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For many travelers, Antarctica is a bucket-list destination, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to touch all seven continents. In 2023, a record-breaking 100,000 tourists made the trip. But the journey begs a fundamental question: What do we risk by traveling to a place that is supposed to be uninhabited by humans? And as the climate warms, should we really be going to Antarctica in the first place? SHOW NOTES: Kara Weller: The Impossible Dilemma of a Polar Guide Marilyn Raphael: A twenty-first century structural change in Antarctica’s sea ice system Karl Watson: First Time in Antarctica Jeb Brooks : 7 Days in Antarctica (Journey to the South Pole) Metallica - Freeze 'Em All: Live in Antarctica Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

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AI,AI, CPaaS, CCaaS, UCaaS, Mobility, Security. Reporting on how the world communicates.

51 episoade

Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

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Distribuie

Pagina seriei•Feed

AI,AI, CPaaS, CCaaS, UCaaS, Mobility, Security. Reporting on how the world communicates.

51 episoade

#Tech #Business News #News #Tech News #Telecom Reseller

Toate episoadele

1
Understanding where law and vCon technology connect, Marashlian & Donahue Podcast 9:42

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“Telecom law is a niche, but it’s a powerful one — and it’s about to become even more important in the world of vCons.” — Diana James, Attorney, Marashlian & Donahue, PLLC At vCon 2025, Diana James Highlights Why Telecom Law Is Key to the Next Era of Communication Hyannis, MA – April 2025 – Speaking from the vCon Conference in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, Diana James, attorney with Marashlian & Donahue (The CommLaw Group), emphasized how crucial it is to have legal expertise tailored to technology and telecom — especially as new communication formats like vCon emerge. “Telecom law is a very niche area, and there’s a lot to keep track of,” said James. “But it’s incredibly exciting, and it’s becoming even more critical as innovations like vCon reshape how businesses manage, share, and protect conversations.” Marashlian & Donahue represents clients across the telecom industry, including the Cloud Communications Alliance. James and her colleagues are deeply involved in helping organizations navigate the complex regulatory environment that governs emerging technologies like virtualized conversations. The vCon standard, which captures and containers conversations (voice, text, video, chat) into structured, portable files, presents vast new opportunities — but also raises important legal questions around data privacy, consent, and regulatory compliance. “It’s not just about building the technology. It’s about making sure it’s implemented ethically and legally,” James noted. With enterprises and service providers racing to adopt AI, customer intelligence, and new conversational formats, specialized telecom and tech law firms like Marashlian & Donahue are more important than ever — helping innovators stay ahead of regulatory requirements while protecting customer trust. #vCon #TelecomLaw #PrivacyCompliance #EmergingTech #MarashlianAndDonahue #TheCommLawGroup #CloudCommunications #AICompliance #TechRegulation #DataPrivacy #VoiceOfTheCustomer…

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Meet vCon’s “mom”, SIPez Podcast 7:09

