New Products and Services: 8×8, RingCentral, Intelisys
ConvergeOne, LogMeIn and Poly also got in on the act. UCC is red hot.
There were plenty of new products and services for channel partners to sell in April. That’s despite the fact that many spent their time offering free versions of existing services to struggling partners and customers.
For starters, 8×8 introduced a secure video conferencing service, powered by Jitsi, that runs on Oracle Cloud infrastructure. Not to be outdone, RingCentral released its own video offer. The aptly named RingCentral Video comes as more employees work from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the UC and collaboration hits keep on comin’. Another of April’s new products and services was ConvergeOne’s collaboration with Avaya Cloud Office. The company’s C1CX expands the company’s midmarket portfolio. Then there is LogMeIn, which gave its GoTo online meeting and communications services a boost. GoToMeeting now offers Microsoft Teams integration and a new contact center option.
What follows are 12 new products and services partners can sell, as well as new tools they can use to improve their businesses. One example is Poly’s new partner portal, which includes an area to satisfy certification and specialization requirements.
Did you miss our last new services roundup? You’ll find it here.
8x8
8x8's latest offer is VIdeo MeetingsPro, which it says is a secure video conferencing service. Jitsi, an open source community for secure video meetings technology, powers the service, which runs on Oracle Cloud infrastructure.
8x8's number of actively monthly users approaches 12 million globally, the company said.
Video MeetingsPro "will help 8x8's partners showcase the benefits of cloud with additional revenue opportunities," said channel chief John DeLozier. They can "upgrade their customers to a complete, integrated cloud communications solution that enhances employee experience, collaboration and customer engagement," he added.
Get the full deets on 8x8's new offer.
8x8's latest offer is VIdeo MeetingsPro, which it says is a secure video conferencing service. Jitsi, an open source community for secure video meetings technology, powers the service, which runs on Oracle Cloud infrastructure.
8x8's number of actively monthly users approaches 12 million globally, the company said.
Video MeetingsPro "will help 8x8's partners showcase the benefits of cloud with additional revenue opportunities," said channel chief John DeLozier. They can "upgrade their customers to a complete, integrated cloud communications solution that enhances employee experience, collaboration and customer engagement," he added.
Get the full deets on 8x8's new offer.
ConvergeOne
ConvergeOne's new Cloud Experience (C1CX) with Avaya Cloud Office expands the communications, network and security provider's lineup for midmarket businesses. The company says C1CX helps customers simplify communications system management. And they get a full suite of collaboration features in one application.
Avaya created Cloud Office through its mega-deal with RingCentral. ConvergeOne's new C1CX offer includes the full RingCentral suite combined with Avaya technology, services and migration capabilities.
Get the full scoop on this powerful team-up.
ConvergeOne's new Cloud Experience (C1CX) with Avaya Cloud Office expands the communications, network and security provider's lineup for midmarket businesses. The company says C1CX helps customers simplify communications system management. And they get a full suite of collaboration features in one application.
Avaya created Cloud Office through its mega-deal with RingCentral. ConvergeOne's new C1CX offer includes the full RingCentral suite combined with Avaya technology, services and migration capabilities.
Get the full scoop on this powerful team-up.
RingCentral
Speaking of RingCentral, the UC provider introduced RingCentral Video (RCV), part of RingCentral Office. It' is also available via AT&T [email protected] and Avaya Cloud Office. Teachers, health care providers, the public sector and more can get it free during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RCV integrates with Google, HubSpot, Microsoft, Theta Lake, Slack and Zoho. It will power RingCentral Rooms, an offer that will be generally available sometime this quarter.
Read more about the strides RingCentral is making in video.
Speaking of RingCentral, the UC provider introduced RingCentral Video (RCV), part of RingCentral Office. It' is also available via AT&T [email protected] and Avaya Cloud Office. Teachers, health care providers, the public sector and more can get it free during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RCV integrates with Google, HubSpot, Microsoft, Theta Lake, Slack and Zoho. It will power RingCentral Rooms, an offer that will be generally available sometime this quarter.
