Toshiba’s New VIPedge Cloud Business Telephone Solution Delivers Toshiba Quality, Reliability and Service for SMBs

Toshiba is joining the march of its close competitors to the cloud with its just announced general availability (GA) of the VIPedge cloud-based business VoIP solution. The VIPedge go-to-market (G2M) strategy dubbed the “Power of Choice” will take a phased approach to the rollout of robust UCC and FMC feature/functionality. As with all hosted services, the value proposition to SMB customers is the opportunity to turn significant upfront Capex into Opex with fast and easy access to always current high demand functionality and a pleasing pay-as-you-grow formula. Of course, as is generally the case with hosted services, customers will have to purchase the endpoints.

VIPedge supports the same Toshiba endpoint devices as the IPedge:

• Toshiba IP5000-series desk telephones
• Toshiba IP4100-series wireless telephones
• Soft phone and mobility devices
• SIP Door Phones

VIPedge uses the same version of Call Manager as does IPedge and will be immediately available with UM, IM/P, unchanged PC softclient and the same CRM integration to over 30 applications. This provides the ability to do screen pops on incoming calls, out-dialing from Outlook Contacts or CRM database, scheduled out-dialing, etc. In addition, Toshiba custom development services can be engaged to communications-enable business processes. Finally, The VIPedge has simultaneous ringing built-in as a standard feature supporting mobility. A Phase 2.0 enhancement of this “twinning” capability will be for the cell phone to use the identity of the PBX extension instead of the cell phone on outgoing wireless calls. This will provide important FMC-like operation beyond the current simultaneous ringing. At GA Toshiba-branded SIP trunks will provided with the service.

In its initial release VIPedge cannot be networked to an existing IPedge or Strata CIX customer premise system. However, in the Phase 2.0, VIPedge can be a branch location or, for individual users, remotely connected to a customer premise system via IPedge net or Strata Net networking.

VIPedge Phase 2.0 features scheduled for GA on November 26, 2012 include:

• Toshiba IPedge on-prem data storage and cloud backup services
• Toshiba cloud contact center services (ACD, Reporting)
• Toshiba cloud meet-me conferencing Voice/Video/Web Collaboration
• P2P video
• Mobile clients for iOS and Android smartphones
• SaaS (Microsoft Hosted Exchange and SQL)
• Enhanced “twinning” capability discussed above
• VIPedge remote connectivity to IPedge or Strata CIX on-prem
• Managed datacenter services

VIPedge is housed in SAS70 Type II Toshiba-managed datacenters with the following characteristics:

• Redundant dedicated connections to Tier 1 internet backbones
• Built as “Building within a Building” to minimize natural disaster risk
• Three Independent HVAC units providing a fully redundant n+1 system
• 2,000 KW base building standby generator

Today, at GA, datacenter survivability is provided by multiple redundant VIPedge systems running in one of the six datacenters designated to support this cloud service. In the future, additional VIPedge servers will be implemented in the other five datacenters. This will provide geo-redundant backup down the road. A NOC provides 24x7 supports to the service. Unfortunately, there are presently no plans to offer SLAs to customers.

What This Means to You

To Customers: To get started a new customer must commit to a two-year contract and purchase appropriate endpoints. The full VIPedge solution will be sold, installed and maintained by authorized Toshiba dealers. The dealer goes out, does the survey, network assessment, and the like, then uses the online quote tool to give an exact quote to the customer so they know exactly how much it’s going to cost. The dealer then installs the on-prem Adtran router, endpoints and the software and does all necessary configurations to customize the solution according to customer wants and needs.

Customers will be billed once per month directly by Toshiba for all services inclusive of dealer sales and services. Customers will also have access to the online billing portal so that they may view their billing 24x7.

In order to get off to a fast startToshiba is following the wireless provider’s playbook of subsidized phonestied to a two year contract.

VIPedge Endpoint Purchase Pricing

• Toshiba IP5000 desk telephones

• Toshiba Wireless telephones

• *Special introductory telephone prices

- Promo effective for activations through September 2012
- Only for use with VIPedge (not IPedge or Strata CIX)

Monthly pricing is initially set at $14.99 per user and includes DID, unlimited local/LD (Domestic U.S.) calling, and Call Manager UC functionality with VoIP softphone plug-in. Optional international calling plans are available for a separate charge. SIP trunks go for $30/channel/month.

What’s the bottom line here? As we see it, IPedge is a competitive UC solution in its market niche. And this cloud-based solution is built on this same solid foundation. That’s a good thing, but there are cautions to be considered. This is a new undertaking and it will be a phased approach. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But there is always risk in buying in at start-up that needs to be taken into account. This is true no matter who the vendor is! Geo-redundant datacenter configuration won’t be in place during Phase 1. And some significant UCC functionality like A/V/W conferencing will be missing until Phase 2.0 scheduled for November 26, 2012.

There are many competitors out there with UCaaS solutions and customers should take their time to compare business requirements with the benefits, costs and risks associated with the available solutions and find the best match.

Gartner Research has identified seven specific areas of security risk associated with enterprise cloud computing, and recommends that organizations address several key issues when selecting a cloud hosting provider:

• Access privileges – Cloud service providers should be able to demonstrate they enforce adequate hiring, oversight and access controls to enforce administrative delegation.
  
  
• Regulatory compliance – Enterprises are accountable for their own data even when it’s in a public cloud, and should ensure their providers are ready and willing to undergo audits.
  
  
• Data provenance – When selecting a provider, ask where their datacenters are located and if they can commit to specific privacy requirements.
  
  
• Data segregation – Most public clouds are shared environments, and it is critical to make sure hosting providers can guarantee complete data segregation for secure multi-tenancy.
  
  
• Data recovery – Enterprises must make sure their hosting provider has the ability to do a complete restoration in the event of a disaster.
  
  
• Monitoring and reporting – Monitoring and logging public cloud activity is hard to do, so enterprises should ask for proof that their hosting providers can support investigations.
  
  
• Business continuity – Businesses come and go; and enterprises should ask hard questions about the portability of their data to avoid lock-in or potential loss if the business fails.

To Partners: VIPedge provides a real opportunity for partners since it is sold directly through the channel. Their commission structure will provide a residual of recurring revenue in all years. In addition, partners will get a percentage of all the equipment (e.g., router and endpoints) sold. They will sell the network assessment that accompanies the installation and may find additional professional services opportunities such as required cabling network upgrades and requests for additional training. Though at GA there are no specific managed services opportunities available to partners, the issue is under discussion. Dealers also provide Tier 1 direct support to customer with Tier 2 and Tier 3 backup support provided by Toshiba to the dealer.