Telecom Reseller

Ori Bendet, Vice President of Product Management at Checkmarx, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how the acquisition of Tromzo strengthens Checkmarx's agentic application security strategy and reflects a broader shift in how organizations secure software in an AI-driven development era. Bendet explained that Checkmarx, a pioneer in application security with more than two decades of experience, has traditionally focused on helping organizations identify vulnerabilities early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). However, the rapid adoption of AI-generated code has fundamentally changed the AppSec landscape. “The industry used to be fixated on finding vulnerabilities,” Bendet said. “Now the real challenge is fixing them at scale, in context, and without slowing developers down.” The Tromzo acquisition builds on Checkmarx's existing family of agentic tools, Checkmarx Assist, which already provides real-time remediation inside the developer IDE. Tromzo extends these capabilities deeper into the SDLC, enabling automated remediation at the repository and pull-request stages. Together, the technologies aim to “complete the loop” by delivering consistent, trusted remediation from early development through later stages of deployment. Bendet noted that AI is widening the gap between development velocity and security oversight, as significantly more code—and therefore more vulnerabilities—is being produced. At the same time, the application footprint itself is evolving to include AI components such as large language models, agents, and third-party AI services. “There is now a new AI element inside the application,” he said, “and organizations need AppSec solutions that understand and protect that expanded footprint.” Auto-remediation, once viewed skeptically by developers, is now gaining acceptance as AI agents gain a deeper understanding of application context. According to Bendet, modern agentic tools can remediate vulnerabilities while preserving business logic and minimizing disruption. “Developers no longer need to spend days undoing fixes that broke functionality,” he said. “The agent can understand the blast radius and refactor automatically.” Looking ahead, Bendet described a future where AppSec becomes more autonomous, with agents continuously testing, fixing, and validating applications while developers shift toward higher-level architectural and review roles. With proper guardrails in place, this evolution promises to reduce alert fatigue and allow teams to focus on innovation rather than remediation backlogs. More information about Checkmarx and its agentic application security approach is available at https://checkmarx.com/, with additional developer-focused resources at https://checkmarx.dev/.

Chris McHenry, Chief Product Officer at Aviatrix, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the launch of Aviatrix 8.2 and how the company is redefining zero trust security for modern cloud-native environments. McHenry explained that as critical business data and AI workloads increasingly reside in public clouds such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, traditional perimeter-based security models are no longer sufficient. Aviatrix has spent the last decade building its Cloud Native Security Fabric, a platform designed specifically for cloud operational models rather than retrofitted on-premises approaches. With release 8.2, Aviatrix significantly expands its “zero trust for workloads” capabilities, focusing on Kubernetes, serverless environments, and AI-driven applications. A central theme of the conversation was the evolution of zero trust from a networking concept into a workload-centric security strategy. McHenry noted that recent supply-chain attacks have shown how quickly cloud-native environments can be compromised if basic network controls are missing. Aviatrix 8.2 introduces deeper Kubernetes awareness, policy-as-code integration, and initial native support for securing AWS Lambda, allowing organizations to apply micro-segmentation and least-privilege access directly to modern workloads. McHenry emphasized that cloud security must also evolve operationally. Security teams can no longer rely on slow, ticket-based firewall processes while developers deploy infrastructure at machine speed. Aviatrix 8.2 supports a DevSecOps-friendly model that enables developers to manage zero trust policies within guardrails defined by security teams. As McHenry put it, “If your workloads get more modern but your controls don't, security gets worse without you touching anything.” The discussion concluded with guidance for CIOs and CISOs preparing for the next wave of cloud and AI-driven threats: assess whether existing network security tools truly understand cloud-native workloads, modernize security operations alongside development practices, and prioritize platforms that unify cloud, network, and security teams. More information on Aviatrix 8.2 and the Cloud Native Security Fabric is available at https://aviatrix.ai/.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Jonathan Homa, Senior Director of Solutions Marketing at Ribbon Communications, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping carrier network design, funding priorities, and long-term infrastructure investments in 2026 and beyond. Homa explained that while Ribbon is widely known for its heritage in voice and telephony, the company has evolved into a broader networking provider serving service providers, enterprises, governments, and critical infrastructure operators. Following its acquisition of ECI Telecom, Ribbon now spans IP, optical, and voice networks, with software, automation, and AI increasingly acting as the connective tissue across its portfolio. AI is fundamentally altering traffic patterns on global networks. Instead of primarily “north-south” traffic between users and data centers, AI workloads are driving massive “east-west” traffic flows between data centers for training and inference. This shift is forcing carriers and data center operators to invest in higher-capacity optical networks, greater agility, and continuous optimization. As Homa noted, “AI is increasing traffic volumes, changing traffic behavior, and demanding thicker pipes with far more flexibility than traditional networks were built for.” Homa outlined four key trends accelerating in 2026: ultra-high-speed coherent pluggable optics, IP and optical convergence, optical network disaggregation with open line systems, and AI-driven automation with closed-loop control. Together, these trends are flattening network architectures, improving economics, and enabling operators to dynamically adapt bandwidth and performance in real time. Ribbon, he said, is positioning itself at the intersection of all four trends as the industry moves toward autonomous, AI-driven networks. Summing up Ribbon's direction, Homa emphasized the company's long-term vision: “Our focus is giving customers a clear path to autonomous networks—bringing together advanced optics, converged IP and optical platforms, and AI-powered automation to meet the demands of an AI-driven internet economy.” For more information, visit https://ribboncommunications.com/.

Recorded live at Cloud Connections, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Kevin Nethercott, CEO, and Robert Galop, Chief Product Officer at Tresic, following the company's first public debut after operating in stealth mode. Nethercott and Galop described Cloud Connections as the ideal venue for Tresic's introduction to the market, noting strong engagement from CSPs, MSPs, and channel partners eager to understand how AI can be applied practically to communications. Drawing on decades of industry experience, the Tresic team positioned its mission at the intersection of communications, AI, and monetization—helping partners unlock new revenue using assets they already own. At the core of Tresic's offering is the Tresic Intelligence Cloud, a platform designed to treat conversations—across voice, messaging, chat, and social channels—as first-class business data. Rather than delivering generic AI summaries or call detail records, Tresic focuses on transforming unstructured conversational data into actionable intelligence that directly drives business outcomes. Galop explained that recent advances around “beacons” enable conversations to be analyzed in real time and after the interaction concludes. Tresic's After Call Co-Pilot and First Alert Co-Pilot address two critical business questions: what actually happened in a conversation, and what commitments or signals now require action. The platform automatically surfaces follow-ups, obligations, sentiment, and key moments that would otherwise be lost—routing that intelligence directly to the right people inside an organization. By doing so, Tresic effectively closes the gap between communications and systems of record such as CRMs. Every conversation becomes a source of structured actions, alerts, and insights without relying on manual data entry or post-call administration. This gives businesses a 360-degree view of customer interactions while accelerating revenue-generating workflows. Both executives emphasized that Tresic's AI is not generic. Models are trained using partner and customer data, enabling vertical-specific insights that reflect how each business actually operates. This approach allows CSPs and MSPs to differentiate their offerings with intelligence tailored to their customers' industries, rather than one-size-fits-all analytics. In closing, Nethercott and Galop underscored Tresic's partner-first strategy. The company goes to market exclusively through CSPs, MSPs, and channel partners—organizations that already own the customer relationship. Tresic's goal is to help those partners add a new intelligence layer on top of existing services, enabling them to double or even triple revenue without replacing their current platforms. More information about Tresic and its partner-driven AI communications platform is available at https://www.tresic.cloud/.

Recorded live at Cloud Connections in Delray Beach, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Mark Vange, Founder & CEO of Autom8ly, about how AI voice agents are reshaping complex, regulated, and high-value communication workflows. Vange explained that Autom8ly specializes in building AI solutions for partners and service providers that serve customers with nuanced and often highly regulated requirements. Rather than focusing on generic AI reception or basic appointment setting, Autom8ly targets verticals where complexity, compliance, and scale intersect—use cases where off-the-shelf AI voice agents fall short. One of the company's primary areas of focus is the collections market. Autom8ly is deploying AI voice agents to handle high-volume, routine collections calls while allowing human agents to concentrate on more complex, high-stakes cases. Early observations suggest that consumers may respond less defensively to AI-initiated outreach than to human collectors, particularly for smaller or straightforward obligations such as missed payments, parking fines, or one-time healthcare balances. In these scenarios, the AI agent can confirm details, negotiate payment terms, and securely process payments, while automatically escalating more complex disputes to human staff. Vange emphasized that Autom8ly's AI agents are designed with strict boundaries. They do not cross regulatory red lines, attempt legal persuasion, or handle cases involving attorneys, court orders, or disputed liability. Instead, they address the majority of routine interactions that consume time and resources but generate limited strategic value when handled by humans. From an operational standpoint, AI voice agents offer significant efficiency gains. Human collectors often achieve utilization rates as low as 25–30 percent due to unanswered calls, breaks, and administrative overhead. AI agents, by contrast, operate at near-100 percent utilization, reducing cost per dollar collected while accelerating time to revenue. Autom8ly has also engineered its platform to meet PCI and compliance requirements, ensuring sensitive payment data is never exposed to large language models or unsafe systems. Beyond collections, Vange highlighted broader opportunities for MSPs and channel partners. Autom8ly has delivered AI voice agents for underserved language communities, including healthcare environments where providers lack staff fluent in languages such as Haitian Creole. By combining language capability with cultural awareness and compliance controls, AI agents can expand access to essential services while reducing operational strain. For MSPs and service providers, Vange positioned AI voice agents as a “high-value voice” opportunity—particularly in industries such as healthcare, utilities, finance, and public services, where multilingual communication, compliance, and scale are critical. When interactions move beyond simple scripts and require deep customization, Autom8ly's partner-led model is designed to fill that gap. More information about Autom8ly and its AI voice agent solutions is available at https://autom8ly.com/.

