TekVizion is helping enterprises move from legacy PBX systems to cloud communications platforms with speed, accuracy, and customer-centric focus. Speaking at the Cloud Connections 2025 event hosted by the Cloud Communications Alliance, TekVizion CEO Chakra Develler and Craig Decker emphasized the company’s role in transforming complex cloud migrations into seamless, automated processes.

“There’s a lot of transformation happening in enterprise communications,” said Develler. “As companies shift to the cloud and embrace AI-enhanced CX, the challenge becomes maintaining quality and consistency across increasingly complex systems. That’s where we come in.”

TekVizion, long known for its vendor-agnostic testing and automation tools, is now focused on accelerating enterprise adoption of next-gen communications by reducing the cost, risk, and time associated with migrating to modern platforms like Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Zoom.

Craig Decker noted that many traditional PBX vendors are faltering or have entered Chapter 11, leaving customers looking for cloud alternatives. “There’s an urgency now,” said Decker. “Customers want to go from engagement to deployment in under 10 minutes. We’re automating migrations to make that possible.”

The two executives described a global trend, particularly in Europe, where service providers are racing to modernize their offerings and upgrade customer communications infrastructure. “We’re hearing from carriers and resellers who are trying to solve for both CX and AI simultaneously, and they don’t want to rip and replace blindly,” said Develler. “Our platform lets them migrate intelligently.”

TekVizion’s automation approach helps enterprises manage both the technology transition and user experience, cutting down project timelines while ensuring performance and compliance. As businesses increasingly demand cloud-native deployments and AI-ready infrastructure, TekVizion positions itself as a trusted guide for every step of that journey.

Learn more at tekvizion.com.

Scoping the Scene: Why Site Surveys Matter in POTS Replacement, TELCLOUD POTS & Shots Podcast, Jacoby explains, that buildings lose electricity, emergency systems like elevators and fire alarms still rely on that dial tone to operate

POTS & Shots Podcast Series

“If you skip the site survey, you might be skipping success,” says Jake Jacoby, TELCLOUD. In the latest episode of POTS and Shots, Doug Green, publisher of Technology Reseller News, reconnects with Jake Jacoby of TELCLOUD to tackle one of the most overlooked—but critical—steps in POTS replacement: the site survey.

“POTS lines traditionally delivered power,” Jacoby explains, noting that when buildings lose electricity, emergency systems like elevators and fire alarms still rely on that dial tone to operate. With modern replacements depending on cellular backhaul and battery backups, understanding a site's power setup and signal availability is essential before installation begins.

Jacoby walks us through the must-check boxes:✔ Where is the DMARC?✔ Is there enough space and a backboard for mounting?✔ Is power always available—and not tied to something as simple as a light switch?✔ Is there cellular signal in that basement telco closet?

These aren’t small details. “This isn’t a home phone. These are life safety lines,” Jacoby stresses. TELCLOUD ensures reliable implementation by offering trained reseller programs and certified third-party installers.

As always, after the tech talk, the POTS and Shots series adds flavor with a tequila—or in this case—mezcal spotlight. Jacoby introduces Cuatrocientos Conejos, a smoky spirit rooted in Aztec mythology. “Every tequila is a mezcal, but not every mezcal is a tequila,” he says, explaining the nuanced difference based on agave type and production method.

Stay tuned: the next episode will dive into future-proofing telecom and ensuring long-term sustainability of POTS line replacements.

Learn more: www.telcloud.com

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - April 2025 - As the cloud communications sector embraces artificial intelligence (AI), BroadSource is stepping forward with a practical message for resellers: You can profit from AI — if you first help your customers solve data privacy challenges.

Speaking with Technology Reseller News at the Cloud Communications Alliance’s Cloud Connections 2025 event, Bill Placke, President of Americas for BroadSource, outlined how the company’s SecureCall platform helps overcome a critical barrier to AI adoption.

“Legal and compliance concerns around collecting personal data are slowing AI deployment,” said Placke. “Our SecureCall solution removes sensitive personal information like credit card or Social Security numbers at the time of collection — enabling safe and compliant AI use.”

