Channel Partners 2025 | By Doug Green

Vodafone is a global brand with deep roots in mobile communications, but what does Vodafone US do—and how can channel partners and carriers benefit? At Channel Partners, I sat down with David Joosten, CEO of Vodafone US, and Alain Masson, Vice President of Channel Partnership, to get the full story.

“If you're supporting enterprises with a global footprint, Vodafone is a partner you should know,” Joosten told me.

Vodafone US is not a consumer-facing business, but rather the enterprise arm of Vodafone Group, dedicated to serving US-headquartered multinational companies. These are typically Fortune 500 organizations that require connectivity, voice, IoT, managed services, and network solutions—not just domestically, but in 90+ countries where Vodafone operates or has deep partnerships.

A Global Network with Local Expertise

“We’ve evolved far beyond mobile,” Joosten explained. “Today, we fuel 30–40% of the world’s internet traffic through our global backbone. And for US enterprises looking to scale globally, we bring both reach and regulatory know-how.”

That’s critical, especially in regions where companies need local contracting capabilities, compliance with local tax regulations, and in-country technical support. Vodafone can deliver on all three, thanks to its owned operations in 27 countries and partnerships in 60 more.

Why the Channel Matters

Alain Masson is leading Vodafone’s push into the channel ecosystem in the US, building relationships with top technology services distributors (TSDs) and resellers.

“We’re here to extend Vodafone’s capabilities to a broader audience in the US—especially those supporting globally distributed enterprises,” said Masson. “We’ve already seen success with large channel-led deals and continue to grow rapidly.”

For partners, Vodafone offers a broad portfolio—from voice and data to IoT and managed services—all delivered through a centralized US-based team with global execution capabilities.

A Message for Rural Telcos and Regional Carriers

Joosten also extended an invitation to regional operators, including rural telcos, First Nation carriers, and other service providers.

“We’ve built an entire Partner Markets organization for this. Whether it’s co-branded services, shared network investments, or roaming agreements, we know how to work with other operators,” he said.

With shared services, procurement scale, and AI-powered innovations already in place, Vodafone is looking to collaborate across North America—no matter the size of the partner.

Where to Learn More

Vodafone US may not be a household name domestically, but its global infrastructure, experience in complex markets, and now, a growing channel program, make it a powerful option for enterprises, MSPs, and carriers alike.

Learn more at vodafone.com, or reach out directly to [email protected] or [email protected].

Channel Partners 2025 | By Doug Green

“If your customers are using Microsoft Teams but still relying on a third-party phone system, you’re leaving money on the table.” That was the bold message from Dean Manzoori, CEO of UniVoIP, during our conversation at Channel Partners. Manzoori isn’t just pitching a product—he’s outlining one of the clearest opportunities for the channel in 2025. UniVoIP is expanding its cloud voice solution for Microsoft Teams with support for Operator Connect, Microsoft’s fast-growing platform for direct PSTN integration. For channel partners and MSPs, that means a frictionless path to deliver full Teams voice capability—supported by automation, real-time number provisioning, and a management layer built for scale.

From Hosted PBX to Teams Native

Manzoori brings over 30 years of experience in telecom. As a founding member of the Cloud Communications Alliance and UniVoIP’s former Chief Technology Officer, he has been at the forefront of unified communications since the Hosted PBX era. Now, as CEO, he’s leading UniVoIP’s next evolution.

“We saw the Teams opportunity coming as early as 2017,” said Manzoori. “By 2019, we had fully pivoted to become the best voice provider for Microsoft Teams.”

UniVoIP’s onboarding process is fully automated and designed for businesses of all sizes. One standout feature is intra-ID synchronization, which enables seamless number assignments across both the UniVoIP portal and Microsoft Teams Admin Center—giving users and admins maximum flexibility.

Built for the Channel, with the Channel

What sets UniVoIP apart is its partner-first platform, developed with direct input from the channel. Partners have complete visibility across tenants, with a single sign-on experience for quoting, provisioning, ticketing, and ongoing support.

“We don’t just sell PSTN access,” Manzoori emphasized. “We provide analog support, contact center integration, texting, paging, and more. And we remove the uncertainty from Teams voice deployments.”

With over three years of delivering Teams-native voice and a 100% customer retention rate, UniVoIP’s expansion into Operator Connect marks a milestone in their channel commitment—and a major opportunity for partners looking to grow revenue while delivering lasting value.

Learn more at univoip.com or contact [email protected].

