Telecom Reseller

In this episode of Technology Reseller News' special series on Telco Days 2025, Doug Green speaks with Damian Mazurek, Chief Innovation Officer at Software Mind, about why the telecom industry is at a historic crossroads – and what it will take for telcos to move from commodity connectivity to AI-era value creators. Mazurek explains how rapid advances in AI, edge computing, LEO satellites and IoT are converging with generational change, especially Gen Z's preference for asynchronous, AI-enabled interactions. Traditional voice and human-to-human communication are giving way to data-driven, bot-mediated experiences. “The next generation will not even talk with us – their AI assistants will do it for them,” he notes, predicting a future where AI agents negotiate, schedule, buy, sell and resolve issues on behalf of human users. To avoid being trapped as low-margin bandwidth providers, Mazurek argues that telcos must evolve from telco to techco, building both an innovation culture and the cloud-native platforms needed to iterate at high speed. He outlines a three-layer framework for AI in the RAN – AI for the run, AI in the run and AI on the run – where AI improves network operations, monetizes unused capacity for AI workloads, and enables new services built on top of programmable, API-driven networks. Mazurek sees major opportunities in: Turning surplus network capacity and distributed edge infrastructure into an “AI grid” that hosts and accelerates AI workloads. Leveraging telco data and real-time APIs to power new services and revenue streams. Enabling sectors like agriculture, aquaculture and industrial automation with reliable connectivity, low latency and AI-ready infrastructure in previously hard-to-reach locations. Delivering proactive, AI-driven customer experiences that match Gen Z expectations for simplicity, personalization and immediacy. Ultimately, Mazurek believes telcos that embrace cloud-native transformation, programmable networks and AI-driven operations can do far more than survive the coming decade. “They can dominate the market and create new business value,” he says, by building the secure, trusted infrastructure that will underpin AI-to-AI communication at global scale. To learn more about Software Mind's telecom innovation initiatives and access resources from Telco Days, visit https://softwaremind.com/.

“This really levels the playing field for ITADs of all sizes.” — Doug Hughes, VP of Sales Operations, ReturnCenter In this special ASCDI edition of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Doug Hughes of ReturnCenter about how the company's digital platform is helping ITADs modernize their return workflows and better serve enterprise customers. ReturnCenter is a digital platform that connects all stakeholders in IT asset returns, enabling ITADs to accept, track, and manage orders with full chain-of-custody visibility. The platform supports two primary customer paths: ServiceNow Platform® integration — Large enterprises using ServiceNow can install ReturnCenter's two certified apps in just hours. They can schedule pickups, track shipments, retrieve all documentation, and—through the optional Automate app—have asset records updated automatically throughout the disposal workflow, eliminating manual work and reducing compliance risk. Branded ITAD portal (custom URL) — For customers not using ServiceNow, ReturnCenter provides a fully branded, no-development portal that lets ITADs offer an enterprise-grade online experience. End users can place and track orders, view documentation, and manage returns of any scale, while ITADs maintain visibility from a single dashboard. Hughes notes that digital connectivity is becoming a “ticket to entry” for ITADs engaging large organizations. ReturnCenter enables even smaller providers to offer a modern, audit-ready customer experience—while preserving their personalized service. ITADs benefit from centralized visibility, streamlined documentation, improved SLA management, and a platform that supports growth into the enterprise segment. To learn more or request a demo, visit https://go.returncenter.com/podcast.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, interviews Helmut Minor, Managing Director of envenance GmbH and President of envenance SAS, in this special welcome podcast for ASCDI's newest member. Envenance delivers a next-generation, fully digital ITAD platform designed to support multinational enterprises with consistent, compliant asset disposition across borders. A Digital-First, Asset-Free ITAD Model Envenance operates as a software-driven orchestrator, not a recycler or logistics operator. The company centralizes global ITAD operations through: A single digital portal for orders, tracking, documentation, and ESG reporting Standardized processes that work across all EU countries, the UK, Switzerland, and beyond Pre-vetted logistics and recycling partners managed directly by Envenance One contract, one invoice, and unified compliance for all locations “We drain the complexity out of ITAD,” Minor notes. “Customers see one simple process. We handle everything behind the scenes.” Built for Compliance, Visibility, and Scale Envenance ensures strict adherence to EU waste regulations, country-specific documentation requirements, and verified in-country recycling. The platform provides: Near real-time status updates Full chain-of-custody documentation Recycling and ESG reporting needed for audits and EPR filings A People-Powered Network While Envenance is highly digital, Minor emphasizes that experience and relationships with local partners remain central to their success. “You can't replace people. The platform works because the network behind it works.” Global Capabilities Though Europe is the core focus, Envenance has delivered ITAD projects in the U.S. and other regions—especially where secure inventory capture and compliance documentation are required. Learn More Envenance's new website offers service details, videos, and updates: https://www.envenance-global.com/

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Christian Stredicke, President & CEO of Vodia Networks, about how hotel communications are evolving and why guest room telephony still matters in 2026. Stredicke explains that while many hotels question whether they still need a phone in every room, the answer is often yes—especially when there is on-property staff and services to deliver. From in-room dining and housekeeping to bell service and deliveries, a simple, dedicated room phone with clear speed dials (“Front Desk,” “Room Service,” etc.) remains the fastest, most intuitive way for guests to get what they need. “There's zero training necessary,” he notes. “You just push a button and it works.” Vodia supports both legacy analog phones and modern IP/VoIP hospitality devices, allowing properties to extend the life of existing cabling or upgrade to CAT5/6 and new hotel-specific endpoints. Stredicke sees AI playing a growing role, particularly for “call center–style” functions such as internal operator services, simple requests, and multilingual support. AI can, for example, help connect calls between rooms or handle basic inquiries in the guest's native language. However, he stresses that high-touch revenue activities like in-room dining still benefit from human interaction, especially when guests want recommendations or customization. Compliance and safety are also central. A room phone carries an implied promise that guests can reliably reach emergency services (911) and that staff can quickly see which room placed the call to coordinate with first responders and provide immediate on-site assistance. Stredicke argues that modern PBXs—whether on-premises for resiliency or cloud-based for easier maintenance—are critical to delivering this, and that cutting corners on telephony is usually a false economy. With many hotels still running 20–30-year-old systems, he suggests that upcoming renovation cycles are the ideal time to move to a modern, hospitality-aware phone system that can support AI workflows, better guest experience, and tighter operational efficiency. Vodia's website: https://web.vodia.com/

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green interviews David Erickson, CEO of Phound, about the launch of Phound for Business—a platform that goes far beyond traditional UCaaS. Built on the global CarrierX telecom backbone, Phound treats the phone number as a verified digital identity, enabling secure calling, texting, AI integration, and multi-persona management. “The SKU is the phone number,” Erickson explains. “It should be your global identity—voice, messaging, payments, even AI agents all roll up to it.” What Makes Phound Different Identity-verified profiles with blue-check authentication Multi-persona control for work, personal, and AI agents Advanced filtering & private caller groups to block unwanted calls AI-ready architecture, letting businesses give phone numbers and permissions to AI assistants SMB-friendly design for fast setup, secure communication, and simplified management Erickson emphasizes that Phound is built for the new AI era—where human and AI employees coexist and need trusted, secure communication channels. More at https://phound.app/

Nima Hakimi, CEO and Co-Founder of Convoso, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing legitimate outbound sales teams today: how to reach customers when carriers are aggressively filtering calls. Convoso serves revenue teams in insurance, financial services, and home services—organizations that depend on connecting with leads who have actively expressed intent. But even calls to fully permissioned customers are increasingly mislabeled as spam, scam, or telemarketer, damaging contact rates and revenue. A Broken System for Legitimate Businesses Hakimi notes that carriers and analytics providers like Hiya, TNS, and First Orion are trying to stop fraud, but the system is far from perfect. “You can have consent, follow the rules, and still get mislabeled,” he explained. For outbound teams spending heavily on leads and labor, this results in wasted efforts, lost deals, and lower productivity. Convoso's response is Ignite, an AI-powered engine that monitors caller ID reputation, analyzes contact-rate drops, and automatically selects the best-performing number in real time. It deprioritizes numbers falsely flagged by carriers and optimizes outreach across voice and text to preserve compliance and improve connection rates. Solving the “Black Box” Problem Because no carrier provides a clear standard for avoiding flags, Convoso built Ignite to manage the number lifecycle automatically preventing declines that teams only notice after revenue is lost. What's Next Hakimi says 2026 will be defined by deeper AI integration, improved lead-quality prediction, and greater automation of dialer operations. “We're helping teams make better real-time decisions using the data they already have,” he said. Learn more at convoso.com.

Ram Ramanathan, Vice President of Product at Ribbon Communications, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss Acumen, Ribbon's new AI-powered platform designed to accelerate autonomous networking for service providers and enterprises. Ramanathan explains that rapid shifts—5G adoption, cloud-native architectures, heightened security demands, and a retiring telecom workforce—have created urgent pressure for automation. “We focus on practical, pragmatic AI that delivers real ROI—not hype,” he noted. Practical Automation Across the Service Lifecycle Acumen provides end-to-end observability and automation using real-time data and ML. It is vendor-agnostic, spans OSI layers 0–7, and includes a low-code/no-code Builder that allows Ribbon to tailor automation workflows and chatbots to each customer's environment. Real Deployments Already Underway Ribbon is working with several tier-one operators, including a major mobile provider moving from 4G to 5G across a multi-vendor network. Acumen is helping automate fault management, speed root-cause analysis, and proactively inform customer-facing teams. “It's not just fixing issues faster—it's keeping everyone, including the customer, informed,” Ramanathan said. Looking Ahead Ramanathan cautions organizations to avoid AI hype by setting realistic expectations and focusing on high-ROI outcomes first. “Break it into stages and show progress along the way,” he advised. Learn more at ribboncommunications.com.

As the Managed Service Provider (MSP) landscape shifts vastly, service providers must fundamentally differentiate their offerings and value proposition to remain competitive. This imperative means a necessary expansion into robust security services, addressing a growing and critical concern for businesses ranging from Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs) right up to the enterprise level. Companies like Cisco and Microsoft are leading this transformation. They are not only ensuring security is built natively into their core platforms, but are also heavily invested in educating MSPs. This education emphasizes adopting a security-first mindset, adhering to industry best practices, and strategically integrating advanced security measures into their service delivery models. In this podcast, TRN senior editor Moshe Beauford explores this pivotal notion. He lays out his thoughts on how MSPs can successfully adapt to the swiftly evolving security landscape. This adaptation mirrors the historical transformation of traditional resellers into Value Added Resellers (VARs)—a shift that requires MSPs to add continuous, high-value security expertise and services to their portfolio.

