West Corporation has acquired Genesys (News - Alert) SA, a leading multimedia conferencing and collaboration service provider for $345 million. The firm will be combined with InterCall, West’s conferencing subsidiary.

 

With the agreement, InterCall (News - Alert) will have access to Genesys’ flagship product, Genesys Meeting Center, which provides an integrated multimedia conferencing solution that is easy to use and available on demand.

 

This powerful application, selected as an INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine 2007 Product of the Year, includes features such as online PowerPoint presentations, chat, multipoint desktop video, whiteboarding, and application, document and file sharing. It supports both PSTN and VoIP conferencing.

 

The Genesys solution complements InterCall’s extensive array of conferencing products. These include automated, operated-assisted and reservationless audio; Web, including collaborative meetings; video; and unified multimedia conferencing including podcasting.

 

Frost and Sullivan selected InterCall as the recipient of its 2007 North American Conferencing Company of the Year Award.

“InterCall is employing a strategy that consists of organized growth through its conferencing solutions of audio, video, event and web conferencing,” says Frost and Sullivan research analyst Doreen Natukunda. “The company has set-up strong strategic alliances through partnerships that will work towards strengthening its leadership position in the US conferencing and telephony services market.”

The timing of the deal could not have been better for West. Prolonged rising fuel prices are beginning to prompt enterprises to reconsider the amount of business travel whether by air or car. Growing environmental awareness and positive publicity benefits from ‘going green’ is also having an impact on these decisions. Conferencing uses minimal energy and emits fewer pollutants compared with intercity and urban public or private transportation.

At the same time there appears to be solid growth in the number and spread of remote workers and global workteam and supplier-client collaboration. They both require versatile and seamless conferencing solutions to enable real-time interactions.

The keys to making conferencing happen for more enterprises are feature-rich high quality tools, a wide range of customizable solutions to meet customers’ specific needs and global availability, backed by topnotch service and support. West’s purchase of Genesys has given it access to a wider market.

"West is committed to expanding InterCall's global presence and today's announcement represents a significant step in achieving this goal,”stated West CEO Thomas B (News - Alert). Barker.

"This transaction will strengthen our leadership position and give our combined client base more collaboration solutions and personal attention in more locations than any other conferencing provider in the world."