Click-to-dial capability from Internet Explorer or the ability to join a conference call from Outlook are two examples of the kinds of capabilities that enterprise customers could gain by integrating existing platforms with a new unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) offering announced today by Windstream, a Windstream spokeswoman told Telecompetitor today. The offering has undergone a successful beta test and is now available nationwide, Windstream said in an announcement of the new offering.
The new Windstream UCaaS offering includes a “single interface” that “enables a higher level of application integration and customization,” Windstream said in today’s announcement. Asked for more details, the Windstream spokeswoman said in an email that the single interface is “the one between the customer and Windstream’s UCaaS product.” This means Windstream becomes the single interface for all related services, the spokeswoman said.
“Windstream’s UCaaS product is based on feature-rich platforms which support a very large third-party ecosystem of applications – such as Salesforce.com, Sugar CRM, Microsoft Lync and many more,” the spokeswoman wrote. She noted, for example, that “our Avaya UCaaS platform has pre-packaged [application programming interfaces] that integrate with Salesforce.com and Microsoft Lync.”
The spokeswoman added that “Windstream’s Integrated Solutions Group has experienced engineers who can design a customized solution taking into consideration the business’ existing environment and current or future technology needs.” She also noted that Windstream’s National Solutions Center is available 24x7x365 for support and change activity.
Windstream UCaaS Offering
Partnerships with Avaya, Cisco, Mitel and ShoreTel are part of the new UCaaS offering, Windstream said. The offering is hosted in the carrier’s data centers and according to the company, it leverages the Windstream MPLS network with quality of service (QoS) support.
Windstream plans to promote its new UCaaS offering through email campaigns, social media and web media, the company spokeswoman said. The product will be sold by Windstream channel partners and by the company’s own 1,000-person sales force that covers all major markets, she added.
In recent years Windstream has been transforming itself from a local exchange carrier to focus instead on broadband and business — the latter on a nationwide basis. As of late last year, 72% of Windstream’s revenues were from business and consumer broadband services.
