Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

By Doug Green “SMS is no longer just a one-way notification channel—it’s becoming a real-time conversational platform powered by AI.” In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, I spoke with Ritwek Swetank about a shift that many in the communications industry may be underestimating: the transformation of SMS from simple messaging into an intelligent, interactive engagement layer. For years, SMS has been viewed as a utility—used for alerts, reminders, and basic notifications. As I framed it in the conversation, most people still think of texting as coordinating plans or sending quick updates. But that perception is rapidly becoming outdated. Swetank argues that AI is fundamentally redefining what SMS can do. Instead of one-way communication, messaging is evolving into a dynamic, two-way conversational experience. This shift is being driven by advances in AI models that can interpret intent, respond contextually, and manage interactions in real time. The implication is significant: SMS is moving closer to the role traditionally held by voice or live chat, but with far greater scalability and immediacy. From a business perspective, this creates new opportunities. Enterprises can engage customers in real-time conversations—handling support inquiries, driving transactions, and delivering personalized experiences—all within a channel that already has near-universal reach and high engagement rates. At the same time, this evolution introduces new challenges. As messaging becomes more conversational and AI-driven, expectations around responsiveness, accuracy, and trust increase. Poorly implemented AI can quickly degrade the customer experience, while well-executed solutions can create a competitive advantage. For the channel, this is another example of how AI is reshaping traditional communications infrastructure. What was once a basic transport layer is now becoming an application platform—one where intelligence, automation, and data integration define value. The takeaway is clear: SMS is no longer just messaging. It is emerging as a core component of the conversational AI stack, and those who recognize this shift early will be best positioned to capitalize on it.

By Doug Green “The missing layer in stopping scam calls is verified identity—knowing with certainty who is behind the call.” In a recent Telecom Reseller podcast, I spoke with Keith Buell, General Counsel and Head of Global Public Policy at Numeracle, about the Federal Communications Commission’s latest Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on caller ID and what it means for service providers. At the center of the discussion is a growing consensus in Washington: authentication alone is not enough. While frameworks like STIR/SHAKEN have improved call authentication, they do not fully address the problem of identity—specifically, verifying the entity originating the call. Numeracle has been focused on this issue since 2018, working at both the regulatory and industry levels to address the gap between authentication and identity. As Buell explained, the company’s mission is to ensure that legitimate calls reach consumers while protecting enterprises and service providers from reputational and regulatory risk associated with misidentified or spam-labeled calls. The FCC’s NPRM reflects this shift in thinking. The proposal emphasizes stronger caller authentication, greater transparency, and more robust Know Your Customer (KYC) processes. The goal is to reduce illegal robocalls while preserving the ability for legitimate businesses to communicate effectively with customers. Central to this effort is the concept of traceable, verifiable caller identity. Numeracle has been actively engaged in shaping this conversation. The company submitted formal comments supporting the FCC’s objectives, while advocating for end-to-end identity verification that can scale across the ecosystem. In addition, Numeracle has met with FCC leadership, including Chairman Carr, Commissioner Gomez, and staff from key bureaus such as the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau. A key theme in those discussions is the need for practical, standards-based solutions that do not disrupt legitimate communications. As Buell noted, the challenge is to balance enforcement with enablement—ensuring bad actors are stopped without inadvertently blocking trusted enterprise traffic. To address this, Numeracle recently introduced KYC as a Service (KYCaaS), a fully managed solution designed to help service providers implement standardized identity verification processes. The offering enables carriers to collect, validate, and maintain customer identity data in alignment with evolving FCC requirements, while also creating an auditable trail that supports compliance. More importantly, KYCaaS is positioned as a proactive approach. Rather than reacting to regulatory enforcement after the fact, service providers can establish a framework for verified identity that reduces risk and improves call deliverability. For service providers, the message is clear: the regulatory environment is shifting toward verified identity as a foundational requirement. Those who move early to implement scalable KYC processes will be better positioned to maintain compliance, protect their brands, and ensure their communications reach customers. Learn more at: https://www.numeracle.com/kycaas

“The AI era has changed the speed and complexity of cyber risk,” says Andrew Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Strategic Partnerships at NWN. “Organizations don’t just need more tools—they need outcomes.” @Doug Green In this Technology Reseller News podcast, I spoke with Andrew Gilman of NWN.ai about the company’s newly announced cybersecurity offering—an AI-enabled managed security operations suite designed to simplify and operationalize modern security environments. The launch reflects a growing gap in the market. As Gilman explains, security platforms have advanced rapidly, but operations have not kept pace. Organizations are now overwhelmed by alerts, dashboards, and fragmented tools—especially across hybrid environments and distributed workforces. The result is a disconnect between visibility and action. NWN’s answer is a fully managed, AI-enabled cybersecurity model built on its Experience Management Platform (EMP). The goal is to unify security operations into a single control plane, combining automation, observability, and human expertise to deliver measurable outcomes. The offering includes a comprehensive set of services: Managed Detection and Response (MDR) for 24×7 threat protection Offensive security, including continuous penetration testing Ransomware protection services designed for hybrid environments Strategic consulting, including vCISO capabilities A key differentiator is how NWN integrates leading security platforms into a managed service model. Expanded partnerships with Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and Arctic Wolf bring best-of-breed technologies into a unified operational framework—reducing tool sprawl while improving response times. Gilman emphasized that AI is not just increasing threats—it’s also changing expectations. Security teams must now move faster, operate more efficiently, and deliver clearer outcomes to the business. That requires a shift from managing tools to managing results. The EMP platform plays a central role here, acting as the operational backbone. It aggregates telemetry, automates workflows, and provides a standardized view of security operations—helping organizations move from reactive monitoring to proactive defense. For IT leaders feeling overwhelmed, Gilman’s advice is clear: focus on simplification, integration, and accountability. The future of cybersecurity isn’t about adding more layers—it’s about making the entire system work together. This launch positions NWN to help organizations modernize security operations at a time when both risk and complexity are accelerating. Learn more at www.nwn.ai  

Kaela Kucera, Director of Outbound Sales at Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green for an ITAD-focused discussion on sustainability, data security, and the growing importance of full lifecycle IT management. Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations provides both IT asset disposition (ITAD) and electronics recycling services for B2B organizations, with facilities in Wisconsin, Virginia, and Tennessee. The company manages the complete lifecycle of retired IT assets—from intake and asset tracking to data wiping, testing, refurbishment, resale, or responsible recycling. A key focus is ensuring that electronics are kept out of landfills whenever possible while maintaining strict data security standards. Kucera emphasized that extending the life of IT equipment is central to both sustainability and value creation. “Our number one focus is really buying refurbished instead of new—finding ways to put equipment back into the market wherever possible,” she explained. Through global downstream channels, Dynamic identifies secondary markets where older equipment still holds value, including international buyers and educational use cases. Devices that can be refurbished are repaired and resold, while non-resalable equipment is processed through an advanced in-house shredding and material recovery system that separates components for reuse in raw material supply chains. Data security is tightly integrated into every step of the process. All devices are either fully sanitized using automated software or physically destroyed if wiping is not possible. With all services handled in-house, Dynamic ensures a secure chain of custody from receipt to final disposition, reducing risk and eliminating gaps that can occur with third-party handoffs. Kucera also highlighted the company’s culture and mission-driven approach, noting that sustainability, customer trust, and internal values are closely connected. By combining ITAD, resale, and recycling under one umbrella, Dynamic enables organizations to responsibly manage retired IT assets while unlocking additional value and minimizing environmental impact. Their ultimate goal is giving electronics their next best life. Learn more: https://thinkdynamic.com/

Greg LaBrie, Vice President of Technology Solutions at Worldcom Exchange Inc. (WEI), joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to discuss how AI and next-generation connectivity—anchored by WEI Connect and Starlink—are reshaping enterprise networking. WEI, a long-standing value-added reseller founded in 1989, has evolved into a provider of integrated IT and connectivity solutions. With WEI Connect, the company is bringing enterprise-grade structure, visibility, and support to emerging technologies like Starlink, transforming them into fully managed, business-ready services. LaBrie described AI in telecom as the foundation for self-healing, autonomous networks driven by telemetry and real-time decision-making. “For us, AI means having networks that are self-healing and autonomous—collecting data, making decisions, and keeping users connected without them even knowing it’s happening,” he said. Starlink plays a central role in this vision, using AI to dynamically select satellites and ground connections to maintain performance. WEI enhances this capability by aggregating data through APIs, applying predictive analytics, and integrating SD-WAN intelligence to determine the best available connection—whether satellite, fiber, or 5G—on a per-application basis. The result is an outcome-based network where connectivity is seamless and resilient. Users experience uninterrupted service—even during live sessions—as traffic is automatically routed across the optimal path. This approach not only improves uptime but also enables new use cases, including real-time telemetry collection in remote or hard-to-reach environments. Looking ahead, WEI sees continued advances in AI-driven automation, with increasing amounts of data enabling more predictive and autonomous network management. As enterprise reliance on connectivity grows, LaBrie emphasized that organizations will benefit from fewer outages, improved performance, and simplified support through partners that unify multiple technologies into a single, managed experience. Learn more: https://www.wei.com/

