Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

"What customers really want is service that just works — guaranteed, reliable, and built to last," says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. “That’s what modularity delivers — a system that’s flexible, future-proof, and ready to adapt as technology evolves.” In this latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sits down with Jacoby to explore how modularity and hybrid architecture are reshaping the future of POTS line replacement. Jacoby explains that while some providers have built all-in-one devices combining battery, conversion, and LTE/5G connectivity in a single box, that design often fails in real-world environments: “When you put a 5G radio in a basement, it’s like trying to make a cell call underground,” he notes. Instead, TELCLOUD’s modular approach separates the cellular router from the conversion hardware using Power over Ethernet (PoE) — allowing placement of the radio up to 250 feet away for optimal signal strength and reliability. This architecture also allows resellers to choose the right connectivity partner — TELCLOUD integrates with major vendors such as Ericsson, Digi, Peplink, and InHand Networks — and to easily upgrade from 4G to 5G or beyond without replacing the entire system. The on-premise equipment, designed to last 15 to 20 years, remains in place while connectivity evolves. TELCLOUD’s hybrid model extends beyond hardware to the network layer itself. Unlike vendors that rely on voice-over-IP to deliver alarm or life-safety signals, TELCLOUD routes communications through its UL-listed data centers directly to certified central alarm stations — ensuring code compliance, redundancy, and end-to-end reliability. For resellers, this means a powerful selling advantage: Install once, manage remotely, and minimize truck rolls. Deliver guaranteed service uptime to customers. Future-proof deployments to avoid costly upgrades. "Ultimately, customers aren’t buying hardware — they’re buying confidence," Jacoby says. "TELCLOUD’s flexible, hybrid solution makes sure that confidence lasts for decades." And in the Shots segment, Jacoby takes listeners on a guided tasting of Ocho Tequila, demonstrating three variations — Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo — to illustrate how aging changes the character and complexity of the same base spirit. “It’s a perfect metaphor for technology,” he adds. “Same foundation, different maturity.” The POTS and Shots series continues to blend deep technical insight with a touch of culture — helping resellers modernize infrastructure while enjoying the finer details along the way. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jonathon Alarcon, Senior Director of Technology, and Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the company’s channel-driven approach to modernizing analog infrastructure. With the copper network being decommissioned, TELCLOUD is helping partners capture new revenue by replacing POTS lines with smart, compliant, and resilient connectivity solutions. “We transform copper,” said Jacoby. “We’re absolutely making analog great again for our partners. There’s real opportunity in POTS one last time.” He explained that TELCLOUD’s solutions enable MSPs and telecom providers to modernize elevator lines, fire alarms, blue-light phones, and other regulated endpoints—without compromising reliability or compliance. Alarcon, who has deep expertise in life-safety communications, emphasized how the company’s technology supports critical applications. “Every elevator, every fire alarm, every emergency system still needs a phone line to stay compliant,” he said. “What we’ve done is create a platform that meets and exceeds those requirements while giving our partners new capabilities for video, data, and monitoring.” At the heart of this transformation is TELCLOUD’s new POTSCAST line of devices, launched at UGM. These multi-purpose units use cellular connectivity and PoE backup to ensure continuous operation—even during power outages—and can stream video from elevator cameras directly to central monitoring stations. TELCLOUD’s infrastructure is UL listed and adheres to NFPA and NEC standards, making it both compliant and future-proof. Equally important, TELCLOUD’s model is 100% channel-focused. The company empowers partners to bring these services to their own customers under their own brands, offering either full-service white-label delivery—including porting, billing, and compliance—or flexible integration into existing telco and MSP environments. “We don’t sell direct,” Jacoby noted. “We empower our partners to deliver compliant, high-value solutions to their end customers.” As a platinum sponsor of the conference, TELCLOUD’s presence at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach drew attention for both its technical innovation and its signature “Make Analog Great Again” branding—a lighthearted nod to the serious business opportunity behind POTS transformation. For many partners, the discussion was a reminder that the analog world still holds enormous potential, and that modernization doesn’t have to mean abandoning the trusted systems that keep people safe. To learn more about TELCLOUD’s POTS replacement and compliance solutions, visit telcloud.com or explore the POTSCAST lineup at potscast.co.

