Unified Communications Featured Article

Dialpad Integrates with Alexa

By Paula Bernier
Executive Editor, TMC

The way we communicate is evolving in a variety of ways.

Social networks allow us to share our every thought and activity with others, and to market and sell our products and services. Broadband wireless networks, smartphones, and other connected devices make it easier for us to communicate whenever we like from wherever we are.

The cloud, new software, and technologies like WebRTC help deliver more seamless experiences and integrate communications into the applications we already use today.

And, in some cases, communicating doesn’t even involve the manual labor of clicking on a touchscreen. Instead, we can now simply say what we want, and personal assistants do our bidding for us.

In one of the latest developments on this last front, cloud-based communications firm Dialpad has announced an integration with Amazon Alexa that allows users of its solution to use voice prompts to:

• add a contact to a current call,
• check Dialpad voicemail and text messages,
• disable and enable do not disturb,
• listen to Dialpad system reports, such as total call volume for the week,
• place a call to a contact,
• put a call on hold,
• record a call, and/or
• transfer a call from device to device.

Dialpad’s cloud-based solution gives people the ability to communicate anywhere in the world, on any device, and use an array of communication types. It integrates with existing business applications such as calendars, CRM, email, and more. It allows for both internal and external communications. And it delivers real-time analytics about those communications.

The company says the integration with Alexa aligns with its own efforts to allow mobile workers to get more work done faster. And it adds that Dialpad is the first communications platform to integrate with Alexa.

“This is true mobility in the sense that up until now, you could take your calls from any of your existing devices, but you were still required to actually have physical access,” said Vincent Paquet, vice president of product for Dialpad. “Whether it's a computer, a smartphone, a desk phone, or a tablet, with Alexa we extend mobility to the last frontier so you can now make calls using Dialpad from anywhere without having to touch any of your devices.”

The Alexa-Dialpad solution will be available to a limited group starting May 15. It’s slated to be generally available soon after that.

Dialpad is also working on an integration with Google (News - Alert) Home. The company says that will be available soon.

Artificial intelligence, which uses algorithms and rules-based logic to automate a wide variety of tasks within many verticals, occupies the top spot in 2017 tech trend lists from such notable companies as Ericsson (News - Alert) and Gartner. IDC expects AI and cognitive systems to drive worldwide revenues from nearly $8 billion in 2016 to more than $47 billion in 2020.

AI and machine learning, as well as real-time communications, will be among the prevalent topics at TMC’s (News - Alert) Communications 20/20 event. This industry gathering will take place July 18 through 20 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.