Innovative is not the first word that comes to mind when one thinks about big firms. But the VoIP solutions provider 8x8 (News - Alert), one of the largest VoIP service providers in the country, is showing a remarkable talent for innovation.
Most recently, the company was awarded a new patent for the methods for a multilayer provisioning of network contact centers.
This patent relates generally to methods and systems for managing networked contact centers, and more specifically for multilayer provisioning of networked contact centers via one or more distributors with a plurality of contact center tenants, according to the company.
8x8 offers the industry’s only integrated cloud-based contact center and hosted PBX (News - Alert) solution, and the patent looks to make provisioning contact centers easier.
In June, the integration between its contact center and hosted PBX was unveiled. Customers subscribing to the 8x8 Virtual Contact Center can be provisioned using their own standalone telephony from any carrier or they can subscribe to 8x8's hosted VoIP phone service, according to the company. This eliminates the need to bridge together two PSTN legs, and it results in higher call quality, reduced latency and reduced cost due to the fact there is only one PSTN leg per call.
"Virtual call centers can help SMBs avoid the often daunting costs associated with on-premises, hardware-based call centers—such as the space required to host a physical presence, phone lines and PBX hardware—which until recently was the way that most call centers were run," noted 8x8 senior product manager Rob Townsend.
Organizations are increasingly agreeing with the assessment of Townsend. Recently the Environmental Protection Agency chose 8x8 for its Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Safe Drinking Water Hotline.
"Premises-based call centers fail to meet delivery dates and budget requirements about 55 percent of the time," said Heather Donnelly (News - Alert) of the EPA, noting why they went with an 8x8 hosted contact center solution.
Another recent innovation from 8x8 is its patent for interactive management. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office gave the company a patent in June for its methods and systems for managing a networked call center that integrates disparate call center resources.
The company has a long history of supporting and advancing E911, too, the IP version of the U.S. emergency services number.
Also in June, it was awarded a patent for emergency call services using non-traditional endpoint devices.
“While most new 911 services and information are connected to cellular devices, VoIP relies on IP addresses, rather than physical ones, making it difficult to relay location information to the operators,” explained Robbie Pleasant in a TMCnet article earlier this year. “The new 8x8 patent can help work around that, gathering information from the devices and networks rather than a preset database to help emergency services reach you no matter where you are.”
Innovation is a key advantage for businesses today, and 8x8 is showing why it is tops in its industry.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi