overall customer experience. A Cisco executive said he wants to upgrade the contact centers from "delivering reactive care to providing cutting-edge predictive support." The deal will close this quarter.
Read more about why Cisco made the purchase.
Cisco will enhance its contact center solution by buying a customer experience management (CEM) software provider.
Enter CloudCherry, whose predictive analytics and customer "journey mapping" improve the overall customer experience. A Cisco executive said he wants to upgrade the contact centers from "delivering reactive care to providing cutting-edge predictive support." The deal will close this quarter.
Read more about why Cisco made the purchase.
Intermedia
Intermedia announced the purchase of contact center solutions provider Telax.
The purchase signaled the expansion of Intermedia's UCaaS strategy to include CCaaS. Toronto-based Telax provides a "world-class omnichannel CCaaS solution," according to Intermedia executives. They also said Intermedia's annualized revenue will approach $250 million as a result of the transaction.
Get details about the acquisition.
Intermedia announced the purchase of contact center solutions provider Telax.
The purchase signaled the expansion of Intermedia's UCaaS strategy to include CCaaS. Toronto-based Telax provides a "world-class omnichannel CCaaS solution," according to Intermedia executives. They also said Intermedia's annualized revenue will approach $250 million as a result of the transaction.
Get details about the acquisition.
Symantec
Talks between Symantec and Broadcom ended, and then they were back on.
Broadcom announced plans to buy Symantec's enterprise security business for $10.7 billion, one month after failing to finalize an agreement to buy the entire company. Symantec not long after announced plans to lay off 7% of its workforce.
Read about Broadcom's purchase.
Talks between Symantec and Broadcom ended, and then they were back on.
Broadcom announced plans to buy Symantec's enterprise security business for $10.7 billion, one month after failing to finalize an agreement to buy the entire company. Symantec not long after announced plans to lay off 7% of its workforce.
Read about Broadcom's purchase.
Cambium
Cambium Networks bought the Xirrus Wi-Fi and cloud portfolio from Riverbed Technology.
We don't know the cost of the deal, which brings Wi-Fi access points, a cloud management platform and an "MSP Command Center" to Cambium. Cambium provides industry-tailored network solutions. Riverbed bought Xirrus in 2017.
Cambium Networks bought the Xirrus Wi-Fi and cloud portfolio from Riverbed Technology.
We don't know the cost of the deal, which brings Wi-Fi access points, a cloud management platform and an "MSP Command Center" to Cambium. Cambium provides industry-tailored network solutions. Riverbed bought Xirrus in 2017.
Learn more about Cambium and Xirrus.