The integration of Splunk into the Cisco stack is a potential game-changer for channel partners who fully leverage its capabilities. From a security perspective, Splunk provides a powerful analytics platform that acts as a gold mine for partners. It allows them to move beyond simple product reselling into offering high-value services like deep threat detection, correlation, and rapid response by analyzing security data across the entire Cisco environment. Furthermore, the platform offers significant benefits from an artificial intelligence (AI) standpoint. By applying Splunk’s AI and machine learning capabilities to the massive streams of data generated by Cisco devices, partners can automate formerly manual security and operational processes. This automation drastically improves efficiency, reduces labor costs and speeds up time-to-resolution for issues, allowing partners to deliver more profitable managed and professional services and expand with a viable security proposition. A key operational advantage is the unified visibility the combined platform delivers. Through it, partners can gain comprehensive insight into an entire fleet of devices across all their customers from a single, unified dashboard. This not only shortens the time it takes to get to market with powerful monitoring and security solutions, but also provides the deep operational clarity needed to deliver effective managed services and quickly troubleshoot complex customer environments. The final significant component resides in the ease of doing business: partners can sell Splunk products through existing Cisco Enterprise Agreements (EAs) and purchasing programs, simplifying procurement for customers and making sales transactions much simpler and faster for the partner. Check out the full podcast as expert guest, Moshe Beauford breaks down the key benefits of the Splunk-Cisco play for channel partners.

At the Cisco Partner Summit, Technology Reseller News' Moshe Beauford spoke with Nathaniel Stearns, Splunk and cybersecurity consultant at Keos Technology, to discuss Cisco's integration of Splunk following its landmark acquisition and what it means for partners navigating the next era of AI-driven security. Stearns explained that Keos Technology—Splunk's largest professional services provider in the United States—works closely with resellers, distributors, and channel partners to provide pre- and post-sales support around Splunk implementations. “Cisco has been making very accelerated leaps to integrate all of Splunk’s products into its existing portfolio,” Stearns noted. “It's expanding their security capabilities in a really powerful way, and there's a large amount of education happening across the partner ecosystem.” As Cisco weaves Splunk into its infrastructure and security portfolio, Stearns emphasized the growing role of AI integration. “Artificial intelligence is all the buzz these days, but when it comes to driving business outcomes, AI has to be well integrated into valuable tools,” he said. “Cisco is doing a uniquely good job of connecting these tools—networking, security, observability, collaboration—and adding AI to make each one stronger.” For partners, this evolution represents a major opportunity. Stearns explained that Cisco's combined suite—including ThousandEyes, AppDynamics, and now Splunk—offers unmatched visibility, security, and operational intelligence. “Cisco has done a tremendous job bundling these all together and making it the single marketplace you want to go to for your security solutions,” he said. Looking ahead, Stearns predicts that Splunk's integration into Cisco will double its impact across the enterprise landscape. “Splunk was already a strong platform, but now that it's part of Cisco, there's an opportunity to double its business because it fits so perfectly within Cisco's ecosystem,” he added. “Resellers will have a unique opportunity to package these tools together and deliver holistic security and observability solutions.” Learn more about Keos Technology at https://www.keostechnology.com/.

At the Cisco Partner Summit, Technology Reseller News' Moshe Beauford spoke with Jeff Drury, Director of Engineering at CVE Technologies Group, about how Cisco's expanding AI portfolio is reshaping partner enablement, education, and customer strategy across the channel. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with offices in Oregon and Hawaii, CVE Technologies Group has been a trusted Cisco partner since 2002. The company provides technology solutions, engineering support, and technical services to customers across the Intermountain West and beyond. Discussing the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, Drury described AI as “the new buzzword — it's replaced ‘cloud' as the vaguest but most talked-about trend in technology.” He explained that customers are approaching AI adoption in three ways: by using built-in AI features within existing tools, leveraging large language models (LLMs) to improve workflows, and developing proprietary AI solutions — with the last category being the most complex and skill-intensive. Internally, CVE is also adopting AI to streamline operations. “We're looking at how to ‘dog food' our own AI initiatives, especially around LLM integration, to improve business processes and make us faster and more agile,” Drury noted. Education and enablement remain central to CVE's approach. “Cisco's been very good about providing enhanced and focused training once we show initiative and investment in a space,” said Drury. “Education is the key and the burden of being a successful channel partner — it's constant.” Looking ahead, Drury hopes for greater interoperability across AI-driven tools. “Standalone AI information for one product isn't beneficial if it can't talk to other systems. Interoperability between vendors' AI technologies will be key as the market matures,” he added. Learn more about CVE Technologies Group at https://www.cvetech.com/.

At the Cisco Partner Summit, Technology Reseller News' Moshe Beauford sat down with Cyndi Privett, Principal & Owner of Viewpoint Research, to discuss Cisco's sweeping updates to its partner program, the introduction of Cisco IQ, and how AI is reshaping partner profitability and customer experience. Privett described the new 360 Partner Program 2.0 as a major milestone in Cisco's evolving channel model. “There's now much more clarity around how Cisco intends to measure its partners going forward, and what the real levers of profitability will be,” she said. The redesigned incentive structure rewards partners that expand their portfolios beyond networking into security, collaboration, and managed services, with a strong focus on premium services and recurring revenue. A highlight of the event was the debut of Cisco IQ, a platform designed to give partners deeper insight into customer environments and enhance proactive support. “Cisco IQ is a big step forward—it's about enabling partners to deliver an up-leveled support experience and deepen their customer relationships,” Privett noted. Privett also reflected on Cisco's vision for machine AI, as outlined by Chief Customer Experience Officer Liz Centoni, which could one day allow multi-vendor “war rooms” to be fully automated. “We could soon see virtual war rooms where bots from Cisco, IBM, and others collaborate autonomously to solve outages or security breaches. That's the future Cisco is building toward,” she added. While Privett praised Cisco's forward-looking approach, she cautioned that not all partners will immediately benefit. “Those who can evolve, expand into new architectures, and lead with AI will thrive. Those who can't may find incentive dollars shrinking. But that's how every technology cycle works,” she said. From its unified edge strategy to its “picks and shovels” approach to AI enablement, Cisco's transformation signals a new era for partners ready to align around automation, intelligence, and measurable business outcomes. Learn more about Viewpoint Research at https://www.viewpointresearch.com/.

“Nobody can be an expert in everything — so you surround yourself with the right partners,” says Chris Young, CEO of Smartel. “That's how you deliver real value, reduce costs, and earn long-term trust.” In this latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, is joined by Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD, and special guest Chris Young, CEO of Smartel, for a compelling look at how collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and unified connectivity strategies are transforming the POTS replacement landscape. Young introduces Smartel as a 23-year veteran in mobile solutions and wireless expense management, known for simplifying large, complex wireless ecosystems. Their approach centers on centralized management, data ingestion tools, standardized policies, and a responsive customer service model, all aimed at lowering costs and streamlining operations for enterprises nationwide. Jacoby explains why Smartel is an ideal partner for TELCLOUD's POTS replacement vision. As organizations confront escalating copper costs, service shutdowns, and outdated infrastructure, Smartel's audits often reveal both unused POTS lines and mission-critical lines at risk. By pairing Smartel's visibility with TELCLOUD's life-safety-grade replacement platform, the two companies deliver cost savings, continuity, and a long-term service model built to last decades. The discussion widens to the larger industry transformation. With the copper sunset accelerating and AI reshaping telecom workflows, both executives describe POTS replacement as a gateway opportunity — the immediate need that opens the door to broader conversations about edge connectivity, SD-WAN, IoT, backup strategy, and comprehensive modernization. As Young notes, “POTS is our biggest door-opener right now — everyone needs it, and it leads to deeper relationships almost every time.” Jacoby adds that while POTS is hot today, the service is required for the next 20 years, creating dependable recurring revenue for partners who can guide customers through the transition. Both stress that customers ultimately want simplicity, reliability, and cost control — and partnerships like TELCLOUD + Smartel are built to deliver exactly that. And true to the Shots tradition, the episode closes with a tasting of Don Julio Ceniza, an exceptionally rare Extra Añejo aged in charred oak barrels. Smooth, smoky, and difficult to find, Jacoby describes it as one of his personal favorites — and surprises both Doug and Chris by sending each of them a bottle to enjoy off-camera. The perfect pairing for a discussion about premium craftsmanship and long-term value. The POTS and Shots series continues to blend industry insight with cultural storytelling, helping MSPs and partners navigate the telecom transition while taking a tour of the world's greatest tequilas. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270. Learn more about Smartel at www.smartelinc.com.

In Part 1 of the Telco Days 2025 podcast series—produced in partnership with Telco Days 2025—Doug Green of Technology Reseller News sits down with Dawid Mielnik, General Manager Telco at Software Mind, a global software and technology services provider. With more than 25 years of telecom experience and a 1,600-person engineering organization across Europe and the U.S., Software Mind helps operators modernize everything from voice and signaling to OSS/BSS and cloud-native telco stacks. As Mielnik explains, “We're big enough to scale, but small enough to care—our clients always know exactly who is on the team and who owns the outcomes.” Mielnik highlights Software Mind's software-first mindset and deep telecom expertise as core differentiators. Unlike traditional integrators, Software Mind not only deploys technology but also builds, customizes, and fills functional gaps with tailored software. “Our clients appreciate that we know telecom from the inside—IMS, signaling, roaming, legacy architectures, BSS/OSS. That domain knowledge makes all the difference,” he notes. He also shared real-world examples illustrating how Software Mind accelerates modernization. For a major European telecom group, the company migrated a legacy voice system to a fully containerized Kubernetes environment, reducing deployment cycles from 12 hours to under two hours. Another engagement rebuilt a monolithic CVM platform into microservices on Google Cloud, enabling daily deployments instead of monthly releases. “It wasn't just a technical upgrade—it changed how the entire delivery team worked,” Mielnik says. Looking ahead, Mielnik points to cloud-native architectures and AI as the forces reshaping telecom for the second half of this decade. Operators continue to grapple with large legacy stacks, while AI is rapidly being embedded across operations, assurance, fraud prevention, and customer engagement. “AI is making its way into every layer of the telecom network, and cloud is the foundation for the next wave of transformation,” he explains. The discussion also introduces Telco Days, Software Mind's annual thought-leadership and knowledge-sharing initiative. What began in 2018 as a Kubernetes training program has grown into a global hybrid forum where operators and partners discuss modernization, AI, customer engagement, and data strategy. All sessions from Telco Days 2025 are now available on demand to the entire industry. Learn more at: https://softwaremind.com/