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“Building a standard like vCon is a little like giving birth — long, painful, but ultimately transformative.” — Daniel Petrie, Founder, SIPez SIPez’s Daniel Petrie on the Birth of vCon and Why It’s a Game-Changer for Contact Centers and Beyond Hyannis, MA – April 2025 – As the inaugural vCon Conference wrapped up, Daniel Petrie of SIPez shared a unique perspective: while Thomas McCarthy-Howe of Stralid conceived the idea of vCon, it was Petrie who helped “deliver” it through the grueling process of standards development. “Tom had the idea,” Petrie said. “I helped get it through the standards organizations. And yes, it’s a lot like giving birth—it’s a long and sometimes painful journey.” For first-timers to the vCon concept, Petrie offered a clear definition: vCon is a universal data exchange format for conversations — whether voice, video, text, email, or chat — capturing both the content and the surrounding metadata in a standardized way. This makes it dramatically easier for companies to analyze, share, protect, and enhance conversations across platforms and systems. How vCon Helps Contact Centers — and Everyone Else Instead of integrating separately with multiple third-party AI or analytics platforms, contact centers can integrate once into vCon and unlock access to a broad ecosystem of services. As Petrie put it: “One integration gives you access to a whole new world of capabilities — transcription, summarization, sales coaching, customer analysis, and more.” And vCon’s potential doesn’t stop at the enterprise level. Petrie sees a future where small businesses and even individuals can extract vCons from everyday tools like Zoom or Google Meet, then feed those into AI platforms to get meeting summaries, action items, and coaching insights — services traditionally reserved for large organizations. SIPez: Helping Companies Bridge the Gap At SIPez, Petrie and his team focus on open-source and proprietary telecom solutions, building custom capabilities where standard vendors fall short. “We help companies bridge gaps — integrating new technologies like vCon into existing stacks without having to wait for big vendors to catch up,” Petrie said. Where to Learn More For companies, MSPs, channel partners, and carriers looking to harness the power of vCon today, Petrie invites you to connect: sipez.com Daniel Petrie on LinkedIn “Don’t get left behind. vCon is the future for contact centers, and the opportunity is huge,” Petrie concluded. #vCon #ContactCenter #CXInnovation #SIPez #OpenStandards #ConversationalAI #TelecomStandards #AIInTelecom #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusinessTech #ProductivityTools…

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We thought we were listening to the customer—until we actually did, Strolid vCon Podcast 13:20

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Strolid’s vCon Revolution: Bringing Automotive Insight to the Future of Digital Conversations HYANNISPORT, MA – “We thought we were listening to the customer—until we actually did,” said Thomas McCarthy-Howe, CTO, Strolid. The first-ever vCon Conference wrapped up in Cape Cod with a surprising yet visionary host: Strolid, a company known for advancing the automotive sales process. But as CTO Thomas McCarthy-Howe explained, Strolid’s role in the conference reflects something much deeper — a transformational shift in how businesses truly hear and act on the voice of the customer. “Once you’re able to actually capture the conversations in this format,” McCarthy-Howe said, “you always hear all the things your customers say — all the time.” Why vCon, and Why Now? Strolid specializes in helping automotive dealerships convert leads into in-person visits, operating at the front lines of high-stakes customer interaction. Yet their interest in vCon — a standardized container format for digital conversations — has taken the company beyond automotive and into the heart of digital transformation. “At first, we thought we were collecting feedback,” said McCarthy-Howe. “But we were getting an estimate, a filtered sliver. With vCons, we realized we had been missing most of what customers were actually saying.” Surfacing Operational Blind Spots Strolid’s use of vCons revealed what McCarthy-Howe called “dark operational data.” In one example, he described how customers were often frustrated not because of poor service, but because they drove long distances to view cars that had already been sold — a disconnect caused by inaccurate online listings. “That kind of insight doesn’t come from hold-time metrics,” he noted. “It comes from capturing and analyzing the full customer conversation.” Enabling Ethical, Scalable Customer Understanding In addition to insight, vCons offer a scalable way to ensure ethical data handling. “Because we can now see everything, it becomes even more urgent to manage consent, protect privacy, and respect customer data,” McCarthy-Howe said. The vCon standard, supported by the IETF working group and open-source ecosystem, enables organizations to share, analyze, and protect conversational data in a consistent, privacy-respecting manner. From Car Lots to Cross-Industry Change Although Strolid is rooted in the automotive world, the lessons apply broadly. “A dealership is just a proxy for any store,” McCarthy-Howe said. “There’s a sales cycle, a customer journey, and a need for trust and transparency. We designed this not just for automotive, but for the market.” Learn More Company site: strolid.com Tech insights: strolid.ai vCon standard: ietf.org…

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From Ephemeral Talk to Structured Truth, Frontline Podcast 19:44

