Written by Doug | Feb 1, 2013 5:00:00 AM
RENO, NV, January 31, 2013 - New data from Synergy Research Group shows that annual service provider revenues from cloud UC services have now topped $2 billion. While today 75% of the cloud UC services market is for individual services – web conferencing, videoconferencing and contact center – the smaller UCaaS business suite market segment is growing more than twice as fast and will soon dominate.
Today the UC standalone SaaS segment is dominated by Cisco, thanks to it having a 54% share of the web conferencing SaaS market - though its market share is edging downwards. The main challengers in UC standalone SaaS include Citrix, Microsoft, Adobe and Intercall, Meanwhile leaders in the higher growth UCaaS business suite segment are mainly up-and-coming new operators – including RingCentral, 8x8, ShoreTel/M5 and West IP Communications. It is notable that traditional telcos have not led the charge in either segment, though companies like AT&T, Verizon and BT are now becoming increasingly active. “We are forecasting that annual growth rates for cloud UC services will increase over the next three years” says Jeremy Duke, Synergy Research Group’s founder and Chief Analyst. “We have already seen ShoreTel acquire M5 and West IP Communications acquire Smoothstone and I expect the aggressive market growth to fuel more M&A activity. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cisco or some of the big telcos trying to buy their way into a stronger market position.”
About Synergy’s Cloud UC Services research Synergy’s Cloud UC Services research provides quarterly market sizing and segmentation data, including operator revenues by segment and by region. Data is provided via Synergy’s uniquely flexible SIA database which enables rapid analysis and provides a range of graphic data presentation options. The research covers UCaaS Business Suite (private cloud, public cloud and premise/hybrid cloud) and UC Standalone SaaS (contact center, videoconferencing and web conferencing). More at
www.srgresearch.com