Podcast with Steve Forcum, Chief Evangelist, SIPPIO

At Channel Partners 2025, Doug Green, publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Steve Forcum, Chief Evangelist at SIPPIO, to discuss how the company is helping partners tap into new growth by simplifying and accelerating calling services within Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and soon Cisco Webex.

“We make it fast, easy, and flexible for partners to offer calling, messaging, fax, and more to customers already using the platforms they love,” said Forcum. “We’re not competing with Microsoft or Zoom—we’re the cheese on their hamburger.”

SIPPIO is a 100% channel-only voice enablement platform. Built natively on Microsoft Azure, the company supports both enterprise-scale deployments and small business use cases with equal efficiency. Forcum emphasized that this scale-down capability enables partners to profitably serve customers with as few as one user, while maintaining high margins and a simplified service model.

Turning a Saturated Market into New Opportunity

Forcum challenged the prevailing industry assumption that the UCaaS market has gone cold:

“It’s not that the market is saturated. It’s that the opportunity has shifted. Instead of trying to replace what a customer already uses, help them make it better.”

SIPPIO’s platform lets partners add functionality to Microsoft Teams or Zoom—such as voice, SMS, fax, and contact center integrations—without requiring disruptive infrastructure overhauls. This “additive” model not only shortens the sales cycle, it opens up entirely new revenue channels inside existing customer relationships.

Fast, Automated, Profitable

One of the differentiators SIPPIO brings to partners is a user experience designed for speed and simplicity.

“You can spin up a trial or provision new numbers in minutes. It’s faster than signing up for Netflix,” said Forcum.

The platform features a modern shopping experience, full automation for service activation, and a new suite of calling plans (Connect Basic, Connect, and Connect Pro) designed to increase partner profitability and customer value.

Marketing, MDF & More

In addition to product innovation, SIPPIO offers deep go-to-market support, including:

Pre-built demand generation kits

Verticalized marketing assets

Co-branded content and campaign support

A new MDF program to fund partner-led pipeline creation

“We’re not just a product and margin company,” said Forcum. “We co-invest with partners to grow their business.”

Serving Carriers and Global Providers

SIPPIO’s composable architecture also appeals to service providers and carriers, offering modular automation layers that sit atop existing SBC infrastructure from vendors like AudioCodes, Oracle, and Ribbon. The result: a faster path to scaling Operator Connect or similar programs—without costly rip-and-replace strategies.

To learn more, visit sippio.io

Podcast with Vincent Gianfrancesco, Channel Manager, Snom

"Our job is to walk hand-in-hand with partners. We’ll support you in customer meetings, train your teams, and serve as an extension of your business."

– Vincent Gianfrancesco, Channel Manager, Snom

March 2025 – At Enterprise Connect 2025, Vincent Gianfrancesco, Channel Manager at Snom, sat down with Doug Green, publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss Snom's unwavering commitment to its partners and the innovative solutions driving their success.

A Partner-First Philosophy

Snom, known for its precision-engineered German-designed VoIP hardware, is part of the VTech family of brands. Within this group, Snom serves as the business communications solutions arm—supporting UCaaS providers, hosted voice companies, and service providers across North America and beyond. “We believe that through the channel, we can really start to penetrate not only the global market but specifically here in the Americas,” Gianfrancesco said.

Backing Partners Every Step of the Way

Snom goes beyond delivering reliable hardware—it builds long-term partnerships. The company offers:

U.S.-based channel managers

Onsite and remote sales support

Partner training and enablement

Live support and zero-hassle product replacement

With a three-year advanced replacement warranty and fully stocked U.S. warehouses, Snom ensures partners and their customers experience minimal downtime and maximum satisfaction. “We stock everything within our U.S. warehouses, also with our partner distributors,” Gianfrancesco emphasized.

Purpose-Built Devices for Business

Snom's product line includes IP phones, DECT mobility solutions, conference phones, and headsets—all tailored for reliability and real-world conditions:

D7xx Series – Next Gen: Wideband HD audio, Bluetooth support, and sleek design make these IP phones ideal for SMBs and enterprise offices.

Explore

M500 Pro DECT Series: Built for mobility, this series supports rugged, antimicrobial handsets ideal for hospitals, auto shops, and warehouses.

Explore

C520 Conference Phone: Engineered for group collaboration with high-fidelity audio and wireless expansion mics.

Explore

Supporting Innovation and Industry Trends

From supporting AI-driven solutions like Jeff Pulver’s vCons to exploring new use cases in healthcare and hospitality, Snom continues to adapt its hardware for a rapidly changing UCaaS landscape. “We're trying to be nimble—integrating with disruptive technologies like AI, contact center platforms, and vCons so we can support our partners wherever the market is going,” said Gianfrancesco.

