CaaS

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CaaS Global Online Community

Communications-as-a-Service… driving innovation and new business models
Welcome to the CaaS Global Online Community, sponsored by IntelePeer and powered by TMCnet. Today’s savvy enterprise decision maker is constantly looking to improve their communications infrastructure. This community is designed to serve as an educational resource for users looking to learn more about Communications-as-a-Service and how to use this model of software deployment to benefit their business.

ReachLive: The Future of Communications

Created by:
Intelepeer and Microsoft

Featuring:
Jamie Adler, Director of Product Management at Intelepeer

Joe Hofstader, Architect at Microsoft

Matthew Cochran, Software Engineer at Intelepeer

What is CaaS?

IntelePeer selected for the Deloitte Silicon Valley Technology Fast 50Communications-as-a-Service (CaaS, typically pronounced ‘cass’) is an outsourcing model for enterprise communications. Such communications can include voice over IP, instant messaging, collaboration and videoconference applications using fixed and mobile devices. The CaaS vendor is responsible for all hardware and software management and offers guaranteed Quality of Service. CaaS allows businesses to selectively deploy communications devices and modes on a pay-as-you-go, as-needed basis.

This approach eliminates the large capital investment and ongoing overhead for a system whose capacity may often exceed or fall short of current demand. CaaS offers flexibility and expandability that small and medium-sized businesses might not otherwise afford, allowing for the addition of devices, modes or coverage on demand. The network capacity and feature set can be changed from day to day if necessary so hat functionality keeps pace with demand and resources are not wasted. There is no risk of the system becoming obsolete and requiring periodic major upgrades or replacement.
- (some information from Gartner Group, 2008)

What is SaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS, typically pronounced 'sass') is a model of software deployment where an application is hosted as a service provided to customers across the Internet. By eliminating the need to install and run the application on the customer's own computer, SaaS alleviates the customer's burden of software maintenance, ongoing operation, and support. Conversely, customers relinquish control over software versions or changing requirements; moreover, costs to use the service become a continuous expense, rather than a single expense at time of purchase. Using SaaS also can conceivably reduce that up-front expense of software purchases, through less costly, on-demand pricing. From the software vendor's standpoint, SaaS has the attraction of providing stronger protection of its intellectual property and establishing an ongoing revenue stream. The SaaS software vendor may host the application on its own web server, or this function may be handled by a third-party application service provider (ASP). This way, end users may reduce their investment on server hardware too.
- (from Wikipedia)

CaaS/SaaS Feature Articles

WaveMaker Software, a San Francisco, California-based provider of open source platform as a Service, or "Open PaaS," reportedly announced the release of its latest WaveMaker 6.0, which is the first Web and cloud development platform with automated multi-tenant support.

Cast Iron Systems, a leading software-as-a-service, or "SaaS," and cloud integration company, announced partnership with Microsoft to offer a solution that accelerates data migration and application integration for the Windows Azure platform.

Aprimo Inc., a global provider of on-demand marketing software solutions, and CoreMatrix, a major player in Software as a Service (SaaS) consulting and cloud computing services, reportedly have entered into an alliance.

Microsoft Exchange hosting solutions provider Intermedia has announced the introduction of Exchange 2010 hosting services with 100 percent data security assurance.

This agreement enables Boingo subscribers' access to 4,000 Tomizone locations immediately – with the remaining 12,000 Tomizone hotspots to be made accessible in the near future.

Mountain View, Calif. based InvisibleCRM has reportedly launched SalesDesktop Version 3 for SalesForce.com users.

Now, as technology option has proven to be viable, practical and secure, more and more companies are finding SaaS delivers the promised benefits and so much more.

AT&T has introduced a cloud-based computing service called "AT&T Synaptic Compute as a Service." AT&T will introduce the service in the fourth quarter of 2009 in the U.S. market. AT&T plans to add the service to select global IDCs to meet customer demand internationally.

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social networking sites, wikis, blogs and folksonomies (the practice of categorizing content through tags). Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use the internet.

What does Web 2.0 have to do with my business?

More and more users (customers) are becoming proficient in Web 2.0 methodologies and terminologies.  Many of today’s customers make a decision on which product or service they will buy based on the degree to which the product or application is up-to-date with these features which the user is accustomed to using. They are becoming standard, and products, applications and businesses that are slow to adopt may risk losing customers and will definitely not attract certain new customers without the Web 2.0 features and applications.

In line with that, businesses and enterprises that offer products and applications with bleeding-edge, new, flashy Web 2.0 apps and features will attract attention immediately, will gain first market share, and those users will spread the word, further penetrating market share as adoption increases rapidly. So a business that not only embraces Web 2.0, but uses it to its advantage by offering advanced apps and features such as voice, stand the best chance of rapidly acquiring and retaining customers and users.

IntelePeer’s CaaS Global Online Community is designed to enable Web 2.0 communications decision makers to stay up-to-date on the latest news that’s important to their business. Bookmark this site to ensure you’re on top of the latest happenings in the CaaS space.

Web 2.0 Feature Articles

The Phoenix Suns, a professional basketball team, reportedly has announced a two-year partnership with Txtstation, a mobile marketing company that specializes in sports and entertainment.