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“If you don’t ask your AI what it used to make a decision, it might cost you your reputation—or worse.” — Matt Bramson, Chief Revenue Officer, Frontline Frontline’s Matt Bramson on the Monumental Implications of vCon and the Urgent Need for Ethical Oversight in AI Hyannis, MA – April 2025 – As the first-ever vCon Conference concluded, Matt Bramson of Frontline offered a compelling vision of both the promise and the peril emerging from virtualized conversations and AI-driven decision-making. In a far-ranging conversation that blended philosophy, ethics, and enterprise AI, Bramson challenged business leaders to think well beyond lanes, silos, and conventional product rollouts. “We’re looking at something civilization-transforming,” said Bramson. “Imagine a mountain of vCons—every conversation, everywhere, stored in a structured format and interrogated by AI. The insights could be profound, even world-changing. But there’s a moral cost if we don’t ask the right questions.” From Ephemeral Talk to Structured Truth At its core, the vCon standard captures and containers conversations—text, voice, email—across every modality in a standardized format. These containers can then be appended with CRM data, sentiment analysis, and other metadata, unlocking unprecedented insights through AI interrogation. “Conversations are how we share heartbreaks, solve problems, build businesses. They’ve always been ephemeral. vCons make them permanent—and actionable,” Bramson noted. Yet with such power comes risk. Bramson recounted a chilling real-world example: an AI used by a beverage company to optimize pricing based on customer characteristics. What seemed like a smart revenue idea risked violating anti-discrimination laws—and damaging the brand—because no one had taught the AI what not to use. “Who’s teaching the AI business ethics, social ethics? In many cases, no one,” Bramson warned. “If you’re not interrogating the AI’s output, you might not know it’s discriminating—until a journalist does.” A Philosopher’s Take on AI With a background in philosophy, Bramson brought a rare perspective to the discussion. Where some see hallucinations in LLMs, he sees echoes of ancient debates in epistemology and metaphysics. “We’re overdue for philosophers in tech boardrooms,” he said. “What’s unfolding now has been pondered for millennia. Ethics and AI are now converging in real time—and most companies aren’t prepared.” He challenged executives to go beyond staying in their lanes: “CEOs must ask how their AIs are making decisions—not just what those decisions are.” Frontline: CX Innovation with Real-World Impact Frontline, Bramson explained, stands at the intersection of contact center services, CCaaS technology sales, and AI-enabled agent software. But what truly excites his team is their work with social impact programs. “We take thousands of 2-1-1 calls—from people seeking food, housing, utility help,” said Bramson. “These conversations are rich with insight, and vCons give us a framework to share that data responsibly across municipalities.” Unlike private-sector rivals, 2-1-1 providers collaborate freely, and Bramson believes vCons will allow best practices in social services to travel faster, more efficiently, and with more measurable impact. Where to Learn More To explore Frontline’s technology and mission-driven solutions, visit: frontline.group #vCon #AIandEthics #FrontlineGroup #ConversationalAI #DigitalHumanity #VoiceOfTheCustomer #ResponsibleAI #CCaaS #211Services #TechForGood…

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From People-Powered to Tech-Enabled: Consig’s RJ Burnham on the Future of Voice AI and the Role of vCons, Podcast 9:37

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“Voice AI isn’t here to replace people — it’s here to empower them.” — RJ Burnham, Founder, Consig At the inaugural vCon 2025 Conference in Hyannis, RJ Burnham, founder of Consig , sat down with Doug Green of Technology Reseller News to explore the next frontier in voice AI — and why the real opportunity isn’t in replacing human teams, but amplifying them. Burnham’s deep roots in voice tech go back nearly three decades — from early speech recognition for financial services to launching Consig just last year. Now, he’s focused on helping industry-specialized service providers navigate the AI transformation. “There’s a lot of buzz around replacing people with AI. But in many industries — from healthcare to automotive — the real value comes from blending technology with human expertise.” Human-AI Collaboration, Not Replacement Burnham sees a clear trend: companies that rely on deep domain expertise are facing disruption from software-first competitors. Voice AI is now capable of more than simple scripts — it can handle complex tasks like appointment rescheduling, payment collection, and post-visit follow-ups. Still, Consig’s philosophy is to automate what machines do best , and leave the human connection to experienced staff. One standout example? A healthcare client using Consig to power post-appointment patient interviews — a traditionally people-powered task — now partially automated with voice AI to streamline processes while retaining human empathy where it matters most. Why vCons Matter Burnham also presented on the role of vCons in voice AI, calling them a breakthrough in improving customer experience. “One of the most frustrating moments for any caller is repeating themselves after a handoff. vCons eliminate that,” he said. By encapsulating context, transcripts, and metadata , vCons allow seamless transitions between AI and human agents, improving efficiency and satisfaction. “vCons solve the memory problem. No more starting over. That’s a game changer for customer experience.” What’s Next for Consig Consig offers white-labeled, embeddable solutions to help service providers adopt AI — without becoming tech companies themselves. Burnham’s mission: make voice AI accessible, responsible, and industry-aligned. Learn more at: consig.ai…

