Who Made the UCaaS Magic Quadrant for 2019?
As businesses search for more scalability in their UC solutions, UCaaS has taken over as the de-facto way to access technology for many brands. Each year, Gartner helps companies of all sizes to explore some of the leading vendors in the UCaaS space using the Gartner UCaaS Magic Quadrant. The MQ report discusses the ability to execute and completeness of vision shown by each vendor mentioned.
In this year’s report, Gartner noted that by 2023, 40% of new enterprise telephony purchases will be made based on a cloud office suite. According to Gartner, this will be either Google G-Suite or Microsoft Office 365, if not something similar. The report also drew attention to the rapidly evolving and fluid nature of the UCaaS environment.
In previous years, Microsoft and Cisco haven’t been front-runners in the UC market, despite Gartner’s claims this year. However, the acquisition of BroadSoft for Cisco, and the launch of Microsoft Teams has allowed both organisations to gain serious ground. Additionally, Gartner has noted this year that UCaaS officially appears to offer better functionality than on-prem systems, which shows us the direction that the market is heading in. Let’s take a look at what happened in this year’s report.
The UCaaS Leaders for 2019
Leaders in the UCaaS Magic Quadrant stand out for their completeness of vision and ability to execute. Last year, the leaders were:
- Verizon
- RingCentral
- BT
- 8×8
- Orange
This year, the leaders are:
Microsoft
Microsoft is leading the way in the UCaaS environment for Gartner this year, thanks to the delivery of Microsoft Teams – the fastest growing collaboration app in the industry. Microsoft’s UCaaS solution supports everything from team and personal messaging to enterprise telephony and meeting capabilities for all. Additionally, Teams telephony services are available through certified business phones in the ecosystem. Microsoft Office 365 is also a significant feather in Microsoft’s hat, and the company has used it’s complete portfolio to attract a vast range of customers.
RingCentral
We’re thrilled to see RingCentral leading the pack again in 2019 after a successful 2018. In 2019 RingCentral has crowned the Best UC Platform at UC Awards 2019. Last year, we announced RingCentral as our UC Awards winner for Best Cloud Communications Provider, and we’ve seen the business implementing a massive range of upgrades and enhancements in the last 12 months. This year, Gartner drew attention to their investments in AI solutions for sales productivity, CSP integrations, and improved options for performance analytics. RingCentral also made some significant investments (and acquisitions) in the contact centre this year too.
8×8
Another company making substantial strides for 2019, 8×8 has made a name for itself as a UCaaS application specialist with the incredible X Series platform. Perfectly suited to the small and mid-sized business market, 8×8 is excellent for organisations in search of flexibility and scalability. This year, 8×8 has released its Dynamic Integration framework for more rapid integrations with business and communication applications. Additionally, the 8×8 Team messaging solution has seen a host of key upgrades too.
Cisco
Cisco is another major player alongside Microsoft in the enterprise communication and collaboration space this year. As a global publicly-traded IT vendor, Cisco has an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality products and services. Over the last 12 months, the company has concentrated heavily on realigning its UC portfolio and defining its future roadmap. Platforms available today include everything from Webex Contact Centre, to Webex Teams, Meetings, and Calling. The solution can support a wide range of environments and strategies.
The UCaaS Challengers for 2019
The Challengers in the UCaaS Gartner Magic Quadrant are those that are making their ways towards the leadership position with high ability to execute. Last year we saw:
- Microsoft
- Cisco
- AT&T
- NTT Group
This year, we have fewer entries, including:
Google has held onto its position in the Challenger space for the UCaaS Gartner Magic Quadrant. The Google UCaaS offering consists of Hangouts Meet, Chat, and Google Voice, and each comes with its own client. Hangouts Meet provides audio and video conferencing, while Hangouts Chat focuses on group and one-on-one chat. Google Voice is more recently, with general availability rolling out earlier this year. The solution supports things like voicemail transcription, Google AI, and more.
Mitel
Mitel comes to the UCaaS space with their unique Mitel MiCloud offering, delivered primarily via channel partners and complemented with direct sales. Over the past year, larger numbers of legacy Mitel channels have begun selling MiCloud Connect. MiCloud Connect also supports unified messaging, meetings, team messaging, email to fax, and more. The company has implemented a host of robust support processes this year, to strengthen its position in the marketplace. And Mitel also ported MiCloud Connect to the Google platform.
