Ribbon Communications Inc., a global provider of real-time communications software and IP Optical networking solutions, has joined Microsoft’s new Operator Connect Accelerator for Microsoft Teams as an ecosystem partner.
The Operator Connect Accelerator program affords service providers with the opportunity to work with an authorized Microsoft ecosystem partner in order to provide integration tools, service offerings and professional services to jump-start their Operator Connect deployments, allowing these companies to reach a larger number of Teams customers.
Ribbon Connect for Operator Connect, a multi-tenant software as a service (SaaS) solution, will now enable service provider implementations of Operator Connect, which is a Microsoft-managed solution for connecting Teams and telecom providers. With Teams having over 270 million active monthly users, making telecom services more accessible to those Teams users positions its Phone System services as an alternative for traditional phone services and other cloud Unified Communications options.
Ribbon Connect offers service providers pre-built API connections, sales enablement, and portal-based management solutions to help them provide Operator Connect services faster. The company also makes it easier to market, deliver and bill Operator Connect services.
Tony Scarfo, EVP & General Manager of Ribbon’s Cloud & Edge Business Unit, commented: “Since the launch of Microsoft Operator Connect, we have worked closely with Microsoft to build out our expertise and infrastructure to support the service. In addition, we have been deeply engaged globally with our service provider customers including Switch Connect and others, helping them on-board and integrate with the service, and now many are anxious to accelerate that process using the new Operator Connect Accelerator.”
Taimoor Husain, Modern Workplace Strategy and GTM Lead, Telcos at Microsoft, said: “Partners like Ribbon are key to enabling the program as they offer several benefits including strong existing relationships with service providers, a deep understanding of Microsoft’s stringent architecture and quality assurance requirements, and have invested in the integration and automation tool sets that make Operator Connect Accelerator so compelling.”