At the Crexendo UGM, Dave Michels, Principal Analyst & Founder of TalkingPointz, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to unpack “UCaaS Mobility 3” — a pragmatic, mobile-first model that moves enterprise calling from over-the-top apps to the cellular layer itself. Michels framed three generations of UCaaS mobility. Mobility 1 (find-me/follow-me) forwarded calls but split voicemail and caller ID. Mobility 2 (OTT softphone apps) worked well on strong internet — but faltered in truly mobile conditions (highway handoffs, variable coverage), pushing users back to personal cell numbers. Mobility 3 fixes this by placing the enterprise line on the SIM/eSIM: users choose business or personal at dial time, and enterprise calls ride native cellular voice for reliability, with full logging, recording, and policy control. The result: intuitive smartphone use (native dialer/contacts), optional UCaaS app, and clean work/personal separation without MDM intrusiveness. Michels highlighted why this matters now: Reliability on the move: Native cellular voice eliminates OTT fragility in transit. Compliance & CX: Enterprise calls and texts are captured and governed (finance, healthcare, education), and contact centers can transfer to subject-matter experts without losing recording/analytics. Frontline & deskless workers: Mobility-first roles (e.g., field services) can finally get enterprise-grade mobile that “just works.” Simplicity for IT & MSPs: One number can move across hard phone, soft client, and smartphone; less training and fewer behavior changes. Carrier convergence: With MVNO models (e.g., Crexendo’s newly announced Xtend approach), service providers can bundle meetings, UCaaS, messaging, calling, and cellular — even globally — under a single brand and bill. Looking forward, Michels envisions “no more softphones” for many roles: users keep one phone, one dialer, two identities (business/personal), and enterprises preserve governance and data for AI-assisted analytics. For MSPs and resellers at UGM, the message was clear: Mobility 3 is a near-term, standard approach that elevates UCaaS into true mobile telephony, expands deal size and stickiness, and opens regulated and frontline segments. Explore more of Michels’ analysis at TalkingPointz.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jeff Korn, CEO of Crexendo, spoke with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, about the company’s record growth, customer-first philosophy, and expanding global capabilities. The conversation took place at the historic Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach — a fitting venue for a company celebrating both legacy and innovation. The event marked a major milestone as Crexendo approached (and soon after surpassed) seven million users, underscoring its status as one of the fastest-growing platform providers in the communications industry. “We’re the fastest-growing platform provider in the country,” Korn said. “Our growth is driven by the best people, products, and service in the industry — bar none.” Korn attributes much of the company’s success to its “sessions, not seats” pricing model, which allows partners to pay only for what is actually used — a flexibility especially valuable in large environments such as hospitality. “Our model provides real value,” he explained. “If your phones aren’t in use, you’re not paying for idle capacity. It’s simple, fair, and efficient.” Beyond its pricing innovation, Crexendo continues to invest heavily in open APIs and its EVP program, a new company store where licensees and developers can access or offer third-party applications to customize and extend the NetSapiens platform. “We’re giving our partners limitless possibilities to differentiate,” Korn said. “It’s an ecosystem that keeps growing every year — just look at the number of vendors and integrations showcased here at the UGM.” Korn also highlighted the company’s global expansion powered by its partnership with Oracle Cloud. “We can now turn up an instance in one or two days and meet data sovereignty requirements anywhere in the world,” he said. “That capability has already enabled us to serve customers in regions like Africa — and we’re just getting started.” At the heart of Crexendo’s success, Korn emphasized, is a commitment to service and community. “We are a company of service,” he said. “We listen, we act, and we care about every one of our licensees. Our success is built on their success.” To learn more about Crexendo’s UCaaS and NetSapiens platform solutions, visit www.crexendo.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Amy Humphreys, Chief Operating Officer at Simplicity VoIP, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss her company’s customer-first approach, its long-standing partnership with NetSapiens, and the innovations shaping its growth in UCaaS, texting, and AI. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Virginia, Simplicity VoIP provides unified communications solutions to businesses of all sizes across the U.S., maintaining a fully onshore support team. Humphreys explained that after starting as a 3CX reseller, Simplicity sought more flexibility and scalability — a search that led them to NetSapiens in 2016. “NetSapiens is a true partner,” she said. “They’re constantly helping us future-proof our business by adding new functionality and third-party integrations like vFax, video, and texting.” Attending Crexendo UGM, Humphreys emphasized the importance of connecting with platform leadership and staying ahead of innovation. “We came to see what’s next — especially around AI, texting, and mobility,” she said. “It’s about understanding where the industry is heading so we can bring richer user experiences to our customers.” A highlight of the conversation was Simplicity’s success in text messaging solutions, including both native NetSapiens texting and large-scale bulk SMS through MessageMedia. “We have one client who started with 60,000 text messages a month,” Humphreys shared. “They’re now doing over half a million a month. Texting has exploded — even small use cases like group messaging for schools create real value.” Humphreys also outlined emerging AI opportunities in areas such as patient referral automation, where voicemail messages are transcribed and converted into digital documents for faster workflows. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. Simplicity’s “super seller” model has further expanded its reach. This hybrid program allows VARs and MSPs to deliver UCaaS under their own brand without the heavy upfront investment of a platform purchase. “We give our partners full control of the customer domain — they build it, sell it, and support it,” Humphreys explained. “We handle the porting, billing, taxation, and compliance. It’s been a win-win, and we even have a case study showcasing the first super seller’s success.” Reflecting on her industry journey, Humphreys credited Technology Reseller News as a valuable learning tool early in her career. “Reading TR every day helped me understand the industry when I was new,” she said. “It’s still part of my daily routine.” To learn more about Simplicity VoIP’s UCaaS, texting, and partner programs, visit www.simplicityvoip.net.

