Cisco will acquire BroadSoft US telecommunications software company for $1.9 billion.

Cisco confirmed weekend media reports it will acquire US telecommunications software company BroadSoft, announcing a deal for $1.9 billion ahead of BroadSoft’s annual customer conference event in Phoenix which kicks off today.

In recent quarters Cisco slashed costs in its lower growth hardware segments as it bids to change its focus to software-based systems and new technologies.

“We chose BroadSoft as it provides a portfolio of cloud collaboration platforms and business applications, which strengthen our cloud investments and ability to deliver collaboration solutions to our global telecom provider customers,” Rob Salvagno, head of Cisco’s M&A and venture investment team, wrote in a blog: “Following the close of the acquisition, Cisco and BroadSoft will provide a comprehensive SaaS portfolio of cloud based unified communications, collaboration, and contact centre software solutions and services for customers of all sizes.”

He continued: “Collaboration is the first step to business digitisation and BroadSoft has partnerships with over 450 telecom carriers in 80 countries – including 25 of the top 30 globally – to 19+ million BroadSoft business subscribers. BroadSoft’s portfolio is complementary to our existing on premises and enterprise-centric Hosted Collaboration Solutions (HCS), as well as Cisco’s overall cloud investment strategy.”

The acquisition is expected to close during the first calendar quarter of 2018, subject to the usual regulatory reviews.

Once complete, BroadSoft employees will join Cisco’s unified communications technology group (led by Tom Puorro, VP and general manager in the Applications Group).

Cisco recently suffered a fall in revenue for its traditional switches and routers business and focused on areas including IoT and cloud computing.

In its latest earnings statement – covering the three months to 29 July – Cisco reported net income of $2.4 billion on revenue of $21.1 billion, which was down 4 per cent on the same period of 2016.

Earlier this month it partnered with Telenor to launch a cloud platform business designed to simplify the launch of new services in IoT and other industry verticals by operators.

This is Cisco’s second major acquisition this year. In January it bought AppDynamics for $3.7 billion, which it said was part of a strategy to “transition toward software-centric solutions that deliver predictable recurring revenue.”

Last week, a Cisco deal with machine-learning startup Perspica was touted as its two hundredth acquisition, and one which supported and accelerated “the AppDynamics vision”.

BroadSoft’s focus

According to BroadSoft’s website, it is the industry leader in cloud unified communications, providing a “comprehensive, mobile-integrated and open communication suite for businesses, with carrier-class reliability and security”.

BroadSoft normally sells its products to companies including Verizon and AT&T, which then resell the software to their business customers. Recently, it attempted to sell directly to these customers, which could jeopardise its relationships with its telecommunications partners, Reuters said quoting a Barclays research report.

Press Release:

Cisco Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire BroadSoft.

Cisco is committed to delivering the next generation of collaboration experiences to all workers across every room, desk, pocket and application. These experiences include meetings, as well as messaging, calling capabilities and contact center touchpoints. As our customers continue to transition to the cloud, they are demanding deployment flexibility across all of these experiences. This requires collaboration solutions across all workloads on premises and in the cloud.

That’s why today we announced a definitive agreement to acquire BroadSoft.

We chose BroadSoft as it provides a portfolio of cloud collaboration platforms and business applications, which strengthen our cloud investments and ability to deliver collaboration solutions to our global telecom provider customers. Following the close of the acquisition, Cisco and BroadSoft will provide a comprehensive SaaS portfolio of cloud based unified communications, collaboration, and contact center software solutions and services for customers of all sizes.

Collaboration is the first step to business digitization and BroadSoft has partnerships with over 450 telecom carriers in 80 countries – including 25 of the top 30 globally – to 19+ million BroadSoft business subscribers. BroadSoft’s portfolio is complementary to our existing on premises and enterprise-centric Hosted Collaboration Solutions (HCS), as well as Cisco’s overall cloud investment strategy.

Together, we are committed to redefining the future of work and collaboration to help businesses perform in ways never before imagined, with the flexibility to deploy them on-premises or in the cloud and to better meet the calling and contact center needs of our SMB and mid-market customers.

We also recently announced that Cisco reached its 200th acquisition. With the acquisition of BroadSoft, we’re continuing our strategy of strengthening our position in the collaboration market, while continuing to evolve  our business model for the future.

We are excited and look forward to welcoming the BroadSoft team to our Unified Communications Technology Group led by Tom Puorro vice president and general manager in the Applications Group. We expect the acquisition to be completed in Cisco’s first quarter of calendar year 2018.

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MWC 2016: Actility Collaborates with Cisco to Deliver IoT Solutions Using LoRa Technology.

Actility's ThingPark™ platform will be integrated in Cisco IoT solutions 

Actility, the industry leader in Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks announced that it is collaborating with Cisco to help customers embrace digital transformation and accelerate the development of new business models based on the Internet of Things (IoT). Actility will today join the Cisco Partner Ecosystem as a Cisco Solutions+ Partner for LPWAsolutions for IoT. The collaboration will allow global service providers and other vertical industries to create added value far beyond simple connectivity, in both business markets such as smart cities, connected factories and industrial IoT, and high volume business to consumer applications.  