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Robert Galop and Kevin Nethercott, Co-Founders of Creo Solutions, about how service providers can turn years of “dark” conversation data into immediate, recurring revenue. Creo Solutions, founded two and a half years ago, focuses on helping carriers, CSPs and MSPs 2x–3x their revenue by layering AI-driven services on top of the UCaaS, CCaaS and CPaaS platforms they already sell. Their flagship offering, Pulse Conversation Intelligence, combines vCon-based conversation capture with AI analytics to unlock business value from every call. Galop explains that most organizations are still effectively “flying blind” with their customer conversations. Contact centers typically QA only about 2% of calls, leaving 98% unreviewed and unanalyzed. With Pulse, service providers can give their customers full visibility into compliance issues, churn signals, missed opportunities and coaching moments across all calls. As Galop puts it, “Within the first week, we're usually finding immediate ROI — a compliance risk, a security problem or a saveable customer that would have slipped away.” Nethercott emphasizes that the magic is in leveraging what service providers already have: their network, their platforms and their customer base. Using vCon as the standardized container, Pulse ingests existing call recordings and CDRs via API, processes them with Creo's AI stack, and returns focused insights, alerts, summaries and dashboards. There's no heavy integration project for the provider — “We can go to contract today, get integrated tomorrow, and by day three they can have it running in a customer,” notes Nethercott. Everything is delivered white-label, so the service provider owns the customer relationship and the new AI-powered revenue. For end customers, the platform is designed to reduce noise, not create more of it. Instead of a “data dump,” managers get the exceptions and patterns that matter: which agents handle certain call types best, which phrases correlate with successful sales, what recurring complaints are driving churn, and where frontline staff need coaching. Different roles see different slices of value: marketing can mine real customer language and enthusiasm, sales can see what actually moves deals forward, operations can spot systemic issues, and executives finally get a single source of truth about what customers are really saying. Creo sees strong early traction in healthcare, insurance, legal and home services—sectors where people spend their entire day on the phone but leadership can't possibly listen to every call. By turning every conversation into structured, searchable, AI-analyzed data, Pulse Conversation Intelligence gives service providers a high-impact, easy-to-launch AI story for 2026: a new, sticky revenue stream built entirely on top of services they're already delivering. Learn more about Creo Solutions and Pulse Conversation Intelligence at https://www.creosolutions.tech/ and intelligence.cloud.

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green interviews Bret Kinsella, SVP and GM of Fuel iX, TELUS Digital's GenAI platform. Kinsella explains how TELUS Digital has become a global powerhouse—running large-scale contact centers, building mobile and web apps, powering one of the world's largest AI data-labeling operations, and now delivering generative AI to more than 50,000 TELUS employees and customers. Kinsella highlights a major shift: “AI is actually working—78% of companies have already woven conversational AI into their operations.” He notes that voice AI has rapidly matured, thanks to integrated generative platforms that combine speech-to-text, text-to-speech and reasoning in a single stack, producing far more natural and accurate interactions. TELUS uses these capabilities internally to help retail associates respond instantly to fast-changing device and rate-plan information. Challenges remain—especially noisy environments, complex data that's better shown than spoken, and a lack of interoperability between standards. Kinsella points to frameworks like vCon as the path toward portability and consistency. He stresses that deploying voice AI safely requires security, safety and compliance guardrails, supported by TELUS Digital's Fortify platform, which stress-tests AI systems at scale. And while AI automates mundane tasks, its real purpose is to elevate human performance: “These tools help employees do their jobs better. Once people start using them, they don't want them taken away.” As AI adoption accelerates, TELUS Digital's Fuel iX is built to give organizations trusted, scalable GenAI that improves experiences for customers and employees. Learn more at telusdigital.com and fuelix.ai.

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Jason Goecke, CTO and Robert Galop, CPO of Creo Solutions, about why vCons (virtual conversations) represent a “golden grail” revenue opportunity for service providers, MSPs, and telcos. Drawing on decades of telecom and CPaaS experience, the Creo team explains how their company was founded to help providers “2x their revenue” by layering practical AI, automation, and data intelligence on top of existing communications services. Their focus today: turning the billions of conversations crossing telecom networks into actionable business value. The discussion centers on vCons as a standard container for conversation data—not just recordings, but transcripts, metadata, compliance controls, and context. On their own, vCons “don't do anything,” as Galop notes, but once you analyze them at scale with AI, they reveal issues and opportunities that would otherwise stay invisible. In one deployment, a service provider believed they had excellent first-call resolution; Creo's analytics showed that agents were only truly resolving about 24% of calls, with 76% generating follow-ups and extra work. In another case, the very first processed call exposed a serious security gap: an agent forwarding a main number without validating the caller's identity. “Conversations have been dark data,” Goecke explains. “Now you can light up every conversation and drive value from it.” Creo's Pulse Conversation Intelligence platform (part of its broader Intelligence Cloud) is designed to make this revenue opportunity turnkey for providers. Rather than asking carriers or MSPs to build AI infrastructure, Creo takes in CDRs and call recordings (or vCons directly), handles speech-to-text, diarization, vCon creation, and then runs domain-specific analytics. Service providers can immediately offer offerings such as: 100% QA coverage for contact centers (versus the typical 2%), AI note-taking and action items for every voice call (not just Zoom/Teams meetings), and deep baseline insight into what's actually happening across sales, support, and operations. APIs and webhooks then allow these insights and summaries to flow into CRMs, bots, workflow engines, and custom applications, enabling personalized experiences and smarter automation without the customer needing to “speak AI.” A key message for MSPs and channel partners is that they don't need to be AI experts to sell and deploy this. Creo positions itself as a native AI company, using AI throughout its own development and delivery processes so that partners can simply deliver better outcomes: more meetings booked, better QA coverage, reduced manual note-taking, improved compliance, and richer customer journeys. “That really makes it easy for the service providers,” Goecke notes. “We're scratching a lot of very important itches—QA, notes, follow-up—and, oh by the way, it's all AI-forward.” For service providers looking to turn vCons from theory into concrete, recurring revenue in 2026, Creo Solutions invites listeners to learn more at https://www.creosolutions.tech/ and explore the Pulse platform at https://intelligence.cloud/.

Cisco's channel partner ecosystem has undergone a profound transformation following a series of announcements at its 2025 Partner Summit in San Diego. The core focus of said announcements is enabling partners in an era of artificial intelligence (AI) via edge computing and Splunk. This significant shift is driven by new AI and edge offerings (Cisco Unified Edge and Cisco IQ), which promise to provide partners with fast-tracked time to market for next-generation, Cisco-powered solutions. This move is a seismic change to how partners operate, shifting the focus from traditional hardware sales to integrated, outcome-focused solutions with AI at the center of it all. The networking giant further backed the evolution with substantial commitments in marketing spend and major investments in partner education and enablement to build expertise in AI and security. All this is set to be formalized in the upcoming Cisco 360 Partner Program, launching in 2026. We sat down with Technology Reseller News Senior Technology Reporter Moshe Beauford, who offered his expert perspective on the Cisco partner news.

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Rob Bye, President & Founder of Zenture Partners, about why the traditional telecom procurement and management model is breaking down—and how AI-driven lifecycle management can restore clarity and control for large enterprises. Zenture Partners is a strategic consultancy and AI-powered lifecycle management provider focused on giving enterprises full visibility into, and control over, their global telecom ecosystem, from contracts and circuits to invoices and risk. Bye explains that most large enterprises now live in a state of telecom chaos: hundreds of vendors, hundreds of invoices, and little understanding of contract terms, renewal dates, dependencies, or actual business impact. The old world of a single global MPLS provider has given way to an “internet everywhere” model, with 16,000+ ISPs worldwide, SD-WAN, and cloud-first architectures. At the same time, IT priorities have shifted—cloud infrastructure, security, AI-infused SaaS and CX platforms now consume leadership attention and budget, while telecom is largely ignored “as long as nothing is on fire.” When things break, teams react, extinguish the fire, and then move straight back to higher-visibility projects. Traditional telecom brokers and “no value” agents, Bye argues, have often added complexity rather than removed it. Unlike familiar IT resellers and VARs, telecom agents rarely bring a unified, data-driven platform to the enterprise. Zenture's model is different: it acts as an extension of both IT sourcing and network teams, combining consulting plus a global AI-enabled platform. Enterprises still contract directly with service providers, while the carriers fund Zenture through residual commissions. For customers, the Zenture platform is delivered at no cost, with no contract, ingesting data from TEM systems, carrier portals, invoices, and spreadsheets into a single pane of glass and highlighting where attention is truly needed. AI is at the center of this transformation. Zenture uses AI to continuously evaluate inventory, identify high-risk sites (such as shared last-mile paths or POP exposure), benchmark pricing, and generate recommendations on whether to renew, replace, or upgrade services as contracts approach term. Agentic AI is also used to integrate with carrier marketplaces and portals, automating quoting, ordering, status checks, inventory updates, and billing validation across hundreds of providers. Instead of humans manually combing through dense, ever-changing telecom invoices, AI flags changes, ties new charges to past orders, and confirms that disconnects and adds have been billed correctly, allowing IT and sourcing teams to focus on decisions, not data entry. Looking ahead, Bye sees AI-driven procurement reshaping RFIs, RFPs, benchmarking, and contract review. Enterprise “house” agents will query external platforms like Zenture's marketplace, shrink long vendor lists to a short set of best fits, and then assist stakeholders with risk analysis and legal review. But this doesn't eliminate the human partner; it elevates them. As Bye puts it, “AI isn't going to replace anyone—it's like the moving walkway at an airport. It just helps you get where you're going faster.” Zenture's client success managers increasingly act as digital workforce managers, overseeing and training AI agents while still providing strategic guidance on vendor consolidation and cost optimization. Ultimately, Zenture Partners aims to help enterprises move from a reactive, invoice-driven view of telecom to a strategic, outcome-focused model—consolidating vendors, simplifying billing, optimizing costs, and freeing IT teams to concentrate on cloud, security, and customer-facing innovation. To learn more about Zenture Partners and its AI-powered lifecycle management platform, listeners are invited to visit https://www.zenturepartners.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Doug Green interviews Lyle Pratt, Founder & CEO of Vida.io, following the company's announcement of a $4 million Series A funding round—a major milestone marking rapid growth, platform maturity, and expanding traction across MSPs, SaaS vendors, and business software providers. Pratt explains that Vida.io is an AI Agent Operating System for business, designed to help companies deploy, manage, monitor, and scale AI agents that perform real work across voice, SMS, email, and web chat. While many products offer a chatbot or voice agent, Vida.io delivers the full operational backbone required for real-world use: observability, SOC 2/HIPAA compliance, billing-as-a-service, UI components, and detailed interaction scoring. Since the last podcast, Vida.io has grown dramatically, surpassing 100 million AI agent interactions and onboarding a rapidly expanding network of partners. Initially focused on MSPs, the platform is now widely adopted by SaaS companies that embed AI agent capabilities directly into their vertical applications—roofing, moving, and other SMB-focused sectors—bringing instant scale to Vida.io's distribution. A key breakthrough discussed in the interview is Vida.io's ability to deliver low-latency, high-intelligence voice agents that reliably meet real-world customer experience expectations. “If latency is off even slightly, users get frustrated. We had to solve that,” Pratt notes. The result: AI agents that in many cases outperform humans, including one customer reporting 40% more meetings booked compared to human-based calling teams. Vida.io's partner program remains the company's primary growth engine. MSPs are now using AI agents to capture revenue from call flows they previously handed off to outsourced call centers—often redirecting hundreds of thousands of monthly minutes back into their own billing. The platform also supports direct SIP registration, enabling AI agents to function as standard PBX extensions across NetSapiens, Broadsoft, Metaswitch, and other systems widely deployed by MSPs. Pratt emphasizes that the AI revolution is fundamentally redefining UCaaS and business communications: “When the price of intelligence approaches zero, the entire enterprise software ecosystem transforms.” Even if LLM progress froze today, he argues, the impact on communications and business automation would still be historic. As the industry approaches 2026, Pratt sees a major new revenue frontier for MSPs—one that doesn't require deep AI expertise but does require timely action. Vida.io provides the tools to make AI agent deployment fast, repeatable, and profitable. To learn more or join the partner program, visit https://vida.io/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