At the Crexendo UGM, Sam Sklaroff, CEO of Axxess Networks, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to share how his company blends classic customer service values with cutting-edge communications technology. Axxess Networks, a leading provider of VoIP, UCaaS, and CCaaS solutions, stands out for what Sklaroff calls an old-school approach to customer care. “Whatever happened to good old-fashioned customer service?” Sklaroff asked. “At Axxess Networks, we treat every customer like family—from onboarding to support—and we make sure they’re ready for success before the first call goes live.” Each Axxess customer is assigned a personal project manager and dedicated IT engineer to ensure network readiness and a smooth installation. “Our help desk is all U.S.-based,” Sklaroff noted. “Last week, our average time to answer was 13 seconds. When you call Axxess Networks, we’re here for you.” The company’s commitment to service extends to technological innovation. Sklaroff revealed Axxess’ proprietary Live Failover feature—an automatic system that keeps calls active even if a customer’s internet connection fails. “If your internet goes down, your calls don’t,” he said. “In under one second, we switch to LTE with no dropped calls and no extra usage fees. One of our customers stayed fully operational for a week during a fiber outage.” Sklaroff also announced that Janet Schijns, a well-known channel leader, recently joined Axxess Networks’ board of directors, marking another milestone in the company’s growth. Axxess maintains strong partnerships with Crexendo and NetSapiens, and continues to advance in areas such as AI and vCon technology, with plans to launch new vCon apps later this year. “Technology evolves, but people still matter most,” Sklaroff said. “That’s what drives us—service with a human touch.” To learn more about Axxess Networks’ UCaaS and Live Failover solutions, visit www.axxessnetworks.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Jon Brinton, Chief Revenue Officer at Crexendo, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for an in-depth conversation about the company’s expanding ecosystem, its partner-driven growth, and the innovations shaping the NetSapiens platform. The annual Crexendo User Group Meeting (UGM) has become one of the most anticipated gatherings in the communications industry — and this year set new records, with over 570 registered attendees and 66 sponsors. “It just keeps getting bigger and better,” said Brinton. “Our community is highly engaged and excited about what’s next for the NetSapiens platform.” Held at the iconic Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, the event combined historical elegance with a modern focus on AI, customer value, and partner profitability. Crexendo sessions featured topics such as business valuation, AI-driven applications, and building company equity, reflecting the company’s commitment to providing immediate, actionable solutions rather than distant roadmaps. “We’re focused on what partners can deploy now — within 30 days,” Brinton explained. “Our goal is to deliver AI applications and customer insights that add measurable value and drive higher average revenue per user. This isn’t theoretical. It’s about being market-ready today.” Brinton also highlighted Crexendo’s evolving AI strategy, including integrations that leverage vCons to make conversational data actionable. “We’re seeing AI as a force for customer value — not just for network management,” he said. “It’s about helping service providers differentiate, add intelligence to their offers, and improve outcomes for their customers.” The UGM showcased a thriving partner ecosystem, where collaboration and community remain central. “Our success is tied to our partners’ success,” Brinton noted. “They’re growing at double the rate of the market. This event is about equipping them with the tools, partnerships, and insights to keep that momentum going.” To learn more about Crexendo and the NetSapiens platform, visit www.crexendo.com or www.netsapiens.com.