Recorded live at Cloud Connections in Delray Beach, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Jon Brinton, Chief Revenue Officer at Crexendo, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping voice communications—and why 2026 may mark a turning point for the industry. Brinton described what he sees as a “renaissance of voice.” After years in which enterprises attempted to push customer interactions toward chat, email, and other less personal channels, advances in AI are restoring the central role of voice conversations. Modern AI applications, he noted, are making voice interactions more natural, more efficient, and more valuable—reintroducing clarity and immediacy into customer communications strategies. That vision is reflected in Crexendo's recent product launch: CAIRO, an AI-powered receptionist and operator introduced earlier this year. Integrated directly into the NetSapiens platform, CAIRO is designed to give organizations of all sizes access to a highly capable, natural-language AI voice interface. Unlike generic AI assistants trained on external datasets, CAIRO is driven by each organization's own data, enabling fully customized interactions for businesses ranging from medical practices and school districts to local retailers. Brinton explained that CAIRO supports real-time, conversational voice interactions in multiple languages, including English and Spanish, with the flexibility to switch languages during a call. The AI can answer questions, route callers to departments, and assist with tasks such as scheduling—while always allowing seamless escalation to a human when needed. This blend of automation and human handoff reinforces voice as a core channel rather than a legacy one. From a channel perspective, Brinton emphasized that CAIRO represents a significant opportunity for Crexendo's partners. The solution is available both within Crexendo's VIP offering and to its global NetSapiens licensee community, which includes approximately 240 service providers serving more than seven million users worldwide. Partners can brand and bundle CAIRO as part of their own UCaaS offerings, creating new value-added revenue streams while enhancing customer experience. CAIRO is commercially available today and includes advanced features such as transcription and sentiment analysis, giving organizations deeper insight into customer interactions even after calls are completed. More information about Crexendo and its AI-powered communications solutions is available at https://www.crexendo.com/.

Don Witt of the Channel Daily News, a TR publication, interviews Kevin Nethercott, CEO of Tresic, to discuss the company’s focus on bringing intelligence to the mid-market through CSP partners. Kevin Nethercott Kevin explains Tresic’s mission to leverage AI for conversational intelligence, offering products like After Call and First Alert that provide automated transcription, to-do item tracking, and keyword alerts for businesses. Kevin highlights Tresic’s partnership with service providers like NetSapiens and their ability to quickly deploy solutions for mid-market companies. Kevin also shared his background in communications technology and expressed excitement about Tresic's potential to transform business operations through AI.   Mid-Market AI Solutions for Frontline Workers Kevin explains Tresic’s focus on mid-market businesses, which represent 60% of US businesses and a larger percentage globally. He emphasizes that mid-market companies need easy-to-use AI solutions to help frontline workers improve customer interactions and competitiveness. Before: missed moments. After: action is already done. Promises, risks, and buying signals show up in conversations. Most of that intelligence disappears into notes and follow-up gaps. Tresic makes it usable – and immediate! For more information, go to: Tresic

Recorded live at Cloud Connections, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Sabeeh Hameed, Founder of Sabrhub and a newly announced member of the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA). The conversation focused on how service providers can offset declining voice revenues by accelerating business messaging adoption—while navigating the growing complexity of 10DLC registration. Hameed explained that Sabrhub was built to address a fundamental shift in the market. As industry reports continue to show declining voice revenues and tightening margins, messaging has emerged as a critical growth opportunity for CSPs and service providers—especially when messaging is enabled on existing voice numbers. However, the introduction of mandatory 10DLC registration has transformed what was once a simple service into a major operational bottleneck. Rather than viewing 10DLC as a barrier, Sabrhub treats it as an opportunity. Hameed noted that many service providers experience campaign rejection rates as high as 70–90 percent, often due to incomplete or improperly structured submissions. Each rejection adds weeks of delay, additional fees, and customer frustration. Sabrhub's platform uses AI to pre-vet campaigns before submission, dramatically increasing approval confidence and reducing onboarding time. According to Hameed, Sabrhub has reduced the brand registration process from hours—or even weeks—down to approximately 15 minutes, with approvals often completed within 24 hours and a reported 99 percent success rate. The platform abstracts away the complexity of use cases, opt-in requirements, privacy policies, and legal disclosures, presenting the process in a customer-friendly format that improves both speed and experience. While AI powers the platform, Hameed emphasized that Sabrhub is not “selling AI” as a product. Instead, AI operates behind the scenes to eliminate friction, guide brands through compliance requirements, and enable service providers to bring messaging services to market faster and more reliably. For MSPs, channel partners, and voice service providers attending Cloud Connections, Hameed positioned messaging compliance as a direct revenue opportunity. By simplifying 10DLC registration and accelerating time to service, partners can increase ARPU, reduce churn, and offer differentiated messaging solutions without taking on regulatory complexity themselves. More information about Sabrhub and its AI-driven 10DLC solutions is available at https://www.sabrhub.com/.

Recorded live at Cloud Connections, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Jeff Pulver, CEO (Chief Evangelist Officer) of the vCon Foundation, to discuss why vCon represents a foundational shift at the intersection of artificial intelligence and communications. Pulver describes the conversations at Cloud Connections as a “ground zero” moment—one where a new industry is beginning to take shape. Drawing a parallel to the early days of VoIP and the first VON conferences in the 1990s, he argues that vCon is enabling a similar inflection point, this time driven by AI. At its core, vCon introduces a standardized way to capture and structure conversations—across voice, video, messaging, email, and more—so they can be securely stored, analyzed, and shared. According to Pulver, this standardization is transformative for AI. Large language models perform best when fed consistent, structured data, and vCon provides a common format that eliminates the fragmentation caused by proprietary conversation systems. By doing so, vCon enables interoperability and allows organizations to extract meaningful intelligence from conversations regardless of platform or application. Pulver outlines three pillars defining the emerging AI communications industry: high-definition voice, memory, and trust. High-quality audio improves transcription accuracy for AI analysis. Memory comes from virtualized conversations that preserve context and history. Trust is established through built-in compliance features, including consent tracking, purpose limitation, and the ability to revoke or manage permission—capabilities that are increasingly critical as AI regulations evolve globally. Reflecting on past regulatory battles during the rise of internet telephony, Pulver notes that compliance pressures are inevitable during periods of disruption. He believes vCon offers a proactive solution by embedding compliance directly into the communications infrastructure, allowing organizations to demonstrate consent and governance rather than retrofitting controls after the fact. Pulver also highlights the commercial implications. With an open standard now taking shape through the IETF process, he expects 2026 to mark the emergence of a full ecosystem of products, services, and revenue opportunities built on vCon. Service providers, vendors, and entrepreneurs who engage early, he says, will be well positioned to define new offerings that were previously impractical or impossible. To learn more about vCon and the work of the foundation, visit https://www.pulver.com/vconfoundation.

Recorded live at Cloud Connections, the Cloud Communications Alliance event in Delray Beach, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Bill Placke, Co-Founder & President, Americas at SecurePII, about one of the most pressing challenges facing AI-driven communications today: how to scale AI while complying with global data privacy regulations—and how that challenge can become a competitive advantage. Placke explains that SecurePII was formed to address a growing structural problem in AI adoption. While organizations are eager to deploy AI and train large language models, regulatory uncertainty around personally identifiable information (PII) has stalled progress. Citing industry research showing that more than 60 percent of AI initiatives have been paused due to data privacy concerns, Placke argues that governance policies alone are not enough. Instead, SecurePII takes an architectural approach. At the core of SecurePII's solution is data minimization at the point of ingestion. The company's technology prevents sensitive information—such as credit card numbers, names, addresses, or social security numbers—from ever entering enterprise systems. SecurePII's existing PCI-focused offering already removes cardholder data from call flows, keeping organizations out of PCI scope entirely. The same approach is now being extended to broader categories of PII, enabling AI systems to operate and train on clean data streams that are free from regulated information. Placke emphasizes that this upstream architectural design fundamentally changes the compliance equation. Regulators and plaintiff attorneys, he notes, care about outcomes—not intent. If sensitive data never enters the system, compliance scope, audit costs, breach exposure, and regulatory risk are dramatically reduced. “Downstream controls don't scale with AI—architecture does,” Placke says, positioning data minimization as a foundation for both trust and growth. The discussion also highlights the role of consent and customer trust in an AI-enabled world. Rather than asking customers to consent to broad data use, SecurePII enables enterprises to clearly state that sensitive information is neither seen nor stored, while still allowing AI to learn from outcomes and sentiment. This approach removes what Placke calls the “creepy factor” associated with AI and personal data, while aligning with emerging frameworks such as the EU AI Act and long-standing NIST guidance. For MSPs, UCaaS providers, and channel partners, Placke frames compliance not as a cost center but as a revenue opportunity. By embedding privacy-preserving architectures into voice, AI, and communications solutions, service providers can differentiate themselves as trusted advisors—helping customers deploy AI safely, reduce regulatory exposure, and accelerate adoption. To learn more about SecurePII and its privacy-first AI architecture, visit https://www.securepii.cloud/.