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vCon 2025: Relay Hawk’s Justin Massey on AI Agents, Identity Validation, and the Trouble with Transcriptions, Podcast 7:14

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“We’re not just building AI for call centers — we’re building AI with call centers in mind.” — Justin Massey, Relay Hawk At the vCon Spring 2025 Conference, Justin Massey of Relay Hawk brought both a technologist’s vision and a contact center veteran’s intuition to the main stage. In a conversation with Technology Reseller News publisher Doug Green, Massey unpacked how his team is building next-generation AI voice agents — with human-first design and real-world BPO pain points at the forefront. Contact Center Roots, Tech-Forward Vision Massey isn’t your typical AI founder. With a family background spanning nearly five decades in call center operations, he was answering phones at 16 to fuel his Ford Explorer. “Some people theorize about customer experience. I lived it,” he shared. That lived experience directly informs Relay Hawk’s core solution: AI agents that know when to get out of the way . When the AI hits a wall, Relay Hawk’s “escape hatch” hands the conversation off to a live agent — armed with the full context, so customers don’t have to repeat themselves. AI Meets Authentication One of the major challenges in today’s communication landscape? Verifying identity without collecting sensitive information. Massey proposes a modern approach: linking voice calls to identity providers like Google or Microsoft, much like how we authenticate via email or social platforms. “Why not use that same concept for phone calls?” he asked. Instead of collecting sensitive data during a call — a liability for BPOs — customers could validate via external credentials and receive a verified claim. Tackling “Dependency Problems” in AI Integration Relay Hawk is also focused on solving integration hurdles — what Massey called “dependency problems.” “Everyone wants their AI to plug into CRMs, ticketing platforms, schedulers — but every API is different,” he said. The goal: simplify third-party integration and leverage protocols like MCP to make AI deployment more seamless. Warning: Transcription May Be Hazardous to Your AI Another overlooked challenge: bad transcription = bad data = bad AI. Massey highlighted that many call recordings are mono , making it hard to distinguish between caller and agent. RelayHawk recommends stereo recordings , ensuring the data feeding AI engines is clean, clear, and actionable. “If your transcription is off, your entire AI analysis goes off the rails.” Relay Hawk Is Looking for Design Partners Still in its early stages, Relay Hawk is working with design partners to refine its offering. “If you’re an early adopter and want to help shape a solution that actually works for your use case — we want to talk,” Massey said. Learn more: RelayHawk.com or find them on LinkedIn by searching RelayHawk #AIinCallCenters #VoiceAI #RelayHawk #vCon2025 #ContactCenterTech #IdentityValidation #TranscriptionAI #CXInnovation #BPOsolutions #CallCenterAutomation #ConversationalAI #DougGreen #TechnologyResellerNews…

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vCon 2025: How Strolid Turned Automotive Leads into the Blueprint for vCons, Podcast 15:05

