"It's just the tip of the iceberg," according to Fazil Balkaya, Founder & Principal Analyst, Balkaya Consulting. I recently had a chat with Balkaya regarding Microsoft's Metaswitch Networks acquisition, which he forecasts as one of many purchases the collaboration giant will make to boost its UCaaS capabilities.
[caption id="attachment_23796" align="alignright" width="200"]
Fazil Balkaya[/caption]
He wanted to set the record straight about Microsoft's recent purchase, telling UC Today its a service provider acquisition, and that Microsoft has "Absolutely no interest in making in acquisitions to sell more software to service providers." Instead, he added, Microsoft's hoping to bolster its mobile solutions partnerships with service providers. In this sense, the move is a strategic one set to increase the value proposition of Microsoft's mobile functionalities that enable remote working and management.
Metaswitch’s portfolio is complementary to Microsoft's, one with high-performance, cloud-native communications software set to help the collaboration company expand its range of telecommunications offerings that suit the growing need for strong mobile work solutions. This is, according to Balkaya. He added, Microsoft will leverage the talent and technology of the two organizations to expand 'Azure' to both deploy and grow these capabilities at scale with heightened security, efficiency, and ecosystem sustainably. Corporate Vice President, Azure Networking, Microsoft, Yousef Khalidi, wrote in a blog post about what the move means for service providers around the world:
"The convergence of cloud and communication networks presents a unique opportunity for Microsoft to serve operators globally via continued investment in Azure, adding additional depth to our hyperscale cloud infrastructure with the specialized software required to run virtualized communication functions, applications, and networks."
Balkaya noted, Metaswitch's MaX offering is "Interesting and well-suited for Microsoft's needs," but contends, it's only a fraction of the story. The picture today remains incomplete, but what he does foresee, a series of "Well-planned acquisitions Microsoft will make to improve its mobile features. Microsoft plans to go further into telecoms IT spending by connecting directly with Azure via the Edge."
Yousef Khalidi[/caption]