Steven Hess, Co-Founder of Deep Fathom, joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to discuss the launch of Deep Fathom’s CMMC Compliance Readiness Suite, an AI-driven platform designed to simplify cybersecurity compliance for defense contractors and their service providers. Deep Fathom’s mission is to make complex compliance frameworks accessible through automation and AI. The new platform guides organizations through the entire CMMC journey—from initial assessment to audit readiness and ongoing compliance—while embedding the required expertise directly into the system. “If you can provide good quality service, that’s what our platform is designed to do—we’ve encoded that expertise into our AI stack,” Hess said. The opportunity for MSPs and channel partners is substantial. CMMC impacts more than 250,000 defense suppliers and represents a multi-billion-dollar annual market. While the mandate originates with the U.S. Department of Defense, it is enforced across private-sector businesses—meaning many MSPs already serve affected customers without realizing it. Deep Fathom’s partner-first approach allows service providers to deliver compliance services without building in-house expertise. The platform combines a SaaS-based compliance engine with a secure data integration component, enabling partners to quickly onboard customers, manage documentation, and maintain certification over time. Looking ahead, Hess emphasized that CMMC is just the beginning. The framework is rapidly becoming a model for broader federal, state, and industry compliance initiatives, positioning early adopters to expand into additional regulated markets. Learn more: https://www.deepfathom.ai/

“Now it’s much more about accountability. We need to see metrics moving.” — Jean-Philippe Avelange, Chief Information Officer, Expereo In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Jean-Philippe Avelange, CIO of Expereo, about a major shift now underway in enterprise AI strategy: the move from experimentation to measurable return on investment. Avelange explains that 2024 was largely a period of AI discovery, while 2025 brought broader rollouts and aggressive investment. In 2026, however, the tone has changed. Boards and executive teams are no longer satisfied with AI pilots and proofs of concept alone. They want evidence that AI is improving cycle times, raising service quality, and producing tangible business results. Expereo, a global connectivity provider helping multinational enterprises source and manage internet-centric connectivity worldwide, has a front-row view of this shift. The company works closely with enterprises facing both the opportunity and the infrastructure demands created by AI-driven transformation. According to Avelange, many organizations are learning that AI success depends less on adding tools for employees and more on rethinking business processes, governance, and data structures so AI can be embedded directly into how work gets done. That distinction is central to Expereo’s view of embedded AI. Rather than simply providing copilots or chat interfaces to employees, embedded AI places intelligence inside the process itself, allowing agents, skills, and automation flows to perform work in a more autonomous but still controlled way. This requires much more than model access. It demands clear process design, reliable data ownership, and a disciplined understanding of what good outcomes look like. Avelange notes that this is one reason many AI pilots fail to reach production. Companies often move too quickly, expecting AI to replace effort without first resolving issues around fragmented data, unclear workflows, and inconsistent governance. In contrast, the AI initiatives that now survive budget scrutiny are those tied to specific use cases with clear, near-term business impact. Inside Expereo, that means focusing on practical gains in areas such as service assurance, multilingual ticket handling, supplier coordination, and customer response quality. The company began with straightforward generative AI use cases, but is now moving toward more structured, embedded intelligence that helps teams make better decisions faster and more consistently. Avelange’s advice to enterprises entering this new phase of AI spending is to start with the “boring” processes first: the repetitive, manual, and measurable workflows where governance can be built, data can be normalized, and success can be clearly demonstrated. From there, organizations can expand AI more confidently into broader and more transformative parts of the business. To learn more about Expereo, visit https://www.expereo.com/.