At the Crexendo UGM, Matt Siemens, CEO of NUSO, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss NUSO’s innovative approach to AI, its newly announced partnership with Crexendo, and the company’s accelerating global expansion across Europe. As a major event sponsor, NUSO created a branded lounge area at the conference to facilitate deeper engagement and longer conversations with partners. But Siemens’ main stage presentation captured the spotlight — highlighting NUSO’s AI philosophy and architecture, which centers on creating a digital twin of its network environment to reduce AI hallucinations and improve contextual accuracy. “Our focus isn’t on AI as a product, but as an enabler — a force that increases velocity and outcomes,” Siemens explained. “By maintaining a live digital twin of our network within the AI environment, we can reduce misinformation, enhance software development, and deliver more meaningful customer experiences.” Siemens also spoke about the importance of continuous updates to avoid the pitfalls of static AI environments — what he referred to as “hyperreality” — and explored how concepts like vCons act as “micro mirrors” that enrich contextual understanding in customer interactions. In major business news, Siemens announced a global technology partnership with Crexendo, through which NUSO will provide carrier and related services while expanding its use of the NetSapiens platform into new markets. The company’s European expansion is also gaining momentum, with new operator authority in 14 countries, including recent launches in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. “We’ve taken the approach of building regulatory compliance and numbering authority first,” Siemens said. “That foundation gives our partners and customers greater reliability and agility as we expand across Europe.” To learn more about NUSO’s global communications and AI innovations, visit www.nuso.cloud.

At the Crexendo UGM, Mike Somers, Founder and COO of Beetexting, sat down with Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss Beetexting’s newest integrations and AI innovations for compliance and customer engagement. Beetexting provides a corporate texting platform designed to help teams move beyond email, offering shared inboxes, automation, and collaboration features that streamline customer communication. “We built Beetexting to help teams communicate faster and more effectively,” said Somers. “It’s about enabling businesses to connect with their customers in a modern, compliant way.” At the Crexendo UGM, Somers announced that Beetexting has launched a direct integration with NetSapiens, making it easier for Crexendo resellers to provision and manage accounts. “Partners can now log in via SSO, set up accounts, and monitor onboarding success—all within a unified dashboard,” he explained. Somers also revealed a new partnership with Phone.com and several AI-driven tools that address one of the industry’s biggest challenges: 10DLC compliance. Beetexting’s TCR Agent uses conversational AI to guide businesses through the 10DLC registration process in minutes, while its AI-powered Compliance Agents monitor outgoing messages to ensure adherence to company policies and regulations, including FINRA and HIPAA. “The Compliance Agent is like a hall monitor for messaging,” Somers said. “It helps users stay compliant in real time, prevents issues before they happen, and continuously learns company-specific policies.” With Beetexting’s innovations, resellers and service providers can deliver a fully white-labeled, compliant business texting solution that adds measurable value to their communications offerings. To learn more about Beetexting, visit www.beetexting.com.

At the Crexendo UGM in Miami Beach, Marco Raimo, Regional Sales Manager, Americas at TelcoBridges, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how TelcoBridges is empowering service providers to modernize, secure, and optimize their voice networks through advanced migration and monitoring solutions. “We’re here to collaborate with our partners and help them migrate from TDM to IP while securing their voice traffic with our ProSBCs,” Raimo said. “Our goal is to make the transition seamless while also helping providers generate new revenue streams through optimized network management.” TelcoBridges used the Crexendo UGM as a platform to showcase its new Monitoring and Analytics System (MAS) — a proactive solution that enables service providers to monitor all voice traffic across SBCs and media gateways. “MAS helps our customers identify issues before they escalate, improving reliability and significantly cutting support costs,” Raimo explained. Raimo emphasized that efficiency, visibility, and insight are the new cornerstones of effective voice network operations. “We’re focused on helping our partners enhance visibility into their networks and make smarter operational decisions,” he said. To learn more about TelcoBridges’ voice solutions, visit www.telcobridges.com.