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Strolid’s Road to Reinvention: How a Contact Center Pioneer Helped Create the vCon Standard “Every time a customer calls, it shouldn’t feel like the first time.” — Matt Watson, Strolid At the first-ever vCon Conference in Hyannis, MA, Matt Watson , Vice President of Product Development at Strolid , joined Doug Green of Technology Reseller News to tell a story few expected: how a company built to support car dealers ended up helping create the vCon standard — now poised to revolutionize how we store, analyze, and act on conversational data. “We didn’t start by trying to invent something new. We started by solving real problems with real conversations — and vCon was the natural result.” From Leads to Context-Rich Data Strolid supports 165+ automotive dealerships by handling calls, texts, chats, and emails — from casual inquiries to high-stakes sales leads. Every interaction now becomes a vCon , a standardized digital conversation record. That vCon includes: Caller details and timestamps Conversation transcripts Connected metadata (like the car model or promotion that triggered the call) Follow-up actions (like booked test drives) Before vCons, much of this data was scattered — or lost. Now, every call is actionable , searchable , and auditable at scale. For Dealers, It’s About Trust and Retention When a customer calls about a $70K pickup truck, consistency matters . vCons ensure that agents are prepared, customers aren’t repeating themselves, and dealers can track every touchpoint across the buying journey. Watson says this builds not just sales — but lifetime service value , as happy customers keep returning for service, warranty work, and more. For OEMs, It’s Instant Market Feedback Watson explained how auto manufacturers (like Ford) now use vCon data to measure campaign effectiveness in real time. If a customer references a football ad while calling, that detail enters the vCon — giving the brand fast, ground-level feedback on what’s working. Empowering Employees, Too VCons don’t just enhance CX — they improve EX (employee experience). Strolid’s agents now get real-time screen pops with the customer’s history before even answering the phone. That means less stress, more success, and happier teams. What Is a vCon, Really? Watson put it simply: “A vCon is like a PDF for conversations.” And just like PDF revolutionized documents, vCons are set to change the way we treat conversations — for everyone from dealerships to global brands. Learn more: strolid.com — for auto dealer services strolid.ai — for companies looking to generate vCons at scale…

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vCon 2025: Bryan Martin on AI, vCons, and Why 8×8 is Betting on an Ecosystem-Driven Future, Podcast 9:34

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“Transformation isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the reality of staying competitive.” — Bryan Martin, 8×8 At the inaugural vCon Conference in Hyannis, MA, Bryan Martin , Chairman of 8×8 , sat down with Technology Reseller News to discuss the seismic shifts in enterprise communications — from vCons to AI-powered ecosystems — and why companies that don’t adapt may be left behind. “The smartest people in the room tend to outthink the rest of the industry. That’s why I follow standards like vCons.” From CIDP to Ecosystem Strategy A year ago, 8×8 launched its Customer Interaction Data Platform (CIDP) — a unified system to aggregate and analyze all conversational data. Think of it as vCons in action: making customer conversations searchable, auditable, and actionable . Martin sees this as the foundation for real AI outcomes — not just hype. But with AI moving at lightning speed, 8×8 has shifted to an ecosystem-first model , working with partners like Cognigy , CallCabinet , and Preovi to integrate best-in-class AI tools into its platform. “You can’t build fast enough to keep up. We’re curating the best AI engines so we can swap in new ones with minimal disruption to customers.” What vCons Bring to the Table Martin highlighted vCons’ power to preserve context across handoffs — eliminating the “amnesia effect” when customers move from AI to human agents. That context-rich handoff, he said, is essential to improving both agent efficiency and customer satisfaction. Real Results Over Rhetoric Martin is candid about avoiding the “digital transformation” buzzword. “If we can’t transform ourselves at 8×8,” he said, “we have no business asking our partners or customers to change.” The goal is to show, not tell — sharing real case studies of internal improvements driven by vCons and conversational AI. “Call it transformation or not — the end result has to be better CX, better AX, and ultimately, better business outcomes .” Learn More Visit: 8×8.com Follow: 8×8 on LinkedIn #vCon2025 #8×8 #BryanMartin #ConversationalAI #VoiceAI #CustomerExperience #AIPlatform #TechEcosystem #CXTransformation #DigitalStrategy #DougGreen #TechnologyResellerNews #vCons #CIDP #EnterpriseAI…