Elie Y. Katz, President and CEO of National Retail Solutions, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how NRS is transforming independent retail with enterprise-grade technology, integrated services, and new approaches to security and growth. Katz described NRS as the leading point-of-sale (POS) platform for independent retailers—including convenience stores, liquor stores, and bodegas—while also delivering a broader suite of services such as payments, cash advances, and payroll. The company’s mission is to bring big retail capabilities to small businesses that lack the time and resources to source and integrate these tools on their own. “We look at it as if we’re the back office for these small businesses… we bring them the best tools so they can focus on running their business,” Katz said. A major focus of the discussion was store security, a growing concern as theft and shrinkage increasingly impact small retailers. NRS has embedded multiple security features directly into its POS platform, including panic alarms, real-time alerts for suspicious activity, and integrated camera systems that align transactions with video footage. These tools help merchants detect both internal and external risks while maintaining operational efficiency. Importantly, Katz emphasized that these solutions are designed with affordability in mind, ensuring that even the smallest retailers can access advanced protection without compromising margins. Beyond security, NRS is enabling independent retailers to compete more effectively through digital transformation. With tools like e-commerce integration, delivery platform connectivity, loyalty programs, and rewards systems, small stores can expand beyond their immediate neighborhood and reach a broader customer base. Katz also shared current retail trends, noting softness in certain sectors like liquor sales, while convenience stores remain relatively stable. In this environment, technology becomes a key differentiator—helping merchants maintain revenue and improve customer engagement. With a network of over 35,000 locations, NRS is effectively creating a collective ecosystem of independent retailers, giving them scale, tools, and services typically reserved for large chains. For channel partners, MSPs, and service providers, Katz highlighted a significant opportunity: leveraging existing customer relationships to introduce additional services and generate new revenue streams. Learn more: https://nrsplus.com/

Mahen Gundecha of SkyCrest Advisors joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a short but impactful podcast reel highlighting a critical issue in MSP exit planning: how quickly business value can erode if key relationships are not secure. Using a real-world scenario, Gundecha explained that service businesses—particularly MSPs—carry inherent risk due to their dependence on customer concentration and key employees. Even with contracts in place, clients can exit, creating immediate financial impact. He illustrated this with a simple example: if a single customer represents 20% of revenue, losing that client can significantly reduce profitability—and when valuation multiples are applied, that loss can translate into millions of dollars in reduced company value. “When you’re selling a service company, you’re buying people, capabilities, and customers,” Gundecha said. “If key customers or employees leave, the value of your business drops—sometimes dramatically.” The risks extend beyond customers. Gundecha shared cases where key employees departed during the sale process, sometimes triggered by the announcement of a pending acquisition. Since buyers are ultimately acquiring the team and its capabilities, the loss of critical personnel can jeopardize or even derail a deal. He also noted that undisclosed risks—such as clients planning to leave—can surface late in due diligence, forcing difficult conversations with buyers. In some cases, deals can be restructured or salvaged, but in others, buyers may walk away entirely due to heightened risk. The key takeaway: MSP owners preparing for an exit must proactively strengthen and validate relationships with both customers and employees well before entering the sale process. Regular engagement, transparency, and retention strategies are essential to preserving value. Gundecha emphasized that valuation is not just about revenue multiples, but about the stability and durability of the business—factors that directly influence buyer confidence and final deal outcomes. Learn more: https://www.skycrestadvisors.com/

The growing complexity of messaging compliance and the operational risks facing enterprises, Approved Contact Podcast, This is where structured conversation data becomes critical “Pay attention to why you’re sending the text—operational versus marketing.” In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Tony Nuzzo of Approved Contact about the growing complexity of messaging compliance and the operational risks facing enterprises. A key theme emerging from the discussion is that as customer communications scale—especially across SMS and voice—organizations must move beyond fragmented systems and develop a unified, auditable view of customer interactions. Nuzzo highlights how regulations like the “ten-day revocation rule” are raising the stakes. Once a customer opts out, companies have a limited window to stop all communications—or risk fines and legal exposure. The challenge is not just compliance, but execution: ensuring that opt-outs are captured, understood, and acted upon across all systems in near real time. This is where structured conversation data becomes critical. By centralizing communication records and applying frameworks like vCon, businesses can better understand customer intent, track consent, and reduce ambiguity. The distinction between operational messages (e.g., fraud alerts or payment reminders) and marketing outreach becomes especially important, as each carries different compliance obligations. For enterprises, financial institutions, and service providers, the takeaway is clear: compliance is no longer a back-office function—it is a core operational capability. Those who can manage consent, context, and communication history effectively will reduce risk while improving customer trust. The bottom line: in a world of tightening regulations and rising customer expectations, managing conversations intelligently isn’t optional—it’s foundational.