In a recent sit-down with Senior Editor Moshe Beauford for the Technology Reseller News podcast, Brandon Thomas, RingCentral vice president of channels, outlined what he sees as a massive opportunity for partners to evolve from resellers into strategic trusted advisors. According to RingCentral's forthcoming 2026 Agentic AI Trends Report, 97% of organizations have adopted AI, yet many are stalled by integration complexity. Thomas noted this creates a high-value opening for partners to deploy RingCentral's AI Conversation Expert (ACE) as the connective tissue to bridge organizational silos. RingCentral's report also found that by unblocking the 80% of business intelligence currently trapped in voice and video, partners can help clients realize a 61% increase in productivity and a 49% improvement in customer experience. Thomas emphasized that the real value lies in moving beyond basic automation toward full workflow orchestration. In a market projected to reach $305 billion by 2031, Thomas further maintains that partners should leverage AI that maintains human oversight for high-stakes decisions while automating the manual data entry that plagues traditional CRMs. This shift enables partners to offer richer consulting services, using AI to predict elements like churn and employee turnover. RingCentral’s report will go live at the end of February. Visit www.ringcentral.com

Recorded live at the Cloud Connections event in Delray Beach, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Darin Gull of C3 Complete about the growing importance of compliance, cyber resilience, and partner-centric security services in today's cloud and UCaaS ecosystem. Gull describes C3 Complete as an “anything IT” company with a clear mission: to complete a partner's portfolio without ever competing with it. Working exclusively through channel partners, C3 Complete focuses on filling gaps—particularly in security and compliance—while preserving partner ownership of the customer relationship. “We're here to complete, but never compete,” Gull explains, emphasizing the company's commitment to protecting partner equity. A central theme of the conversation is compliance, which Gull frames less as a punitive obligation and more as an education and awareness challenge. C3 Complete leads with what it calls cyber resilience—helping organizations understand what they are required to do, why it matters, and how to consistently track and maintain compliance over time. “Most compliance failures aren't bad actors trying to break rules,” Gull notes. “It's usually a lack of awareness.” C3 Complete's approach begins with deep listening and discovery. By understanding a client's operational realities and pain points, the company's subject-matter experts—guided by its security leadership—identify shortfalls, improve efficiency, and develop clear, actionable roadmaps to move customers from their current state to their desired level of compliance and security maturity. Gull also reflects on the relevance of the Cloud Communications Alliance community, noting that many of the challenges facing today's UCaaS and cloud providers—particularly around security, governance, and AI—mirror those seen in earlier phases of the industry, albeit at greater scale and complexity. As AI adoption accelerates, he sees compliance and governance as unresolved but critical questions that service providers must address proactively. Looking ahead to 2026, C3 Complete plans to expand its partner ecosystem, deepen its security offerings, and continue delivering what Gull calls “white-glove service without the insane price.” For MSPs and service providers lacking a full security stack, C3 Complete positions itself as a trusted extension of their business—stepping in when needed, then stepping back to ensure partners retain the customer relationship. More information about C3 Complete is available at https://c3-complete.com/.

“These are life-safety lines, and failure is not an option,” says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. “Our solution has to last 20 years, not five—and that's why partnering with Ericsson makes so much sense.” In the latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, is joined by Jacoby and special guest Ian Tearle of Ericsson to discuss how global partnerships are accelerating the replacement of legacy copper lines. Tearle, a Technical Alliances Partner Engineer at Ericsson, explains that his role centers on validating and stress-testing partner solutions to ensure they meet the rigorous certifications required for environments such as healthcare facilities, public safety agencies, elevators, and fire systems. “We're not just looking at whether something works,” Tearle says. “It has to be certified, resilient, and designed for real-world safety use. In many cases, what we deploy could literally save lives.” Jacoby outlines how TELCLOUD's POTS replacement platform depends on unbreakable cellular connectivity, making Ericsson's router technology and long-term wireless roadmap—spanning 5G and beyond—a critical foundation. Together, the companies are enabling partners to replace copper lines while maintaining compatibility with legacy life-safety equipment. The conversation also highlights how the partnership simplifies adoption for channel partners. By aligning and co-terminating licensing terms across TELCLOUD and Ericsson solutions, resellers can deploy future-proof POTS replacement without added operational complexity—making the opportunity accessible even for MSPs without deep telecom backgrounds. Looking ahead, both companies view the partnership as part of a broader modernization of global telecom infrastructure. As copper networks sunset worldwide, the need for reliable, certified communication paths remains—and wireless has evolved into a primary connectivity solution. The episode concludes with the Shots segment, where Jacoby introduces Dame Más Reserva Extra Añejo, a cognac-barrel-aged tequila designed to be sipped and savored—an appropriate close to a discussion focused on durability, precision, and long-term value. For more information, visit https://www.telcloud.com/ or call 844-900-2270. More about Ericsson: https://www.ericsson.com/en

Randy Dillard, Sales and Transaction Tax Lead at TaxConnex, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) podcast focused on one of the most complex—and often underestimated—issues facing cloud communications providers today: telecommunications tax compliance. Dillard explained that TaxConnex serves as a specialized outsourcing partner for telecom and transaction tax compliance, working closely with regulatory experts to deliver a unified approach that spans sales and use tax, telecom-specific taxes, and state and local filing obligations. Unlike general accounting firms, TaxConnex is purpose-built for the telecom and cloud communications industry, where tax requirements can extend far beyond state-level filings into counties, cities, and even ZIP-code-level jurisdictions. He emphasized that telecom taxation is fundamentally different from standard sales tax, with layered obligations that can include “tax on tax,” recurring billing changes, credits, and constant regulatory updates. With more than 50 states, thousands of local jurisdictions, and frequent filing deadlines, providers face significant risk if compliance processes are not handled accurately and consistently. Dillard also stressed the importance of timing, noting that providers should engage a telecom tax specialist before launching new services or expanding into new markets—not after revenue is already flowing. “It often makes sense to pause and speak with a telecom tax advisor before you open that honeypot,” Dillard said. “Understanding your obligations upfront can save you from costly penalties, audits, and surprises down the road.” TaxConnex's role, he explained, goes beyond filing returns. The company provides monthly tax liability reporting that shows what has been collected, where it is assigned, and how it will be remitted—giving providers visibility and confidence that nothing is slipping through the cracks. This becomes even more critical as AI-driven services and usage-based models create unexpected spikes in transactions and tax exposure. As an active member and sponsor within the Cloud Communications Alliance, TaxConnex views its role as helping demystify telecom tax compliance so providers can focus on growth, innovation, and customer success—while staying compliant in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Learn more: https://www.taxconnex.com/

Sarah Halko, Head of Regulatory and Industry Relations at TNS, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) podcast focused on the FCC's Do Not Originate (DNO) mandate and its role in combating robocalls and caller ID spoofing. Halko explained that DNO (Do Not Originate) identifies phone numbers that should never be used for outbound calling—such as invalid, unallocated, or inbound-only numbers like government agencies. Blocking calls that spoof these numbers allows service providers to stop obvious fraud earlier in the call path, before it reaches consumers. While DNO began as an optional tool in 2017, regulatory expectations have steadily increased. As of December 15, 2025, every service provider in the call flow must maintain a “reasonable DNO list,” making accurate, up-to-date data essential for compliance. “Without reliable, authoritative numbering data, service providers can't confidently determine which calls should be blocked,” Halko said. “DNO compliance ultimately depends on knowing how numbers are assigned, used, and routed in real time.” TNS supports providers by delivering trusted, continuously updated numbering and routing intelligence across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. This enables earlier, more accurate call blocking and reduces the risk of false positives or missed fraudulent traffic. Looking ahead, Halko emphasized that DNO is only one part of a broader trust framework that also includes analytics, traceback, authentication (STIR/SHAKEN), and Know Your Customer practices—all working together to protect network integrity. Learn more: https://tnsi.com/

Brian Gregory of Intermedia joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) podcast discussing how Intermedia has quickly become a preferred platform for service providers seeking modern, cloud-based communications. Intermedia operates as a channel-first UCaaS and CCaaS provider, with more than 90 percent of its business delivered through partners. Gregory explained that the company formally launched its service provider program just two years ago, responding to market shifts as traditional feature-server platforms slowed and demand increased for more agile, cloud-native solutions. In that short time, Intermedia has signed roughly 30 percent of U.S. tier-two service providers, those with approximately $50 million to $2 billion in annual revenue—an adoption rate Gregory says reflects both timing and platform flexibility. “The market was ready for a more nimble, cloud-based provider,” Gregory said. “As a cloud platform, we can respond very quickly to changes—whether that's AI, Teams integration, or new go-to-market requirements—and our service providers can immediately take those capabilities to their customers.” Looking ahead to 2026, Intermedia's priorities include practical AI adoption with measurable ROI, deeper vertical-market integrations, and continued expansion of its Microsoft Teams strategy. Rather than replacing Teams, Intermedia enhances it by embedding enterprise-grade telephony and a fully integrated contact center—enabling partners to deliver higher-value services beyond low-margin trunking. Gregory also highlighted Intermedia's new migration program, designed to help service providers move legacy hosted PBX customers onto a single, modern platform using automated tools, overlay resources, and financial incentives. As cloud communications continue to evolve, Intermedia is positioning itself as a growth engine for service providers navigating AI-driven, Teams-centric customer environments. Learn more: www.intermedia.com