Learn More

Visit snomamericas.com to explore Snom’s full product line, find your regional channel manager, or start a new partnership.

ORLANDO – Enterprise Connect 2025 – As mobile numbers increasingly become the universal gateway for digital interaction, ensuring trust, accuracy, and identity integrity has never been more vital. In a Technology Reseller News podcast recorded live at Enterprise Connect, Lloyd Tjom, Director of Sales for North America at iconectiv, sat down with Doug Green to discuss how the company is helping carriers and enterprises battle fraud and deliver secure, trusted communications.

“iconectiv is a technology company that provides information as a service to the global communications industry,” Tjom explained. “We help providers properly route traffic—voice, messaging, data—while addressing key challenges like Know Your Customer (KYC), Know Your Business (KYB), and fraud prevention.”

As over 3 billion people now rely on their mobile phone numbers as their primary digital identity, mobile becomes both the portal to opportunity—and a prime target for fraud.

“There are billions of phone numbers worldwide, and with that comes billions of opportunities for criminals,” said Tjom. “From spoofed banks and pharmacies to deepfaked executives, bad actors are using AI and voice cloning to launch increasingly sophisticated scams.”

A chilling example cited by Tjom: in January 2024, an employee at a Hong Kong-based firm was tricked into transferring $25 million after participating in a video call with AI-generated replicas of her company’s executives—including the CFO.

Enter Rich Business Messaging (RBM), iconectiv’s answer to restoring trust. Built on the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard, RBM enables frictionless, secure interactions between businesses and consumers directly through a phone’s native messaging app. Unlike SMS, RBM is equipped with built-in verification, brand logos, and drift detection—which helps ensure the message is coming from the legitimate sender and not a fraudster.

“RBM combines a rigorous vetting process with network-level authentication. That means consumers can trust that a message is truly from their bank, airline, or pharmacy—not a criminal,” said Tjom. “When trust is broken, it damages brand equity. Studies show 71% of customers stop buying from companies that break their trust.”

For consumers, the result is greater peace of mind. For businesses, RBM reduces cart abandonment, enhances customer experience (CX), and strengthens loyalty. According to Tjom, 87% of customers actively avoid brands they don’t trust—making RBM not just a security measure, but a competitive advantage.

From fighting AI-enhanced fraud to improving compliance and CX, iconectiv is helping reshape the mobile identity landscape for enterprises and carriers alike.

To learn more, visit iconectiv.com and follow iconectiv on social media.

#EnterpriseConnect2025 #iconectiv #DigitalIdentity #KYC #KYB #RBM #RCS #AI #FraudPrevention #CustomerTrust #CX #TelecomFraud

Enterprise Connect 2025 Podcast with Jason Uslan, CCO, Wildix

ORLANDO - In a special podcast recorded live at Enterprise Connect 2025, Technology Reseller News sat down with Jason Uslan, Chief Commercial Officer at Wildix, to explore how the company is scaling its uniquely channel-only strategy while deepening its focus on partner success across North and South America.

“Wildix has always been about channel-first—and that hasn’t changed,” said Uslan. “Our partners own the customer, own the contract, own the pricing. What we do is back them with everything else: sales support, marketing kits, onboarding tools, and AI-powered vertical solutions tailored to real-world use cases.”

Wildix is known for serving underserved verticals such as retail, hospitality, and mid-market sales organizations. At the center of this strategy are two solutions:

x-hoppers, an AI-enhanced frontline tool that boosts in-store customer service and helps reduce retail shrinkage.

x-bees, a productivity suite for sales teams, offering AI-driven transcription, translation, follow-up automation, and sentiment analysis.

“Our goal is to help partners talk to customers about more than just telephony or UC,” said Uslan. “We want to help them lead vertical, business-specific conversations that drive value and loyalty.”

Amid AI’s dominance at this year’s Enterprise Connect, Wildix is focusing on practical, business-led applications of AI. “We’re hearing a lot about AI-driven CX—voice bots, sales agents, chat tools—and that’s right in our wheelhouse,” Uslan added.

As Wildix expands throughout the Americas, the company remains committed to tailored support. “Every partner is different,” said Uslan. “Some need billing help, others need support with implementations. We offer training, pre-sales engineering, and wraparound support that’s designed to meet partners where they are.”

Wildix recently appointed Mike Piccolotti as Country Manager for the U.S., marking a new phase of regional investment and partner outreach.

To learn more, visit wildix.com or stop by Booth 623 at Enterprise Connect.