“Call transcription is dead. The conversation is the product.” For MSPs and channel partners, Abramson sees a meaningful opportunity—but not in simply reselling AI features. Instead, the role is becoming more strategic. Partners can help customers integrate conversational data across systems, implement governance frameworks, and ensure compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment @Doug Green The voice AI and transcription market is undergoing a fundamental shift—one that goes far beyond improving accuracy or lowering costs. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, I spoke with Andy Abramson about how platforms like Zoom and Slack are redefining the role of conversational data in the enterprise. At the center of this shift is a simple but powerful idea: transcription is no longer the end goal. It is becoming an embedded, expected feature—automated, commoditized, and increasingly invisible. The real value is moving upstream, toward what organizations can actually do with the data generated from conversations. “We’ve gone from ‘can we transcribe?’ to ‘what can we do with it?’” That evolution signals the emergence of a new platform layer built around conversational intelligence. Rather than treating calls and meetings as ephemeral events, enterprises are beginning to view them as structured, persistent data assets—fuel for analytics, automation, compliance, and AI-driven decision-making. This has significant implications for the competitive landscape. Standalone transcription vendors, once differentiated by accuracy and pricing, now face pressure as transcription becomes native to broader platforms. At the same time, elements of the UCaaS and CCaaS stack may also be impacted, as value shifts away from transport and toward intelligence. A critical question emerging from this transition is ownership. As platforms embed AI more deeply, enterprises must consider who controls their conversational data—and how it can be accessed, governed, and leveraged. While some organizations may gain efficiency and insight, others risk becoming dependent on platform-defined workflows and data models. For MSPs and channel partners, Abramson sees a meaningful opportunity—but not in simply reselling AI features. Instead, the role is becoming more strategic. Partners can help customers integrate conversational data across systems, implement governance frameworks, and ensure compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. In that sense, conversational data is becoming a new category of enterprise asset—one that requires oversight, architecture, and policy. The shift aligns closely with broader industry conversations around AI governance, auditability, and trust. Looking ahead, the next 12 to 24 months will be critical. The market could consolidate around a handful of dominant platforms, or it could evolve into a broader ecosystem where conversational intelligence is exposed through APIs and integrated across multiple environments. What is clear, however, is that the conversation itself is no longer just a byproduct of communication. It is the product. #VoiceAI #Transcription #ConversationalAI #UCaaS #CCaaS #ChannelPartners #MSP #AI #TechnologyResellerNews

“Is your business still exciting—or just exhausting?” SkyCrest highlights a powerful concept for MSPs and service providers: small increases in profitability can translate into significant gains in exit valuation, Podcast “Is your business still giving you that same excitement—or has it become something you have to manage rather than something you want to build?” In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with leaders from SkyCrest Advisors, https://mspexitplan.com/ about a reality many MSP owners eventually face: the shift from entrepreneurial energy to operational fatigue—and the strategic decisions that follow. The conversation centers on a critical inflection point. For many business owners in their 50s and 60s, the business that once fueled ambition can become all-consuming. Long hours, cybersecurity pressures, and the weight of responsibility often replace the early excitement of landing clients and hitting revenue milestones. That’s where the conversation turns from growth to transition. A key takeaway is the importance of asking hard questions early: Is the business still aligned with your personal goals? Is it a lifestyle, an income engine, or an asset preparing for exit? And most importantly—are you financially ready for what comes next? SkyCrest highlights a powerful concept for MSPs and service providers: small increases in profitability can translate into significant gains in exit valuation. Improving profit by $100K could add $500K or more in business value, reframing how owners should think about the final years before a sale. The discussion also underscores a common reality—most owners have the majority of their wealth tied up in their business. That makes planning not just important, but urgent. Risks like health issues, owner dependency, and lack of succession planning can directly impact valuation if not addressed in advance. The bottom line: exit planning isn’t a last-minute decision—it’s a multi-year strategy. For MSPs looking ahead three to five years, the focus should shift to building value, reducing risk, and ensuring the business can operate without them. Learn more at SkyCrest Advisors. https://mspexitplan.com/