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How LoopUp is Advancing the Future of Unified Communications, Podcast

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On this episode of Telecom Reseller news, Doug Green sits down with Zach Bennett , Microsoft Teams MVP and Principal Architect at LoopUp , a leading Cloud Telephony provider primarily concentrated on Microsoft Teams and the PSTN connectivity into Microsoft Teams via Direct Routing and Operator Connect. LoopUp enables multinational enterprises to consolidate their global telephony into one consistent vendor. Doug and Zach discuss how Teams Phone can be used as a full telephony replacement solution, how Direct Routing and Operator Connect can bring business telephony to the truly unified communications fold, the differences between Operator Connect, Direct Routing, and Calling Plans, and Microsoft’s Copilot and how it can influence Teams telephony. Additionally, they discuss how larger enterprises can deal directly with LoopUp’s expert in-house consultants and how LoopUp’s channel program can help organizations looking to get into the Teams telephony market. To learn more about LoopUp you can visit https://loopup.com . You can also find LoopUp in the Microsoft Teams admin center under the Operator Connect section where you can see LoopUp’s multinational coverage to find if LoopUp can fit with your business and help you consolidate your Teams telephony.…

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Partnership Powers Global IoT Connectivity for the Channel, Podcast

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floLIVE and Velocity IoT team up to deliver robust, high-performance global connectivity with a reseller-first approach In a fast-expanding IoT world, two industry veterans are teaming up to bring intelligence, speed, and scalability to global deployments. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green spoke with Curtis Govan, President for the Americas at floLIVE, and Anthony Protopsaltis, Principal at Velocity IoT, about their newly formalized partnership and how it delivers value to resellers and end customers alike. “Every company in the world now has some sort of IoT conversation going on.” — Curtis Govan, President for the Americas, floLIVE floLIVE offers a fully owned, multi-carrier, multi-country IoT core network that empowers customers with unmatched global coverage and localized data sovereignty. “We’re not layering on top of legacy mobile networks,” said Govan. “We own the core components, the IP stack, the technology. That allows us to offer not just high availability and coverage, but resilience and hands-on control to our channel partners.” Velocity IoT , a channel-focused company led by Protopsaltis and Bill Molesworth, brings go-to-market strategy, deployment planning, and hardware expertise to the table. “It’s not a simple thing to just release a product and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to have this connected product online,’” said Protopsaltis. “You have to plan it out, understand the caveats, and mitigate the risks. We help partners through that entire process.” Together, floLIVE and Velocity IoT offer what they describe as a “1 + 1 = 3” value equation. floLIVE provides low-latency, resilient infrastructure with full EUICC support and multi-IMSI tech, while Velocity IoT delivers the support, strategy, and white-glove service resellers need to win. “We’re both consultative sellers,” added Govan. “That’s the magic. We’re solving real problems for customers in industrial IoT, healthcare, agriculture, and beyond.” Protopsaltis also highlighted the role of AI in analyzing traffic and optimizing IMSI strategies to ensure low-latency, reliable service. “AI tools help us monitor traffic flow and improve the customer’s implementation. It’s part of our proactive, intelligent approach.” And with data sovereignty becoming a hard requirement in industries like healthcare and government, floLIVE’s localized gateways and ability to keep data in-country—and even in-facility—are a critical differentiator. Learn More Visit floLIVE for technical insights and partnership inquiries. Explore Velocity IoT to test SIMs, learn about deployment services, or connect with their channel team. #IoTConnectivity #floLIVE #VelocityIoT #MultiIMSI #DataSovereignty #Industry40 #ChannelPartners #AIinIoT #TelecomInnovation #IoTSolutions…

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Jon Arnold Urges MSPs to Evolve Beyond UCaaS Commoditization and Lead in AI Enablement, Podcast