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Mark A. Daley, CEO of ROLM, and Cole McKinley, CTO of USX Cyber, about the Department of Defense's phased enforcement of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements and what it means for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) in the Defense Industrial Base. With CMMC now actively enforced, hundreds of thousands of subcontractors—many without dedicated security teams—must demonstrate compliance to continue working with prime contractors. Daley stressed the urgency of the moment, noting that delays are over. “The government is no longer kicking the can down the road,” he said. “CMMC exists to protect the defense industrial base, and SMBs are now squarely in scope.” To address this challenge, ROLM and USX Cyber have partnered on an integrated, SMB-focused platform built around USX Cyber's Guardian solution. McKinley explained that Guardian was designed to make compliance achievable without stitching together multiple tools. “We built Guardian to be a one-stop platform that makes CMMC approachable, affordable, and audit-ready for SMBs,” he said, adding that the platform satisfies 83 of the 110 required NIST 800-171 controls while providing 24×7 monitoring, evidence management, and guided compliance workflows. Daley highlighted that the solution goes beyond certification prep, combining continuous security operations, governance, and AI-driven automation to reduce long-term cost and complexity. “This is not a one-and-done, check-the-box exercise,” he said. “You have to be ready not just for today's audit, but for the one coming three years from now.” The discussion underscored why CMMC represents both a major risk and a significant opportunity for MSPs and channel partners serving regulated industries. Learn more at https://rolm.ai/ and https://usxcyber.com/.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Rich Tehrani, Chairman of ITEXPO, about why the longtime South Florida event continues to serve as a critical kickoff for the communications, AI, and business technology industries. Now more than 20 years old, ITEXPO brings together enterprises, MSPs, resellers, vendors, and innovators at a time when budgets are forming and technology decisions can shape organizations for years. Tehrani described ITEXPO, organized by TMCnet, as less about gadgets and more about outcomes—career growth, profitability, and informed decision-making. “We're neutral. We don't favor the large companies or the small ones—we do right by the attendee,” he said, emphasizing that the show's open, vendor-agnostic format allows attendees to compare solutions side by side and get direct, human answers that are increasingly hard to find online. A centerpiece of the event is the Tech Super Show model, which co-locates multiple conferences so entire buying teams—AI, communications, cybersecurity, CX, and operations—can attend together. This creates what Tehrani calls a “business technology mall,” where discovery, peer conversations, and partner connections happen organically and quickly, often in minutes rather than weeks. AI is a major focus for 2026, including new programming around AI agents, the Generative AI Expo, and the evolution from IoT to AIoT, alongside expanded tracks on enterprise communications and cybersecurity. For the channel, MSP Expo remains a standout, with increased emphasis on valuation, margins, and building durable businesses, while the new ITAD Connect brings lifecycle and circular economy considerations into the conversation. As the event approaches, Tehrani noted strong momentum from exhibitors and attendees alike and highlighted the appeal of Fort Lauderdale as an accessible, cost-effective destination. “This is where the industry comes together to make better decisions—for your company and your career,” he said. Learn more about ITEXPO at https://www.itexpo.com/east/ and about TMCnet at https://www.tmcnet.com/.

Unified Office has been one of those companies I have been watching for years as they have expanded their customer base from Restaurants to Auto dealer, Hotels, Dentists and Wellness and beyond.  They did this while expanding their product solutions from VoIP telephony to IoT, Business Communications Platform, a Visual Performance Suite, and now to a TCNIQ AI Analytics Suite. Ray Pasquale In today's podcast Don Witt, of the Channel Daily News, a TR publication, speaks with Ray Pasquale, CEO and Founder. You will hear about Unified Office’s transformation into an AI-focused company with Ray explaining their HQRP protocol for reliable voice communications and detailing their technology that emulates T1 cables over the internet. They will also cover topics including port security, regulatory compliance, and robocall protection with Ray sharing insights about their focus on B2B vertical markets and AI-powered communication solutions. Ray discusses the company’s use of transcription services and their proprietary AI tool Engage IQ for analyzing business calls, while emphasizing the importance of regulatory compliance and data security. They are not just ANY voice company, they are Unified Office. If you just want a voice company, you can find a long list on Google, but if you want a company that will constantly innovate for you, with your business always at the heart of everything we design, you're in the right place.   About: Unified office is a leading managed communications technology company, driven by passion, purpose and commitment, driving relentless constant innovation in Voice, AI, Internet of Things (IoT), Analytics and more to help provide solutions and opportunities for small-and-medium sized businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, with support that will never let you down. Unified Office gives small- to mid-sized businesses the convenience of voice to do what we have done for years with phone, IoT, text messaging, and other data. We will continue to innovate communications so you can concentrate on running your business, provide exemplary customer service, drive more revenue, and increase employee and operational effectiveness. For more information, go to: https://unifiedoffice.com/.

Tresic emerged from stealth with breaking news: the launch of Tresic Intelligence Cloud, a new add-on platform designed for CSPs and channel partners to layer AI-driven insights, automation, and coaching on top of existing UCaaS and CCaaS services. In a conversation with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, Robert Galop and Kevin Nethercott said the timing is deliberate—service providers have spent two decades building the UCaaS/CCaaS/CPaaS foundation, and now have the opportunity to monetize intelligence on top of it. The core idea is to unlock the “dark data” inside everyday business conversations—calls, meetings, video, email, and more—then convert it into actionable outcomes like follow-ups, alerts, and performance improvement. “If I'm a business owner, the holy grail for me is if I knew what all of my customers were thinking and saying about me,” Nethercott said, framing how conversation intelligence can improve products, service, pricing, and strategy when delivered in a secure, privacy-respecting way. Tresic positions the Intelligence Cloud around three common business gaps: limited visibility into churn and compliance risk, missed commitments that never make it into systems of record, and the need to coach and improve frontline performance in sales and support. The company says it has packaged these capabilities as ready-to-deploy “co-pilots” that can be enabled quickly—avoiding the long, complex deployments that often slow AI projects. Galop emphasized the approach is meant to assist workers, not replace them, noting the platform is designed to fit into existing workflows with minimal training. For the channel, Tresic's pitch is also economic: by bundling add-on packages per location and per user, providers can move from selling “just seats” to selling higher-value intelligence services—often approaching 2x (and potentially more) revenue per customer relationship. Tresic also highlighted partner readiness, citing integration work—including a partnership mentioned with NetSapiens Crescendo—as part of its effort to make onboarding and activation simple for service providers and their customers. Learn more at tresic.cloud.

Technology Reseller News sat down with Todd Wilson, Reco's head of channel alliances, to discuss the transition from static configuration checks to a more identity-centric security model. Drawing on his background at Netskope and AppOmni, Wilson notes that standard security tools often fail to account for user behavior within applications. He adds that Reco addresses this via its App Factory, which aims to secure new or niche applications within three to five days. Wilson says doing so quickly helps partners address the rapid adoption of shadow artificial intelligence and the frequent introduction of new software tools. Regarding the Reco partner model, Wilson says the focus is on providing an immediate return on investment by identifying unused licenses and ghost accounts. These findings are designed to offer customers direct cost savings. Beyond software sales, Wilson suggests that the platform's data allows managed service providers to establish recurring service lines, like software-as-a-service health checks or AI audits. This approach is intended to transition resellers into advisory roles rather than focusing solely on one-off transactions. Wilson further addresses the technical demands on partner teams, stating that automation can help manage security environments without requiring significant increases in specialized staff. Looking toward 2026, the channel leader emphasizes that SaaS security will likely require automated governance to manage the growth of AI agents and decentralized application use. He concludes by highlighting that ongoing partner enablement will be necessary to navigate these shifts in the SaaS landscape. Join us for this dynamic podcast to learn more about the shifting world of SaaS security and the channel opportunity. Visit https://www.reco.ai/

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with JLINC's Dean Landsman, Strategy and Business Development, to explore a career-spanning conversation that connects radio, telecom, and today's AI-driven communications landscape through a single unifying theme: trust. Landsman traced his professional journey from early days in radio—where understanding audiences meant far more than chasing ratings—to telecom and, ultimately, to AI governance. Along the way, he witnessed a recurring pattern: industries drifting toward commoditization, treating users and their data as interchangeable units rather than as people whose information carries meaning, context, and rights. That experience now shapes JLINC's mission in the AI era. At the center of the discussion was JLINC's role in data governance for AI workflows, particularly its integration with the emerging vCon (virtual conversation) standard. While much of today's AI governance focuses on compliance frameworks like ISO and NIST, JLINC provides the operational layer—cryptographic provenance, consent enforcement, and auditable controls—that ensures data integrity throughout an AI workflow. As Landsman explained, “We provide the guardrails that make sure what goes in is what comes out—unaltered, authorized, and trustworthy.” This capability becomes especially critical as vCons—often described as a “PDF for conversations”—are increasingly used to capture voice, text, and interaction data that may later feed AI systems, analytics platforms, or even legal proceedings. JLINC ensures that permissions, provenance, and integrity are preserved end to end, preventing errors, hallucinations, or unauthorized changes by either humans or AI systems. In regulated environments such as healthcare, finance, government, and contact centers, Landsman emphasized that this trust layer is not optional—it is foundational. As organizations grapple with growing public skepticism around AI, Landsman positioned JLINC as a practical answer to the trust question. “People are worried their words will be misrepresented or altered,” he said. “Our role is to make sure the data remains clean, provable, and respected—so AI becomes something you can actually trust.” For channel partners, carriers, and enterprises alike, the message was clear: in an AI-driven future, governance is not just about compliance—it's about confidence. Learn more about JLINC at https://www.jlinc.com/.

“Wireless failover shouldn't just sit there as insurance,” says John Reed, CEO of For2Fi. “When you layer applications like POTS replacement on top of modern 5G connectivity, it becomes a powerful, cost-saving part of the customer's production network.” In the 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 Reed to examine how wireless connectivity and POTS replacement are converging as copper shutdowns accelerate. Reed explains that For2Fi focuses exclusively on 5G and LTE connectivity, supporting multi-location customers across retail, healthcare, quick-serve restaurants, and rural markets in the U.S. and Canada. By combining the right carrier, modem, and antenna, For2Fi delivers reliable connectivity that can function as backup—or increasingly, as primary access. Jacoby underscores why this wireless foundation is critical to the next phase of POTS replacement. “Wireless is no longer just backup—it's primary, it's reliable, and it's ready to carry critical services like POTS replacement,” he says. As legacy copper lines disappear, partners like For2Fi provide the connectivity layer that allows TELCLOUD to deliver life-safety-grade POTS replacement for elevators, fire panels, and emergency phones—without forcing customers to replace existing equipment. Together, TELCLOUD and For2Fi enable channel partners to present a single, scalable solution that reduces copper costs, modernizes connectivity, and creates long-term recurring revenue—without requiring MSPs to become telecom specialists. The episode concludes with the Shots segment, featuring Dos Artes Añejo, a French oak–aged tequila presented in a distinctive ceramic bottle—an apt finish to a discussion centered on durability, craftsmanship, and long-term value. For more information, visit https://www.telcloud.com/ or call 844-900-2270. Learn more about For2Fi at https://www.for2fi.com/.