In a special Technology Reseller News podcast recorded at Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2025, Crexendo executives Jon Brinton, Chief Operating Officer, and Doug Gaylor, President and Chief Operating Officer, announced that the company has surpassed six million users on its NetSapiens® platform—a milestone achieved primarily through its rapidly growing base of channel partners and licensees.

“This is a significant accomplishment for us,” said Gaylor. “We’ve tripled the number of users in just three and a half years. That growth is organic, partner-led, and backed by a solid financial foundation.”

Crexendo, a NASDAQ-listed company, also recently announced record annual revenue and net income, reporting 14% year-over-year organic growth and six consecutive quarters of GAAP profitability. “No one else in the space can match those metrics,” Gaylor added.

Brinton highlighted that more than 235 licensees now power their UCaaS and CCaaS offerings using the NetSapiens platform, with 17 new licensees added in the past year—10 of which migrated from major competitors including Cisco and Microsoft.

The NetSapiens model, known for its “Seconds, Not Seats” concurrent usage pricing, is credited with helping partners maintain industry-leading margins and deploy with unmatched flexibility—either on-premise or hosted in the cloud via Crexendo’s OCI infrastructure.

Brinton emphasized the ecosystem around the platform. “We now have over 100 developers actively building solutions for our marketplace. Many of those are AI-driven—already available today, not years away,” he said. Crexendo partners are leveraging real-time AI features like voice studio tools, sentiment analysis, call transcription and summarization, and AI-enhanced video and contact center applications.

Gaylor and Brinton also pointed to the strength of the Crexendo community as a key growth driver. “Our partners grow at twice the market rate,” said Brinton. “They share best practices, support each other, and many are on this show floor offering competitive solutions powered by NetSapiens—under their own brand.”

As the company celebrates six million users, Gaylor noted that Crexendo is on pace to reach seven million before year-end.

Read the Press Release.

To learn more, visit www.crexendo.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

#Crexendo #NetSapiens #UCaaS #CCaaS #ChannelPartners2025 #AIinUC #UnifiedCommunications #PartnerFirst #TechnologyResellerNews

As the sun shines over the Las Vegas Strip, the future of POTS replacement is being redefined from a panoramic suite high above the city. In a special Technology Reseller News podcast recorded live at Channel Partners Conference and Expo 2025, Jonathan Alarcon, Senior Director of Technology at TELCLOUD, sat down with publisher Doug Green to discuss the company’s innovative, carrier-grade approach to POTS replacement—and the growing opportunity for channel partners and resellers.

“POTS lines are going away. Regulations are changing. Prices are going up. And legacy systems in buildings—many hidden or forgotten, still depend on them,” said Alarcon. “We’re solving that challenge with a fully modular and white-label-ready solution.”

Alarcon emphasized the scale and complexity of the issue: from elevators to fire panels, healthcare fax lines to security systems, legacy analog infrastructure remains pervasive across commercial real estate. TELCLOUD’s platform has been engineered to support those use cases with true analog line reproduction, including appropriate voltage support and compliance for life safety systems.

What sets TELCLOUD apart is its modular hardware approach. Unlike single-box LTE solutions, which are often limited by installation constraints, TELCLOUD allows partners to separate the router from the endpoint by up to 250 feet using a simple Cat6 connection. This flexibility ensures better signal strength and deployment across diverse environments, especially in telco rooms located deep within buildings.

The company also offers a comprehensive remote management platform, delivering one pane of glass for full visibility and control—integrated with leading router management systems. Resellers and channel partners can handle firmware updates, monitoring, and diagnostics anywhere.

“Coming from the alarm and life safety industry, I knew we needed something better,” said Alarcon. “Our platform is tailored to the realities of fire code compliance and the needs of mission-critical legacy devices.”

TELCLOUD’s channel-first, white-label strategy is designed to accommodate partners at every stage—from MSPs just entering the space to seasoned telco veterans. The company offers full deployment support, installation services, and turnkey go-to-market options.

“Whether you need us to handle everything, or just provide the platform, we’re here to help,” said Alarcon. “We tailor our engagement to your needs.”

As copper networks continue their sunset and regulatory deadlines loom, TELCLOUD invites channel partners to explore the business opportunity now—before demand exceeds deployment capacity.

Learn more at TELCLOUD.com or contact [email protected].

#POTSReplacement #TELCLOUD #ChannelPartners2025 #LifeSafetyTech #WhiteLabelSolution #MSP #TelecomInnovation #UCaaS #AnalogToDigital #TechnologyResellerNews

Spinoco Launches Microbusiness-Focused CX Platform at Cloud Connections

In an industry increasingly focused on the enterprise, a new player is flipping the script.