BroadSource’s SecureCall product, which earned Cisco’s Top 3 Global Innovation Award, enables secure data input during phone-based customer interactions. Customers input card details or other personal information directly, while the merchant remains on the call without hearing sensitive tones. Data is transmitted securely for processing, bypassing the merchant’s internal systems and eliminating storage liability.

With new PCI DSS 4.0 standards taking effect and global regulations such as GDPR and CCPA evolving, businesses face growing risks for non-compliance. Placke noted that SecureCall removes this burden from the enterprise.

“Companies can rely on BroadSource’s own PCI certification for compliance,” he said. “That means fewer headaches for IT and finance leaders — and real value for the reseller who delivers the solution.”

BroadSource is expanding SecureCall’s capabilities under the SecurePII brand to address broader categories of personal data. The goal is to create a foundation of data minimization, enabling enterprises to leverage AI and LLMs (large language models) without running afoul of data protection laws.

Placke likens the opportunity to the 1840s Gold Rush: “AI is the gold. BroadSource is the pickaxe and blue jeans — the tools every prospector needs to get started.”

For resellers navigating the fast-moving AI landscape, Placke advises aligning with customer priorities.

“Cybersecurity is the top concern for IT leaders,” he said. “Look at breach points like passwords and explore solutions that offer more secure alternatives. When you bring customers practical AI tools with compliance built in, you’re not just selling a service — you’re building trust.”

BroadSource also offers EMU CAPP, a behavioral analytics product that uses AI to monitor user behavior on BroadWorks platforms and detect anomalies, helping prevent toll fraud.

“Resellers should lean in,” Placke concluded. “There’s a real opportunity to lead by helping your customers adopt AI safely.”

For more information, visit broadsource.com or secure-pii.com.

Max Giammario

"We're not just building an assistant—we're creating artificial life that you actually want to talk to." — Max Giammario, CEO, Kindred Labs

In one of the most thought-provoking episodes of Technology Reseller News, publisher Doug Green sat down with Max Giammario, CEO of Kindred Labs, to discuss a new frontier in AI: emotionally intelligent, pop-culture-powered digital companions.

Forget impersonal chatbots or disjointed AI assistants. Kindred Labs is blending beloved characters like Hello Kitty, Teletubbies, and Pudgy Penguins with advanced agentic AI to create immersive, emotionally resonant digital experiences. The goal? A future where your most trusted companion might be a personality you already know and love.

Artificial Life Meets Emotional Intelligence

Giammario’s research centers on artificial life and emotional connection. Kindred is the result of that work, delivering companions that don’t just complete tasks—they live across your devices, follow your routines, and grow with you over time.

"Imagine a character like Hello Kitty or a K-pop idol expressed as your AI assistant," said Giammario. "It’s Clippy reimagined for the AI era, but now it’s someone you love waking you up, organizing your day, tracking your portfolio, and cheering you on during your workout."

That vision isn’t hypothetical. Kindred already has over 100,000 active users, and many of them spend more than six hours a day interacting with their AI companions. These are cross-platform personalities, jumping from mobile to laptop to smartwatch, offering contextually relevant help with a smile, a joke, or a familiar catchphrase.

Trust, Familiarity, and Emotional Loyalty

One of Kindred’s key innovations is in overcoming what Giammario calls the "AI trust gap."

"Most people are hesitant to allow AI that level of access to their life. But when it comes wrapped in a character you know—one you already trust—you drop your guard. That’s the magic."

Kindred isn't just function-first. In fact, its entire model is based on emotional connection. Users don't just use Kindred because it works. They use it because they love the character.

"If we just built a better assistant, we’d be in a race to the bottom," Giammario explained. "But if you love your Bugs Bunny, you’ll stick with it. That loyalty is what lets us deliver more functionality, not the other way around."

A Single Interface Across Everything

The implications for enterprise and commercial applications are vast. Instead of bouncing between disconnected bots, imagine a single consistent AI companion interface across every website and interaction.

"Chatbots are fragmented," said Giammario. "But your Kindred character can follow you across every business, every device, and every platform—always learning, always adapting."

In the workplace, that might look like a familiar avatar giving you a morning briefing, syncing your calendar, prompting reminders, and surfacing insights from your CRM. In retail, it could mean brand mascots that act as informed, AI-powered shopping concierges.

