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January 08, 2008
Hosted and IP-Based SaaS Apps Set to Grow in 2008
By Rich Tehrani, President and Editor-in-Chief
Alianza ( News - Alert) provides a hosted, fully-integrated IP-based platform for delivering Unified Communications Applications via SaaS for Broadband Service Providers. Value-added applications include VoIP  , hosted PBX, IVR, integrated messaging, conferencing, and much more. I had the opportunity to catch up with Michael Alvarez, director of marketing at Alianza, who shared with me his insights into the industry.
RT: What has been your company’s biggest achievement in 2007?
MA: Two things come to mind:
1) The launch of the Alianza PowerPlatform, which enables Broadband Service Providers to launch private-labeled VoIP and Unified Communications ( News - Alert) solutions in less than 30 days, with no capital expenditures.
2) Closing of a new Service Provider client who’s turned his back on a $1Million+ investment on an Asterisk-based voice solution to go with our platform.
RT: What can we expect to see from your company in 2008?
MA: We will have closed and migrated more than 50 Broadband Service Provider contracts and clients, each having between 2,000 and 50,000 voice subscribers. In addition, we are launching the Unified Communications Exchange (UCX), Alianza’s API set and development platform for creating value-added, Web-based services to extend and enhance voice services running on the PowerPlatform.
RT: How do you see the communications market evolving?
MA: Greater expectations by the end-user (consumers) for on-demand and value-added communication services, which will fuel the growth for relevant technology. Hosted and IP-based Software-as-a-Service applications will also become the most sought-after technologies in communications. Further integration of services that joint voice, video, data, and messaging.
RT: How have presence, SIP and video changed your business?
MA: SIP is an industry standard and we are SIP-compliant. It hasn’t changed our business, it is our business. We plan to launch a host of services, including presence and video integration in the near future. In essence, SIP enables a variety of services today and will enable future value-added services to create a robust UC solution.
RT: Are you growing more quickly in the U.S. or abroad?
MA: We are increasing our sales efforts in the U.S. and Canada in 2008 and expect to grow most in these two regions. We also continue to maintain our sales efforts in Latin America.
RT: Do you see the large service providers like Verizon (News - Alert), AT&T and cable companies as allies or enemies?
MA: Allies. They could potentially leverage our technology to provide Unified Communications services to their end users.
RT: Are hosted solutions changing your corporate strategy?
Our core product offering is based on a Web-based, hosted, software-as-a-service model. As such, the customer is not tasked with managing on-premise devices that tend to go obsolete.
RT: What do you think the communications market might look like in five years?
MA: There will be more triple and quadruple play providers (providers of 3 and 4 types of services). There will be consolidation among technology providers and Service Providers.
RT: What will attendees see in your booth at ITEXPO (News - Alert) this month?
MA: Visitors can see a demonstration of the Alianza PowerPlatform and how easily it can be private labeled. We can discuss the Return on Investment (ROI) resulting from partnering to offer voice services with our solution. We can talk about layering value-added services on top of a traditional VoIP offering to increase margins and customer stickiness.
RT: What sorts of companies should come to your exhibit?
MA: Broadband Service Providers looking for a turn-key, private label VoIP/Unified Communications solution for their end users (residential and small and medium businesses).
RT: Why should customers choose your company’s solutions?
MA: In comparison to other providers of VoIP solutions, Alianza has four principal competitive advantages:
- Unique, fully integrated PowerPlatform foundation components (all components needed to offer a Class 5 telecom solution)
- Third-party Application Integration through our UC Exchange.
- Application Programming Interface (API) to enable customization by the Service Provider
- Proven, Three-Year Track Record as a Service Provider.
Unified Communications is core to Alianza’s strategy. We are more efficient and effective than any other provider that develops an IP telephony platform as a secondary line of business. We also believe we are better than most providers who develop IP telephony solutions as a primary business activity. Alianza believes that once a Service Provider accepts this type of strategic position, they can become highly productive in their core business while outsourcing and partnering with Alianza that which is core to Alianza.
RT: Please make one surprising prediction for 2008.
MA: The facts are that VoIP has become a commodity and end-users are constantly evolving and requiring more sophistication in their services. Service Providers that don’t make the transition to Unified Communications will fade away due to slimming margins and lack of customer loyalty or be acquired at a low valuation point.
Internet Protocol (IP) | X | | IP stands for Internet Protocol, a data-networking protocol developed throughout the 1980s. It is the established standard protocol for transmitting and receiving data
in packets over the Internet. I...more |
Voice over IP (VoIP) | X | | A real-time communications system that converts voice into digital packets containing media and signaling data that travel over networks using Internet Protocol....more |
Application Programming Interface (API) | X | | A Remote Procedure Call (APC) also known as an Applications Programming Interface is a software programming function that allow one software program to activate (call function) another software progra...more |
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) | X | | SIP is the real-time communication protocol for VoIP. SIP is a signaling protocol for Internet conferencing, telephony, presence, events notification (emergency calling) and instant messaging.
SIP...more |
(source: http://voipservices.tmcnet.com/feature/articles/17873-hosted-ip-based-saas-apps-set-grow-2008.htm)
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