Redefining Unified Communications for AI Voice: Jon Arnold on the Five Threads Shaping the Future, Podcast, AI voice is not just another feature layered onto existing platforms—it represents a fundamental shift @Doug Green “We’re moving from tactical improvements to a more strategic, holistic view of AI voice—and that changes everything about how businesses think about communications,” says Jon Arnold. In this Technology Reseller News podcast, I spoke with Jon Arnold about his presentation at the vCon Spring Conference 2026, where he outlined a framework for understanding how AI voice is reshaping unified communications. Arnold’s central point is that AI voice is not just another feature layered onto existing platforms—it represents a fundamental shift. The industry is moving beyond tools like transcription and call recording toward treating conversations themselves as structured, valuable data that can drive business outcomes. A key part of this transformation is the emergence of standards such as vCon Foundation. By enabling conversations to be captured with context, metadata, and governance, vCon provides a foundation for portability, compliance, and interoperability across platforms. This is becoming increasingly important as enterprises seek to maintain control over their conversational data while deploying AI at scale. For MSPs, service providers, and channel partners, this shift creates a new opportunity. Rather than focusing primarily on seats and connectivity, partners can help customers unlock value from conversations—through analytics, automation, and AI-driven workflows. This opens the door to new revenue models tied to outcomes and intelligence rather than usage alone. The broader implication is that unified communications itself is being redefined. As AI voice becomes central to the experience, communications platforms are evolving into intelligence platforms—where every interaction can be captured, understood, and acted on.

“Ultimately, the customer wants one thing: they want the service, they want it to work, and it has to be 100 percent reliable,” says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. In the latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Jacoby to explore a critical dimension of copper migration that goes beyond hardware: why the service model matters almost as much as the technology itself. Jacoby begins by framing TELCLOUD’s role in the market. As a backend service provider focused entirely on the channel, TELCLOUD does not sell direct. Instead, the company works through trusted advisors—MSPs, telecom agents, IT service firms, and carriers—helping them deliver reliable replacement for legacy copper lines used by alarm panels, security systems, elevators, and other life-safety applications that do not work well over conventional VoIP. While TELCLOUD initially focused on solving the technical side of POTS replacement, Jacoby explains that the company quickly realized that technology alone was not enough. Resellers also needed support with the operational realities of delivering these services at scale: project management, kitting, logistics, field services, financing, monitoring, and ongoing support. That led TELCLOUD to build a flexible model that ranges from wholesale enablement to fully managed white-label service. Some partners handle much of the deployment themselves, while others rely on TELCLOUD to manage the process end to end under the partner’s own brand. The goal, Jacoby says, is to meet the reseller where they are—whether they are a telecom expert or an MSP with strong customer trust but little telecom experience. For MSPs in particular, Jacoby makes the case that POTS replacement can still be a fit even if telecom is not their core business. “If you are that trusted advisor and your customer looks to you for guidance, then maybe it’s a good fit,” he says. “We can do the rest.” TELCLOUD’s white-label approach ensures that the partner retains the customer relationship while TELCLOUD delivers the backend infrastructure and support. The urgency behind this model is growing. As Jacoby notes, carriers are accelerating shutdowns, and in many areas there is simply not enough time or labor capacity to convert all remaining lines once outages begin to hit at scale. That makes proactive planning essential—not only to avoid cost spikes, but to prevent situations where buildings cannot open, elevators cannot operate, or life-safety systems are left waiting in line for replacement service. The episode closes with the Shots segment, where Jacoby introduces Gran Mayan Silver, a triple-distilled blanco tequila presented in a distinctive ceramic bottle. Smooth, clear, and designed for sipping, it continues the series’ tradition of pairing serious infrastructure conversations with a lighter finish. For more information, visit https://www.telcloud.com/ or call 844-900-2270.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, interviewed Paul Tuttle, Interop Field Applications Engineer, and Dan Marchetto, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CyberData, to discuss the continued evolution of IP-based endpoints, paging systems, and facility communications in enterprise environments. CyberData has long focused on enabling critical communications through IP-connected devices, including paging systems, intercoms, and notification endpoints. Tuttle explained that many organizations are transitioning from legacy analog infrastructure to IP-based solutions that integrate directly with modern VoIP and unified communications platforms. “We’re helping customers move from analog to IP without losing the reliability they depend on,” he said. Marchetto emphasized that paging and facility communications remain essential across industries such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, and public safety. While often overlooked, these systems play a critical role in day-to-day operations and emergency response. As organizations modernize their communications environments, integrating these endpoints into IP networks allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and centralized management. The discussion also highlighted interoperability as a key requirement. CyberData works across a wide range of platforms to ensure its devices function seamlessly within diverse customer environments. This flexibility is especially important for partners and integrators who must deploy solutions that align with existing infrastructure while supporting future growth. Ultimately, Tuttle and Marchetto positioned IP endpoint modernization as both a necessity and an opportunity. As legacy systems are phased out, organizations can enhance reliability, improve safety communications, and enable new capabilities through network-connected devices. For channel partners, this represents a continued area of demand tied to broader digital transformation initiatives. More information about CyberData and its IP endpoint solutions is available at https://www.cyberdata.net/.