Read more about the strides RingCentral is making in video.
ScanSource-Intelisys
Master agent Intelisys and its distributor parent ScanSource unveiled "Go Remote." The companies say it will help partners deliver work-from-home products and services such as UCC and related technologies.
Partners get access to original content that addresses technical and real-life issues that arise from working from home. They also can view videos and webinars featuring industry experts. Looking for more? A buyer's guide outlines specific offerings based on real needs.
Get the full scoop on the ScanSource-Intelisys resources.
Master agent Intelisys and its distributor parent ScanSource unveiled "Go Remote." The companies say it will help partners deliver work-from-home products and services such as UCC and related technologies.
Partners get access to original content that addresses technical and real-life issues that arise from working from home. They also can view videos and webinars featuring industry experts. Looking for more? A buyer's guide outlines specific offerings based on real needs.
Get the full scoop on the ScanSource-Intelisys resources.
Telarus-For2Fi
An extended agreement with master agent Telarus means more partners can sell For2Fi's unlimited high-speed wireless internet service. It is delivered over the nation's 4G networks at speeds of 60 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up.
Businesses looking to save money can get basic 1GB, 5GB and 10GB plans, which are all month-to-month. It's an exclusive partnership for the offer.
Learn more about the internet service and how you can sell it.
An extended agreement with master agent Telarus means more partners can sell For2Fi's unlimited high-speed wireless internet service. It is delivered over the nation's 4G networks at speeds of 60 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up.
Businesses looking to save money can get basic 1GB, 5GB and 10GB plans, which are all month-to-month. It's an exclusive partnership for the offer.
Learn more about the internet service and how you can sell it.
Poly
Poly partners got a new portal that coincided with the launch of a new partner program that combined the best of the former Polycom and Plantronics channel programs.
The Poly partner portal replaces Polycom Partner Connect and Plantronics Plantro.net. Plantronics bought Polycom in 2018 and changed the company's name to Poly last year. The new portal includes access to Poly University, which helps partners satisfy certification and specialization requirements.
Read more about the big happenings at Poly.
Poly partners got a new portal that coincided with the launch of a new partner program that combined the best of the former Polycom and Plantronics channel programs.
The Poly partner portal replaces Polycom Partner Connect and Plantronics Plantro.net. Plantronics bought Polycom in 2018 and changed the company's name to Poly last year. The new portal includes access to Poly University, which helps partners satisfy certification and specialization requirements.
Read more about the big happenings at Poly.
Slack
Amid a surge in online meetings, do vendors want interoperability or lock-in?
That's a question some are asking after collaboration tool provider Slack released the Microsoft Teams Calls app beta. Critics, for one, are skeptical of the company's motives.
“The integration Slack and Webex Teams have announced with Microsoft Teams is not so much a true integration but rather an attempt to limit the expansion of Microsoft Teams,” said Kevin Kieller, co-founder and lead strategist at EnableUC, a technical consulting firm specializing in Teams and Skype for Business.
Read more about the controversy.
Amid a surge in online meetings, do vendors want interoperability or lock-in?
That's a question some are asking after collaboration tool provider Slack released the Microsoft Teams Calls app beta. Critics, for one, are skeptical of the company's motives.
“The integration Slack and Webex Teams have announced with Microsoft Teams is not so much a true integration but rather an attempt to limit the expansion of Microsoft Teams,” said Kevin Kieller, co-founder and lead strategist at EnableUC, a technical consulting firm specializing in Teams and Skype for Business.
Read more about the controversy.
Asavie
Asavie, which provides on-demand mobility and IoT services, debuted Asavie SD Edge for endpoint management with enterprise SD-WAN.
Asavie says the clientless service helps enterprises extend their private networks and SD-WAN to secure mobile and IoT endpoints. CIOs get uniform visibility and control. And remote workers get the same secure experience they do in the office, the company said.
Learn more about the new technology.