In this Technology Reseller News, Podcast, Doug Green interviews Don Boxley, CEO and Co-Founder of DH2i, for a deep dive into one of the biggest challenges facing IT teams today: the migration gap between legacy Windows-based SQL Server deployments and the containerized, Linux-driven future that modern applications increasingly require. DH2i, a long-time Microsoft and Red Hat partner, delivers high availability, secure communication, and cross-platform mobility for SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL environments. Their flagship platform, DX Enterprise, enables customers to run the same production-grade SQL instance across Windows, Linux, and Kubernetes — and move between them with seamless failover. As Boxley explains, this eliminates the traditional roadblocks that keep enterprises locked into aging infrastructure. With SQL Server 2025 bringing new support for AI-driven applications, Microsoft tapped DH2i to deliver mission-critical HA capabilities for these next-generation workloads. The company also introduced a hands-on, step-by-step Minikube tutorial, allowing DBAs and MSPs to experiment safely with Kubernetes-based SQL deployments on their own PCs before ever touching production. “Most teams think they're stuck on Windows — they're not. With DX Enterprise, you can move SQL Server to Linux or containers without disruption, and your customers won't even know the difference,” Boxley notes. DH2i's developer edition is available as a free download, complete with 30-day support, giving IT teams a no-risk path to testing, learning, and modernizing their database infrastructure. Learn more at https://dh2i.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

"When you build for life safety, there can't be a single point of failure," says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. "Our networks are designed to stay up—no matter what fails." In the latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Jacoby to discuss what it really means to build fault-tolerant infrastructure—and why resilience and redundancy are the backbone of modern telecom. Jacoby explains that fault tolerance is about creating systems that can experience a failure without disruption. TELCLOUD applies this philosophy at every level of its network architecture, ensuring 99.999% uptime for critical life-safety communications such as fire alarms and elevator systems. TELCLOUD's geographically redundant design eliminates single points of failure: Multiple data centers across the U.S. (East, West, and Central) mirror one another, so if one fails, another immediately takes over. Each data center includes redundant servers, power systems, and load balancers, ensuring continuous operation even during localized outages. On-premise devices feature dual power sources, battery backups, and often generator integration for sustained operation during power loss. Multiple WAN options—fiber, Wi-Fi, and cellular—enable instant failover, with support for multiple carriers on a single device. "Emergencies don't happen when things are perfect," Jacoby notes. "They happen when power is out or connectivity is weak—and that's when TELCLOUD's systems keep working." For resellers and MSPs, TELCLOUD's architecture provides more than reliability—it's a competitive differentiator. By offering enterprise-grade, fault-tolerant solutions for POTS replacement, partners can deliver a service that customers trust to perform when it matters most. "When our resellers partner with TELCLOUD, they know they're getting the best technology—constantly improving, globally redundant, and built to last," Jacoby says. "Customers don't want to hear about servers and routers—they just want service that never fails." And in the Shots segment, Jacoby introduces a truly special find: Casa San Matías “Resol” Extra Añejo Tequila, aged five years in oak barrels in Jalisco, Mexico. The striking bottle—embossed with a golden sun face—reflects the craftsmanship and attention to detail shared by fine tequila and TELCLOUD's engineering philosophy. "Producers put their heart and soul into tequila," Jacoby says. "That same pride goes into the technology we build—crafted to endure and meant to be shared." The POTS and Shots series continues to blend business insight with a touch of culture—helping channel partners and MSPs prepare for the copper sunset while enjoying a global tour of the world's best tequilas. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

“We're building for an agile future — one where messaging channels can finally talk to each other.” — Ariel Reid, VP of Customer Experience, GCH Technologies In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green, Publisher of TR Publications, speaks with Ariel Reid, Vice President of Customer Experience at GCH Technologies, about the company's mission to modernize the wireless messaging and voice ecosystem. Although GCH Technologies is a young company, its team brings over 50 years of combined telecom experience — spanning carriers, aggregators, enterprises, and CPaaS providers. Reid explains that GCH's role as a vendor-neutral platform allows it to help participants across the wireless ecosystem operate more efficiently, transparently, and securely. Reid discussed how messaging infrastructure has evolved into a fragmented patchwork of channels — including SMS, RCS, toll-free messaging, and branded calling — each governed by separate technologies, onboarding rules, and compliance frameworks. “These silos, while well-intentioned, have made it easier for threat actors to exploit gaps between channels,” she noted. GCH's mission is to unify and simplify communication across these environments while preserving flexibility for carriers and enterprises. AI plays a pivotal role in this modernization effort. Reid emphasized that while AI introduces new risks, it also strengthens defense. “For every mousetrap we build, bad actors are building one too — but AI helps us move just as fast, flagging anomalies and onboarding legitimate actors more efficiently,” she explained. A major milestone for GCH arrives January 1, 2026, when the company assumes responsibility for managing the U.S. Short Code Registry in partnership with the CTIA. This transition represents a significant modernization effort for the messaging industry. “We're ensuring continuity while introducing a more modular, data-driven, and future-ready platform,” Reid said. The initiative will centralize information, improve security, and create new opportunities for data-driven collaboration across the ecosystem. For information about the short code registry transition and GCH's modernization initiatives, visit gchtech.com or usshortcodetransition.com. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

“Compliance is not going away. CMMC is here — and it's a high-margin, recurring opportunity for MSPs.” — Steven Hess, Co-Founder, Deep Fathom In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green, Publisher of TR Publications, sits down with Steven Hess, Co-Founder of Deep Fathom, to discuss the U.S. Department of Defense's new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) mandates — and how they create one of the most significant compliance and service opportunities for the MSP and channel community in years. CMMC is the federal government's new cybersecurity enforcement framework for defense contractors and their supply chains. Designed to stop state-sponsored and criminal attacks on the defense ecosystem, the mandate now requires tens of thousands of small and mid-sized contractors to meet strict cybersecurity and documentation standards — or risk losing their contracts. Recognizing that most smaller contractors lack in-house cybersecurity resources, Deep Fathom was built as an AI-driven, turnkey compliance platform that guides companies through the entire CMMC process. “We built Deep Fathom to make compliance accessible — without the hundreds of thousands in consulting fees,” said Hess. The platform automates much of the work and includes an agentic AI assistant that helps users — and their MSPs — navigate complex regulatory steps with ease. Deep Fathom partners directly with MSPs and channel partners, offering three flexible engagement models: Referral — identify and connect clients to Deep Fathom. Value-Add Services — resell and support the platform with hands-on client guidance. Compliance Practice Development — build a full service line around CMMC readiness and ongoing certification. Hess emphasized that no deep cybersecurity background is required: “We've built the expertise into the platform itself. If you understand IT, you can build a compliance practice.” He also noted that CMMC is just the beginning — state, local, and critical infrastructure sectors are expected to follow with similar frameworks, multiplying the opportunity. For MSPs and resellers, Deep Fathom represents a sticky, recurring-revenue model tied to a growing federal mandate. “Compliance is a door opener — and a long-term relationship builder,” said Hess. To learn more about Deep Fathom's partner opportunities, visit deepfathom.ai. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

“Hard to get a customer — but once you have that customer, sell them something else.” — Elie Y. Katz, Founder, President & CEO, National Retail Solutions (NRS) In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green, Publisher of TR Publications, speaks with Elie Y. Katz, CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS), about how NRS is helping small businesses compete with national chains — and why telecom resellers and MSPs are perfectly positioned to benefit from a new wave of retail technology opportunities. NRS, a division of IDT, began as a mission to modernize small, independent convenience stores through affordable, easy-to-use point-of-sale (POS) systems. A decade later, NRS has more than 38,000 units deployed nationwide, helping merchants streamline sales, manage operations, and now — expand digitally through DoorDash and Grubhub integrations. What started as a POS platform has evolved into a full suite of business services — including NRSPay for transparent, no-contract credit card processing, NRS Purple Payroll for affordable payroll solutions, and cash advance programs that help small businesses stay liquid and grow. Katz is now calling on telecom resellers and channel partners to leverage their trusted customer relationships and add new, high-margin offerings. “Every one of your customers needs credit card processing, payroll, or better cash flow. We make it simple, transparent, and profitable — for you and them,” he explained. With NRS, partners can expand beyond telecom into broader small-business enablement — reaching industries from convenience stores and retailers to medical, dental, legal, and service-based businesses. “The hardest part of sales is building trust. Our resellers already have that trust — now it's time to build on it,” Katz added. To learn more about partnership opportunities, visit SellNRS.com or explore NRS solutions at NRSPlus.com. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

“The tide is turning, but it hasn't gone out yet.” — Alex Quilici, CEO, YouMail In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, about how the company is helping both carriers and enterprises identify, block, and eliminate fraudulent robocalls and impersonation attacks. After peaking at nearly 5 billion robocalls per month, U.S. volumes have fallen by more than a billion calls—a positive trend, though the fraudsters behind the remaining calls are earning more money with fewer calls. Quilici explains that YouMail, a Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) member, is helping stop telecom “troublemakers” through a suite of AI-driven solutions that protect consumers, carriers, and enterprises alike. For carriers, YouMail's Watch and Score products flag risky robocallers by monitoring live calling behavior. Carriers upload the phone numbers they issue, and YouMail reports back when any number engages in suspicious or illegal activity—empowering providers to act quickly and shut bad actors off the network. For enterprises, YouMail's Quash solution identifies and suppresses impersonation campaigns in real time. Using analytics and carrier collaboration, Quash helps organizations such as banks and hospitality brands detect where fraudulent calls originate, block offenders, and even prepare evidence packages for law enforcement. Case studies on Regions Bank and Marriott highlight real-world success: a 60 percent reduction in telecom attacks and an $8 million fraud judgment. The results demonstrate how YouMail's technology helps legitimate businesses reclaim trust in their communications. Looking ahead to 2026, YouMail is developing a referral and reseller program to extend its protection ecosystem to more carriers and call-center partners. Learn more at youmail.com.

