Transition Will Significantly Expand Cloud Communications Pioneer’s Global Reach and Further Solidifies Market Leader Position Through Strategic Integration of NEC’s UCaaS and CCaaS Business; NEC and Intermedia will continue their resale partnership in Japan and Australia.
Intermedia Cloud Communications, a leading provider of AI-powered cloud-based unified communications, collaboration, and customer engagement solutions, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with NEC to assume NEC’s unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and contact center as a service (CCaaS) business in North America and NEC’s partner relationships in Europe. This transaction marks a significant milestone in Intermedia’s global expansion, enhancing its brand presence and leadership position in the cloud communications space.
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This transition will be seamless for NEC customers and partners, as they are already utilizing NEC-branded versions of Intermedia’s unified communications, collaboration, and cloud contact center solutions.
NEC will continue to manage its UCaaS and CCaaS business, in partnership with Intermedia, in Japan and Australia.
“As NEC’s exclusive cloud communications partner, together, we have successfully grown the UNIVERGE BLUE UCaaS and CCaaS business at an accelerated pace around the globe. Intermedia is thrilled to announce this transaction and looks forward to welcoming NEC’s UNIVERGE BLUE customers and partners directly to the Intermedia family,” said Michael Gold, CEO of Intermedia. “This evolution in our relationship strengthens our position in the cloud communications market and opens significant new opportunities for growth and innovation.”
“Since we began working with Intermedia in 2020, they have been an outstanding partner. This transaction will ensure that UNIVERGE BLUE customers continue to receive the high-quality service they expect. Intermedia’s commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with our values, which means channel partners and customers are in capable hands,” said Chris Jackson, NEC Corporate SVP; President & CEO, NEC America and Europe.
Background on the Intermedia and NEC Partnership
The transaction builds on the successful strategic partnership between Intermedia and NEC, which began in 2020. Over the past four years, as businesses have increasingly transitioned from on-premises communications systems to agile cloud solutions, the two companies have collaborated to bring innovative cloud communication solutions to market under the NEC UNIVERGE BLUE brand, benefiting thousands of businesses globally.
Intermedia will continue to provide the same products and service to customers and partners. In addition, at the closing of the transaction, Intermedia will assume responsibility for NEC’s existing UCaaS and CCaaS partner and customer contracts, as well as all aspects of NEC’s partner relationships, including directly providing comprehensive technical, sales, marketing and billing support to partners and customers.
Customers and partners will benefit from more direct access to Intermedia’s innovative teams, solutions, and a comprehensive approach to sales, marketing, and technical support. This is designed to ensure a seamless integration and continued excellence in service delivery, with no disruption to existing services or programs.
Innovative Product Suite
The collaboration between NEC and Intermedia has resulted in the development and launch of the NEC UNIVERGE BLUE brand, allowing NEC to provide customers and partners with a full suite of cutting-edge cloud communication solutions. Built entirely on Intermedia’s proprietary platform and delivered through its robust and highly reliable network, these Intermedia branded solutions offer comprehensive unified communications, advanced video conferencing, robust contact center capabilities, and tools for seamless cloud transition. The products incorporate advanced AI, multi-channel archiving, and real-time analytics to help ensure smarter communication, decision-making, and data security for businesses of all sizes and industries around the globe.
Highlights of the Announcement Include:
— Seamless Transition: Intermedia is dedicated to delivering a smooth transition for all NEC customers and partners. NEC customers are already using the Intermedia network and solutions branded as NEC UNIVERGE BLUE. Existing service agreements, contracts, and support arrangements will remain in place through the integration to ensure continuity of service.
— No Change to Partnership Models: Whether partners use the Agency, Rev Share (Co-Op), or Customer Ownership (CORE) model, their preferred model will be supported. Partners will continue to benefit from highly attractive economic terms and the ability to maintain ownership of their customer relationships.
— Enhanced Customer and Partner Network: NEC partners will benefit from sales, marketing, and technical support, as well as all the tools needed to deliver outstanding value to their customers. Existing Intermedia partners will benefit from a stronger and more expansive network, opening new market opportunities and access to a broader range of resources. This expanded network will facilitate greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among partners, enhancing overall service delivery and innovation.
— Expanded Global Reach: The integration will open new revenue streams and strengthen Intermedia’s competitive edge in the global cloud communications market.
— Award-Winning Products, World-Class Support and Reliability:Intermedia’s UC solutions and platform continue to be recognized by leading industry publications and analysts – including PC Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Forbes, UC Today, CRN, Frost & Sullivan, and Aragon – for superior performance and support. Intermedia’s J.D. Power-certified 24/7 technical support and 99.999% uptime service level agreements will be available to all direct customers and partners, ensuring world-class service and support.
— Path to Cloud Migration for On-Premises Customers:For NEC partners representing the NEC UNIVERGE BLUE business who also have on-premises customers, Intermedia is committed to supporting these partners in facilitating a smooth transition to the cloud. Leveraging the strong relationship developed over years of collaboration, Intermedia will provide the necessary tools, resources, and dedicated support to ensure partners can confidently guide their customers through the migration process. This transition allows customers to benefit from the latest in cloud communication technologies with continuity and innovation in mind.
The transaction is expected to close in the United States and Canada at the end of September 2024, with Europe anticipated to follow in the coming weeks. Additional details on the transition will be shared with NEC and Intermedia customers and partners directly in the coming days and weeks.
For more about Intermedia, visit www.intermedia.com.
About Intermedia Cloud CommunicationsIntermedia is the cloud communications company that helps over 140,000 businesses connect better from wherever through our AI-powered platform that includes voice, video conferencing, chat, SMS, contact center, business email and productivity, file sharing and backup, security, archiving, and more. We strive to eliminate the need for multiple communications service providers with a seamlessly integrated portfolio of intelligent communications and collaboration solutions, including our flagship product, Intermedia Unite®, all delivered through one highly reliable and secure platform. With month-to-month contract options, one monthly bill, and one intuitive point of administrative control, and having been certified by J.D. Power for excellence in technical support seven times, Intermedia is committed to providing enterprise-grade products to businesses of all sizes through a simple Worry-Free Experience™.
As a partner-first company, Intermedia goes to work for over 7,500 channel partners by providing a comprehensive set of programs, resources, and support to help them grow their revenue and maximize their success. Programs include our Customer Ownership Reseller (CORE™) model – which enables partners to resell, package, and manage Intermedia’s solutions as if they were their own, while benefiting from highly attractive economic terms and maintaining ownership of their customer relationships – as well as advisor models.
For more information about Intermedia, visit www.intermedia.com.
Contact:Rob GoldIntermedia Cloud Communications314.750.0880rgold@intermedia.com
Intermedia, Intermedia Unite, Worry-Free Experience, and CORE are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intermedia.net, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks, service marks, trade names, and copyrights used herein are the property of their respective owners.
J.D. Power 2023 Certified Assisted Technical Program. Based on successful completion of an audit and exceeding a customer satisfaction benchmark for assisted support operations. For more information, visitwww.jdpower.com.
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