     The combined offering of Cisco IoT solutions and Actility's ThingPark Wireless™ Platform also addresses therequirements of private managed LoRa (Low Power, Long Range) wide area networks and can be deployed in a customer's premises or offered as a Software as a Service model (SaaS). 

The announcement also brings Cisconetworking expertise and the latest LoRa gateway technology to the rapidly growing Actility ThingPark ecosystem, which simplifies the deployment of end-to-end IoT solutions for customers.

Actility's ThingPark provides long-range network connectivity for low-power sensors used in multiple applications such as smart cities, facility management and asset tracking. The Cisco IoT gateways and Cisco Field Network Director tools provide the vital link between the LoRa radio connections to sensors and devices, and the global Internet or private customer network. 

Actility's ThingPark OSS helps ensure that it is straightforward for customers to configure and deploy IoT networks and solutions by validating all the components of an end-to-end solution, from sensors and devices through network connectivity and applications. Now ThingPark customers have access to Cisco IoT solutions with world-leading networking technology that is ready to use and deploy in their Actility-powered service solutions.

"We're very proud to be able to collaborate with a storied industry leader like Cisco to bring new value to the ThingPark ecosystem," comments Actility CTO and CEO Olivier Hersent. "With the Cisco IoT gateway we are ready for multi-sector deployments and location services where sensors can be localized without a GPS! Now operators have no need to wait for LTE-based IoT solutions: they can address the massive opportunities in the rapidly growing IoT market today."

This partnership will enable LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) networks to be expanded rapidly on a global scale, fueling the explosive growth of the next generation of IoT services. Cisco and Actility's relationships with major tier one telecom operators will accelerate the go to market and widespread deployment of the joint solution.

Vikas Butaney, general manager, IoT Connectivity Business Unit at Cisco, said: "I welcome Actility to the Cisco partner community for our IoT solutions to help accelerate digital transformation across industries. Our collaboration with Actility will enable us to offer a complete LoRA LPWA-based solution to our customers and partners, and opens up IoT to an untapped market of billions of battery-powered devices. LoRa's ability to communicate elegantly without draining excessive power makes it suitable for deploying connected devices in the field that can provide actionable business insights over an extended lifetime."

Actility and Cisco are both members of the LoRa Alliance, a non-profit organization which aims to drive the global success of the LoRa protocol (LoRaWAN) by sharing knowledge and experience to help ensure interoperability between operators in one open global standard. Cisco's collaboration with Actility and induction into the ThingPark ecosystem clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the LoRa Alliance in nurturing business relationships that will drive the rapid growth of the Internet of things globally.

About Actility 

Full version of the release

http://www.thingpark.com/en

SOURCE Actility

For further information: Actility: Anne van Gemert, anne.vangemert@actility.com, +33-6-47-37-30-21. Cisco: Marc Musgrove, mmusgrov@cisco.com, +1-(408)525-6320.

Dubai: Cisco joins forces with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

Wayne Hull, director and general manager, Cisco UAE says, "Cisco is proud to work closely with DEWA to ensure that it remains at forefront of the technology developments in order to deliver customer satisfaction and promote Dubai's vision for the delivery of electricity and water services at a world-class level. Our collaboration with DEWA demonstrates Cisco's commitment to continue to support government entities in the UAE in order to build a better future for citizens through the intelligent application of information communications technology, using the network as the platform."

"Today's announcement is a significant step forward in our collaboration with Cisco. We believe that combining DEWA's comprehensive infrastructure and services with Cisco's established experience in providing network services will result in much richer ways of providing people with access to the information and services across our multiple channels," said Engineer/ Marwan Salem bin Haider - Vice President - Chief of IT in DEWA.

DEWA and Cisco intend to co-operate in the creation of new services primarily focused on aligning DEWA's ICT strategy objectives with Cisco Group's advanced technologies that add more value to DEWA than could be achieved individually.

"Initially, the focus will be on the exchanging of information on the evolution of technology solutions related to the next generation networks both for the wire line and mobile networks, evaluation, early field trials and pilots as well as collaboration on customer briefings and proof of concepts.," Engineer bin Haider added.

The announcement was made at Gitex 2010.

Cisco ūmi Brings Family and Friends to the Living Room at the Touch of a Button

Home Telepresence Product Delivers Amazingly Clear and Lifelike Video Get-Togethers Through Existing HD Televisions

SAN JOSE, Calif, October 6, 2010 – Cisco today introduced Cisco ūmi telepresence, a first-of-its-kind consumer product that brings family and friends together in HD video, whether they are around the corner or across the country. Cisco ūmi connects to an existing HD television and a broadband internet connection to create a video communications experience that is so clear, natural and lifelike, that users will see and hear their loved ones, right down to the twinkle in their eyes and the tone of their voices, as if they were in the same room.

Cisco ūmi, which includes an HD camera, a console and a remote, takes advantage of Cisco's heritage in business telepresence, to deliver an immersive video experience that fits into every home, automatically adjusting to lighting conditions and various room sizes to provide superior video and audio performance.