Eric Krapf, Program Chair of Enterprise Connect at Informa, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss what attendees and exhibitors can expect from the upcoming Enterprise Connect conference—and why the move to Las Vegas marks a significant evolution for the long-running event. After many successful years in Orlando, Enterprise Connect will take place at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, with Harrah's and The LINQ directly connected to the venue. Krapf explained that the new location improves accessibility for West Coast and central U.S. attendees, offers a wider range of hotel options at different price points, and reduces the logistical friction that often comes with large conventions. The event will also run concurrently with HIMSS, creating opportunities for crossover between enterprise communications and healthcare technology audiences. On the content side, Enterprise Connect has significantly refreshed its program structure. The conference will now begin on Tuesday, making travel easier for attendees, and will feature flexible one-, two-, and three-day passes. Tuesday morning will open with three half-day summits focused on AI, customer experience (CX), and collaboration/UC, combining panels, enterprise case studies, and small-group roundtable discussions designed to encourage peer-to-peer networking. “We're really trying to balance the need to maintain and modernize legacy environments with the challenge of figuring out where AI delivers real ROI today,” Krapf said. AI will be a central theme throughout the event, reflecting the realities many enterprises face: top-down mandates to deploy AI, uncertainty about value and governance, and long-term career implications for IT professionals. At the same time, the agenda continues to address core enterprise priorities such as reliability, compliance, E911, contact center migration, and hybrid work—acknowledging that most organizations must run stable existing systems while preparing for an AI-driven future. Krapf emphasized that Enterprise Connect remains a uniquely vendor-neutral environment, bringing together large platform providers, emerging startups, solution partners, and channel players in one place. “This is where you can see the whole picture—compare solutions side by side, talk directly to peers, and make informed decisions about what actually fits your organization,” he said. For enterprise IT leaders, channel partners, and solution providers alike, Enterprise Connect continues to serve as a critical forum for education, evaluation, and in-person networking. Learn more and register at https://enterpriseconnect.com/.

Dan Herscovici Dan Herscovici, CEO of Plume, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss why contextual intelligence—not raw speed—is becoming the next competitive frontier for internet service providers. As broadband markets grow more competitive and switching costs continue to fall, Herscovici explained that competing solely on price and bandwidth turns connectivity into a commodity and fails to reflect how consumers actually experience the internet inside their homes. Plume's platform applies contextual intelligence to understand what is happening inside each household in real time—device types, interference, usage patterns, and application needs—and dynamically optimizes the network accordingly. “Most ISPs are already delivering far more speed than consumers actually need at any moment in time,” Herscovici said. “What really matters is understanding context and optimizing the network for what's happening in that household right now.” This approach enables latency-sensitive applications like video conferencing to perform better, improves reliability for IoT devices, and allows networks to proactively address issues before subscribers notice degradation. The conversation also explored Wi-Fi 7 and next-generation standards, with Herscovici noting that higher peak speeds alone do not solve most real-world connectivity challenges. With the majority of devices still operating on Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, ISPs must manage complex, mixed-device environments where intelligence, orchestration, and proactive optimization matter more than headline performance metrics. Ultimately, Plume's strategy centers on building subscriber confidence—delivering consistent, secure, and intuitive experiences across onboarding, daily usage, device additions, and support interactions. “When subscribers trust that their ISP will deliver a great experience—and fix things quickly when something goes wrong—they churn less and stay loyal, even if another provider is slightly cheaper,” Herscovici said. By enabling proactive, AI-driven network management and smarter customer engagement, Plume helps ISPs move beyond commodity connectivity toward lasting differentiation. Learn more at https://www.plume.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Raj Darji, Founder & CEO of Aarav Solutions, about the company's launch of two generative AI accelerators—InsightForge and Omni360—designed to help communications service providers modernize billing operations, sales workflows, and customer engagement. Aarav Solutions is a long-standing Oracle Communications implementation partner with more than a decade of domain expertise across Oracle BRM and related telecom platforms. Darji explained that this deep operational knowledge is embedded directly into Aarav's GenAI accelerators, enabling CSPs to adopt AI without disrupting existing infrastructure. “We are not experimenting with AI—we are applying it where telecom operators feel the most pain, inside billing and operations,” said Darji. InsightForge is a GenAI accelerator purpose-built for Oracle BRM that allows business, finance, and operations teams to query complex billing data using natural language—without writing SQL or relying on back-office specialists. By translating plain-language questions into database queries, InsightForge delivers real-time visibility into invoices, balances, taxes, and discrepancies, significantly reducing operational dependencies and response times. Omni360 extends this capability with an AI-driven CRM and CPQ platform tightly integrated with BRM. Designed for mid-market CSPs, MVNOs, and enterprise connectivity providers, Omni360 unifies CRM and billing into a single pane of glass and enables sales teams to generate products, pricing, and quotes through natural-language prompts. Introduced at Mobile World Congress, both solutions drew strong interest for demonstrating how GenAI can deliver immediate, practical value rather than remain a conceptual buzzword. Learn more about Aarav Solutions at https://www.aaravsolutions.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

“It doesn't matter how much a carrier charges—at some point, those copper lines are going to be shut off,” says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. “The real question is whether businesses get ahead of it or wait until it becomes a crisis.” In the latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Jacoby to examine the accelerating reality of the copper sunset and the growing urgency for organizations still relying on legacy POTS lines. Jacoby explains how telecom networks have shifted almost entirely away from copper, leaving only 5–10% of that infrastructure still in use—yet costly to maintain. Deregulation in 2019 allowed carriers to raise prices dramatically, but even skyrocketing bills have not stopped shutdowns. Businesses now face two converging pressures: rapidly rising POTS costs and the certainty that service will eventually be discontinued, regardless of price. For many organizations, this issue surfaces unexpectedly, when once-modest line items suddenly trigger concern from finance teams and executives. Jacoby emphasizes that POTS replacement is not something most businesses have ever planned for, making it critical to choose a partner that can simplify the transition and deliver a long-term solution. TELCLOUD addresses this challenge by bridging legacy analog equipment—such as fire panels, elevators, and emergency phones—with modern, future-proof connectivity. The result is a reliable communication path designed to last for decades, paired with predictable monthly pricing that restores financial stability. For MSPs and IT providers that do not traditionally handle telecom, Jacoby notes that TELCLOUD's channel-first, white-label model allows partners to remain the trusted advisor while TELCLOUD manages the complexity behind the scenes. The episode closes with the Shots segment, recorded from Mexico, where Jacoby introduces Cascahuin No. 7 Reposado, a smooth, oak-aged tequila from Jalisco—an apt finish to a discussion centered on patience, preparation, and long-term value. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Travis Volk, Vice President of Global Technology Solutions and GTM, Carrier at Radware, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the security landscape for telecom providers as the industry heads into 2026. The discussion focused on the accelerating pace of attacks, the shrinking window to respond to vulnerabilities, and why traditional, human-paced security models are no longer sufficient. Volk explained that telecom networks are now facing machine-speed attacks, where newly disclosed vulnerabilities are often exploited within hours, not weeks or months. “Recent CVEs are being exploited at breakneck speeds,” he noted, emphasizing that nearly a third of disclosed vulnerabilities are weaponized within 24 hours. This reality is forcing providers to rethink patching, maintenance, and runtime protection strategies—especially as attackers increasingly chain small flaws into large-scale, sophisticated attacks. A key theme of the conversation was the convergence of offensive and defensive security. As applications become more API-driven and agentic, service providers must adopt continuous, automated testing and inline protection that can detect business-logic attacks in real time. Volk highlighted Radware's use of AI-driven analytics and visualization to map API flows, identify abnormal behavior, and enforce protections such as object-level authorization at scale—capabilities that are critical for encrypted, high-value workloads. Looking ahead, Volk described “good” security in 2026 as a living, observable system that prioritizes risk, automates both pre-runtime and runtime defenses, and enables data-driven decisions without adding operational complexity. Radware is already delivering these capabilities through flexible deployment models—virtual, physical, containerized, and cloud-based—allowing carriers to implement unified policy frameworks today. As Volk put it, AI is no longer optional: it is essential to keeping networks secure, resilient, and available in an era where attacks move faster than humans can respond. Learn more about Radware at https://www.radware.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Josh Flinn, Director of Product, Cloud Software at Digi International, about the company's achievement of SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and what it means for channel partners building secure, cloud-based IoT solutions. Digi International is a global leader in cellular connectivity for IoT, delivering secure, reliable connectivity for distributed devices such as remote sensors, smart city infrastructure, vehicles, and industrial systems. Operating as a channel-first company, Digi focuses on helping partners deploy and manage IoT solutions at scale through cloud-based platforms like Digi Remote Manager and Digi Ventus. During the discussion, Flinn explained that SOC 2 Type 2 is a significant milestone because it validates not only Digi's security controls but also the ongoing execution of secure development, auditing, and change management practices over time. For channel partners, this reduces friction in the sales cycle, simplifies security questionnaires, and provides confidence that core components of their solutions already meet rigorous security standards. As Flinn noted, “SOC 2 is not a one-time event—it's an ongoing commitment to secure operations.” The compliance attestation currently covers Digi Remote Manager for Digi 360 router and gateway platforms, as well as Digi Ventus, Digi's managed services cloud platform. Looking ahead, Digi is continuing to invest in security enhancements such as long-term support firmware, eSIM security capabilities, and automated compliance controls, reinforcing its cloud-first approach as partners and customers move toward increasingly distributed, IoT-driven environments. Learn more about Digi International at https://www.digi.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Ian Richardson, Founder and CEO of Fox & Crow, to explore a topic that many MSPs underestimate until it becomes painful: lead qualification. While generating leads often gets the spotlight, Richardson argues that chasing the wrong prospects can quietly drain revenue, morale, and long-term growth. Drawing on his experience as a former MSP owner, Richardson explained how poorly qualified leads consume senior technical resources, distract sales teams, and can even damage existing customer relationships. “Landing a bad customer is worse than not signing them at all,” he said, noting that MSP onboarding often reveals fundamental misalignment only after months of effort and sunk cost. Richardson outlined a practical framework for qualification that goes beyond firmographics. MSPs must determine whether a prospect views IT as a strategic investment or merely a cost to be minimized—an insight that can only be uncovered through early conversations, often starting with frontline staff. This mindset distinction, he emphasized, is the real gatekeeper to sustainable, profitable client relationships. The discussion also addressed scale and focus, with Richardson cautioning MSPs against stepping outside their ideal customer profile in pursuit of larger deals. Even seemingly attractive opportunities can become “bad-fit accounts” that erode margins and stability. Through Fox & Crow, Richardson positions his firm as a strategic partner helping MSPs build disciplined, organic sales engines that prioritize fit, focus, and long-term value over raw lead volume. More information about Fox & Crow is available at https://www.foxcrowgroup.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Jeff Pulver of the vCon Foundation for an in-depth conversation on the rapid emergence of virtualized conversations (vCons), the intersection of AI and communications, and why the industry is standing at the threshold of an entirely new era. Pulver, widely regarded as a pioneer of internet communications and an early architect of Voice over IP, reflects on how lifelong curiosity—from amateur radio to building the first internet-based telephone networks—shaped his belief that communications innovation is always about enabling connections that were previously impossible. Today, that same philosophy underpins his work with vCons, which he describes as a foundational building block for the AI communications age. At its core, a vCon is a standardized container for conversations—voice, video, text, email, and more—designed to securely capture not only what was said, but also who participated, the context, consent, purpose, and related metadata. Often described as “a PDF for conversations,” vCons make it possible to preserve truth and memory across every interaction, while enabling AI systems to analyze conversations consistently and at scale. Pulver emphasizes that this matters because large language models were trained on open standards, including IETF specifications, making vCons uniquely well suited for reliable AI analysis without constant retraining or hallucination. Pulver argues that while 2025 marked the mainstream adoption of large language models, 2026 will be the year of the vCon, leveling the playing field between small and large organizations by giving all businesses access to deep conversational insights. From customer engagement and compliance to internal collaboration and operational efficiency, vCons allow organizations to move at the speed of AI—without sacrificing trust, consent, or accountability. A major focus of the discussion is the need for education and ecosystem building. Pulver describes the vCon Foundation's mission as combating the biggest obstacle to adoption: ignorance. By promoting interoperability, standards-based development, and collaboration among competitors, the Foundation aims to ensure that vCons become a shared industry asset rather than a fragmented set of proprietary tools. Pulver also previewed the upcoming Spring '26 vCon event in Dallas, scheduled for March 23–26, 2026. The conference will include pre-conference sessions on vCon strategy and theory, the first-ever vCon hackathon, deep dives into AI in business, and a vCon Foundation meeting—bringing together technologists, service providers, policymakers, and innovators to define what comes next. Looking ahead, Pulver believes vCons will soon become a strategic checkpoint for vendors, service providers, and investors alike. As AI and communications converge, organizations that embrace virtualized conversations will be positioned to create smarter services, scalable compliance, and entirely new business models. As he puts it, learning how to spell V-C-O-N is fast becoming another way to spell AI opportunity. To learn more about Jeff Pulver's work and the vCon Foundation, visit https://www.pulver.com/vconfoundation.