Vaishnavi Bichu, a telecommunications engineering leader specializing in Radio Access Network (RAN) deployment, spoke with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, on addressing network deployment challenges using digital twins. As 5G deployments continue to scale and the industry begins laying the foundation for 6G, mobile network operators are facing increasing challenges related to site complexity, infrastructure accuracy, and coordination across deployment teams. Traditional planning methods, often dependent on manual site visits and fragmented data sources, are struggling to keep pace with the precision and speed required for modern and future network rollouts. Vaishnavi Bichu In a recent Telecom Reseller podcast, Vaishnavi Bichu, a leading expert in Radio Access Network (RAN) deployment and optimization, shares insights into these evolving challenges and the growing role of digital twins in addressing them. A key issue highlighted during the discussion is the lack of reliable and up to date infrastructure data during the planning phase. In many deployment scenarios, engineering teams must rely on outdated site documentation, repeated field visits, and manual validation processes, factors that contribute to delays, inefficiencies, and increased deployment costs. Vaishnavi notes that digital twins are helping shift this paradigm by enabling a more accurate and data driven approach to network planning. By leveraging technologies such as drone-based imaging, photogrammetry, and LiDAR, operators can create high fidelity 3D models of physical sites. These models allow teams to validate designs, simulate deployment scenarios, and identify potential issues before on-site execution. The conversation also underscores the role of digital twins in improving cross functional collaboration. With a shared and continuously updated representation of site conditions, stakeholders across design, construction, and operations can align more effectively, reducing errors and accelerating deployment timelines. Beyond immediate deployment benefits, digital twins are increasingly seen as foundational to the industry’s transition toward AI driven network operations. As networks evolve to become more software defined and adaptive, and as the industry progresses toward 6G, accurate digital representations of infrastructure will play a critical role in enabling automation, predictive optimization, and closed loop network management. As operators continue to invest in 5G and prepare for 6G evolution, digital twins are expected to become an integral component of more efficient, scalable, and intelligent network deployment strategies. Listen to the full podcast to hear more insights on how digital twins are reshaping modern network deployments at scale.

Mitch Lieberman, VP of Product (Fuel CX) at Fuel iX, a TELUS Digital company, spoke with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, during the Spring ’25 vCon event about how AI orchestration is transforming customer experience strategies. Lieberman explained that enterprises are moving beyond isolated AI tools toward orchestrated systems that coordinate multiple AI models, data sources, and workflows. Fuel iX is designed to help organizations manage this complexity, enabling them to deploy AI across customer engagement channels while maintaining control, governance, and consistency. “The challenge is no longer just deploying AI—it’s orchestrating it across the entire customer journey,” Lieberman said. The platform allows enterprises to integrate AI into customer interactions in a structured and scalable way, supporting use cases such as automation, agent assistance, and personalized engagement. By orchestrating AI workflows, organizations can improve efficiency while delivering more seamless and context-aware customer experiences. The conversation also highlighted the importance of governance and trust as AI adoption accelerates. Enterprises must ensure that AI systems operate within defined guardrails, particularly when handling sensitive customer data and communications. As discussions at the Spring ’25 vCon event continue to focus on the future of AI-driven communications, Fuel iX and TELUS Digital are positioning themselves at the forefront of helping organizations operationalize AI at scale while maintaining visibility, control, and trust. Learn more about Fuel iX: https://fuelix.ai/ Learn more about TELUS Digital: https://telusdigital.com/