Once Cisco ūmi is connected to an HD television and a wired or wireless broadband connection, a remote control provides access to an on-screen user interface, through which users can make ūmi calls, access video messages, manage contacts, and customize their profile and settings. Users can also record their own ūmi videos, which they can share on Facebook, on YouTube, or via email. Users can even keep in touch with people who don't have ūmi by placing and receiving video calls from any computer with a webcam and Google video chat.

"Cisco is bringing people together, driving new video experiences that change the way we communicate, connect, and enjoy entertainment – in the home, at work, and on the go," said John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco. "Cisco ūmi will bring the unique telepresence experience into living rooms and change the way we are able to be together with family and friends. We envision a future where technologies like this will play a role in connecting consumers with businesses to enable the delivery of new services, ranging from education, to health care, to financial services – to the home."

"Cisco ūmi is the ultimate way to capture the simple joys of being together with our distant friends and loved ones, whether they are around the corner or across the country," said Marthin De Beer, senior vice president of Cisco's emerging technologies business group. "From singing happy birthday every year to reading bedtime stories every night, ūmi lets friends and families experience life's special moments together."

Cisco is also working with Verizon to bring the ūmi experience to Verizon FiOS customers early next year. The two companies have been conducting successful trials of Cisco ūmi over Verizon's 100 percent fiber-optic network, which delivers what a 2010 PCMAG.COM reader's survey rated the fastest Internet speeds in the United States.

"Verizon's high-IQ networks are incredible incubators of innovation that connect our customers to the things and the people they care about, how and when they want," said Eric Bruno, vice president, of consumer product management at Verizon. "We plan to be the first service provider to offer Cisco ūmi to our customers, delivering an amazingly clear and lifelike experience that brings family and friends into your living room."

Cisco is working with Best Buy to bring the Cisco ūmi experience to Magnolia Home Theatre stores this holiday season. Within Magnolia Home Theatre stores, consumers will be able to experience Cisco ūmi, get expert advice on the product and required broadband, as well as purchase Cisco ūmi, with installation and support provide by The Geek Squad.

Cisco ūmi Key Features and Benefits

• Users enjoy amazingly clear and lifelike full HD experience.
• An existing HD television and a broadband Internet connection are all that is needed.
• Cisco ūmi is easy to set up and simple to use – users can be together at the touch of a button.
• Video calls can be placed and received on any computer with a webcam and Google video chat.
• Users will never miss a ūmi call with video messages.
• Cisco ūmi videos can be created and then shared on Facebook, YouTube, or email.
• Video messages can be checked on-the-go with a laptop.
• New video message notices arrive via text on a mobile phone.
• From the comfort of the couch, users can pan the room and even zoom in to get up close and personal, or pull back to include the whole family.
• Privacy features like call screening and blocking, and a camera shutter that closes, keep users in control of their privacy.
• Personalize with a unique video greeting, ringtones, and calling favorites.
• The stylish design is a perfect match for the living room and HD television.

Opportunities to see Cisco ūmi

This fall, Cisco will kick off a major marketing campaign that will offer many opportunities for consumers to see the ūmi experience:

• "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will bring people together on the show via Cisco ūmi
• A national advertising campaign featuring Ellen Page, the star of "Juno" and "Inception," will feature Ellen and her friends using ūmi in their everyday lives.
• A Cisco ūmi mall tour begins Nov. 10 and travels to more than 20 major malls across the United States, during which consumers will be able to experience live ūmi demonstrations

Pricing and Availability

Cisco ūmi is scheduled to be available for preorder on Oct. 6 from umi.cisco.com and Oct. 18 from bestbuy.com. It is scheduled to be available to consumers on November 14 in Best Buy/Magnolia Home Theater stores, bestbuy.com and umi.cisco.com for the suggested retail price of $599 with a monthly fee of $24.99 for unlimited ūmi calls, video messaging and video storage.

Supporting Resources

• Cisco ūmi photos and images
• Visit The Platform blog to learn about Cisco ūmi
• Check out the CiscoHome blog for knowledge from Cisco's ūmi experts
• Search #ciscoumi on Twitter for real-time updates on ūmi
• "Like" Cisco ūmi on Facebook and enter to win a system for you and a friend
• Additional information on Cisco ūmi telepresence
• Visit umi.cisco.com for information on how to pre-order Cisco ūmi
• Cisco ūmi b-roll: For product footage and Cisco executive commentary, visit www.go-cvs.com/ftp (click on the "check mark" icon on the lower left. The username is cisco-broll, and the password is cscobrollshots. Click Home-Telepresence folder to access Cisco ūmi b-roll.
• Cisco ūmi telepresence product video, executive comments, and press event footage will be available for satellite downlink on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, 1700-1800 EDT:
• Galaxy 16 C-Band
• Orbital Slot: 99 degrees West Longitude
• 9 MHz Bandwidth MPEG 2 Digital
• 4:2:0 Chroma Profile
• Transponder 10, Slot A
• Downlink Frequency: 3886.5 MHz, Vertical Polarization
• Symbol Rate: 6.1113 msps
• FEC: 3/4
• Vyvx/Level 3 Steele Valley TOC: 800-922-4424