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Intermedia just unveiled a next-generation platform designed for SMBs and partners that extends its UCaaS lineup.

Intermedia Unite includes a phone system, plus integrated screen sharing, video collaboration, and backup and file sharing. Intermedia’s recent acquisition of AnyMeeting provides a number of the platform’s functions.

The company also is rolling out new partner tools to shorten the sales cycle, including: a new partner quoting system; self-service ordering; and a new web portal that allows real-time system or endpoint changes, including enabling or disabling features systemwide, by group or by individual user.

Intermedia’s Mark Sher

Mark Sher, Intermedia’s vice president of UC product and marketing, tells Channel Partners that Unite was built “from the ground up with our partners in mind, making it even easier for them to sell, provision, install and support communication and collaboration services as part of their portfolio[s].”

“With Intermedia Unite, partners have the opportunity to make healthy margins from a next-generation UCaaS platform through both branded and private-label programs, and ultimately thrive in the rapidly growing UCaaS market,” he said. “And to help partners generate sales and grow their UCaaS business, Intermedia Unite will be available for the same price as Intermedia’s existing cloud PBX product. This allows partners to deliver high-quality, dependable products generating strong new revenue streams.”

Partners set their own margins, control their profitability, and simplify deployment and administration, Sher said.

The Unite platform includes: more than 90 enterprise-grade calling features; collaboration with AnyMeeting; the Unite Mobile App, which makes any mobile device a business communication tool; call management with the Unite Desktop App; workplace collaboration with Intermedia SecuriSync; and improved administrative tools.

“We expect the North American hosted internet protocol (IP) telephony and UCaaS market to experience double digit growth, expanding from $3.75 billion in 2016 to $14.83 billion in 2023,” said Elka Popova, vice president of digital transformation at Frost and Sullivan. “The market is relatively untapped and can support a large number of providers, each with its own diverse background and skill set.”

Intermedia continues to invest in and develop products that partners and their clients want, Sher said.

“We understand the needs of small and medium-size businesses extremely well and are focused on delivering a self-service, intuitive, easy-to-use platform to help them achieve their business goals and gain competitive edge over others,” he said. “And, our recent AnyMeeting acquisition provides the web collaboration, screen sharing and video-collaboration functionality behind this proprietary offering. Beyond the UCaaS market, the launch of Intermedia Unite builds upon our success with a partner-friendly model and our cloud leadership position. We expect Intermedia Unite to significantly accelerate this trajectory.”

“I’ve already had great success with Intermedia’s Cloud PBX services, and I find them more profitable to sell because of how easy Intermedia is to work with,” said Clayton Oswald, president of Northwest Cloud Consulting, an Intermedia partner. “Consider the support cost savings, for example; Intermedia removes time intensive roadblocks like complicated taxation and billing. The Partner Concierge Desk is there to help whenever I need them, and their VoIP Scout network testing tool saves me a huge amount of time making sure that my clients have a successful and reliable experience from the get-go.”