SIPPIO has launched a new programme allowing resellers and managed services providers to sell voice services for Microsoft Teams via Operator Connect.
The globally available service is built on SIPPIO’s existing platform, which includes features such as CPQ, e-commerce, automated activation and service management.
Adam Cole, CEO at SIPPIO, said: “SIPPIO is a channel-only provider, and our existence is rooted in the success of our partners.
“Their growth is the lifeblood of our business, and we are steadfastly committed to developing products that serve their evolving needs in the rapidly growing voice industry.”
For Carriers considering or already integrated with Operator Connect, the initiative offers a way to cultivate partner networks through n-tier access across the SIPPIO platform.
This simplifies the onboarding process for existing partners and provides an avenue to engage and recruit new ones actively, SIPPIO said.
Operator Connect has proved populate since launching 2021, and is seen as a middle ground between the flexibility of Direct Routing and the ease of Microsoft Teams Calling Plans.
Steve Forcum, Director of Program Management at SIPPIO, said:
“SIPPIO stands as the pioneering platform fostering a comprehensive commercial ecosystem centred [on] Microsoft Operator Connect.
“The positive outcomes demonstrated by our pilot partners validate our vision, and we anticipate introducing this transformative framework to our broader community.”
Operator Connect Accelerator
SIPPIO was also announced as an Operator Connect Accelerator Partner in April 2022.
Operator Connect Accelerator is a programme launched by Microsoft that allows select approved partners to provide software and services to telecom operators to help them get up and running with Operator Connect more quickly and easily. Accelerator partners offer a range of services, including infrastructure, software, and support.
- What is Operator Connect?
- Direct Routing vs. Operator Connect?
- Top Operator Connect Providers for 2023
The Operator Connect Accelerator program is a valuable resource for telecom operators who want to get started with Operator Connect but want to make a substantial upfront investment.
By working with an accelerator partner, operators can save time and money and leverage the support of an approved provider. Other Accelerator partners include Azure for Operators (Metaswitch, until Microsoft acquired it in 2020), AudioCodes, NuWave, PingCo and Ribbon.
SIPPIO claims to have seen substantial growth since launching in 2019, boasting “triple-digit, year-over-year expansion” and a customer retention rate of 99.99 percent. As well as Microsoft Teams, SIPPIO provides voice services to partners for Zoom.
Teams Voice in Demand
Demand for voice services in Teams has surged in recent years as organisations look to consolidate their communications and collaboration services. On an earnings call last month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Teams now has 17 million users connected to PSTN networks through Direct Routing, Calling Plans and Operator Connect.
Operator Connect, meanwhile, has grown to have 67 carriers certified at the time of publication, according to Microsoft’s website.
Operator Connect is also available for mobile but was renamed to Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile last year.
- What is Zoom Phone Provider Exchange?
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The likes of Webex by Cisco and Zoom also have solutions that allow organisations to plug their existing third-party carrier services into their unified communications platforms. Earlier this year, SIPPIO claimed to be the first provider to enable cloud voice services for both Microsoft Teams and Zoom on the same unified platform.
The solution is supported by scalable infrastructure on Microsoft’s Azure cloud, simplifying integration processes and reducing carriers’ costs.
Zoom Phone provides coverage in 47 countries directly from Zoom itself, according to the vendor’s website, with more than 45 other countries supported through Zoom Phone Provider Exchange voice partners.