In a new Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green sat down with Sabeeh Hameed, founder of Sabrhub, to discuss how his company is solving one of the most persistent pain points in business communications: 10DLC registration and compliant texting. Sabrhub works with MSPs, carriers, and resellers around the world to simplify how businesses register for 10DLC and launch text messaging campaigns. Through its Context Register platform, Sabrhub automates what was once a complicated and frustrating process. Many businesses—especially small firms such as accounting offices, delivery companies, or law practices—have struggled to complete their 10DLC registrations due to confusing requirements and a lack of guidance. “We’ve seen companies spend weeks trying to get approved, only to face rejection after rejection,” says Hameed. “We wanted to build a system that makes it easy for anyone—no matter their technical background—to become compliant and start texting their customers.” Context Register allows MSPs and resellers to onboard their customers through branded portals, with AI-powered website validation that checks over 50 compliance points, including opt-in forms, legal terms, and privacy policies. The system then provides a simple, one-line code snippet to fix missing elements and help ensure a near-perfect submission. The results speak for themselves: while typical first-time 10DLC rejections hover around 80 percent, Sabrhub’s platform achieves a rejection rate of just 1 percent, with many approvals processed in under a week. Once registered, businesses can move directly into Context SMS, Sabrhub’s companion messaging application. The platform integrates with Microsoft Teams, Webex, Outlook, and major CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, giving users the ability to send and receive text messages seamlessly from their preferred workspace. This is critical for service-driven industries such as HVAC, law, logistics, and education, where instant communication is key. Hameed emphasized that Sabrhub’s mission goes beyond compliance: it’s about enabling communication. “Texting remains the most powerful engagement tool in business—95 percent of texts are read within five minutes. We’re helping the channel and their customers connect safely, efficiently, and without frustration.” By removing the barriers to 10DLC registration and enabling simple, compliant messaging, Sabrhub helps MSPs and service providers deliver greater value to their clients—turning a once cumbersome process into a fast, scalable, and revenue-ready solution. Learn more at sabrhub.com.

“AI gives us a chance to make technology feel human again — not just efficient.” — Danny Tomsett, CEO, UneeQ In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Danny Tomsett, CEO of UneeQ, about how digital humans and AI-driven immersive training are redefining customer and employee experience. UneeQ’s digital humans simulate lifelike emotion, movement, and empathy — helping telecoms and enterprises create interactions that feel real. These AI-powered avatars connect to live data systems, delivering authentic engagement instead of scripted automation. Tomsett explains that while most CX technology has focused on efficiency, the next leap is about value and connection: “Customers want to feel valued — that’s the true test of any experience.” UneeQ also offers a browser-based immersive training platform, letting staff practice real-world conversations with AI coaches that teach soft skills like empathy, curiosity, and active listening. Together, these tools help telecoms and enterprises scale automation and elevate human performance — creating customer experiences that inspire trust and loyalty. Learn more at digitalhumans.com.

“Roughly 80% of unidentified calls go unanswered. The voice channel won’t recover until people trust who’s calling.” — Alex Algard, Founder & CEO, Hiya Alex Algard joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to unpack why consumers are ignoring voice calls and how Hiya—in partnership with mobile operators and handset makers—aims to modernize caller identity, block abuse, and reconnect businesses with customers. The problem Hiya’s annual research shows unidentified calls are largely ignored (≈80% unanswered). With nuisance and fraud rampant, voicemail is turning into the new spam folder, undermining contact centers and legitimate outbound teams. Who Hiya is Seattle-based Hiya powers call protection and identity services with a global footprint of 500M+ users, working with AT&T (US), Samsung (global), Rogers/Bell (Canada), BT (UK), Vodafone, Telefónica, Telenor, and others. Two flagship services Hiya Protect: Network-integrated analytics (privacy-respecting metadata only) assess ~30B calls/month to label or block spam/fraud in real time—often before the phone rings. Hiya Connect: Elevates legitimate outbound calling with branded caller ID (business name, logo, call reason), materially raising answer rates for B2C outreach (banks, airlines, healthcare, pharmacies, field services). New: Caller Reputation (transparency for enterprises) For the first time, businesses can see and track their caller reputation and get prescriptive guidance to improve it (e.g., call patterns, answer durations, hygiene). This addresses the “black box” confusion when calls are mislabeled across carriers/analytics vendors. It’s designed for enterprises, MSPs, channels, and SMBs—with direct engagement via Hiya or through operator partners. AI has been in Hiya’s DNA Hiya has applied ML since 2016 and now leverages advanced AI to improve detection and identity, helping operators keep networks clean while avoiding false positives on wanted calls. Hiya AI Phone (assistant/screener) A carrier-offerable AI agent that answers, screens, and routes inbound calls in real time—ideal for consumers and SMBs (e.g., trades & field services that can’t staff a live receptionist yet rely on timely calls). Why it matters for readers Contact centers & outbound teams: Recover answer rates, reduce voicemail waste, and maintain brand trust. Enterprises/MSPs/Channels/Regional telcos: Offer branded calling, protect subscribers, and monitor/improve caller reputation across portfolios. SMBs: Use AI screening to capture opportunities without missing critical calls. Learn more about Hiya Protect, Hiya Connect, Caller Reputation, and Hiya AI Phone at hiya.com.