In a special Technology Reseller News and Cloud Communications Alliance podcast, telecom veterans Michael Tessler and Pavel Chlupáček announced the North American launch of Spinoco, a digital front-office platform built specifically for micro and small businesses. The launch is set to coincide with Cloud Connections 2025, April 14–16 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

“Spinoco is for businesses with one to 20 lines, the ones often left behind in the rush to serve enterprise,” said Tessler. “We’re bringing customer interaction management, task tracking, and AI-powered insights into one intuitive app.”

Spinoco integrates UC, CCaaS, CRM, and ticketing functions into a single mobile-first experience. Every customer touchpoint—email, call, SMS, or social—is automatically captured, categorized, and converted into actionable tasks. The system includes native AI capabilities like transcription, intent tagging, and summarization.

“Our focus is usability,” said Chlupáček. “This is not enterprise tech crammed into a small package. It’s built from the ground up for small businesses that need simplicity and mobility.”

The platform’s design eliminates the need for separate CRMs, third-party integrations, or on-site IT. Spinoco also provides owners with immediate visibility into business performance—offering insights like “top reasons customers contacted us this week” without the need for manual data entry.

The go-to-market strategy will focus on service providers, offered as a white-label SaaS solution. Tessler emphasized the importance of speed and simplicity: “Service providers need a low-touch, high-value offering. Spinoco is ready for fast rollout, without the support overhead.”

At Cloud Connections, the Spinoco team will be exhibiting, offering live demos, and participating in the Innovation Showcase, where attendees can vote on standout new technologies. Tessler is also slated to deliver a keynote on AI trends shaping the industry.

For more information, visit spinoco.com, or meet the team at Cloud Connections 2025.

#Spinoco #CloudConnections2025 #CXInnovation #MicrobusinessTools #MobileFirstCX #UCaaS #MSP #CCaaS #AI #ChannelPartner #CCA #TechnologyResellerNews

Enterprise Connect Podcast | Technology Reseller News

“RCS will bring rich messaging to 100% of the U.S. population — and it’s going to change the face of customer experience.” – Ivan Ostojic, Chief Business Officer, Infobip. Messaging is transforming — fast. At Enterprise Connect 2025, Infobip’s Chief Business Officer Ivan Ostojic joined Doug Green of Technology Reseller News to share key findings from the company’s latest research on global messaging trends and the rapidly accelerating adoption of RCS (Rich Communication Services) in North America.

According to Infobip’s data, RCS adoption increased fivefold in 2024, a leap Ostojic described as “historic” — and one with major implications for how businesses engage with customers. “North America has long lagged behind in rich messaging due to the limited adoption of WhatsApp,” said Ostojic. “But with Apple now supporting RCS and carriers onboard, we expect near-universal reach by the end of the year.”

Three Trends Colliding to Reshape CX

Ostojic highlighted three converging forces:

A Generational Shift in Preferences – Up to 90% of Gen Z prefers messaging over voice calls for business interactions.

Super Apps and Rich Channels – Messaging platforms now include app-like experiences, payment flows, and deep integrations.

Agentic AI – Natural language interfaces and AI agents are enabling hyper-personalized, real-time conversations.

Together, these trends position rich messaging channels as both a front-end interface for AI and a critical layer of the customer experience.

Commerce, Support, and Engagement Reimagined

Whether shopping, troubleshooting, or simply staying informed, Ostojic shared real-world examples of how RCS and rich messaging are redefining user journeys:

A customer can request a product, receive personalized recommendations, complete a purchase, and pay — all within a single chat.

Enterprises can route inquiries intelligently, escalating complex issues to live agents, all within the same channel.

Healthcare and media organizations use messaging for ongoing engagement, from appointment reminders to interactive campaigns.

The Reality Gap: Messaging Maturity Still Low

Despite the tech’s potential, Infobip’s Conversational Maturity Index revealed a slower reality. Only 30% of companies are truly omnichannel, and just 10–15% use advanced conversational AI in customer-facing roles. “The technology is ready,” said Ostojic, “but most businesses are still in early phases of adoption.”

A Call to Action for Enterprises and the Channel

Ostojic advised organizations to be purposeful in deploying AI, starting with use cases that deliver clear ROI. He also emphasized a major opportunity for channel partners: to bring this technology to their customers, simplify integrations, and unlock new value streams.

Read the full RCS adoption report at:

Infobip: Fivefold Adoption of RCS in 2024

Learn more about Infobip’s enterprise messaging platform at www.infobip.com