In this special podcast for the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) and Technology Reseller News, Doug Green speaks with Jeff Pulver of the vCon Foundation about the accelerating momentum behind vCon technology and why it will play a defining role in the next era of cloud and AI-powered communications. The conversation was recorded in advance of Cloud Connections 2026, where Pulver will be a featured speaker. Pulver, a long-time pioneer in internet communications and standards development, explains that vCon—short for virtualized conversation—is fundamentally a new way to capture, secure, and analyze conversations across voice, video, messaging, email, and other communication modes. Often described as “a PDF for conversations,” vCon provides a tamper-resistant, optionally encrypted container that preserves not only the dialogue itself, but also participants, attachments, metadata, purpose, consent, and AI-generated analysis. The result, Pulver says, is something businesses have never truly had before: truth and memory for every conversation. Why vCons matter now, Pulver explains, comes down to AI. Large language models were trained early on using open standards, including IETF specifications. Because vCon is emerging as an IETF standard, AI systems already “understand” its structure. This dramatically reduces ambiguity and hallucination when conversational history is analyzed at scale. Instead of constantly retraining AI to interpret proprietary formats, organizations can rely on a standardized conversational container that delivers consistent, reliable results across platforms. Pulver believes this shift creates an opportunity as significant as the rise of cloud communications itself. As AI and communications converge, new services, new revenue streams, and entirely new business models become possible. From “smart” SIP trunks and AI-enhanced collaboration tools to enterprise-wide conversational recall, vCons enable organizations of any size—from solopreneurs to global enterprises—to operate with greater efficiency, compliance, and intelligence. “The people who lose out,” Pulver notes, “are the ones who don't embrace AI.” Looking ahead, Pulver predicts that 2026 will be the year of the vCon, as the ecosystem matures and channel partners, service providers, and enterprises begin turning virtualized conversations into real-world value. For members of the CCA community, he sees vCon as a practical, accessible way to add intelligence, differentiation, and new revenue to existing cloud communications offerings. To learn more about Jeff Pulver's work and the vCon Foundation, visit https://www.pulver.com/vconfoundation.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Ty Kircher (NSP Practice Lead, Cellhub) and Dennis Napoliello (Head of U.S. Sales, MultiLine at Movius) about a problem every mobile-first organization runs into: separating personal and business communications on one smartphone—securely and compliantly—without forcing employees to carry two phones. “The MultiLine solution gives enterprises control without forcing users to carry two phones.” Cellhub has been working with vendors like Movius to build an ecosystem of partners (including carrier T-Mobile) that helps channel partners deliver innovative mobile solutions to end-users. Movius addresses the security gap in employee-to-client voice, messaging, and collaboration by offering Secure Communications as a Service. MultiLine™ is designed for hybrid and mobile work: users maintain two separate lines on one device, each secure, compliant, and dedicated—with separate features like voicemail—and with multi-channel communications documented per line. This eliminates the need for separate phones/numbers for Teams, personal use, social media, and apps like WhatsApp or WeChat—Movius consolidates multi-channel communication into one unified, secure ecosystem. That's a strong differentiator for solution providers selling into healthcare and financial services, where organizations must ensure communications compliance with regulations like HIPAA and FINRA, including on personal devices, and across verticals such as government, transportation, and education. MultiLine is positioned as an AI-driven, mobile-first approach that unifies communications and collaboration. Cellhub is also coordinating with a roster of vendor partners to bring unique mobile and wireless computing products and services to market, including initiatives with Tri Cascade, SkyMirr, and its PC-as-a-Service program with Lifetime EndPoint Resource. Reach Cellhub at www.cellhub.com or email Ty Kircher at Ty.Kircher@cellhub.com. Contact Movius at www.movius.ai or reach Dennis Napoliello at Dennis.Napoliello@Movius.ai. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Elie Y. Katz, Founder, President & CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS), to discuss how payments, telecom, and point-of-sale technology are converging to reshape small and independent businesses. Katz explained how NRS, incubated within IDT, was created to give independent convenience stores and small merchants the same tools and insights long available to large national chains. At the center of NRS's success is its integrated point-of-sale platform, now deployed in more than 38,000 locations nationwide. Katz described how NRS combines POS, credit card processing, payroll, cash advance services, and telecom products into a single system. “We didn't just build a register,” Katz said. “We built a platform that lets independent merchants compete with corporate America.” The conversation highlighted the accelerating shift away from cash toward cards, mobile wallets, and peer-to-peer payment apps such as Venmo and Zelle—especially among younger consumers. Katz noted that safety, efficiency, and cost are driving merchants toward cashless or low-cash environments. “The phone has become the bank,” he said, pointing to how mobile payments are now central to everyday commerce. Katz also outlined the opportunity this shift creates for telecom channel partners, MSPs, and resellers. By leveraging existing customer relationships, partners can expand into POS, payment processing, payroll, and cash advance services through NRS. “If you didn't pivot, you went out of business,” Katz said. “Our platform gives channel partners a new stream of recurring revenue using relationships they already have.” Finally, Katz detailed NRS's growing ecosystem of integrations, including DoorDash, Grubhub, and NationsBenefits, which help independent merchants increase revenue and compete more effectively. With offerings like NRSPay and flexible, no-penalty credit card processing, NRS is positioning itself as a long-term partner for small businesses navigating the transition to a digital, cashless economy. For more information, visit https://nrsplus.com/.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Larry O'Connor, Founder of Other World Computing (OWC), for a follow-up conversation focused on OWC's latest product innovations and the company's long-standing philosophy of helping customers get more life, performance, and reliability from their technology. OWC is an ASCDI member and has built a reputation for designing solutions that “just work,” allowing users to focus on their workflows rather than managing infrastructure. O'Connor explained that OWC's roots in memory and storage upgrades naturally evolved into leadership in Thunderbolt connectivity, direct-attached storage, and enterprise NAS platforms. Today, OWC technology is deeply embedded in professional media, creative, and enterprise environments, often powering workflows behind the scenes. “Our goal is to be the boring part,” O'Connor said, noting that once OWC products are installed, they fade into the background while consistently delivering performance. A key focus of the discussion was OWC's expanded Thunderbolt 5 lineup, including the new StudioStack, which combines high-performance NVMe and spinning storage with additional downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports. Designed for systems with limited expansion options, StudioStack effectively turns a single Thunderbolt port into a powerful external PCI-style expansion point, supporting high-resolution displays, additional storage, and peripherals without sacrificing performance. O'Connor also highlighted OWC's new dual 10-gigabit Thunderbolt network dock, built to address specialized but growing needs in media, broadcast, and enterprise workflows. With two fully independent 10GbE ports, the dock enables network segmentation, bonded throughput, and dedicated traffic paths—capabilities that previously required more complex and expensive setups. “It's a game changer for customers who need predictable, high-bandwidth networking off a single cable,” he said. The conversation concluded with an update on SoftRAID 8.6, OWC's flagship software RAID solution, now enhanced for Windows 11 and the latest macOS. O'Connor emphasized SoftRAID's unique cross-platform interoperability between Mac and Windows, along with its ability to segment drives into multiple RAID levels for optimized performance and longevity—capabilities not possible with traditional hardware RAID. These innovations reflect OWC's continued commitment to performance, repairability, and long-term value across the technology lifecycle. For more information, visit https://www.owc.com/.

