Neutral Tandem Introduces Cloud-Based Unified Communications

Neutral Tandem, Inc., a provider of the interconnection services, plans to launch a cloud-based collaboration service in the United States particularly developed to be resold by Cisco's Value-Added Reseller (VAR) community and System Integrators (SIs).

According to a press release, the new cloud-based service is based on Cisco's Unified Communications (News - Alert) infrastructure and will leverage Neutral Tandem's extensive expertise in operating and managing IP networks. Neutral Tandem has signed HCS Trial agreements with select Cisco authorized VARs and is trialing the service with them.

“We are pleased to be involved in the proof-of-concept phase for Cisco Systems (News - Alert) and Neutral Tandem's new collaborative HCS solution. We are particularly impressed by Neutral Tandem's detailed understanding of the market and network neutrality. Our customers have been asking for a solution like this and Neutral Tandem's network neutrality is what drew us to their offer,” said Mike Heiman, VP of Engineering of Nexus IS, Inc. “This is a great program that will provide us the ability to differentiate ourselves while competing more effectively.”

“We are excited to develop this new hosted offer together with Cisco and expand our product portfolio to include cloud-based services that will help companies cost effectively meet the unified communication needs of the market,” added Surendra Saboo (News - Alert), president and COO of Neutral Tandem. “This will be an ideal way for VARs and system integrators to be able to offer a Hosted Collaboration Solution to their enterprise customers while benefiting from a new stream of recurring revenue.”

“Cisco has a range of go-to-market strategies to meet the growing demand for cloud collaboration services and Neutral Tandem's white label offering of HCS is one model that presents a significant business opportunity for channel partners,” said Richard McLeod, senior director for Cisco's Worldwide Partner Collaboration Sales and Practice Management. “As the first US-based partner to bring a white-label HCS offering to market, Neutral Tandem will help VARs and integrators drive growth and profitability while providing end customers with a proven collaboration solution.”

In other news, Neutral Tandem recently announced the deployment of a PSX voice softswitch from Sonus Networks (News - Alert) in an interconnection hub, the Telehouse Docklands North location in London.

The new world-class data center in London provides Neutral Tandem's international carrier customers with the ability to interconnect via Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) or Session Initiation Protocol (News - Alert)/ Internet Protocol (SIP/IP). It also provides a neutral point of interconnection and acts as a major hub for companies that operate in the European markets.