From Fiction to Reality

Giammario admits that this shift can feel surreal—even science fiction. But it’s already happening.

"We're crossing a line from tools into relationships," said Green. "From functionality into feeling."

And it's not just about novelty. The mental health benefits, the engagement rates, and the potential for radically new forms of interaction are all on the table.

Learn More

Visit KindredLabs.ai to meet your next digital companion, explore the white paper, or join the community on Discord. You can also follow Max Giammario on X and Kindred at @kindred_ai.

Kindred is turning the characters you grew up with into the digital friends you take into the future. The question now is: Are you ready to meet your AI best friend?

“We deliver Zero Trust out of the box—it’s built in, not bolted on.” — Suresh Katukam, Chief Product Officer, Nile

While the cybersecurity conversation continues to focus on Zero Trust and Secure Service Edge (SSE), Nile is calling out what many have missed: the campus network. In a world where cloud-based remote work has advanced rapidly, on-premises security—especially across corporate and hybrid environments—has lagged behind.

In a Technology Reseller News podcast recorded just after Enterprise Connect, Suresh Katukam outlined why even the most well-resourced companies struggle to achieve Zero Trust in their campus networks—and how Nile’s “out-of-the-box” approach changes the game.

Campus Zero Trust: The Missing Link

“The same users who are secure at home become vulnerable in the office,” said Katukam. “That’s because campus networks were built on implicit trust—just plugging into an Ethernet port gives you access. That’s broken by design.”

While cloud Zero Trust has made strides, most enterprise campuses still rely on legacy NAC solutions, VLANs, ACLs, and other outdated, complex layers of bolt-on security. Nile flips that model—offering Zero Trust campus security as a native feature of the network itself.

What “Out of the Box” Really Means

Nile’s solution is pre-configured for Zero Trust from day one. Every user and device is authenticated and authorized continuously, not just at login. Micro-segmentation, behavioral analytics, and continuous risk scoring mean that even compromised credentials won’t lead to lateral movement or ransomware spread.

“We call it a segment of one,” said Katukam. “You can’t see other users on the network. You can’t move laterally. Ransomware can’t propagate.”

Administrators have full control through a simplified interface that supports policy toggling, real-time response, and behavioral-based reauthentication—without layering in extra management tools.

Security-Driven Network as a Service

Nile isn’t just a security company—it’s a networking company that rethinks how networks are built and managed. Delivered as a service, Nile offers high-performance, low-latency connectivity with embedded Zero Trust principles.

“Even large enterprises with robust security teams are choosing Nile—because the security is integrated into the network itself,” Katukam explained.

For example, one financial services customer consolidated three segmented networks (IT, OT, and guest) into a single secure fabric using Nile. Another prevented a physical intrusion from turning into a breach, thanks to the system’s strict device authentication and visibility controls.

Universal Zero Trust: Bridging Campus and Cloud

Nile’s model doesn’t stop at the office door. The company advocates for Universal Zero Trust, connecting campus-level protections with cloud-based SSE providers.

“Whether a user is on-site or remote, whether it's an IT or OT device, they should be protected the same way,” said Katukam. “That’s Universal Zero Trust—unifying cloud and campus with seamless security.”

Learn More

To explore how Nile is reimagining networking and delivering built-in Zero Trust, visit NileSecure.com or reach out to Suresh directly at [email protected]

#Nile #ZeroTrust #CampusSecurity #UniversalZeroTrust #OutOfTheBoxSecurity #NetworkSecurity #EnterpriseConnect2025 #SecureNetworking #NaaS #BehavioralAnalytics #Microsegmentation #Cybersecurity

“Change, change, change—that’s what we’re hearing from customers. AI is exciting, but it’s also overwhelming. Sentinel helps cut through the noise.”

— Phil Moen, President & CEO, Unimax

At Enterprise Connect, Unimax unveiled Sentinel, a new cloud-based call analytics application built to bring clarity to even the most complex enterprise communications environments. For large enterprises and IT teams already navigating a maze of platforms like Microsoft Teams, Cisco UCM, direct routing systems, and SBCs, Sentinel offers what Unimax calls “event-level visibility”—a way to track every call leg as a single, unified call experience.

