Cbeyond makes communications and IT solutions; ADTRAN makes networking and communication solutions. A match made in heaven? Maybe. ADTRAN has joined up with the Cbeyond PBX Platform Partner Program at the ‘Platinum’ Tier. Honors and mentions aside, here’s what it means for you, dear reader…

Basically, it boils down to this: IP PBX manufacturers like ADTRAN can now play nice (they say “interoperate”) with Cbeyond’s voice and data package — BeyondVoice and SIPconnect respectively. The goal? Provide SMBs with voice and data solutions.

ADTRAN and Cbeyond‘s relationship has been called ‘mutual’: both partners benefit, since both partners will be side by side in marketing, investment, recruitment opportunities, sales, etc…and the list goes on. ADTRAN certified resellers who are also part of Cbeyond’s Channel Partner Program will have find it easier to generate ‘leads and sales revenue'”

But less about that, more about the hardware “interoperability.” ADTRAN’s NetVanta 7000 Series IP PBX Platforms will be integrating with Cbeyond’s BeyondVoice with SIPconnect service and that means you get the PBX equipment with the network-based calling features you’d come to expect from Cbeyond. That includes direct inward dialing, customized call forwarding and Cbeyond’s Personal Call Assistant. What’s more, both the “end-to-end SIP trunking” eliminates the need for on-premise gateway equipment.

According to the press release, ADTRAN is getting a bit of a boost they never had, too; the Cbeyond’s PBX Platform Partner Program actually allows ADTRAN to streamline their channel support, and ADTRAN and Cybyond will be working together on more ‘mutul’ tech support. It’s all about the best customer experience.

Is this a new era of unified communications, or just one hand washing another? It seems at the end of the day, it’s bolstering both companies’ products and may truly be quite ‘mutual.’ It also goes along with what Ted Cole, senior VP channel sales at ADTRAN said to us in December; ADTRAN wants to increase “stickiness” with their users and always make it easier to do business and increase profits.

Worth noting: Cole also said that he believed ADTRAN had everything available to build a “pure” ADTRAN solution. Does this partnership renege on that ideal, or simply supplement it?