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, interviewed Gerry Christensen, Associate Founder of ICA AI, to discuss a new approach to securing communications in an era increasingly shaped by AI-driven threats. The conversation centered on how traditional defenses are falling short and why a relationship-based model of AI may be critical to restoring trust in digital interactions. Christensen explained that as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, the ability to impersonate individuals, organizations, and trusted entities is rapidly increasing. This creates a growing risk of fraud, misinformation, and communication breakdown across voice, messaging, and digital channels. “The problem isn’t just bad actors—it’s that we can no longer trust what we’re hearing or seeing,” Christensen noted. ICA AI’s approach focuses on establishing trusted relationships as the foundation for communication validation. Rather than relying solely on content analysis or reactive filtering, the platform leverages identity, context, and prior interactions to determine whether a communication should be trusted. This model aims to proactively prevent malicious or unauthorized interactions before they reach the user. The discussion also explored how this approach could be applied across industries, including telecom, enterprise communications, and customer engagement platforms. By embedding relationship intelligence into communication systems, organizations can better protect customers, reduce fraud, and maintain confidence in their digital channels—an increasingly critical requirement as AI adoption accelerates. Ultimately, Christensen positioned ICA AI as part of a broader shift toward AI-driven trust infrastructure, where securing communications is not just about blocking threats, but about ensuring that every interaction is verified and meaningful. As AI continues to reshape the communications landscape, solutions that can preserve trust at scale will play a central role in the future of digital interaction. More information about ICA AI and its approach to relationship-based AI is available at https://icaai.ai.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, interviewed Fern Halper, Founder of AI Foundations Group and VP of Research at TDWI, to discuss what separates successful AI initiatives from those that stall—and why data strategy remains the critical foundation for AI success. Halper emphasized that while excitement around AI—particularly generative AI—continues to grow, many organizations are still struggling to move from experimentation to measurable business value. The primary reason, she explained, is not the models themselves, but the underlying data environment. “If your data isn’t ready, your AI isn’t going to succeed,” Halper said, highlighting the importance of data quality, governance, and accessibility. A key theme of the conversation was the need for organizations to align AI initiatives with real business objectives. Rather than pursuing AI for its own sake, companies should focus on specific use cases where data can drive outcomes such as improved customer experience, operational efficiency, or revenue growth. Halper noted that organizations that succeed tend to start with well-defined problems and build from there, rather than attempting large-scale transformations without a clear roadmap. The discussion also explored the evolving role of data management in the AI era. As organizations adopt more advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities, they must modernize their data infrastructure—often leveraging cloud platforms—to support scalability and real-time insights. This includes integrating disparate data sources, ensuring proper governance, and enabling collaboration between technical and business teams. Ultimately, Halper positioned AI success as a journey grounded in fundamentals. While new tools and technologies continue to emerge, the organizations that will benefit most are those that invest in strong data foundations, clear strategy, and disciplined execution. Learn more at https://datamakesworld.com/.

Jon Arnold, Principal at J Arnold & Associates, spoke with Moshe Beauford of Technology Reseller News during the Enterprise Connect conference about the evolving enterprise communications landscape, with a focus on AI adoption, security challenges, and shifting market dynamics. Arnold emphasized that while artificial intelligence continues to dominate industry conversations, it is also accelerating new risks—particularly in areas such as fraud and identity spoofing. As AI tools become more sophisticated, bad actors are gaining new capabilities that outpace traditional defenses. “AI is not just enabling innovation—it’s also making fraud more scalable and more difficult to detect,” Arnold said. The discussion explored how service providers, enterprises, and regulators are struggling to keep pace with these changes. While new technologies and frameworks are emerging to address issues like authentication and trusted communications, the ecosystem remains fragmented, making it difficult to implement consistent protections across networks. Arnold also highlighted the importance of industry collaboration and education. Enterprises must better understand both the opportunities and risks associated with AI, while vendors and carriers need to work together to develop more cohesive solutions. As Enterprise Connect continues to showcase rapid innovation in communications technology, Arnold’s insights underscore a critical reality: alongside the promise of AI comes an urgent need to address the growing complexity of security, trust, and fraud prevention in the digital communications ecosystem. Learn more about J Arnold & Associates: https://www.jarnoldassociates.com/