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Cloud Connections 2025 Podcast Interview with Jon Arnold, Principal, J. Arnold & Associates ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Jon Arnold, Principal of J. Arnold & Associates, delivered a clear message to managed service providers (MSPs) at Cloud Connections 2025: it’s time to evolve beyond UCaaS commoditization and begin leveraging AI not just as a buzzword, but as a strategic offering. In a podcast conversation with Technology Reseller News, Arnold reflected on insights shared during two panels at the conference—one on market outlook and another focused on UCaaS. “UCaaS, CCaaS, CPaaS—they’re all mature, well-understood offerings,” said Arnold. “But AI is where the next frontier lies. Most customers know they need it, but they don’t know how to use it—and that’s where MSPs have a real opportunity.” Arnold emphasized that MSPs, trusted for their delivery of cloud and voice services, are in a prime position to elevate their value by integrating AI into business operations—both internally and in customer-facing applications. The key, he said, lies in viewing voice as data, a concept that aligns with AI's data-driven architecture. “If you’re not capturing the data from voice, you’re missing one of the most powerful communication channels businesses rely on,” Arnold explained. “MSPs already understand voice. That’s their credibility. Now it’s about helping customers harness that voice data to power AI.” On the second panel, Arnold addressed a recurring challenge: UCaaS as a commodity. As major players like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and RingCentral dominate the landscape, differentiation has become more difficult. “If all MSPs are selling the same thing, they risk becoming arms dealers—no value, no margin,” he said. Arnold encouraged MSPs to think beyond unified communications and adopt a more holistic, strategic view, where AI is integrated across workflows, departments, and functions—far beyond the contact center. “AI isn’t waiting for you to catch up. It’s creating new ways of working,” he said. “There’s a real risk of being left behind if MSPs don’t evolve. A new generation of AI-centric MSPs will emerge—those who know how to sell it, implement it, and build strategy around it.” Reflecting on his first time attending the CCA's Cloud Connections event, Arnold noted the strong value of its focused community. “It’s big enough to meet new people, but small enough to build real relationships,” he said. “It’s not a trade show—it’s a learning and collaboration environment.” Learn more about Jon Arnold and J. Arnold & Associates at: www.jarnoldassociates.com…

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Autom8ly Brings AI-Powered Lead Generation to the Cloud Communications Alliance, Podcast 13:49

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Mark Vange and Autumn highlight a new model for AI collaboration at Cloud Connections 2025 “AI needs to be thought of more as a colleague and less as a tool.” — Mark Vange, CEO, Autom8ly At Cloud Connections 2025, Technology Reseller News sat down with Mark Vange, CEO of Autom8ly, and Autumn, the company’s AI-powered assistant, to explore a new approach to lead generation and AI adoption for Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) members. Autom8ly introduced a novel AI-driven system that helps match prospective clients with the most suitable CCA members. “We built a lead generation system that listens to the visitor’s needs and uses AI to match them with the right member,” explained Autumn. “It’s all about understanding intent and providing the best-fit connection.” To accomplish this, Autom8ly created detailed profiles for each CCA member, pulling data from their websites and inviting them to review and update their information. This interaction not only boosts exposure for CCA members but also acts as an introduction to working with AI tools like Autumn. “Lead gen is a great way to meet everybody,” said Vange. “It gave us a reason to build meaningful profiles, and in the process, start working together. It's how we demonstrate what AI-centric work will look like in the coming years.” Autumn plays a central role in Autom8ly’s operations—from marketing and CRM to code generation and even accounting. The company’s strategy focuses on partnering with organizations to build tailored AI solutions. “We’re the engine,” said Vange. “You be the train. Let’s put it on the track together.” A veteran technologist and entrepreneur, Vange emphasized a unique philosophy: AI should be introduced gradually, much like a new employee. “We believe in building confidence through iteration,” he said. “You don’t just give AI a task and walk away. You start small, measure success, and grow trust over time.” Autom8ly’s vision extends beyond the CCA. They're in talks with other associations to bring similar solutions to new industries, offering not a product, but a collaborative approach to AI integration. Learn more: www.autom8ly.com…