In a live Technology Reseller News podcast, Moen walked us through how Sentinel not only answers the long-standing demand for native call visibility but does it in a way that makes millions of data points actionable, thanks to natural language processing and AI.

“If you want to know how many calls Doug Green made to his wife last week, we can tell you. Just press a button.”

From CDR Chaos to Contextual Clarity

Unimax’s customers—many of them Fortune 500 companies—have been asking for this kind of solution for years. Traditional CDR (call detail record) logs were difficult to read and even harder to stitch together, often requiring teams to manually connect disjointed call legs across systems.

Sentinel changes that. It treats each multi-leg, multi-device, multi-platform interaction as a single event, unifying what previously felt like call “hieroglyphics” into searchable, intelligent data.

“It’s not just about showing you what happened—it’s about telling you what matters,” said Moen. “If a number hits your network 100 times in a row, that’s probably a problem. Sentinel tells you where, when, and what to do about it.”

AI That Surfaces the Signal, Not Just the Noise

Sentinel is AI-enabled, but Moen is quick to differentiate it from the hype. What makes Sentinel stand out is how AI is applied: it simplifies user experience through natural language, flags anomalies and outages, and supports real-time decisions on capacity planning, license usage, and more.

“Our customers generate millions of calls per month. Now, we can finally put that data to work—not just collect it.”

Partner and Coexistence Opportunities

While Sentinel was launched at an enterprise-focused show, it also opens up opportunities for partners and integrators. Moen noted that the platform was designed to coexist with other analytics and monitoring tools, creating richer datasets and deeper insights.

“Some apps collect this data, others collect that. When you stitch them together, that’s where the magic happens.”

Unimax’s deep presence in North America and within the Fortune 500 makes this release especially relevant for channel partners working with complex, hybrid UC environments.

Learn More

To explore Sentinel or Unimax’s broader call management solutions, visit Unimax.com.

#Unimax #Sentinel #CallAnalytics #EnterpriseConnect2025 #UCManagement #AI #CDR #EventDrivenAnalytics #MicrosoftTeams #CiscoUCM #EnterpriseTelecom #ChannelPartners #DigitalTransformation

“We’re going beyond just contact center AI—this is CX-first orchestration across the entire enterprise,” said Elizabeth Tobey, Vice President of Marketing at NICE, as the company recently revealed its latest innovation—CXone Mpower Orchestrator—and walked away with two top honors at Enterprise Connect 2025: Best CX Innovation and Best of Show.

In a live Technology Reseller News podcast, Tobey shared how CXone Mpower Orchestrator marks a new era for enterprise AI—one that is measurable, scalable, and tied to tangible outcomes.

CXone Mpower Orchestrator is built around an AI-powered co-pilot design that allows organizations to analyze, automate, and optimize workflows across the full customer journey. “It’s not just about improving one part of the customer experience,” Tobey noted. “It’s about connecting the front office and back office, and turning insights into immediate, scalable action.”

The result is greater agility and faster time-to-value, with automation tasks that once took days or weeks now completed in minutes. Critically, CXone Mpower Orchestrator also features a continuous feedback loop, even when tasks are escalated to live agents. “Every facet of the organization gets better through this data,” said Tobey. “This is AI moving from hype to highly functional.”

Tobey emphasized NICE’s commitment to a CX-first philosophy, noting that the platform touches every part of the business: from sales and marketing to fulfillment and support. “Customer experience and customer service incorporate the entire business,” she said. “Every interaction matters—and that’s what we’re connecting.”

Beyond the enterprise, the launch presents new opportunities for NICE’s global partner network. “Partners are seeing this as a way to help customers move faster,” Tobey shared. “And they’re excited to be part of it.”

The announcement also coincided with a milestone: the eighth anniversary of Amazon Connect, originally launched at Enterprise Connect in 2017. For NICE—and for Tobey, who was part of that original AWS launch team—it’s a full-circle moment that reflects how far CX technology has come.

Learn More

Explore CXone Mpower Orchestrator and NICE’s full suite of AI-powered CX solutions at NICE.com.