LogMeIn
LogMeIn’s UCaaS offering is the GoToConnect solution, which is based on GoToMeeting combined with the Jive strategy for enterprise telephony. GoToConnect includes features like enterprise telephony, meetings, team, and personal messaging. LogMeIn also offers two contact centre solutions alongside its portfolio, including NICE inContact partnership for advanced demands, its own Jive Contact Centre. Recent enhancements to the solution include the Alert Centre Portal and the development of the NICE inContact bundles.
The UCaaS Niche Players for 2019
Niche players in the UCaaS Gartner Magic Quadrant are the ones that show some ability to execute and completeness of vision. Last year, we had:
- Masergy
- Star2Star
For 2019, the niche players are:
ALE
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, or ALE, is a 100% channel-based sales company delivering the incredible Rainbow solution, designed to provide flexible UCaaS to the masses. Rainbow’s architecture is designed over an OTT framework, with Rainbow acting as a central hub for workstream collaboration, telephony, meetings, mobility, and file sharing. The current meeting capabilities are intended for smaller team collaboration sessions, according to Gartner. However, Rainbow’s API hub makes ALE’s offering stand out.
Windstream
A new addition to the Gartner Magic Quadrant this year, Windstream delivers the OfficeSuite UC solution or UCaaS, which it acquired from Broadview Networks in 2017. The solution natively offers IM, presence, telephony, and mobility features, as well as video and audio conferencing. Web conferencing is also available, with a well-integrated partnership through Zoom. In the past year, Windstream has introduced a more flexible pricing model for its users.
StarBlue (Star2Star/BlueFace)
StarBlue is the creation of the merged companies, Star2Star, and Blueface. The two companies offer their cost-effective UCaaS solutions through the StarBlue platform, Some of the major upgrades to the platform that have taken place in the last 12 months include an enhanced call centre dashboard with call-back capabilities and a Studio Builder for the design and implementation of custom embedded communication workflows. Virtual desktop infrastructure is also available via an integration with Citrix.
The UCaaS Visionaries for 2019
Finally, Visionaries in the Magic Quadrant for UCaaS are those that show more completeness of vision than ability to execute. Last year we had:
- West
- Mitel
- Fuze
This year, we’re looking at:
Fuze
A privately-held UCaaS company that has maintained its position since 2018. Fuze provides a UCaaS platform that supports messaging, meeting capabilities, integrated enterprise telephony, and more. Today’s Fuze users can access a host of capabilities through their web, desktop, and mobile clients, as well as room systems. The Fuze Contact Centre also offers simple voice-based contact centre solutions. However, Fuze also provides deeper integrations with Five9 and NICE inContact for more sophisticated offerings.
Dialpad
The core UCaaS solution from Dialpad today is its “Dialpad Talk” option, which comes with video calling (one-to-one), PBX functionality on the cloud, real-time messaging and group chat. Dialpad recently acquired TalkIQ to bring AI functionality and transcription offerings into their service too. Recommended by Gartner for small to mid-sized enterprises, Dialpad’s UCaaS offering is excellent for providing high-quality telephony experiences, voice intelligence, and robust integrations with a host of solutions, including tools from G Suite.
source uctoday
Industry: Unified Communications
Latest Jobs
-
- Azure Identity Consultant
- Netherlands
- discussed on applications
-
Are you a cybersecurity expert passionate about identity and access management? We are seeking a talented IAM Technical Specialist to join our Sec Ops team. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in developing and maintaining our IAM infrastructure, ensuring the highest levels of security and compliance. What you'll do: Design, implement, and maintain IAM solutions for both on-premise and cloud environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate IAM systems into various applications and processes. Conduct security assessments and risk analysis to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities. Stay up-to-date with the latest IAM technologies and industry best practices. What we're looking for: Experience: experience as a technical specialist with expertise in AD management. IGA concepts: Experience with Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) concepts such as RBAC, PAM, SIEM, SSO, segregation of duties (SoD), data classification, and recertification. Azure Identity Management: Minimum 2 years of demonstrable experience with Azure identity management, specifically within complex organizations. IT knowledge: Good general knowledge of IT environments such as Active Directory, Azure Cloud, Office 365, SharePoint Online, etc. Protocol knowledge: Familiar with SAML, OIDC, OAuth, and SCIM. Programming languages: Minimum 3 years of experience with development languages such as PowerShell; knowledge of Java or C# is a plus.