“Availability is resilience. If you can't see it, you can't secure it.” — Roland Dobbins, Principal Engineer, NETSCOUT ASERT Team In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green, Publisher of TR Publications, speaks with Roland Dobbins, Principal Engineer on NETSCOUT's ASERT (Arbor Security Engineering & Response Team), about the growing risk of outbound DDoS attacks—and why service providers and enterprises must defend against threats moving in every direction. NETSCOUT, a global leader in network visibility and DDoS defense, has been monitoring an alarming surge in outbound and cross-network (east-west) attack traffic driven by new “Turbo Mirai” botnets, particularly the Aisuru variant. These attacks can exceed 20 terabits per second and 6 gigapackets per second, overwhelming even the largest operators. Dobbins explains that while most organizations focus on protecting against incoming DDoS traffic, outbound attack streams can be just as damaging, clogging peering links and taking down critical infrastructure. “We're seeing broadband networks unintentionally launching massive attacks, sometimes over a terabit per second, because of compromised IoT and connected devices,” Dobbins said. “It's not just about defending the target — it's about protecting your own network from being part of the problem.” NETSCOUT's ASERT team, which observes 40,000–50,000 DDoS attacks daily across 60% of the world's IPv4 space, provides continuous research and live mitigation guidance to customers worldwide. Dobbins emphasized that effective DDoS defense requires edge-to-edge visibility, sub-second detection, and suppression of both inbound and outbound traffic. “You can't secure what you can't see,” he added. “Operators need full visibility across their networks, with active mitigation built into daily operations.” Learn more about NETSCOUT's global threat research and DDoS defense solutions at netscout.com. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green sat down with industry analyst Dave Michels to discuss his impressions of Wildix's first-ever analyst event and what it reveals about the future of UCaaS, AI, and the channel. Michels, a respected voice in enterprise communications and author of TalkingPointz, described the event as “a real look inside a company that's not just talking about digital transformation — they're living it.” “Wildix zigs where everyone else zags,” Michels said. “They've built a single-tenant UCaaS architecture for the cloud — something almost nobody else is doing — and it's full of advantages. Customers don't care if it's multi-tenant or single-tenant; they care about flexibility, data residency, and performance. Wildix has figured that out.” Michels noted that Wildix's 100% remote workforce and decentralized culture reflect the flexibility it delivers to customers. “They actually practice what they preach,” he said. “They've built a distributed organization that uses their own tools every day, and that authenticity shows through.” A key differentiator discussed was Wildix's hardware-integrated UCaaS ecosystem, including x-hoppers — an AI-enabled communications platform for retail and frontline workers — and x-bees, designed for knowledge workers and collaboration. “The x-hoppers headset is a perfect example of applied AI — it's connected, voice-activated, and aware of business workflows,” Michels observed. “If a shelf runs out of stock, it can alert staff automatically. It's an intelligent, practical use of AI that drives immediate ROI.” Looking ahead to 2026, Michels said that AI is reshaping every part of the communications stack — and that this shift favors channel partners. “AI is the magic drug right now,” he explained. “But to really leverage AI, companies need expertise — and that's coming back to the channel. We're seeing a major swing toward partners because they know how to implement, customize, and deliver these complex, outcome-driven solutions.” Michels concluded that Wildix's approach — flexible deployment options, integrated AI, and strong partner alignment — mirrors where the entire industry is heading: toward configurable, outcome-focused communications. Learn more about Dave Michels' insights and commentary at talkingpointz.com.

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green spoke with Jon Arnold, Principal of J Arnold & Associates, for a candid analyst perspective on Wildix's strategy and its growing impact on the SMB and channel markets. Arnold noted that while Wildix may be lesser known in North America, its channel-first model, AI-driven innovation, and SMB focus set it apart from larger UCaaS players. “Wildix isn't trying to be everything to everyone — they're laser-focused on SMBs that want modern, ROI-driven communications, not just dial tone,” said Arnold. “They understand how to meet these businesses where they are, whether they're still on legacy PBX systems or rebuilding after the pandemic's patchwork solutions.” He emphasized that Wildix's message is no longer about PBX replacement, but about transforming communications into a strategic asset. “Voice is no longer just about making phone calls — it's data. Once AI enters the picture, conversations become business intelligence, and that's where Wildix is delivering real value,” Arnold explained. Arnold also praised the company's verticalized offerings, including AI-powered retail and healthcare solutions that demonstrate tangible returns for customers and simplify the sales process for MSPs. “They're giving the channel out-of-the-box vertical solutions with integrations already done — that's gold for partners, because it accelerates time to market and reduces disruption,” he said. From workflow automation and open APIs to remote-friendly deployment, Arnold concluded that Wildix exemplifies a vendor that both lives and delivers on the distributed-work model. “They've stayed true to their SMB roots while bringing the power of AI to that market — and that's a story worth paying attention to,” he added. Learn more about Jon Arnold's research and market insights at jarnoldassociates.com.

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Italy, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green sat down with Steve Osler, CEO of Wildix, to discuss how the company is using AI and automation to transform unified communications — and to empower partners with new revenue opportunities. “The main reason to move to Wildix today isn't just to unify communications — it's to automate and improve business processes, especially with AI,” said Osler. “We're helping companies replace human interactions in routine communication and integrate AI to boost sales and efficiency.” Founded in 2005 in Trento, Italy, Wildix began as a PBX innovator before becoming one of the first companies to deliver a WebRTC-based unified communications platform in 2012. Two decades later, the company is now focused on the next evolution: agentic AI and business process automation. Osler explained that AI is not simply a feature but a catalyst for business transformation. From automated scheduling and customer engagement to Salesforce-integrated workflows, Wildix enables customers to achieve measurable ROI while giving partners full ownership of their customer relationships and billing. “We don't publish price lists because every solution delivers a different value,” Osler noted. “A basic PBX may be $10 per user, but the same platform, integrated with AI and CRM automation, can be worth thousands.” Wildix's vertical specialization is also central to its strategy. Products such as x-bees, a sales tool integrated with Salesforce, and x-hoppers, a communications platform for retail frontline workers, demonstrate how narrowing focus creates greater differentiation and customer value. On the topic of Microsoft Teams integration, Osler emphasized that Wildix complements rather than competes with Teams. “We provide the telephone services and smart automation that Teams can't — the goal isn't to deliver dial tone, but to deliver value,” he said. Looking ahead to 2026, Osler stressed that partner enablement is key to Wildix's growth. “We're training partners not just to sell AI, but to understand it — to identify the right use cases, show value, and implement fast.” For Wildix, AI isn't a distant concept; it's a practical, deployable advantage. As Osler concluded with a smile: “The best way to learn more about Wildix? Ask AI.” Learn more about Wildix and its channel-first UCaaS and AI automation strategy at wildix.com.

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Italy, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green spoke with Stewart Donnor, Sales Engineers Manager at Wildix, about how the company's channel-first innovation and AI-powered automation are redefining the unified communications experience for partners and their customers. “Wildix is 100% channel, and our engineering team works side-by-side with partners from discovery through deal close,” Donnor explained. “We design every deployment around the customer's exact workflow — no cookie-cutter solutions.” Donnor described Wildix's flexible, customizable UCaaS and PBX ecosystem that bridges the gap between traditional telephony and modern digital engagement. The platform supports cloud, hybrid, and hardware PBXs, integrates with Microsoft Teams, CRM systems, and digital channels such as WhatsApp and SMS, and now incorporates Wilma AI — an agentic automation tool capable of handling workflows across more than 500 third-party applications. “AI is now our best employee — it never takes time off and it's always ready to work,” Donnor said. “We're using automation not to replace people, but to extend customer access and improve employee experience.” The Wildix product stack — including x-bees for collaboration and x-hoppers for retail and frontline environments — demonstrates this blend of innovation and practicality. By embedding communication into headsets and mobile endpoints, Wildix gives store associates real-time access to AI-driven knowledge and instant customer assistance, improving both staff retention and ROI. For organizations reassessing their communications post-COVID, Wildix provides migration flexibility for both legacy PBX users and those looking to upgrade hastily adopted UCaaS systems. “Many companies made quick decisions during COVID and had to compromise,” Donnor noted. “Now they're ready for a solution that restores capability without giving up control — and that's where Wildix shines.” With weekly software releases, a direct feedback loop between sales engineering and product development, and security built into every instance, Donnor emphasized Wildix's commitment to keeping partners and customers on the cutting edge. “We're agile, European-born, and secure by design. Each build is unique — future-proofing isn't just a promise, it's baked into our DNA.” To learn more about Wildix's AI-driven UCaaS and partner ecosystem, visit wildix.com.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green interviews David Klebanov, VP of Partner Solutions at Alkira, about the company's two major announcements — the launch of MCP Server and NIA Copilot — both designed to bring AI integration and natural language interaction to network automation and infrastructure management. Alkira, known for pioneering Network Infrastructure as a Service (NIaaS), delivers global connectivity and security entirely through cloud software. The company's latest innovations mark a significant step forward in bridging AI applications and network intelligence. The first announcement, MCP Server (Model Context Protocol Server), standardizes communication between AI applications and infrastructure systems. “MCP acts as a highway between AI and the network,” said Klebanov. “It allows AI models to access telemetry and configuration data in a consistent way, enabling smarter automation, faster response, and more intelligent decision-making.” This new capability complements Alkira's existing automation tools, such as REST APIs and Terraform. MCP provides a third option specifically for AI and agentic environments, allowing developers and DevOps teams to choose the right tool for their workflow — whether they're building in traditional, cloud-native, or AI-powered contexts. The second announcement, NIA (Network Infrastructure Assistant) Copilot, applies the same AI-driven intelligence directly to the network engineer's workflow. Integrated into the Alkira portal, NIA allows administrators to interact with their network using natural human language instead of complex code or command-line interfaces. Engineers can simply ask questions, issue commands, or retrieve data in conversational form — “like talking to ChatGPT, but for your network,” Klebanov explained. Both MCP and NIA are designed to work together: MCP connects AI applications to infrastructure externally, while NIA empowers network teams internally. Together, they deliver real-world value by making complex infrastructure management simpler, faster, and more intelligent. Klebanov emphasized that these tools also open new opportunities for the MSP and channel partner community, noting that Alkira is a 100% channel-focused organization. “AI is front and center for enterprises, and our partners now have a way to deliver real, AI-friendly network solutions — not just theory, but technology that provides immediate value.” Learn more about Alkira's AI-powered network solutions at alkira.com.