SocialGO, a firm that enables small-and medium-sized businesses, organizations and entrepreneurs to benefit from social media, has announced the launch of the first platform for creating social networking sites designed for the needs of small businesses and organizations.

Frustrated with the closed nature of the iPhone, high-profile developer Joe Hewitt of Facebook reportedly has opted to drop his work on the wildly popular platform. In the wake of that development, Facebook downplayed the comments and noted that the social networking company is still firmly committed to its work related to the iPhone.

Social networks have been touted as a new way for brands to create and sustain conversation about their products and services, especially in the consumer retail arena. But a new study by MomConnection.com provides mixed evidence on that score. According to recent findings from MomConnection.com, 60 percent of users report having used a social network in the past 24 hours, turning to online communities and social networks for advice, support and connection.

Motorola Canada will bring its first Android-powered device, the Motorola Milestone to TELUS customers in early 2010. Motorola Milestone provides a richer mobile web experience, superior messaging and enhanced multi-media features in an innovative design.

As social networking continues its cross-generational proliferation, two dominant Web sites announced a partnership this week allowing users to share information.

Kaltura was named a "Strong Performer" in "The Forrester Wave: US Online Video Platforms, Q4 2009," an independent research report and scored well in areas such as 'customer base' and was ranked among the top three platforms across all major evaluation categories.

JabberMonkey.com is now accepting sign-ups for its Beta Program, which is in the final phase of testing before it gets launched nationally. JabberMonkey is a Social Expression website developed by Calibrus, Inc.

What are enterprises looking for in how they deliver communications services to their customers?

Large corporations, government agencies, and colleges and universities may operate their own networks to drive greater efficiencies through high-quality call origination and termination services. They require a proven migration path from TDM to IP services, offering seamless connectivity, network consolidation and advanced service capabilities, but this is difficult if not impossible to build in house.

Enterprises are typically looking for the following in delivering communications services:
  • Intelligent routing of millions of unique routing paths based on Quality of Service and traffic-type metrics
  • Worldwide connectivity for IP communities
  • Navigation and self-customization of SIP configurations, both locally and globally
  • Bridging, transfer/connect, and load-balancing functionality for IVRs and conferencing applications
  • Direct dialing for inbound telephone numbers
  • Toll-free inbound call services
  • End-to-end VoIP origination and termination
  • Network provider for VoIP/PSTN calls routed to/from the voice and data network
Not able to build all of this infrastructure themselves, they turn to CaaS solutions which provide ready-made packages of customer solutions, making it easy for them to create and resell solutions for users, customers, and in-house.

A CaaS solution that works for enterprises and large organizations must have real-time call rating, online access to billing invoices and rated call detail record data, industry-leading SLAs, 24x7x365 technical support with immediate and direct access to technicians, proactive monitoring to make the unpredictable less so, and flexible solutions tailored to their specific industry business needs.

IntelePeer’s CaaS Global Online Community is designed to enable enterprise communications decision makers to stay up-to-date on the latest news that’s important to their business. Bookmark this site to ensure you’re on top of the latest happenings in the CaaS space.

Enterprise Feature Articles

The fastest way for utilities to embrace this advanced level of customer communications is by outsourcing communications through a service provider who offers hosted voice and rich media services. A number of IP telephony infrastructure providers have emerged to offer Communications as a Service hosted platforms, providing utilities with a wide range of options to connect directly with consumers. The hosted, Communications as a Service model eliminates most of the up-front costs and risks of deploying these new voice capabilities, while the pay-as-you-go delivery model ensures the utility pays only for the services used.

With new competition from over-the-top providers and new financial pressures in light of the challenging economy, many carriers are shifting gears to put more focus on services and applications, while at the same time trying to cut costs and optimize resources wherever possible.

In response to the mounting pressure to reduce operational costs and optimize workforce productivity, IntelePeer Inc. today launched a program for developers to enable their applications with voice and communications features.

In July 2009, IBM made an interesting announcement about entering the Small and Medium Business (SMB) space with a Unified Communications (UC) 'out-of-the-box' solution. At the same time, its main rival Microsoft seems to be making a move in the opposite direction. Although it is not official yet, the US software giant now appears to be betting on Office Communications Server (OCS) with an effort to tailor it to different segments and their respective needs, instead of continuing support and development of the released in early 2007 Response Point that was specifically targeted at SMBs.

For conference attendees who want to learn more about video conferencing, IntelePeer executives will also be available to discuss topics such as communications from the cloud, HD voice and Web 2.0.

Severa Corporation, provider of SaaS-based professional services to small- to medium-sized businesses, has announced that Helsinki, Finland-based advertising agency Punkhelsinki, has selected Severa's PSA system for efficient accounting, more accurate project billing, and project management best practices.

Northern British Columbia-based CityWest Cable and Telephone Corp. said that it is expanding its fiber-optic network and has selected BTI Systems as its primary supplier.

No, not everybody falls in love with SaaS: Gartner has released a study finding that the increasingly mainstream Software as a Service underwhelms many customers: "The apparent acceptance of SaaS as a viable model has not entirely translated into satisfied users of SaaS."

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