“Consumers don’t want blasts — they want a relevant, two-way conversation on the channel of their choice.” — Sophie Cheng, SVP Product Marketing, Sinch As retailers and marketers prepare for the 2025 holiday rush, Sophie Cheng, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Sinch, says the game has changed. Based on new Black Friday/Cyber Monday survey data from over 3,100 shoppers across ten countries, brands are being asked to do more than sell — they’re being asked to converse. Early birds get the buyers Sinch’s study shows shoppers want earlier outreach and faster follow-through. More than 37 percent of consumers expect promotions by October 28, while nearly one in five (18.6 percent) want them even sooner. Only 19 percent plan to wait for Cyber Week itself. Once they buy, they want instant reassurance — 93 percent say transactional messages are critical, and 75.8 percent expect order confirmations within five minutes. “Retailers who wait until Thanksgiving week are already late,” Cheng explained. “Customers are planning, price-comparing, and expecting brands to meet them early and personally.” From omnichannel to optimal channel For years, marketers chased the buzzword omnichannel — blanketing every available medium with the same message. Cheng says 2025 is the year of the “optimal channel” instead. “We need to stop blasting,” she said. “Customers want something relevant on the channel of their choice — and they want to be able to talk back.” Email still dominates (73.9 percent prefer it for updates), but 52 percent of consumers now mix channels such as SMS or WhatsApp. Nearly 47 percent say they’d engage with RCS, the new “rich communication service” messaging format that adds buttons, carousels, and payment links right inside native text apps — no downloads required. RCS, Cheng notes, is growing fast in North America and offers verified business profiles, giving shoppers a safer, app-like experience with clear branding and reduced fraud risk. AI meets the holiday shopper AI is also finding its place at the checkout. Nearly 48 percent of respondents believe AI will make holiday shopping easier, and just under half say they trust AI recommendations as much as or more than human ones. “Every customer expects to be treated as an individual,” Cheng said. “We’re moving toward segment-of-one marketing — understanding not just demographics but conversation context and history.” That intelligence, she added, helps brands send messages that are personal, not intrusive — a critical distinction now that 72.7 percent still value personalization, but that figure is down roughly 7 points year over year as more shoppers report “creepy” targeting. Lessons for B2B and beyond While Sinch’s data centers on retail, Cheng said the same principles apply to B2B, healthcare, and financial services communications. Even regulated sectors can embrace optimal channel thinking — connecting CRM, marketing automation, and conversational AI to provide responsive, compliant outreach without overwhelming audiences. “The key is relevance, consent, and timing,” she said. “Whether you’re selling shoes or software, customers want the same thing: a fast, trusted, two-way experience.” What Sinch does Sinch provides the cloud communications infrastructure that enables businesses to deliver secure, scalable, and personalized messaging across email, SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, and voice. The company integrates with CRM and MarTech platforms so enterprises can design intelligent, compliant, and customer-centric journeys — from marketing to verification to support. Learn more: Explore the full Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 survey and Sinch’s retail eBook at sinch.com/blog/black-friday-statistics-trends/ or visit sinch.com for solutions across retail, healthcare, financial services, and technology.

