L'actualité de la Cloud Communications

Enriching enterprise telephony and connectivity with Microsoft’s Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams

London – September 28, 2021 – NTT Ltd., a global technology and business solutions provider, is today announcing the next phase of its strategic alliance with Microsoft, to deliver secure and reliable solutions that help enterprise customers accelerate digital transformation initiatives. NTT has been selected as one of the launch partners for Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, which brings PSTN calling to Teams, providing integrated calling functionality that simplifies business communications.

NTT as a launch partner for Operator Connect represents another key milestone in the strategic alliance between NTT and Microsoft. In 2019, the two companies committed to building a new generation of managed service offerings that provide enhanced employee and customer experience based on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Viva, and Azure Communications Services.

These offerings are underpinned by NTT’s intelligent and secure network fabric, including its recently launched Private 5G solution, the first commercially available private LTE/5G “Network-as-a-Service” full-stack solution. The alliance will continue to provide clients with advanced agility, transformation, and automation for their business, helping them navigate the shift to a hybrid working model.

This development is the beginning of co-lead investment of collaborative services that is extending to Azure Communications Services, Mobility, and Microsoft Viva to provide best in breed managed services and value adds leveraging the NTT Group.

To find out more about Operator Connect from NTT, please see here.

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About Cloud Communications

Media Enquiries:
Hotwire for NTT Ltd.
Beth Sissons
beth.sissons@hotwireglobal.com

Media Enquiries:

Hotwire for NTT Ltd.
NTT@hotwireglobal.com

We are facing unprecedented times with the current global health crisis having a significant impact on how we live and work.

Our primary concern is the health, safety and well-being of our customers, partners and employees. Furthermore, we are very focused on ensuring that our clients are supported and enabled to continue business and deliver on their commitments.

Business continuity is vital during times of disruption

Business continuity depends on being able to communicate with all your stakeholders: your employees and clients, your partners and suppliers. Due to the unique nature of today’s situation, we are seeing an enormous spike in the demand for conferencing, unified communications and digital event as our clients globally increase the implementation of dispersed workforce strategies.

In order to maintain the high level of service that you are used to, we have:

• Detailed and continuous capacity management ensuring that while traffic is significantly up globally, almost without exception we have been able to accommodate the increased demand and we continue to be ready to take action as necessary. My senior management team and I are currently meeting daily so that we can immediately act to further increase infrastructure capacity as needed.  In instances where we need to support increased customer activities, we are actively recruiting operational and support staff and ramping up training to meet the demand.
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• Closely aligned with all carriers, vendors and partners to ensure they have incremental capacity to handle any increased volume.
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• Implemented clear business continuity measures for our employees, ensuring their well-being.  These include office closures and work-from-home measures; travel bans; and minimising face-to-face client meetings when applicable.  We have also been running extra tests/validation on our employees’ working from home capabilities to ensure no disruption to service. 
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Keeping your team connected

In these challenging times, implementing remote working and changing the daily routine of your workforce can be daunting.  Here are some hints and tips you and your organization could take into consideration to ensure you get the most out of our services and reduce the impact on your infrastructure:

• Organize meetings ‘off’ the hour or outside of high capacity times; most of us organize meetings at the top of the hour between 9am and 5pm.  These are obviously high capacity times.  By moving your meetings to either fifteen or thirty minutes past the hour, or outside of these times, you will help spread the overall load.
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• Use alternate access methods, for example VoIP, Dial in toll free, Dial in toll: “Call in”, Call-me feature are options with our solutions.  Liaise with your CSM if you require more information
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• Video vs. Audio and Web-only.
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  If you notice any latency over your remote internet connection, try turning your video off.
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• When scheduling Events, consider scheduling a Webcast or even an audio-only Webcast for participants to join via the Internet instead of using the PSTN.
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• For very large events (greater than 1,000 attendees), it is important to coordinate as early as possible with the Events teams to ensure that we meet your capacity needs.
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For more information about what to consider, you can also download our free ebook 'The remote opportunity that’s close at hand’.

Next Steps

As the situation evolves, our team is committed to acting in the best interest of our customers, partners and employees. However, in exceptional times we do need to support each other. Therefore, we would ask that you notify us if you make any changes to your business operations that could lead to an increased demand of our services. For example, if your business decides to enforce a mandatory work-from-home strategy or would like to significantly increases its use of virtual events, please contact your Customer Success Manager, our Service Desk, or via our website.

If you believe you are experiencing any difficulties, you can monitor our service status.

By working together, we will continue to provide excellent service to all our users.

We look forward to working together with you in keeping our connected world safe.

Mark Alexander
CEO
Cloud Communications, NTT Ltd.

The offering will be delivered by the Cloud Communications division of NTT and will enable Cisco Value Add Resellers (VARs) to propose a full cloud calling service and reduce costs for their Webex customers.

NTT Ltd. today announces Cloud Connected PSTN for Webex Calling expansion in the Americas, following its recent launch in EMEA.  This new offering enables Cisco Value Add Resellers (VARs) to offer a complete cloud calling solution to enhance end-user enterprise communication experiences. Cisco VAR’s are now able to propose a full cloud service that delivers on customer expectations with seamless integration with Webex.

As one of the first Cisco partners to deliver Cloud Connected PSTN for Webex Calling, we enable Cisco VARs to deliver significant value to their Webex Calling customers during their transition to the cloud with a natively integrated PSTN service. Working seamlessly with Cisco’s collaboration resellers, we provide domestic PSTN replacement capability in 24 countries, with users being able to make calls globally.

This new offering, which is natively integrated with Cisco Webex Calling, presents Cisco VARs with the opportunity to benefit from addressing customer requirements for cloud calling services across more countries with one partner relationship. Consequently, clients will experience a reduction in on-premise hardware costs, benefit from competitive calling plans and streamlined fully integrated communication channels through the Webex suite, whilst also being able to roll-out in multiple countries with no impact on the end-user.

Dr Fiona Lodge, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Cloud Communications division of NTT Ltd said, “As the first Cisco partner in EMEA to deliver Cloud Connected PSTN for Webex Calling, we’re delighted to expand our capability to the Americas geography. We are proud to extend our position as a Cisco Webex service provider and add further value to the experience of end-users seeking a complete and fully integrated cloud calling solution. Working closely with Cisco’s resellers, we offer end-users the level of seamless integration and flexibility now required to power modern enterprise communications. Our participation in the Cloud Connected PSTN program is a key element of our strategy to become a leading global Cloud Communications provider.”

During December, Cloud Connected PSTN for Webex Calling will be available in the Americas region, covering USA, Canada and Mexico, with Brazil following shortly after.

For further information, please visit: www.arkadin.com/webex-calling-plans-for-resellers.