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Italy, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green sat down with Jason Uslan of Wildix to discuss how the European-born UCaaS and PBX provider is helping small and midsize businesses modernize communications while preserving the trusted channel relationship. “Wildix is 100% channel — we only go to market through our partners,” Uslan explained. “That local partner knows the customer, understands their workflows, and can tailor the solution to fit their needs.” Wildix's unified platform enables SMBs to consolidate fragmented communications — legacy PBX, Microsoft Teams, CRM tools, and email — into a single, flexible system focused on both customer and employee experience. Designed for scalability, the Wildix solution gives partners full control over deployment, billing, and customer ownership while offering end users a seamless, device-agnostic experience across office and remote environments. Uslan emphasized that Wildix fits the SMB market “because it's built for it.” The platform is fully customizable down to the user level, integrates natively with Microsoft Teams and leading CRMs, and supports open APIs for third-party extensions through partners like Red Cactus. “We don't want to disrupt how people work — we want to help them work smarter, faster, and better,” he said. Looking ahead, AI will play a central role in Wildix's evolution. Uslan noted that the company approaches AI “with an ROI mindset — helping SMBs do more without replacing people, by making their teams more efficient.” From improving coaching and analytics through its x-bees employee experience (EX) tools to driving better customer experience (CX), Wildix is positioning partners and customers alike for the next decade of intelligent, integrated communications. To learn more about Wildix solutions and partner opportunities, visit wildix.com.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green spoke with Mark Murphy, CEO of Greenlight Networks, about the company's definitive agreement to acquire FastBridge Fiber, a move that strengthens Greenlight's growing presence in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Greenlight Networks, a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) provider, currently passes over 300,000 homes across New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. With the FastBridge acquisition, the company will add approximately 75,000 homes in Pennsylvania and Buffalo to its expanding footprint. “This acquisition is about building on strengths, not replacing them,” said Murphy. “FastBridge brings tremendous sales and marketing depth that perfectly complements our network expansion and local market strategy.” Murphy emphasized that Greenlight's mission extends beyond delivering high-speed broadband—it's about transforming how communities work, live, and play. “When we enter a community, it's game-changing,” he said. “These are often places that haven't had true broadband competition or gigabit speeds. We focus on partnership and being part of the local fabric, not just another provider.” The acquisition also supports Greenlight's ambitious goal to reach half a million homes by 2026, accelerating its growth through strategic integration and regional expertise. Beyond residential customers, Murphy noted the company's ongoing collaborations with carriers and enterprise partners, including Crown Castle, Zayo, Cogent, and Lumen, to deliver cost-effective connectivity and fiber access across markets. Greenlight's customer-first approach has earned national recognition—Consumer Reports named it the top internet service provider in the U.S. for two consecutive years, reflecting the company's commitment to performance, value, and customer care. “At the end of the day, we're not just delivering broadband—we're delivering opportunity and reliability to communities that need it most,” Murphy said. Learn more about Greenlight Networks at greenlightnetworks.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Amit (Bodhi) Bijlani, Co-Founder and CEO of Voxtell AI, joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to discuss how his company is reshaping the way service providers deploy conversational AI. Fresh off the CodeFest stage, Bijlani announced the launch of Voxtell AI's NetSapiens plugin—a light, embedded version of the company's full-featured voice AI assistant platform that integrates directly into the NetSapiens customer portal. “Our goal was to make AI accessible to every NetSapiens partner,” Bijlani said. “Now they can resell AI assistants to their customers without leaving the portal—they don't need another login or platform.” Voxtell AI's solution enables inbound and outbound AI calling, two-way SMS, knowledge base integration, lead scoring, data extraction, and recording and transcription—all within a fully white-labeled, reseller-ready environment. The company's new plugin uses NetSapiens single sign-on for frictionless access, allowing MSPs and partners to deploy AI assistants in under a day, while end users can train and launch their assistants in just minutes using existing web or Google Business data. Bijlani explained that the product evolved from analyzing Voxtell's own CDR data and identifying missed opportunities in after-hours and weekend calls. That insight led to a year-and-a-half development effort culminating in a scalable, omnichannel AI assistant platform that's both simple to deploy and deeply customizable. “We're giving service providers a fast, sticky way to add AI value to every account,” Bijlani noted, emphasizing that the solution integrates easily with CRMs and third-party apps through its MCP server. Whether connecting to Salesforce, HubSpot, or industry-specific systems like Open Dental, partners can extend automation and customer engagement without heavy development. For NetSapiens partners, this means new revenue, tighter customer relationships, and faster entry into the AI economy—all without leaving the familiar NetSapiens ecosystem. Learn more: voxtell.ai

At the final day of the Crexendo UGM, Thomas McCarthy-Howe, Chief Technology Officer at VCONIC, spoke with Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green about how VCONIC is redefining communications data with the introduction of the vCon — a new IETF-standard file format that turns conversations into actionable, privacy-protected digital assets. “A vCon makes a conversation a first-class citizen,” McCarthy-Howe explained. “It contains everything that conversation means — who said it, who consented to it, and the context around it — so AI can learn from it responsibly.” Unlike traditional recordings, a vCon combines audio, video, participants, consent, and metadata into a single secure container. This enables service providers, enterprises, and MSPs to use conversations for analytics, automation, and AI training while staying compliant with data privacy laws like GDPR and U.S. consumer-protection standards. McCarthy-Howe emphasized that this new format also delivers a major business advantage: it transforms ordinary SIP trunks into “smart trunks.” Because each vCon is a unique, regulated record, it becomes a differentiating asset — one that's difficult for competitors to replicate or for customers to migrate away from. “Once a service provider starts hosting conversations as vCons, they own a unique and irreplaceable data relationship with their customers,” he noted. Adoption is growing quickly. At this year's event, McCarthy-Howe said roughly one-fifth of attendees were already familiar with vCons and eager to learn how to integrate them. Use cases span UCaaS, contact centers, healthcare, finance, and even industrial settings — anywhere valuable insights are locked inside spoken interactions. “We're helping the industry move from dumb pipes to smart trunks,” he said. “vCons let the good guys do the right thing — and prove it.” VCONIC's technology is already deployed in production environments, processing over 30 million calls per month and supporting hundreds of thousands of active conversations. The company is now scaling partnerships with service providers, helping them turn customer conversations into high-value, AI-ready data streams. To learn more about the vCon standard and how VCONIC is enabling compliant AI-driven communications, visit vconic.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Tim Wilbourn, Senior Vice President of Support and Customer Success at Crexendo, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss Crexendo's customer-first culture, the growing role of AI across communications, and the ongoing challenges — and opportunities — presented by 10DLC compliance. Wilbourn oversees Crexendo's customer support, managed services, and professional services teams, as well as its retail platform, giving him a unique vantage point across the company's ecosystem. “I have the pleasure of serving the community from every angle of customer success — hosted support, managed services, and direct platform management,” he said. “The best part is that I experience the same challenges our partners do, which helps us make meaningful improvements.” A central theme at this year's event, Wilbourn noted, was “AI everything.” From receptionist automation to transcription, call routing, and analytics, Crexendo partners are eager to implement AI-driven enhancements. “Everybody wants AI and they want it now,” he said. “But the key question is what do they want it to do, and how quickly can they deploy it?” Wilbourn's goal is to bring those solutions to life within the Crexendo VIP platform by integrating the event's showcased vendor technologies into live, real-world use cases. Turning to 10DLC compliance, Wilbourn described the rollout as “a bit of a fiasco” for the industry — though one that now represents a major opportunity for service providers. “Change is scary, and 10DLC caught a lot of the industry by surprise,” he explained. “We're seeing partners hesitant to sell SMS because of the complexity of registration and fear of noncompliance.” He emphasized that the potential fines for violations — sometimes thousands of dollars per message — can be intimidating, leading some providers to delay adoption. To address this, Crexendo is working closely with EVP partners and messaging providers such as Autom8ly, Textable, and Cinch to simplify compliance through automation and education. “Our goal is to take away the fear,” Wilbourn said. “No one wants to work with tools they don't understand. If we make it cleaner, faster, and more reliable, adoption will follow.” Wilbourn also sees these compliance challenges as a way for MSPs and resellers to deepen customer relationships. “Problems are opportunities,” he said. “If we can make 10DLC and other compliance requirements easier, our partners become heroes to their customers.” Crexendo's strategy remains focused on proactive support and continuous improvement. “We're resolving tickets faster, improving quality, and raising satisfaction scores,” Wilbourn noted. “The quote of the week? ‘Getting better.' And that's what we intend to keep doing — better every day.” To learn more about Crexendo's customer success initiatives and partner ecosystem, visit crexendo.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Doug Gaylor, President & COO of Crexendo, told Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green that AI is the next industry “game changer”—not just for cost savings, but for making money. Gaylor outlined how Crexendo's ecosystem now includes pre-integrated, ready-to-sell AI applications—such as an AI receptionist—that partners can brand, lightly tailor, and deploy quickly. “It's not about how they save money with AI—it's how they make more money with AI,” he said, citing examples like a 15-person HVAC firm in Phoenix using AI to book, reschedule, and triage calls 24/7, driving more completed jobs and higher dispatch efficiency. Gaylor emphasized that these AI services layer onto Crexendo's concurrent-use UCaaS model, enabling partners to widen margins versus per-seat competitors and expand account value. The typical customer paying about $350/month could grow to $500/month with AI-enabled workflows—“a win for the end customer, a win for our partners, and a win for Crexendo,” he noted. He also highlighted hospitality use cases (e.g., guest services requests, spa scheduling, towel deliveries) where instant responses boost satisfaction while human associates focus on higher-value tasks. The UGM itself reflected strong momentum, with record attendance and sponsorship and partners asking for Gaylor's slides to brief their teams. Looking beyond the Crexendo community, Gaylor invited BroadSoft and MetaSwitch operators to consider migrating, pointing to multiple recent conversions and asserting that the move delivers gains in technology, cost structure, and partnership support. Learn more: crexendo.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Mark Vange, Founder and CEO of Autom8ly, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how Autom8ly is redefining the role of AI in business communications — not as a distant automation layer, but as a cooperative partner working alongside people and processes. “AI isn't a box you plug in — it's more like hiring a new employee,” said Vange. “Our philosophy is cooperative AI: AI that works with you, using the tools you already have, to make your people more productive.” At Crexendo UGM, Autom8ly showcased its new 10DLC Onboarding Assistant, an AI-driven system that dramatically simplifies the complicated process of SMS compliance registration. Today, service providers can spend four to six hours helping a customer fill out their 10DLC brand and campaign applications — only to see a large percentage rejected on first submission. Autom8ly's onboarding AI guides end users step-by-step through the forms, using context-aware prompts and compliance logic to ensure accuracy. “We've taken a four-hour ordeal and turned it into a five-minute review,” Vange explained. “We're seeing first-submission success rates move from 8 percent to 95 percent. It's saving time, money, and frustration for everyone.” Beyond compliance automation, Autom8ly is also building advanced voice agents, real-time call assistance tools, and AI-powered QA and transcription systems that help service providers and their customers operate more efficiently. These tools can listen to live customer calls and instantly surface the right information — such as product details or appointment policies — enabling agents to provide accurate, immediate responses without extensive training. The result is a growing suite of AI tools built specifically for MSPs, resellers, and NetSapiens partners, allowing them to bring intelligent automation to verticals such as automotive, hospitality, veterinary care, legal services, and retail. Autom8ly's business model is 100 percent channel-based, designed to empower partners to deliver AI-enabled solutions under their own brands. “Our focus is on helping those who already understand their markets and customers succeed with AI,” Vange said. “We don't sell direct — we help partners integrate AI into their existing business models and deliver real, measurable value.” To learn more about Autom8ly's cooperative AI solutions and partnership opportunities, visit autom8ly.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Wayne Landt, Vice President of Partner Operations and Success at RingLogix, spoke with Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green about how RingLogix is helping MSPs and resellers harness the power of AI-driven voice agents—bringing enterprise-grade innovation to the SMB market. RingLogix, a long-time NetSapiens partner, is best known as a white-label UCaaS provider, allowing MSPs to sell communications services under their own brands while maintaining customer ownership and stronger profit margins. But as Landt explained, the company's latest AI initiatives are expanding those opportunities even further. “We're making it simple for NetSapiens resellers to create and sell their own voice AI agents, directly within the platform they already use,” said Landt. “This gives them enterprise-level tools for SMB customers—tools that deliver real ROI.” RingLogix's new Prompt Builder and integrated workflow capabilities allow MSPs to design and deploy AI voice agents—from simple AI receptionists to complex customer-service and tech-support applications—without needing deep technical expertise. The goal is to help resellers enter the AI market quickly, profitably, and with minimal friction. At the event, Landt noted that interest among partners was high, reflecting a growing demand for AI-enhanced voice services across all business sizes. “MSPs are already hearing from customers who want to understand what AI can do for them,” he said. “Some are ready with defined use cases; others just want guidance. Either way, this is a ‘land-and-expand' opportunity. Start with an AI receptionist—then add more value as you go.” Looking ahead to 2026, Landt expects AI adoption to reshape how service providers build value. “There's a tremendous amount of opportunity,” he said. “The MSPs that embrace AI early will be the ones leading the next wave of growth.” To explore RingLogix's voice AI solutions—or try the new Prompt Builder—visit ringlogix.com or go directly to promptbuilder.ringlogix.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Manny Christophidis (Carrier Sales Manager) and Rohan Milne (CEO) of Switch Connect joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to explore how customer communications are shifting from “phone-number centric” to outcome-driven collaboration. The team described a market where many businesses now operate across Teams, chat, apps, and social channels—sometimes needing a phone number only for regulatory or edge cases—pushing providers to evolve beyond DID/minutes into higher-value digital transformation. Switch Connect recounted its own pivot: after a legacy UCaaS platform exited Australia, the company rapidly migrated to the NetSapiens stack and now helps carriers move from TDM to IP and launch modern offers across Asia and beyond. COVID accelerated the mindset shift from voice to collaboration and hybrid work; meetings, screen share, and asynchronous channels increasingly ride OTT rather than PSTN. “We've moved from the age of voice to the age of collaboration—success now starts with the workflow, not the dial tone,” said Christophidis. That evolution opens both risk and opportunity for partners. The duo emphasized consultative selling, measuring success the way customers do, and weaving AI, cloud services, and integrations into business processes—rather than leading with a single product. “We're not just a technology company—we're a digital-transformation partner, using AI and cloud to help clients do more with what they already have,” noted Milne. They also highlighted practical realities: shifting budget authority (often toward marketing), managing shadow IT, and even running internal hackathons to turn IT from a cost center into a profit center. For providers wondering where to begin, Switch Connect's advice is straightforward: deepen discovery around the customer's revenue model, align collaboration and AI to those outcomes, and accept that UCaaS is now a component—not the whole story. Learn more at https://www.switchconnect.com.au/.