“AI is hungry — for bandwidth, for speed, and for talent.” — Jean-Philippe Avelange, Chief Information Officer, Expereo Jean-Philippe Avelange, CIO of Expereo, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss findings from Expereo’s Horizon Telecom Report—revealing how U.S. organizations are losing millions to network failures and struggling to find skilled professionals in cybersecurity, networking, and data automation. Avelange explained that as companies digitize everything from collaboration to customer experience, connectivity interruptions now directly halt business operations, making network reliability as vital as cybersecurity. “Modern enterprises are building their products and services on connectivity. When it stops, business stops,” he noted. The AI multiplier AI adoption is compounding the challenge. “AI is not just another workload—it’s a new kind of demand,” Avelange said. AI-driven automation, real-time data flows, and low-latency interactions place unprecedented pressure on legacy network architectures. Organizations can no longer treat networking as a commodity; they must rethink it as a strategic platform requiring redesign and intelligent automation. The human factor According to Avelange, the real shortage isn’t people—it’s adaptability. The industry needs professionals skilled in network automation, data flow optimization, and problem solving, not just hardware management. “AI won’t solve your problem if you don’t understand the problem,” he said, advocating for upskilling internal teams alongside strong partnerships with managed service providers (MSPs) that bring intelligence, not just infrastructure. Latency by design Latency, Avelange warned, must be addressed before deployment. “You can always add bandwidth, but you can’t add speed after the fact. Latency has to be engineered from the start.” A new mindset For Expereo, the future of networking lies in intelligent connectivity—solutions that merge automation, analytics, and agility to keep enterprises resilient in the AI era. “We’re not selling boxes,” Avelange said. “We’re helping companies design the networks their digital business runs on.” Read more in the Horizon Telecom Report or visit expereo.com.

"Even though POTS lines are going away, the communication path is not," says Jake Jacoby, CEO of TELCLOUD. "Businesses still need reliable, code-compliant connections for fire, elevator, and life safety systems—and waiting until shutdowns hit is a risk no one can afford." In this latest episode of the TELCLOUD POTS and Shots Podcast Series, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, joins Jacoby to discuss the hidden dangers of waiting too long to replace copper lines—and why proactive planning can save businesses both money and operational disruption. Jacoby explains that while many organizations still rely on legacy copper for fire alarms and elevator systems, these lines are increasingly unreliable—and in some cases, already being shut down. A failing elevator line or a disconnected fire panel can render a business out of compliance, forcing costly alternatives such as Firewatch, where staff must patrol facilities around the clock. Meanwhile, carriers are accelerating their copper shutdowns after receiving FCC approval to decommission aging infrastructure. Though customers may receive a 30-day notice, Jacoby cautions that shutdowns can happen anytime thereafter: “If you’ve been given a notice and it’s been more than 30 days, it’s a gamble whether your line is still working.” For resellers and MSPs, Jacoby stresses the need to get ahead of the shutdown curve: Audit existing lines and identify critical life safety systems. Engage customers early to build rollout plans before demand surges. Leverage TELCLOUD’s platform for faster deployment and long-term reliability. Proactive migration, he says, not only prevents service loss but also delivers lower costs, greater reliability, and a path to future-ready communications. True to the POTS and Shots format, the conversation closes with a taste of tequila—this time from south of the border. Broadcasting from TELCLOUD’s support center in Tijuana, Mexico, Jacoby introduces Siete Leguas Blanco, a traditional, double-distilled tequila made using the old-world tahona process. Fun fact: the name honors Pancho Villa’s legendary horse. The POTS and Shots series continues to blend industry insight with a touch of culture and storytelling—helping partners navigate the copper sunset while enjoying the finer things in life. For more information, visit telcloud.com or call 844-900-2270.

“If responses aren’t near real-time, the bot won’t feel human.” — Ruchir Brahmbhatt, Co-Founder & CTO, Ecosmob Ruchir Brahmbhatt, Co-Founder and CTO of Ecosmob, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the engineering behind human-like voicebots—where milliseconds make the difference between a smooth conversation and a frustrating one. With more than 18 years in VoIP and AI/ML development, Ecosmob builds custom voicebots for MSPs, ITSPs, and UCaaS/CCaaS providers seeking real-time automation and compliance. Brahmbhatt outlined how Ecosmob’s architecture achieves sub-second latency through: Python async orchestration for thousands of concurrent sessions Redis in-memory queues for ultra-low-latency streaming NVIDIA Canary ASR and Kokoro TTS for fast, natural speech llama.cpp LLM engine with dynamic quantization for efficient processing In a live healthcare demo, Ecosmob’s voicebot scheduled an appointment in natural, human-like dialogue—with total round-trip latency under 600 milliseconds. Brahmbhatt emphasized that modern contact centers are shifting from IVRs to AI-driven self-service, and that on-prem and GDPR-compliant deployments are increasingly essential. Learn more at ecosmob.com.

