From semiconductors, firmware and software to cloud computing, weathering the technology terrain and staying in the game can be a challenge. However, for cloud communications provider 8x8 (News - Alert), staying competitive is what kept them there. Now, 25 years later, 8x8 has a reason to celebrate as they’ve not only achieved a quarter century of being in telecom, they have a lot to show for it, too.

The company was established in 1987 and focused primarily on semiconductors and embedded firmware and software, going by the name Integrated Information Technology. In the mid-90s, 8x8 became their current brand and moved towards developing VoIP and making headway in the VoIP market hosting solutions, video conferencing and unified communications.

In those 25 years, 8x8 has managed to receive 79 patents and achievements, giving a solid foundation for their business model that exists today.

“Being in the fast-paced competitive Silicon Valley tech environment has fueled our innovation the past 25 years,” said Bryan Martin, 8x8 chairman and CEO. “While so many companies have come and gone, we've managed to leverage our internally developed technologies to create new business opportunities ranging from supplying our proprietary vision processor chip to AT&T (News - Alert) for its next generation Picturephone to licensing our service creation software to Lucent Technologies to launching one of the first VoIP phone services.”

“Having visited 8x8 frequently over the past decades I've been impressed at how the company has evolved into a major cloud-communications pioneer. This is a company that literally had to survive multiple telecom, tech and financial meltdowns and seemed to emerge from each stronger and better positioned for the next wave of growth,” said Rich Tehrani, TMC (News - Alert) CEO. “I salute Bryan Martin and the team at 8x8 for their perseverance and vision in not only surviving but thriving in one of the most turbulent business environments any company could possibly be faced with.”

In 2010, 8x8 acquired server hosting company, Central Host, allowing 8x8 to offer managed hosting services and cloud-based computing solutions to business customers. In 2011, 8x8 also acquired Zerigo, which expanded the hosting portfolio with cloud servers, virtual private servers, geographically aware DNS and full IPvS and later, Contactual (News - Alert), a cloud-based call center interaction management solutions company.

“We saw the dot com boom, survived the dot com bust and have emerged from the Great Recession with our stock up significantly. Now we're bringing SMB's, enterprises and government agencies into the cloud. As the next 25 years get underway, the sky's the limit for 8x8,” concluded Martin.