At the Crexendo UGM, Daniel Petrie, President and CEO of SIPez, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how his company is helping service providers, MSPs, and developers unlock the power of vCon technology—turning everyday communications into actionable, AI-driven insight. Founded over 20 years ago, SIPez began as a consultancy specializing in SIP and VoIP software. Today, the company develops open-source frameworks that integrate with NetSapiens and other call center platforms, providing powerful data analysis and automation capabilities. “We give our partners tools to analyze customer conversations and build AI-based workflows—without having to write code,” said Petrie. “Our technology handles the heavy computation in the background while they deliver the insights to their customers.” SIPez's suite includes an open-source vCon stack and a vCon analysis engine that allow organizations to construct, store, and interpret conversational data across text, voice, or video channels. Petrie explained that vCon (Virtual Conversation) serves as a standardized container for communication data, preserving every relevant element of a customer interaction—from transcripts and audio to metadata and analytics. The key advantage, Petrie noted, is context. “The vCon gives you the ability to maintain continuity across an entire customer journey—so when a caller is transferred, the next agent knows what's already been said,” he explained. “It prevents customers from having to repeat themselves, and that's a huge improvement in both efficiency and experience.” SIPez recently joined the Crexendo EVP Program, further integrating its vCon technology into the NetSapiens ecosystem. The goal is to make conversational data analysis accessible to channel partners, helping them capture new value without complexity. “We help NetSapiens and Crexendo customers extract data, trigger events, and analyze conversations while they're still happening,” Petrie said. “It's about giving partners early insight and control over their customer interactions.” Beyond enhancing data analytics, vCon technology simplifies what was once a messy process of call detail records and partial transcripts. By consolidating information from multiple communication modes into one structured format, it enables faster insights, cleaner integrations, and more powerful automation opportunities. For Petrie, the excitement around vCon is just beginning. “It's amazing how many people here already understand the value of what we're building,” he said. “The fact that engineers and MSPs are reading the spec and engaging with it tells us this is going to reshape how call data is managed and analyzed.” To learn more about SIPez and its open-source vCon solutions, visit sipez.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Ben Choder, CEO of CallRevu, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a conversation that linked automotive innovation, AI-driven analytics, and the emerging vCon framework for conversational intelligence. CallRevu is redefining how automotive dealerships communicate. “We record, transcribe, and analyze every sales and service call — inbound and outbound — to help dealers see their blind spots and close more deals,” said Choder. With over 6,000 dealership customers, CallRevu's AI platform processes more than a billion calls each year, instantly summarizing conversations and flagging opportunities for upselling, improved service, and stronger customer relationships. The result, according to Choder, is that “a dealer using our technology will sell five to ten percent more cars and book five to ten percent more service appointments.” The company's growth accelerated after its 2024 acquisition of TotalCX, a NetSapiens-based phone system already in 1,500 dealerships. That acquisition gave CallRevu the ability to deliver end-to-end call intelligence across every department — from sales and finance to service and parts — creating a full “digital twin” of the dealership's voice environment. For Choder, this transformation reflects how the automotive sector has evolved from an analog world of handshake deals to a data-driven, MBA-led enterprise. “These aren't mom-and-pop car lots anymore. They're billion-dollar organizations living on data, and voice remains their most valuable channel,” he explained. “Every phone call is seven to ten times more valuable than any text or email.” That's why CallRevu's connection to vCon — the emerging standard for virtual conversation data — is so natural. The company's architecture already mirrors vCon principles: structured conversational metadata, real-time transcription, and actionable analytics that loop back to both the dealer and the manufacturer. This allows automotive leaders to understand customer sentiment, engagement trends, and even brand loyalty, all from call data. Choder also outlined how AI agents are poised to reshape dealership operations. These virtual assistants can schedule service appointments after hours, handle recall notifications, and maintain engagement when human staff are unavailable — turning lost calls into new revenue. “If a customer calls at 10 p.m. for an oil change,” he said, “why shouldn't an AI agent schedule it right then and there?” Looking ahead, CallRevu plans to expand beyond North America into the U.K. and Latin America while deepening its presence in adjacent markets like motorsports, RVs, and specialty vehicles. Yet the focus remains on the automotive ecosystem — “anything with tires,” as Choder put it with a smile. To learn more about CallRevu's AI-powered communications solutions for the automotive industry, visit www.callrevu.com.

"What customers really want is service that just works — guaranteed, reliable, and built to last," says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. “That's what modularity delivers — a system that's flexible, future-proof, and ready to adapt as technology evolves.” In this latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Jacoby to explore how modularity and hybrid architecture are reshaping the future of POTS line replacement. Jacoby explains that while some providers have built all-in-one devices combining battery, conversion, and LTE/5G connectivity in a single box, that design often fails in real-world environments: “When you put a 5G radio in a basement, it's like trying to make a cell call underground,” he notes. Instead, TELCLOUD's modular approach separates the cellular router from the conversion hardware using Power over Ethernet (PoE) — allowing placement of the radio up to 250 feet away for optimal signal strength and reliability. This architecture also allows resellers to choose the right connectivity partner — TELCLOUD integrates with major vendors such as Ericsson, Digi, Peplink, and InHand Networks — and to easily upgrade from 4G to 5G or beyond without replacing the entire system. The on-premise equipment, designed to last 15 to 20 years, remains in place while connectivity evolves. TELCLOUD's hybrid model extends beyond hardware to the network layer itself. Unlike vendors that rely on voice-over-IP to deliver alarm or life-safety signals, TELCLOUD routes communications through its UL-listed data centers directly to certified central alarm stations — ensuring code compliance, redundancy, and end-to-end reliability. For resellers, this means a powerful selling advantage: Install once, manage remotely, and minimize truck rolls. Deliver guaranteed service uptime to customers. Future-proof deployments to avoid costly upgrades. "Ultimately, customers aren't buying hardware — they're buying confidence," Jacoby says. "TELCLOUD's flexible, hybrid solution makes sure that confidence lasts for decades." And in the Shots segment, Jacoby takes listeners on a guided tasting of Ocho Tequila, demonstrating three variations — Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo — to illustrate how aging changes the character and complexity of the same base spirit. “It's a perfect metaphor for technology,” he adds. “Same foundation, different maturity.” The POTS and Shots series continues to blend deep technical insight with a touch of culture — helping resellers modernize infrastructure while enjoying the finer details along the way. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jonathon Alarcon, Senior Director of Technology, and Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the company's channel-driven approach to modernizing analog infrastructure. With the copper network being decommissioned, TELCLOUD is helping partners capture new revenue by replacing POTS lines with smart, compliant, and resilient connectivity solutions. “We transform copper,” said Jacoby. “We're absolutely making analog great again for our partners. There's real opportunity in POTS one last time.” He explained that TELCLOUD's solutions enable MSPs and telecom providers to modernize elevator lines, fire alarms, blue-light phones, and other regulated endpoints—without compromising reliability or compliance. Alarcon, who has deep expertise in life-safety communications, emphasized how the company's technology supports critical applications. “Every elevator, every fire alarm, every emergency system still needs a phone line to stay compliant,” he said. “What we've done is create a platform that meets and exceeds those requirements while giving our partners new capabilities for video, data, and monitoring.” At the heart of this transformation is TELCLOUD's new POTSCAST line of devices, launched at UGM. These multi-purpose units use cellular connectivity and PoE backup to ensure continuous operation—even during power outages—and can stream video from elevator cameras directly to central monitoring stations. TELCLOUD's infrastructure is UL listed and adheres to NFPA and NEC standards, making it both compliant and future-proof. Equally important, TELCLOUD's model is 100% channel-focused. The company empowers partners to bring these services to their own customers under their own brands, offering either full-service white-label delivery—including porting, billing, and compliance—or flexible integration into existing telco and MSP environments. “We don't sell direct,” Jacoby noted. “We empower our partners to deliver compliant, high-value solutions to their end customers.” As a platinum sponsor of the conference, TELCLOUD's presence at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach drew attention for both its technical innovation and its signature “Make Analog Great Again” branding—a lighthearted nod to the serious business opportunity behind POTS transformation. For many partners, the discussion was a reminder that the analog world still holds enormous potential, and that modernization doesn't have to mean abandoning the trusted systems that keep people safe. To learn more about TELCLOUD's POTS replacement and compliance solutions, visit telcloud.com or explore the POTSCAST lineup at potscast.co.