-
- Cloud Architect- German Speaker
- Hungary
- Upto €48000 per year + bonus + benefits
-
As a Senior Pre-Sales Solutions Architect, you will play a pivotal role in driving our sales success by translating complex technical solutions into compelling proposals that resonate with our clients. You will collaborate closely with our sales teams to understand customer needs, design tailored solutions, and negotiate successful deals. Responsibilities: Solution Design: Develop comprehensive technical solutions that align with customer business objectives and industry best practices. Proposal Development: Create compelling proposals, including requirements gathering questionnaires, presentation materials, and Statements of Work (SOWs). Customer Engagement: Build strong relationships with clients, understanding their technical, business, and commercial requirements. Collaboration: Work closely with sales teams, delivery teams, and third-party partners to ensure successful project execution. Pricing Strategy: Define and deliver pricing strategies that align with customer needs and company objectives. Requirements: Experience in technical pre-sales or sales support roles. Proven track record in designing and delivering successful customer solutions. Strong technical foundation in areas such as VMware, Azure, AWS, cloud computing, and data center technologies. Excellent understanding of sales principles, account management, and negotiation techniques. Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and concisely. Experience working in international teams and supporting clients across multiple regions. Fluency in German and English is essential. Benefits: Competitive salary and benefits package Opportunity to work on challenging and rewarding projects Collaborative and supportive work environment Potential for career growth and advancement Please note that this role is focused on supporting German clients, but will also involve global client support as needed.
-
- Microsoft Sentinel Architect
- United Kingdom
- discussed on applications
-
Microsoft Sentinel Architect We're seeking a talented and experienced Microsoft Sentinel Architect to be responsible for the design, deploy of a new Sentinel solution into an expanding Services business. As a key member of our team, you'll play a vital role in driving security operations and protecting clients' assets. Responsibilities: Solution Design: Develop comprehensive Microsoft Sentinel architectures aligned with our clients' specific needs and industry best practices. Deployment and Configuration: Oversee the deployment and configuration of Sentinel components, including data connectors, analytics rules, and playbooks. Integration: Integrate Sentinel with other security tools and platforms within our MSSP ecosystem. Tuning and Optimization: Continuously monitor and optimize Sentinel performance to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency. Training and Mentoring: Mentor junior team members and provide training on Sentinel technologies and best practices. Required Skills and Experience: Proven experience as a Microsoft Sentinel Architect with a deep understanding of its capabilities and limitations. Strong technical skills in Azure, security operations, and data analytics. Experience designing and implementing complex security solutions, into a services environment Knowledge of threat intelligence, incident response, and compliance frameworks. Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
-
- Network & Security Consultant
- Romania
- €54000 plus benefits
-
Senior Network & Security Engineer to join a Managed Network & Security Team in Europe. In this critical role, you will: Play a pivotal role in managing and securing network infrastructure across datacenters, customer connections, and on-premise deployments. Proactively monitor network and security devices, analyse incidents, and implement solutions to ensure optimal performance and security. Collaborate with colleagues and customers to troubleshoot issues, troubleshoot outages, and implement effective resolutions. Lead and participate in network system installations for new facilities and expansions. Develop and maintain network infrastructure procedures, recommend technical strategies, and propose improvements to enhance network capabilities. Stay up-to-date on the latest network and security technologies and trends. Work as part of a collaborative international team, contributing to team presentations and knowledge sharing. To be successful, you'll need: Proven expertise in Cisco network solutions (CCNP R&S/Sec/Wireless preferred) for both BAU and project work. In-depth knowledge of network security principles and experience with Fortinet firewalls. Experience deploying and managing large, complex network infrastructure (routing, switching, wireless, security). Solid understanding of ITIL v3 framework for incident, change, and problem management. Excellent troubleshooting skills with experience using Wireshark or similar protocol analysers. Strong communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work independently and collaborate effectively.