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The trend towards cloud-based Unified Communications nudged forward some more with this news that came out yesterday. It's been under embargo for a bit, but the press release tells the basic story. In short, Microsoft has formed another partnership to become better established in the UC space. Since stepping back from the SMB market and their Response Point solution earlier this year, it's clear to me that Microsoft sees a better/faster/more profitable upside to hosted and cloud-based services than premises-based offerings.

Regular followers of my blog would be familiar with the Microsoft's recent moves in this direction with BroadSoft, and a similar story is unfolding now with IntelePeer, a company I've been following for a while. In October, IntelePeer introduced their version of Caas - Communications as a Service - which I posted about. They certainly have Web 2.0 voice services capabilities, and their platform is a logical option for partners looking for a turnkey soluion to get into that space.

IntelePeer brings this to Microsoft along with a SIP Trunking service, making it very easy for channel partners to offer an integrated hosted solution for business customers. As noted in my CaaS post, IntelePeer also operates their Voice Peering Network, which mitigages most of the interop issues either between TDM and SIP, or across the numerous SIP variants out there.

As such, all the pieces are there for Microsoft-based channel partners to take advantage of cloud services and get their customers beyond simple voice services, and into today's world of rich communications services. IntelePeer interops with OCS, so there is stronger story to tell now about the virtues of a hosted OCS solution. That's good news for both IntelePeer and Microsoft, and in my view, even better news for those who think cloud-based services are the next big thing - myself included.

IntelePeer is the latest entry to cross my path that's bringing their CaaS story to market. As the cloud and hosted services continues to blur the line between connectivity and applications, Communications as a Service is gaining momentum. Having just returned from Interactive Intelligence's partner conference, and hearing a lot about their CaaS vision, it's pretty fresh in my mind.

The news from IntelePeer was announced last week, but my focus on ININ has kept me from posting about it until now. Under the banner of the AppworX Open Communications Platform, IntelePeer has come to market with a hosted platform for developers to create the latest and greatest Web + voice applications. As cited in their release, AppworX is all about mashups and the pursuit of CEBP - Communications Enabled Business Processes - which many are touting as the savior for enterprises and especially legacy telecom vendors.

Of course, with the exit bar being set so high by Ribbit last year, there is no shortage of innovators/disruptors like Voxeo, Jajah, Ifbyphone, Jaduka, etc., entering this space with hopes of doing the same. Enough about that - back the storyline and IntelePeer.

Not being a developer, I can't comment on how friendly AppworX is compared to other platforms such as ININ or BroadSoft's Xtended, or even the mobile app stores for that matter. For those of you who are developers - or just curious - you can get a closer look for yourself at the AppworX website. The key here is attracting a critical mass of developers who in turn will make IntelePeer's platform attractive for service providers. And with the platform being hosted in the cloud, it appeals not just to established operators, but virtual operators who may only be focusing on a specific demographic or industry vertical.

The possibilities sure are interesting, and IntelePeer brings a unique twist to the market that makes this more than a me-too apps platform. Aside from just being an open platform - as the name implies - Intelepeer operates their Voice Peering Network, which provides full integration across TDM and IP networks, including all the main variants of SIP. By taking interop issues out of the equation, IntelePeer essentially offers a turnkey solution which is especially attractive to virtual operators, or any provider who wants to build a business offering around rich services and productivity-focused applications. No doubt this offers an attractive way forward for operators looking get off the commodity treadmill of telephony, and as my path increasingly crosses with theirs, I'll be revisiting IntelePeer's progress soon enough.