Asavie, which provides on-demand mobility and IoT services, debuted Asavie SD Edge for endpoint management with enterprise SD-WAN.
Asavie says the clientless service helps enterprises extend their private networks and SD-WAN to secure mobile and IoT endpoints. CIOs get uniform visibility and control. And remote workers get the same secure experience they do in the office, the company said.
Learn more about the new technology.
Cisco-Google Cloud
The networking giant and the cloud behemoth teamed to tackle the challenge of SD-WAN and cloud complexity. Their new product is Cisco SD-WAN Cloud Hub with Google Cloud.
It won't be available until next year, but the companies say partners will play a key role distributing and deploying the hub.
Cisco SD-WAN Cloud Hub with Google Cloud aims to "simplify enterprise networking and advance security capabilities," the companies said. It also helps IT teams keep operational costs low and meet application service-level objectives.
Learn more about the new product coming in 2021.
The networking giant and the cloud behemoth teamed to tackle the challenge of SD-WAN and cloud complexity. Their new product is Cisco SD-WAN Cloud Hub with Google Cloud.
It won't be available until next year, but the companies say partners will play a key role distributing and deploying the hub.
Cisco SD-WAN Cloud Hub with Google Cloud aims to "simplify enterprise networking and advance security capabilities," the companies said. It also helps IT teams keep operational costs low and meet application service-level objectives.
Learn more about the new product coming in 2021.
Evolve IP-Pax8
In another partnership, Evolve IP and distributor Pax8 joined forces on an MSP unified communications service. It integrates Microsoft Teams with Cisco's VoiP communications platform. Evolve Teams with Enterprise Voice is coming to Pax8's network of more than 10,000 North American MSPs.
More people working from home is a driver for the new offer. Evolve IP says it gives businesses the enterprise voice features and "five-nines" reliability they need.
Get more info on Evolve Teams with Enterprise Voice and the company's team-up with Pax8.
In another partnership, Evolve IP and distributor Pax8 joined forces on an MSP unified communications service. It integrates Microsoft Teams with Cisco's VoiP communications platform. Evolve Teams with Enterprise Voice is coming to Pax8's network of more than 10,000 North American MSPs.
More people working from home is a driver for the new offer. Evolve IP says it gives businesses the enterprise voice features and "five-nines" reliability they need.
Get more info on Evolve Teams with Enterprise Voice and the company's team-up with Pax8.
LogMeIn
LogMeIn added a contact center option and Microsoft Teams integration to its list of GoTo online meeting and communications services. The move comes as these types of services surge to meet the growing demands of people working from home.
GoToMeeting and GoToConnect users can start online conferences or calls from Microsoft Teams with a module from LogMeIn's new GoTo Marketplace or Microsoft's AppSource.
These new services offer even more.
LogMeIn added a contact center option and Microsoft Teams integration to its list of GoTo online meeting and communications services. The move comes as these types of services surge to meet the growing demands of people working from home.
GoToMeeting and GoToConnect users can start online conferences or calls from Microsoft Teams with a module from LogMeIn's new GoTo Marketplace or Microsoft's AppSource.
These new services offer even more.
Cumulus Networks
The last of our new products and services comes from Cumulus Networks. The company added life cycle management capabilities to its NetQ network operations tool. Cumulus introduced version three of the tool last month.
Cumulus says NetQ 3.0 gives data centers and campuses a set of new features. They include configuration management and software upgrade management. Cumulus NetQ uses telemetry for deep troubleshooting, visibility and automated workflows from a single user interface.
Here is a deeper dive into the upgrades.
The last of our new products and services comes from Cumulus Networks. The company added life cycle management capabilities to its NetQ network operations tool. Cumulus introduced version three of the tool last month.
Cumulus says NetQ 3.0 gives data centers and campuses a set of new features. They include configuration management and software upgrade management. Cumulus NetQ uses telemetry for deep troubleshooting, visibility and automated workflows from a single user interface.
Here is a deeper dive into the upgrades.