At the Crexendo UGM, Dave Michels, Principal Analyst & Founder of TalkingPointz, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to unpack “UCaaS Mobility 3” — a pragmatic, mobile-first model that moves enterprise calling from over-the-top apps to the cellular layer itself. Michels framed three generations of UCaaS mobility. Mobility 1 (find-me/follow-me) forwarded calls but split voicemail and caller ID. Mobility 2 (OTT softphone apps) worked well on strong internet — but faltered in truly mobile conditions (highway handoffs, variable coverage), pushing users back to personal cell numbers. Mobility 3 fixes this by placing the enterprise line on the SIM/eSIM: users choose business or personal at dial time, and enterprise calls ride native cellular voice for reliability, with full logging, recording, and policy control. The result: intuitive smartphone use (native dialer/contacts), optional UCaaS app, and clean work/personal separation without MDM intrusiveness. Michels highlighted why this matters now: Reliability on the move: Native cellular voice eliminates OTT fragility in transit. Compliance & CX: Enterprise calls and texts are captured and governed (finance, healthcare, education), and contact centers can transfer to subject-matter experts without losing recording/analytics. Frontline & deskless workers: Mobility-first roles (e.g., field services) can finally get enterprise-grade mobile that “just works.” Simplicity for IT & MSPs: One number can move across hard phone, soft client, and smartphone; less training and fewer behavior changes. Carrier convergence: With MVNO models (e.g., Crexendo's newly announced Xtend approach), service providers can bundle meetings, UCaaS, messaging, calling, and cellular — even globally — under a single brand and bill. Looking forward, Michels envisions “no more softphones” for many roles: users keep one phone, one dialer, two identities (business/personal), and enterprises preserve governance and data for AI-assisted analytics. For MSPs and resellers at UGM, the message was clear: Mobility 3 is a near-term, standard approach that elevates UCaaS into true mobile telephony, expands deal size and stickiness, and opens regulated and frontline segments. Explore more of Michels' analysis at TalkingPointz.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jeff Korn, CEO of Crexendo, spoke with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, about the company's record growth, customer-first philosophy, and expanding global capabilities. The conversation took place at the historic Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach — a fitting venue for a company celebrating both legacy and innovation. The event marked a major milestone as Crexendo approached (and soon after surpassed) seven million users, underscoring its status as one of the fastest-growing platform providers in the communications industry. “We're the fastest-growing platform provider in the country,” Korn said. “Our growth is driven by the best people, products, and service in the industry — bar none.” Korn attributes much of the company's success to its “sessions, not seats” pricing model, which allows partners to pay only for what is actually used — a flexibility especially valuable in large environments such as hospitality. “Our model provides real value,” he explained. “If your phones aren't in use, you're not paying for idle capacity. It's simple, fair, and efficient.” Beyond its pricing innovation, Crexendo continues to invest heavily in open APIs and its EVP program, a new company store where licensees and developers can access or offer third-party applications to customize and extend the NetSapiens platform. “We're giving our partners limitless possibilities to differentiate,” Korn said. “It's an ecosystem that keeps growing every year — just look at the number of vendors and integrations showcased here at the UGM.” Korn also highlighted the company's global expansion powered by its partnership with Oracle Cloud. “We can now turn up an instance in one or two days and meet data sovereignty requirements anywhere in the world,” he said. “That capability has already enabled us to serve customers in regions like Africa — and we're just getting started.” At the heart of Crexendo's success, Korn emphasized, is a commitment to service and community. “We are a company of service,” he said. “We listen, we act, and we care about every one of our licensees. Our success is built on their success.” To learn more about Crexendo's UCaaS and NetSapiens platform solutions, visit www.crexendo.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Amy Humphreys, Chief Operating Officer at Simplicity VoIP, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss her company's customer-first approach, its long-standing partnership with NetSapiens, and the innovations shaping its growth in UCaaS, texting, and AI. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Virginia, Simplicity VoIP provides unified communications solutions to businesses of all sizes across the U.S., maintaining a fully onshore support team. Humphreys explained that after starting as a 3CX reseller, Simplicity sought more flexibility and scalability — a search that led them to NetSapiens in 2016. “NetSapiens is a true partner,” she said. “They're constantly helping us future-proof our business by adding new functionality and third-party integrations like vFax, video, and texting.” Attending Crexendo UGM, Humphreys emphasized the importance of connecting with platform leadership and staying ahead of innovation. “We came to see what's next — especially around AI, texting, and mobility,” she said. “It's about understanding where the industry is heading so we can bring richer user experiences to our customers.” A highlight of the conversation was Simplicity's success in text messaging solutions, including both native NetSapiens texting and large-scale bulk SMS through MessageMedia. “We have one client who started with 60,000 text messages a month,” Humphreys shared. “They're now doing over half a million a month. Texting has exploded — even small use cases like group messaging for schools create real value.” Humphreys also outlined emerging AI opportunities in areas such as patient referral automation, where voicemail messages are transcribed and converted into digital documents for faster workflows. “That's just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. Simplicity's “super seller” model has further expanded its reach. This hybrid program allows VARs and MSPs to deliver UCaaS under their own brand without the heavy upfront investment of a platform purchase. “We give our partners full control of the customer domain — they build it, sell it, and support it,” Humphreys explained. “We handle the porting, billing, taxation, and compliance. It's been a win-win, and we even have a case study showcasing the first super seller's success.” Reflecting on her industry journey, Humphreys credited Technology Reseller News as a valuable learning tool early in her career. “Reading TR every day helped me understand the industry when I was new,” she said. “It's still part of my daily routine.” To learn more about Simplicity VoIP's UCaaS, texting, and partner programs, visit www.simplicityvoip.net.

At the Crexendo UGM, Sam Sklaroff, CEO of Axxess Networks, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to share how his company blends classic customer service values with cutting-edge communications technology. Axxess Networks, a leading provider of VoIP, UCaaS, and CCaaS solutions, stands out for what Sklaroff calls an old-school approach to customer care. “Whatever happened to good old-fashioned customer service?” Sklaroff asked. “At Axxess Networks, we treat every customer like family—from onboarding to support—and we make sure they're ready for success before the first call goes live.” Each Axxess customer is assigned a personal project manager and dedicated IT engineer to ensure network readiness and a smooth installation. “Our help desk is all U.S.-based,” Sklaroff noted. “Last week, our average time to answer was 13 seconds. When you call Axxess Networks, we're here for you.” The company's commitment to service extends to technological innovation. Sklaroff revealed Axxess' proprietary Live Failover feature—an automatic system that keeps calls active even if a customer's internet connection fails. “If your internet goes down, your calls don't,” he said. “In under one second, we switch to LTE with no dropped calls and no extra usage fees. One of our customers stayed fully operational for a week during a fiber outage.” Sklaroff also announced that Janet Schijns, a well-known channel leader, recently joined Axxess Networks' board of directors, marking another milestone in the company's growth. Axxess maintains strong partnerships with Crexendo and NetSapiens, and continues to advance in areas such as AI and vCon technology, with plans to launch new vCon apps later this year. “Technology evolves, but people still matter most,” Sklaroff said. “That's what drives us—service with a human touch.” To learn more about Axxess Networks' UCaaS and Live Failover solutions, visit www.axxessnetworks.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jon Brinton, Chief Revenue Officer at Crexendo, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for an in-depth conversation about the company's expanding ecosystem, its partner-driven growth, and the innovations shaping the NetSapiens platform. The annual Crexendo User Group Meeting (UGM) has become one of the most anticipated gatherings in the communications industry — and this year set new records, with over 570 registered attendees and 66 sponsors. “It just keeps getting bigger and better,” said Brinton. “Our community is highly engaged and excited about what's next for the NetSapiens platform.” Held at the iconic Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, the event combined historical elegance with a modern focus on AI, customer value, and partner profitability. Crexendo sessions featured topics such as business valuation, AI-driven applications, and building company equity, reflecting the company's commitment to providing immediate, actionable solutions rather than distant roadmaps. “We're focused on what partners can deploy now — within 30 days,” Brinton explained. “Our goal is to deliver AI applications and customer insights that add measurable value and drive higher average revenue per user. This isn't theoretical. It's about being market-ready today.” Brinton also highlighted Crexendo's evolving AI strategy, including integrations that leverage vCons to make conversational data actionable. “We're seeing AI as a force for customer value — not just for network management,” he said. “It's about helping service providers differentiate, add intelligence to their offers, and improve outcomes for their customers.” The UGM showcased a thriving partner ecosystem, where collaboration and community remain central. “Our success is tied to our partners' success,” Brinton noted. “They're growing at double the rate of the market. This event is about equipping them with the tools, partnerships, and insights to keep that momentum going.” To learn more about Crexendo and the NetSapiens platform, visit www.crexendo.com or www.netsapiens.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Matt Siemens, CEO of NUSO, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss NUSO's innovative approach to AI, its newly announced partnership with Crexendo, and the company's accelerating global expansion across Europe. As a major event sponsor, NUSO created a branded lounge area at the conference to facilitate deeper engagement and longer conversations with partners. But Siemens' main stage presentation captured the spotlight — highlighting NUSO's AI philosophy and architecture, which centers on creating a digital twin of its network environment to reduce AI hallucinations and improve contextual accuracy. “Our focus isn't on AI as a product, but as an enabler — a force that increases velocity and outcomes,” Siemens explained. “By maintaining a live digital twin of our network within the AI environment, we can reduce misinformation, enhance software development, and deliver more meaningful customer experiences.” Siemens also spoke about the importance of continuous updates to avoid the pitfalls of static AI environments — what he referred to as “hyperreality” — and explored how concepts like vCons act as “micro mirrors” that enrich contextual understanding in customer interactions. In major business news, Siemens announced a global technology partnership with Crexendo, through which NUSO will provide carrier and related services while expanding its use of the NetSapiens platform into new markets. The company's European expansion is also gaining momentum, with new operator authority in 14 countries, including recent launches in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. “We've taken the approach of building regulatory compliance and numbering authority first,” Siemens said. “That foundation gives our partners and customers greater reliability and agility as we expand across Europe.” To learn more about NUSO's global communications and AI innovations, visit www.nuso.cloud.