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Commio Unveils Signature Calling and Instant App at Cloud Connections 2025, Podcast

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Branded identity and app-like messaging experiences take center stage in CTO Mike Tindall’s product preview ST. PETERSBURG, FL - At Cloud Connections 2025, Mike Tindall, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Commio, introduced two forward-looking solutions aimed at transforming how businesses engage customers through voice and messaging. Speaking with Doug Green of Technology Reseller News, Tindall discussed Signature Calling, Commio’s branded calling product developed within the BCID (Branded Caller ID) ecosystem. Designed to address the increasing problem of spoofed phone calls and diminished customer trust, Signature Calling provides end-to-end identity delivery that authenticates the brand, displays company logos, and optionally explains the reason for the call. "Life is complicated. I like things that are easy." – Mike Tindall, Commio CTO “Phone numbers are ephemeral,” said Tindall. “The real question is: how do you establish identity? That’s what BCID and Signature Calling solve for.” Alongside this, Commio unveiled Instant App, a reimagined version of RCS (Rich Communication Services) designed to turn messages into rich, interactive brand experiences within a user’s native messaging app. “We call it Instant App because it functions like a complete mobile application, right inside the inbox,” explained Tindall. “It allows brands to offer real-time engagement—like coupons, appointment scheduling, or product offers—at the tap of a button.” Both Signature Calling and Instant App are being soft-launched and will be made available to enterprise customers across a wide range of verticals. Tindall noted that channel partners and managed service providers (MSPs) will play a key role in bringing these solutions to market. “These tools are especially powerful for industries like automotive, HVAC, and retail, where customer engagement and trust are key drivers of repeat business,” said Tindall. “We’re excited to empower our partners with this next generation of communications.” To learn more, visit www.commio.com.…

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True North Advisory’s De Palma on Building Cloud Culture and Innovating at Scale, Podcast

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Speaking from the floor of the Cloud Connections 2025 conference, Dino De Palma of True North Advisory emphasized the intersection of culture and innovation in the cloud communications sector during a roundtable he moderated on “Innovating at Scale: Creating Next-Gen Cloud Products.” De Palma, a longtime industry leader and advisor, said the conversation focused on how companies can maintain culture and alignment while developing new technologies in hybrid or remote work environments. “The key theme that emerged was balancing remote collaboration tools—like Zoom, Teams, and Webex—with the need for in-person connection,” said De Palma. “That offline conversation still matters. It can spark deeper, longer discussions that you can’t always fit into a back-to-back Teams schedule.” True North Advisory, a boutique advisory firm, provides strategic consulting for cloud and communications companies, helping clients refine their product positioning, go-to-market strategies, and long-term relationship building. De Palma underscored that the firm emphasizes hands-on engagement and strategic fit between vendor and buyer. De Palma also highlighted a comment from a participant that resonated with the group: “AI should be viewed as an augmentation of the team—not a replacement.” He noted that embracing AI in a way that enhances productivity, rather than replacing jobs, is essential to building trust and buy-in across teams. He added that the conversation touched on the challenge of “over-communication,” where workers today juggle multiple channels—email, Teams, WhatsApp, SMS, and more—making alignment on company vision more difficult. On the topic of emerging technologies and platform evolution, De Palma observed that small businesses now have greater access to tools traditionally reserved for large enterprises. “We’re seeing companies like Clark Chat, Spanoco, and Kiwi delivering mobile-first, easy-to-use solutions that empower micro and small businesses,” he said. “At the end of the day, ease of use is the differentiator.” De Palma is also scheduled to moderate a panel on cloud communications mergers, focusing on the Alianza-Metaswitch and XTM-Evolve IP deals. The session will explore cultural integration, operational challenges, and whether these transactions signal a broader shift in the sector. “There’s a lot of M&A activity in the air,” said De Palma. “The question now is: what’s next?” For more information on True North Advisory, visit truenorthadvisory.com.…

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