#NICE #CXone #EnterpriseConnect2025 #AI #CustomerExperience #Automation #CXInnovation #ContactCenterAI #WorkflowOrchestration #ChannelPartners #DigitalTransformation

“This is a liberating moment for us—and for the enterprises we serve. We’re combining forces to scale fast and deliver smarter CX solutions.” — Chris Marr, Pronetx

Live from Enterprise Connect, Chris Marr and Yasser El-Haggan of Pronetx joined us for a special Technology Reseller News podcast to share big news: the merger of two AWS customer experience (CX) powerhouses—Pronetx and VT Team—to create a stronger, faster, and more specialized Amazon Connect services firm.

AWS-Certified, Cloud-Focused, and Ready to Scale

Pronetx, an AWS Service Delivery Partner specializing in Amazon Connect, helps customers—including Fortune 25 companies and federal agencies—migrate contact centers to the cloud and unlock the full potential of AWS technologies, including generative AI, chatbots, case management, and advanced analytics.

“Many customers think they’re on the cloud—but they’re not truly leveraging it,” said El-Haggan. “We help them do more with their AWS investment.”

With the merger, Pronetx is not only growing in capacity—it’s expanding its focus. Together, the combined team will accelerate software development, build tools for CX teams, and help enterprises infuse generative AI into both front-end and back-office operations.

A Boutique Partner, Backed by Deep Tech Expertise

Unlike broad SIs, Pronetx operates as a boutique CX firm focused solely on Amazon Connect—a strategy that enables deeper specialization and faster time-to-value.

“We’re not generalists. We’re laser-focused on customer experience, and that’s what makes us an ideal partner—for enterprises and for SIs and GSIs,” said Marr.

As one of AWS’s launch partners for Amazon Q, Pronetx has already begun helping customers use agentic AI and natural language processing to deliver more intelligent, efficient, and personalized support.

CX Trends, Real-Time Data, and GenAI Readiness

One theme echoed throughout the podcast: AI won’t work without great data. Marr emphasized that with the merger, the team now has expanded capability to understand, organize, and apply customer data to maximize GenAI performance.

“It’s impossible to succeed with GenAI without understanding your customer data. This merger gives us the team to do that at scale,” he added.

With CX trends evolving fast—and customer expectations even faster—Pronetx is positioning itself as a partner of choice for cloud-first transformation.

A Platform Built on Experience

The announcement comes on the eighth anniversary of Amazon Connect, launched at Enterprise Connect 2017. El-Haggan, who helped lead that launch while at AWS, noted the full-circle moment.

“Amazon Connect was born right here eight years ago. Now, we’re taking it even further with this merger.”

Learn More

Visit pronetx.com

“We’ve got a new name, but it’s the same mission—serving the channel with even more focus and energy than before.” — MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer, Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)

In January, a major shift quietly reshaped one of the most familiar names in the IT channel. The CompTIA Community officially became the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)—marking the start of a new era for the 42-year-old organization.

In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer of GTIA, sat down with us to explain the rebrand, what it means for members, and why now is a pivotal moment for global IT channel professionals.

A New Name—and New Clarity

The change stems from the sale of the CompTIA name and its training/certification business, which now operates as a separate for-profit entity under CompTIA Inc. What remains is the long-standing nonprofit trade association—now rebranded as GTIA—still dedicated to serving MSPs, solution providers, vendors, and distributors.

“We had to change the name because we sold the brand. But what that allowed us to do was focus entirely on our membership. No distractions—just service to the channel,” said Shoer.

GTIA is backed by a perpetual endowment created from the sale, ensuring stable funding for operations and long-term growth. According to Shoer, this structure enables GTIA to expand its global reach and deepen its core programming.

What Members Can Expect

GTIA members can expect everything they’ve come to rely on—plus more. That includes:

Flagship benefits like industry research, member education, advisory councils, and cybersecurity programs

Expanded charitable giving to help underserved and remote communities access tech careers and services

Greater global engagement, with regional events, localized content, and new programming across GTIA’s six global regions:

North America, UK & Ireland, Benelux, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), ASEAN, and Australia/New Zealand

GTIA has already held record-attendance events since the rebrand and plans to extend its global offerings even further in 2025.

“We’ve hosted global town halls, opened a suggestion box, and invited feedback. We’re listening—and we’re building what the channel needs,” said Shoer.

ChannelCon and Global Events

GTIA’s premier event, ChannelCon, will return July 29–31, 2025, in Nashville, with a fresh format and dual keynotes—one on AI, the other on radical candor and culture. Shoer notes the program will deliver “actionable insights members can use the moment they return to their business.”

