TMCnet recently asked some of the leading lights in the industry for their thoughts about 2011 and what’s in store for the year ahead.

Here’s what Kevin DeNuccio (News - Alert) , CEO of Metaswitch Networks, had to say.

What was your company’s greatest achievement in 2011?

DeNuccio: In a year that was again dominated by economic unrest and social upheaval, Metaswitch completed its transition from being primarily recognized as a U.S. wireline softswitch vendor to a global provider of fixed and mobile carrier software applications. We introduced innovative network products and cloud solutions that help network operators defend their brand against an onslaught of competing over-the-top service providers while delivering platforms and software enablers which allow them to scale core infrastructures to support new, immersive, rich communications services and content sharing. Metaswitch was simultaneously able to make strategic acquisitions supporting this mission while growing our employee base to sustain these new markets and maintain our aggressive revenue targets and profitability.

What are your company's goals for 2012?

DeNuccio: Metaswitch is helping build the global software system that will connect billions of devices and redefine the way people communicate. With networks transforming to a software-based infrastructure that will satiate the market thirst for applications, we will further enhance our reputation for quality engineering, superior support and innovation by helping our customers succeed with this transition. In 2012 we aim to extend our lead in the areas of VoIP and voice applications, meet the needs of network operators ready for a new era of session border control and further innovate in the world of immersive, multimedia communications.

How would you describe your outlook for business and the economy at large heading into 2012?

DeNuccio: Federal regulation and a new breed of over-the-top competition continue to push our U.S. customer base to finalize the building of all-IP networks that meet the demand for compelling applications and new methods of interconnect. U.S. wireless operators are leading the world, finally, with 4G VoLTE deployments. European and Asian mobile operators are fully committed to RCS or RCSe. Operators worldwide are seeing how the explosive, but non-linear growth of application signaling and its associated media is driving the need for a new breed of session border controller. Metaswitch is well placed to serve all of these markets with a unique product offering, global presence and a proven business model. 

If 2011 was the year of cloud and/or the year of the tablet, 2012 will be the year of...

DeNuccio: more inaccurate predictions and rapid change! But, at a minimum, we hope it’s the year that RCS/RCS-e finally goes commercial, and that subscribers can now genuinely consolidate and centralize their global profiles and contacts around a single user ID, with trusted entities that can support all their communications devices, regardless of location.