Business VoIP

Windstream (Winstream Holdings, Inc., NASDAQ: WIN: $7.90), a leading provider of advanced network communications and technology solutions for consumers, enterprises, and wholesale providers across the U.S, announced in November 2016 that they reached a deal to acquire Atlanta-based telecommunications company EarthLink (Earthlink Holdings, NASDAQ: ELNK: $5.98). Now a few months later, it seems that the companies are one step closer to finalizing the merger as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently given a clean antitrust review bill of health to the proposed merger.

Forming long-lasting strategic partnerships with another business is a key factor in speeding up the growth of a company. It can help a company get better exposure and expand their reach to new customers. In the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications space, an example of a good partnership that brings mutual benefits is between Audiocodes, an innovative leading supplier of converged VoIP and data solutions for enterprises and service providers, and Genesys, an industry leader in omnichannel customer experience & contact center solutions.

In many of today's offices and businesses, the rooms that once housed bundles of copper wires, cables, servers, and other telephony hardware are slowly disappearing. With the popularity of hosted PBX (Private Branch Exchange) solutions, companies now realize that it is possible to have a sophisticated telephone system without investing in costly or bulky equipment.

2016 will be remembered as an incredible year for cloud communications. The industry witnessed a number of mergers and acquisitions, various breakthroughs and product launches, and many other developments that promise to shape the future of cloud and business communications as a whole. And as 2016 comes to a close, it’s a good time to look back at all the biggest highlights that mattered this year.

Despite the popularity of new communication tools in today's industries, phones remain the nucleus of many businesses. They’re the easiest, most convenient, and most accessible way of communicating and collaborating with clients, customers, and colleagues. So it's easy to imagine the frustration when you find out that your phone service has suddenly been disconnected due to a natural disaster, network outage, or other unforeseeable circumstances. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the risk of downtime and make sure you can protect yourself from losing connectivity again.