In the final episode of this four-part series on Telco Days 2025, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, speaks with Greg Goodwin, Director of Business Development at Software Mind, about the company's expanding role in global telecom innovation, the evolving MetaSwitch ecosystem, and the value of community-driven learning at Telco Days. Goodwin, who leads Business Development for Software Mind's telco division across the U.S. and the Americas, outlines how the company has grown to more than 1,800 specialists worldwide—including 200 telco-focused engineers—supporting service providers through OSS/BSS development, mobile applications, roaming solutions under its Amplitiv Telecommunications brand, and long-standing engineering expertise within the BroadWorks and Alianza ecosystems. “We really want to be seen as a trusted advisor—anticipating where the market's going so we can help our customers grow their business, cut costs, and stay ahead,” Goodwin explains, noting that Software Mind's model is built on innovation, co-creation, and delivering measurable value. Reflecting on the recent Alianza Navigate event, Goodwin describes renewed momentum among MetaSwitch customers as Alianza invests in new features and capabilities. “It was fantastic to hear the roadmap and see Alianza reinvesting in those MetaSwitch assets,” he says, emphasizing Software Mind's commitment to supporting operators preparing their systems for the platform's next generation of functionality. When discussing long-term partnerships, Goodwin highlights Software Mind's innovation-first approach, pointing to joint development opportunities where the company not only supplies engineering talent but co-creates new product features with partners. “Being seen as more than a technology provider—as a collaborator building the next generation of telco solutions—is core to how we work,” he adds. As the conversation turns to Telco Days, Goodwin describes why the annual Software Mind–hosted event has become a powerful knowledge hub for service providers. Featuring insights from partners like Alianza, AWS and Microsoft, Telco Days brings together global SPs to explore security, AI transformation, modernization strategies, and the real-world challenges facing telecom operators today. All conference materials and videos will be available at SoftwareMind.com. To learn more about Software Mind's services, engineering capabilities, and Telco Days resources, visit https://softwaremind.com/.

In this special ASCDI edition of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Larry O'Connor, Founder of Other World Computing (OWC), about the company's long-standing role in extending the useful life of technology—and why repairability, reuse, and on-prem infrastructure matter more than ever. O'Connor describes OWC not as a traditional technology vendor, but as a company focused on helping customers get more value, performance, and longevity from the technology they already own. From memory and storage upgrades to connectivity solutions, direct-attached devices, and network-attached storage platforms, OWC designs products that integrate easily into workflows and “just work,” allowing users to focus on outcomes rather than IT overhead. That philosophy naturally extends into the ITAD and circular economy space. OWC has spent more than a decade supporting secure data destruction, recertification, upgrades, and reuse—particularly within the Apple ecosystem. O'Connor emphasizes that too much usable technology is prematurely retired, despite having significant second-life value. Through components, repair services, and resale channels, OWC works closely with ITAD partners to keep equipment productive and out of landfills. The conversation also explores OWC's strong advocacy for Right to Repair, including direct involvement in recent state-level legislation. O'Connor argues that repairability is essential not only for sustainability, but also for economic efficiency, workforce development, and even national readiness—pointing out the broader impact of proprietary restrictions across industries such as agriculture, transportation, and defense. Looking ahead, O'Connor discusses the growing re-evaluation of cloud-only strategies, noting rising costs, data ownership concerns, and resilience risks. OWC continues to invest in high-performance on-prem and hybrid storage solutions, enabling organizations to retain control of their data while achieving cloud-like collaboration and sharing—often with better performance and lower long-term cost. As an ASCDI member, OWC represents a bridge between hardware innovation, sustainability, ITAD collaboration, and practical infrastructure design. “We've been part of the circular economy long before it had a name,” O'Connor notes, underscoring OWC's decades-long commitment to technology that lasts. To learn more about Other World Computing, visit https://www.owc.com/.

“A customer paying $1,200 a month for a POTS line isn't rare anymore — and even at that price, the service may shut off any day,” says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. “We're bringing back fixed, predictable pricing with future-proof technology.” In this latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, reconnects with Jacoby to examine the dramatic shift from historically low-cost, regulated copper pricing to today's volatile and often astronomical POTS rates. What was once a $15–$30 utility charge—kept low by FCC regulation and universal service requirements—has now become a specialty, loss-generating service that carriers are increasingly unwilling to maintain. As Jacoby explains, deregulation opened the door for carriers to raise prices in an attempt to recover the cost of maintaining infrastructure that only 5–10% of customers still rely on. That shift has triggered startling monthly bills—$100, $500, even over $1,200 per line in some markets—and still does not guarantee continuity. “These high prices don't mean the line will stay on,” Jacoby notes. “Carriers are still shutting off copper regardless of what customers pay.” This is where TELCLOUD provides clarity and relief. By bridging legacy equipment requirements with modern wireless and fiber technologies, TELCLOUD allows resellers to deliver a fixed, predictable monthly service that is fully backward-compatible yet engineered for the future. TELCLOUD's wholesale model empowers partners to restore stability for customers while protecting recurring revenue and eliminating the need for costly hardware replacements in elevators, fire panels, emergency phones, and other critical systems. “We’re not just replacing copper — we’re improving it,” Jacoby adds. TELCLOUD's platform delivers a modern IP backhaul, long-term service viability, and full compatibility with legacy analog interfaces, ensuring decades of reliability even as 5G, 6G, and satellite connectivity continue to evolve. As the copper sunset accelerates—with billions of global lines still needing migration over the next three years—MSPs, carriers, and technology advisors are increasingly seeing POTS replacement as a once-in-a-generation opportunity that opens the door to broader modernization initiatives. TELCLOUD supports partners at every skill level, from full white-label arrangements to integrations with major carriers and CLECs. The episode closes with the series' signature Shots segment. Broadcasting live from Mexico—home to TELCLOUD's 24/7 support center—Jacoby introduces a unique discovery: Don Ramón Punta Diamante Reposado, presented in a two-bottle gift box designed for sharing. A beautifully crafted tequila aged in oak and featuring elegant blue-glass accents, it reflects the artistry and heritage behind Mexico's finest spirits. The POTS and Shots series continues to blend education, opportunity, and culture — guiding partners through the telecom transformation while exploring the world's best tequilas. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

At the Fall '25 vCon in Washington, D.C., Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Jon Arnold, Principal of J Arnold & Associates, about why vCon matters, how it fits into the broader AI and communications landscape, and why legal frameworks around compliance and consent are as important as the technology itself. Arnold situates vCon—“virtual conversations”—as a response to a world where interactions are no longer just human-to-human, but also human-to-bot and bot-to-bot, generating vast amounts of conversational data that most organizations are not yet capturing or using effectively. Arnold explains that vCon is not a product but a standard—much like SIP was for VoIP—designed to create an open, interoperable ecosystem for conversational data. By encapsulating both data and metadata from calls, chats, and other interactions into a secure, portable container, vCon can help enterprises manage and analyze conversations across multiple channels, platforms, and use cases. This, he notes, is critical for domains such as UC, customer service, and broader AI-driven applications where structured and unstructured conversational data is becoming a strategic asset. A distinguishing feature of this event, Arnold observes, is the strong presence of legal and policy experts. With AI amplifying both innovation and risk, he underscores the centrality of compliance and consent. Without clear regulatory frameworks and governance, vCon-style capabilities could accelerate a slide toward a “surveillance society,” where every interaction is recorded and tracked without adequate safeguards. Getting lawyers and regulators involved early, Arnold suggests, improves the odds that vCon will scale in a way that balances innovation with consumer protection and trust. On the question of monetization, Arnold draws parallels to the early days of hosted voice and UCaaS: the ecosystem is still forming, a few players are close to real revenue, and many potential use cases are only now being discovered. As with other major technology shifts, he expects some of the most valuable applications to emerge “off-label,” driven by users who find unexpected value once the tools are in their hands. With an open standard, an emerging community, and early traction among sponsors and innovators, Arnold sees strong potential for vCon to become a foundational layer in the next era of AI-enabled communications. To learn more about Jon Arnold's research and analysis, visit https://www.jarnoldassociates.com/.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Roel Cortez, Senior Director, Sales–Telecom at C&D Technologies, about how AI-driven network growth is transforming power and energy storage requirements across telecom infrastructure. C&D Technologies—whose batteries and power systems are embedded throughout U.S. carrier networks—supports everything from large switching facilities to distributed inline amplifier (ILA) sites. Cortez describes 2026 through two lenses: physical infrastructure and intelligence. He highlights continued investment in 5G SA and Advanced, aggressive fiber expansion to support data center connectivity, fast-growing fixed wireless, and emerging space-based connectivity. At the intelligence layer, operators are integrating AI to optimize and automate network operations. “Telecom operators are the backbone of digital society, but AI is changing the scale and speed they need to support,” Cortez notes. AI's workload demands are also reshaping optical transport and power engineering. Hyperscalers require extremely high capacity and low latency between data centers, pushing new collaboration with telecom operators—and new pressure on ILA designs. Traditional sites built for a few kilowatts per rack must now support configurations exceeding 100 kW per rack, along with new cooling strategies such as liquid cooling. Cortez points out the tension between hyperscalers' “speed-to-market mindset” and operators' traditional deployment pace, alongside challenges involving brownfield upgrades, greenfield design, and supply chain constraints. As networks virtualize, Cortez emphasizes that intelligent energy storage is the next frontier for resilience. Three components of DC power plants—controllers, rectifiers, and distribution—are already smart and remotely managed. The remaining piece, batteries, is now evolving to match. “Everything in the network is becoming intelligent, and energy storage can't be the exception anymore,” he says. With operators demanding richer telemetry and automated response capabilities, Cortez sees intelligent storage as essential to building flexible, self-aware, AI-ready telecom networks. Learn more at https://www.cdtechno.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

