In 2020, when Microsoft acquired Metaswitch for more than $270M in stock and cash, I wrote (and wrote) that it was a mobility and cloud play. Now that Microsoft has 400M desktops on Office365 and approaching 100M phone licenses, they are divesting from Metaswitch after they pissed off the customer base. By ending Max UC without much fanfare or with a replacement (can’t use Teams as a residential or SOHO softphone!), Metaswitch operators were worried about what they were going to do.
Alianza had acquired Counterpath, which owned a popular softphone client named Bria. It gave Alianza a reason to talk to the Metaswitch operators. Now they have another reason to talk to them: Alianza will own Metaswitch by Q2-2025.
For Alianza it is the hope that they can move a significant number of operators over to their cloud switch.
For Metaswitch operators it is the hope that Metaswitch lasts longer, which it won’t.
The PR sub-headline says it all: Acquisition creates clear path for communications service providers to enter the cloud-native and AI services economy. That doesn’t mean keep running a Metaswitch!
This is the Cisco playbook on Broadsoft. Eventually the operator will pay a fortune to keep Metaswitch alive in fees. Move to Webex Calling or pay a fortune. Move to Alianza or pay a fortune.
It is short and sweet because it is cut and dry. Alianza wants the Metaswitch operators to put down the switch and migrate to their cloud platform.
ADVICE TO THE OPERATOR:
Decide today. What will your path be?
It takes at least 6 months to decide on a new switch. It takes over a year to migrate customers over. The phone company likely still has TDM or GR303 customers that need to migrate. The HPBX customers will need to move.
All of this takes a PLAN, personnel, time and money.
Decide now what you will do.
Need help? Hire RAD-INFO INC. Call 813-963-5884. We helped over 60 service provider choose softswitches that worked for their business environment over the years. No one understands the ISP/CLEC industry better.
There are a bunch of alternatives to turn to, but you need to do it soon, since time is running out and the process takes at least a year and most likely a lot longer!
Other viewpoints on the Alianza-Metaswitch buy at Fierce; another at Fierce;
