Intermedia Cloud Communications and NEC have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NEC’s UNIVERGE BLUE UCaaS and CCaaS business.
Intermedia Cloud Communications announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with NEC to acquire 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.
The full English-language press release from Intermedia can be read here
Intermedia and NEC indicate that this transition will be seamless for NEC partners and customers as they are already using NEC versions of Intermedia’s UC solutions. NEC will continue to manage its UCaaS and CCaaS business in Japan and Australia in partnership with Intermedia.
The transaction builds on the strategic partnership between Intermedia and NEC, which began in 2020. Over the past four years, as companies have increasingly moved from on-premises communications systems to flexible cloud solutions, the two companies have worked together to bring innovative cloud communications solutions to market under the NEC UNIVERGE BLUE brand, used by thousands of companies worldwide.
Intermedia will continue to provide the same products and service to customers and partners. In addition, upon completion 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 providing comprehensive technical, sales, marketing and billing support directly to partners and customers.
Important points of the announcement
- Seamless transition:
Intermedia is committed to delivering a smooth transition for all NEC customers and partners. NEC customers are already using the Intermedia network and NEC UNIVERGE BLUE branded solutions. Existing service agreements, contracts and support arrangements will remain in effect during the integration to ensure service continuity.
- No change in partnership models:
Whether partners use the Agency, Rev Share (Co-Op) or Customer Ownership (CORE) model, their preferred model will be supported. Partners continue to benefit from highly attractive economic terms and the ability to retain ownership of their customer relationships.
- Enhanced customer and partner network:
NEC partners benefit from sales, marketing and technical support, as well as all the tools needed to deliver outstanding value to their customers. Existing Intermedia partners benefit from a stronger and expanded network, opening new market opportunities and access to a wider range of resources. This expanded network will facilitate greater collaboration and knowledge sharing between partners, improving overall service delivery and innovation.
- Expanded global reach: the integration opens new revenue streams and strengthens Intermedia’s competitive advantage in the global cloud communications market.
- World-class award-winning products, support and reliability:
Intermedia’s UC solutions and platform continue to be recognized by leading trade 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 are 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 built through 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 will enable customers to take advantage of the latest cloud communications technologies with continuity and innovation in mind.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the United States and Canada by the end of September 2024, with Europe expected to follow in the coming weeks. Additional details about the transition will be shared directly with NEC and Intermedia customers and partners in the coming days and weeks.
When there is more clarity on the details, BusinessCom will give partners a one-on-one explanation of what the future will look like.