For Telco Days 2025, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green spoke with Paweł Czernicki, Senior Software Engineer FS TL Java at Software Mind, about one of the most transformative initiatives in Europe's digital landscape — the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet). Czernicki explained that the EUDI Wallet is a secure mobile application that allows European citizens to prove their identity and share verified information online. “It's like your physical wallet going digital,” said Czernicki. “Inside you can store your ID card, driver's license, education diploma, or even proof that you're over 18 — all in one secure, mobile app.” From a citizen's perspective, the wallet offers simplicity, privacy, and control. “You decide what to share, with whom, and for how long,” he added. “It's all about ownership of your data and reducing friction in daily interactions — from verifying your age online to logging into government or private services.” For telecom operators, Czernicki highlighted a major opportunity. “Telecoms are already trusted identity verifiers,” he explained. “With EUDI, they can act as both issuers and verifiers of digital credentials — confirming identities securely without ever storing sensitive data.” This approach, known as selective disclosure, allows organizations to confirm a single fact (like age or residency) without accessing broader personal details. Software Mind has participated in a large-scale EUDI pilot project, which Czernicki described as “proof that the technology works — even across borders and languages.” He noted that adoption will depend on user trust, education, and ease of use, but the rollout is coming quickly. “By late 2025, citizens will be able to log into e-government portals and sign official documents. By 2026 or 2027, we expect widespread adoption across both public and private sectors.” Czernicki summarized the EUDI Wallet simply:  “The EUDI Wallet is Europe's key to secure, user-controlled digital identity — a tool that makes online trust as simple and universal as showing your ID in real life.” Learn more about Software Mind's telecom and digital identity innovations at https://softwaremind.com/.

At the Fall '25 vCon conference in Washington, D.C., Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Dan Petrie, CEO & President of SIPez, to talk about the origins, purpose, and practical future of vCon technology. Petrie, who co-authored the original vCon draft and brought it to the IETF in 2003, describes vCon as a “standard container for capturing conversations” across voice, video, messaging, email, web chat, and more—bringing structure and consistency to interaction data that has long been fragmented across proprietary platforms. Drawing an analogy to Adobe's breakthrough with PDF, Petrie explains that just as PDF standardized how documents are represented and shared regardless of word processor or device, vCon does the same for conversational data. By abstracting common elements like parties, metadata, transcripts, and even AI-generated analytics into a unified format, vCons allow enterprises to capture, store, and analyze interactions from call centers, UCaaS platforms, and messaging systems in a consistent way. This unlocks deeper analysis—such as customer sentiment, agent performance, product feedback, and workflow optimization—without having to wrestle with dozens of incompatible APIs. Petrie stresses that vCon is especially valuable in an AI-driven world, where structured, well-labeled data is essential. “To get real value from AI, you need structured data,” he notes, pointing out that large language models like ChatGPT can only work on limited context windows and rely on upstream systems to extract, segment, and feed the right portions of conversation data. vCons provide that layer: a rich, extensible container that supports encryption, signing, redaction, amendments, and complex scenarios such as multi-leg call transfers and agent handoffs. Much of Petrie's advice is practical: don't try to build everything from scratch. SIPez maintains open-source vCon projects (such as PyvCon) and also offers a commercial vCon recording and AI analysis solution for the NetSapiens platform, giving service providers and MSPs a faster on-ramp. As more vendors add vCon interfaces and as small and mid-sized providers adopt these tools, Petrie believes 2026 will be a pivotal year for MSPs and channel partners to start monetizing vCon-based analytics and services across horizontal markets—from healthcare to customer support and beyond. To learn more about SIPez's vCon tools, open-source projects, and consulting services, visit http://sipez.com/.

At the Fall '25 vCon Conference in Washington, D.C., Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, met with Mike Onslow, CTO of Clarity Voice, to discuss the company's hands-on work with vCons, the rise of AI-driven communications, and the transformative potential of standardizing conversational data across platforms. Onslow began by outlining Clarity Voice's 20-year journey as a communications provider serving small and very small businesses with voice, video, messaging, and increasingly, AI-powered tools. “When the customer wins, we win,” he notes, highlighting a culture centered on customer success across specialized business verticals. A major focus of the discussion was vCon, the emerging standard for representing conversations—described by Onslow as “a PDF for your conversations.” By standardizing call, message, and AI-generated analysis into a single interoperable format, vCons allow organizations to search, index, process, and share conversational data across platforms without reinventing the wheel. “Thomas calls vCons robot food,” Onslow says, noting that large AI models already understand the vCon structure because the specification predates ChatGPT. Onslow shared lessons from Clarity Voice's year-long practical deployment of vCons, including the need for strong data engineering and the importance of keeping raw recordings and raw vCons for future reprocessing as AI models evolve. He also emphasized the value of partnering with experts such as vConic and co-creator Thomas Howe to accelerate implementation, rather than tackling the open-source standard alone. One of Onslow's standout contributions at the event was his talk on using vCons for code review analysis. By transforming developer conversations inside pull requests into vCons, Clarity Voice built tools to detect burnout signals, identify subject-matter experts, and surface hidden collaboration patterns. The approach highlights the broader potential of vCons well beyond traditional UCaaS ecosystems—spanning healthcare, marketing, customer support, and any environment where interactions can be enriched with contextual data. Reflecting on the week's sessions, Onslow emphasized the value of the community emerging around vCon. “This community is the huge value,” he says. “We're figuring out what doesn't work and what does work—together.” He encourages newcomers to engage with the vCon Foundation to gain a smoother on-ramp into the technology and its ecosystem. To learn more about Clarity Voice and its work with AI-powered communications and vCons, visit https://clarityvoice.com/.

At the Fall '25 vCon Conference, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Rebekah Johnson, Founder & CEO of Numeracle, for a timely and urgent discussion on the escalating global fraud crisis and the role identity must play in restoring trust to communications. Johnson, a long-time industry leader on identity assurance, shared insights from her panel on “the state of fraud,” which revealed troubling trends despite industry-wide mitigation efforts. Johnson explains that while robocalls may be declining, fraud itself is surging due to increasingly sophisticated tactics and AI-enabled targeting. “Despite all these mitigation efforts, we actually have a declining situation, not an improving situation,” she notes. Bad actors are using fewer touchpoints and more advanced tools, turning communications channels into highly efficient conduits for financial theft, often to fund organized crime, trafficking, and even hostile state activities. Central to Johnson's message is the need to bring Know Your Customer (KYC) principles into communications—just as the banking industry has done for decades. Without verified identity, she argues, consumers remain vulnerable. “If you're going to get access to communications… there should be a verification process to ensure you are who you say you are,” she says, emphasizing that transparency and verifiable identity are essential to helping consumers make safe choices. Regulatory momentum is building: the FCC's proposed rulemakings touch directly on identity delivery and KYC requirements. But Johnson warns that progress will hinge on implementation by carriers, who face technical burdens without clear financial incentives. Still, she sees identity adoption as inevitable—especially with AI now eroding human ability to distinguish real from synthetic interactions. AI itself, she says, will accelerate the need for digital credentials tied to trustworthy identity. As the conversation turns to Numeracle's mission, Johnson highlights the company's role in protecting enterprise communication channels from being mislabeled as fraud or spam, enabling hospitals, universities, financial institutions, and brands to reach customers reliably. Numeracle also supports UCaaS and CPaaS providers seeking to protect customer reputations across the network. Despite the alarming fraud statistics—estimated in the hundreds of billions—Johnson remains optimistic. “It's not doomsday,” she says. “I'm excited about the future and the role our engineers will play in it.” To learn more about Numeracle's identity and reputation protection services, visit https://www.numeracle.com/.

Technology Reseller News senior tech reporter Moshe Beauford recently spoke with Kristyn Hogan, who heads up Cisco’s collaboration partner sales unit, to discuss the partner opportunity in collaboration and the smooth integration of Cisco’s full portfolio with offerings recently unveiled at its 2025 partner summit in San Diego. The conversation spans the breadth of Cisco’s collaboration devices and software, highlighting the company’s commitment to a partner-led growth strategy. Hogan further noted that partners are central to this push, as they are essential in providing the expertise and services needed for a “seamless migration experience.” She, too, detailed how the partner opportunity has evolved in the cloud era, moving from selling on-premises solutions to earning substantial recurring revenue through activation, usage and adoption incentives in hybrid environments. This shift is designed to ensure partner profitability as they help customers leverage the full stack of Cisco solutions. Furthermore, the discussion touched on how Cisco’s entire portfolio—including innovations announced at the recent Cisco Partner Summit—is designed for tight integration. This unified approach, part of the new Cisco 360 Partner Program, ensures that collaboration solutions work smoothly with networking, security and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure to deliver integrated customer outcomes and create a significant competitive advantage for partners. More at www.cisco.com

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.