Simwood Partners with ChallengeAid to Support Education in Nairobi, Podcast, Simwood, a software-defined carrier based in the UK with operations in 21 U.S. states, has committed ongoing financial support to ChallengeAid’s network of 53 Schools of Hope “It’s the difference between a life of hopelessness and a life of opportunity.” — Simon Woodhead, Founder & CEO, Simwood Group In this special Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) edition of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Simon Woodhead, Founder and CEO of Simwood, about the company’s partnership with ChallengeAid, a British and African charity transforming lives through education in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Simwood, a software-defined carrier based in the UK with operations in 21 U.S. states, has committed ongoing financial support to ChallengeAid’s network of 53 Schools of Hope. These community-based schools offer free education, mentorship, and safety to children living in extreme poverty — many of whom would otherwise face lives defined by child labor, drugs, or exploitation. Among these is the newly renamed Simwood School of Hope, a special needs institution in the Mathare area of Nairobi. The school supports 58 teenagers and provides care for nearly 300 children with disabilities. “This one resonated deeply with me,” says Woodhead. “Special needs education is rarely the first cause people support, but here it’s absolutely life-saving.” ChallengeAid’s impact is profound: over 100,000 children educated since 2004, 150 local volunteers (many former students), and even national chess champions and university graduates among its alumni. Simwood’s involvement ensures that these programs can continue to grow, with plans to expand employee engagement and provide technology education in the future. To learn more about Simwood, visit simwood.com. To support ChallengeAid’s mission, visit challengeaid.org. Read the full story on Telecom Reseller: Simwood Partners with ChallengeAid to Expand Education Support for School of Hope in Nairobi, Kenya.

At Viirtue Connect in Nashville, John Christian, Vice President of Marketing at Akixi, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how Akixi is helping MSPs and telecom providers stand out in an increasingly commoditized communications market. Akixi delivers value-added analytics, CRM integration, and call recording solutions that enhance cloud-based telephony and UCaaS platforms. “We exist to help our partners solve business problems—whether that’s missed revenue, productivity challenges, or customer experience gaps,” Christian explained. “In a world where everyone is selling the same call control, Akixi helps service providers differentiate.” A channel-only company, Akixi focuses on scalability, ease of provisioning, and simple billing—making it easier for MSPs and service providers to package and deliver advanced reporting and analytics alongside their UC offerings. Christian noted that some partners now lead with Akixi when selling their communications platforms because the real-time call analytics and visualization tools deliver immediate value to business customers. During the discussion, Christian highlighted a growing industry trend: specialization. “The MSPs that are succeeding are those who understand their customers’ specific challenges—whether in healthcare, recruitment, or retail—and build tailored solutions around those needs,” he said. “Specialization builds trust and reduces perceived risk for customers transitioning away from legacy systems.” As MSPs look ahead, Christian believes differentiation will come from layering insights, integration, and intelligence on top of standard UCaaS platforms. “We help our partners move beyond selling technology to delivering outcomes—and that’s where the real opportunity lies.” To learn more about Akixi, visit www.akixi.com.

At Viirtue Connect in Nashville, Jason Moravec, Senior Channel Account Manager at Xima Software, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss how Xima’s advanced contact center solutions are helping MSPs expand revenue, strengthen customer relationships, and enhance user experience. Xima Software delivers cloud-based contact center and customer experience platforms designed to integrate seamlessly with leading UC systems like NetSapiens, which powers Viirtue and other Crexendo partners. “We focus on helping businesses communicate more effectively across every channel—voice, SMS, email, chat, and WhatsApp,” Moravec explained. “It’s all about elevating the customer experience.” Through its integration with NetSapiens, Xima offers white-label, multi-channel contact center solutions that partners can brand as their own. The platform enhances standard UC capabilities with detailed analytics, cradle-to-grave reporting, and intelligent call routing—all designed to help MSPs deliver a premium service that customers can’t easily replace. “Contact centers are incredibly sticky,” Moravec said. “When partners win the contact center, they often win the entire business. It’s one of the most profitable and high-value parts of the UC ecosystem.” Xima also integrates AI and speech analytics to improve agent productivity and customer outcomes. From sentiment and tone detection to AI-powered chatbots and voice assistants, the platform uses automation to reduce call volume, speed up responses, and provide data-driven training insights. “Our AI isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about getting people to the right place faster and making agents more effective,” Moravec emphasized. For MSPs and Viirtue partners, Xima’s solutions represent a powerful opportunity to differentiate, expand service offerings, and grow recurring revenue. To learn more about Xima Software, visit www.ximasoftware.com.