Other major events include:

ChannelCon EMEA in London this October

DACH Community Meeting in Munich (May)

UK & Ireland Community Forum + Spotlight Awards (June, black tie!)

ANZ Forum + Spotlight Awards in Sydney (September)

“We’ve created a global calendar of engagement—from in-person events to online meetups. There are opportunities every month to connect and contribute.”

Cybersecurity and Trust

GTIA also continues to lead in cybersecurity with initiatives like:

GTIA ISAO (Information Sharing and Analysis Organization) for real-time threat intelligence

Cybersecurity Trustmark to help MSPs validate and enhance their security readiness

Both programs aim to help members stay ahead of regulations and threats in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Open to All

GTIA isn’t just for paying members. Anyone can sign up as a subscriber to access public resources, join events, and explore what the organization offers. If your company is already a member, you’ll automatically gain access. If not, you’ll still get a front-row seat to everything GTIA is doing.

“You don’t have to commit on day one. Dip your toe in. Come to an event. Check out the content. We’re confident you’ll see the value.”

Learn More

To explore membership, resources, and the full calendar of global events, visit gtia.org. For ChannelCon details,

“If you’re not moving now, someone else will poach your base. The opportunity is huge—but the window is now.” — Robert Galop, Creo Solutions

As AI, CPaaS, and automation shift from buzzwords to business drivers, Creo Solutions is helping MSPs, CSPs, and channel partners get from theory to execution—fast. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, we caught up with Robert Galop and Kevin Nethercott to talk about lessons from a packed Q1 event season and how Creo is helping partners double revenue and reduce churn with powerful new tools like communications automation and vCon-based analytics.

From Buzz to Business: AI Finds Its Place

At events like Mobile World Congress, Enterprise Connect, and Channel Partners, Galop and Nethercott saw a turning point: AI is no longer a billboard phrase. It’s now a baked-in feature set delivering real-world impact.

“This year, AI moved off the signage and into actual use cases,” said Galop. “It’s impacting customer experience, sales, employee workflows—and it’s starting to move the needle on revenue.”

Nethercott added that network APIs are making similar leaps—from future promise to practical tools. Use cases like replacing SMS one-time passwords with secure network authentication are hitting the market now, with major players like Meta moving in.

CPaaS and Automation: The Next Big Shift

What’s next? According to Creo, it's communications automation—helping CSPs and MSPs offer smarter, faster, more connected customer experiences.

“Service providers often think they can’t deliver this,” said Galop. “We come in, co-sell with them, train their teams, and help get it in front of customers.”

Creo also supports deployment of vCon-based analytics, which let service providers tap into millions of voice and digital interactions already flowing across their networks. That data, once invisible, is now actionable—reducing churn, identifying revenue opportunities, and even recovering at-risk accounts.

“One of our customers used vCons to detect churn risk—and saved two major clients within 30 days,” said Galop.

Fast Ramp, Real Results

What sets Creo apart is its speed and end-to-end support. They’re helping partners go from zero to revenue-generating in under 30 days.

✅ Advisory: Go-to-market guidance, C-level alignment, blue sky planning

✅ Training: Sales team enablement, customer discovery sessions

✅ Tech: Development + integration support to activate automation and analytics

✅ Urgency: Involved in $100K+ automation deals and $200K+ analytics rollouts now

“We’ve done this before,” said Nethercott. “We bring the tech, the playbook, and the team to get our partners moving immediately.”

A Simple Entry, a High-Stakes Moment

“It’s easy to get started—but the caution is, this will move fast,” warned Galop. “If you’re not doing this, someone else in your market will.”

Creo is actively looking for partners who are ready to act. For CSPs and MSPs under pressure to differentiate, scale, and win in Q2, this might be the quarter that changes everything.

Learn More

Visit creosolutions.tech

Catch Creo Solutions at the vCon Summit this month in Cape Cod

#CreoSolutions #CPaaS #vCon #AI #Automation #MSPs #CSPs #CommunicationsAutomation #VoiceAnalytics #TechPartners #ServiceProviderGrowth #DigitalTransformation #CustomerExperience