BroadSoft Announces First Application Stores For Hosted Service Providers

GAITHERSBURG, MD - BroadSoft®, the leading global provider of voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications to the telecommunications industry, announced today that Communications-as-a-Service (CaaS) providers, SimpleSignal and Telesphere®, have commenced pilot testing of IP-powered communication application stores based on BroadSoft’s Marketplace. These new stores will offer third-party applications and services, allowing end-users to directly purchase and use communications applications online. The SimpleSignal and Telesphere online stores are first among fixed-line VoIP service providers and add momentum to BroadSoft’s Xtended program, which was established to benefit service providers and their subscribers with a choice of compelling and innovative third-party applications.

Based on a revenue sharing model, the BroadSoft Marketplace allows BroadSoft-powered service providers to tap into the innovation of BroadSoft’s more than 3,000-strong developer community, while offering BroadSoft Xtended developers a clear monetization opportunity for their creativity. Through the BroadSoft Marketplace, the service providers and developers can capitalize on the revenue opportunities created by subscribers’ increasing demands for richer, more specialized communication interactions. Examples of applications featured in the pilot stores include:

* PhoneTag™ - PhoneTag is a service that automatically transcribes voice messages into text and delivers them by SMS or email. Users can read their voice messages in near real-time.
* QuickSet Pro - A desktop application that runs on the Adobe Air platform, allowing access to several IP phone services from a Windows PC or Mac.

A variety of other applications focused on customer relationship management (CRM), business productivity, personal communications and mobile interactions over iPhone and BlackBerry devices are also in development.

“This is a groundbreaking step in hosted business telecommunications, and we’re honored and excited to be part of it,” said Sanjay Srinivasan, CTO for Telesphere. “For the first time ever, our customers will have the ability to quickly customize their service as easily as purchasing a book or a song online.”

“This store for cloud communications apps will do for us what Apple’s application store did for the iPhone and mobile phone functionality,” said Dave Gilbert, CEO of SimpleSignal. “From the application store, users can easily choose from a variety of newly-developed voice applications. This ability for users to customize their features and functions is all made possible by business communications technologies evolving out of the closet and into the cloud.”

“We’re excited about this milestone achieved by SimpleSignal and Telesphere,” said Shirish Andhare, BroadSoft’s VP of Emerging Markets. “Both service providers are proven innovators, as evidenced by this pilot and by their participation in the recently announced Cloud Communications Alliance. We applaud them for leading what we expect will become an expanding network of BroadWorks-powered service providers around the world who have taken advantage of the applications available through the BroadSoft Marketplace.”

About SimpleSignal

SimpleSignal Inc. is a facilities-based Unified Communications provider of business VoIP. The company’s enterprise-grade service is designed specifically for small- to medium-sized businesses, combining hosted PBX, advanced voice apps, long distance and conferencing into one powerful, cost-effective communications solution. Delivering more capabilities than on-premise PBX systems, with greater flexibility, simplicity, and personalized service. Now businesses of any size can leverage the power of advanced IP communications technology, improving business productivity, while significantly reducing overall telecom costs. SimpleSignal is privately held and headquartered in Dana Point, CA. SimpleSignal services are deployed throughout the United States and 6 foreign countries. Find us on the web at www.simplesignal.com.

About Telesphere

Telesphere is a nationwide business phone and Internet services provider that delivers an innovative package of IP telephone services and Internet access to businesses throughout the United States. As one of the first companies to offer hosted enterprise level communications as a service (CaaS), Telesphere allows businesses to enjoy all the latest voice and data features of large enterprises without costly investment in on-premises equipment. Telesphere’s more than six years of CaaS experience to businesses throughout the United States places it at the forefront of companies that specialize in the convergence of office PBX phone service, cellular phones, PCs and Unified Communications features. Telesphere fully manages its customers’ services over a private IP facilities-based network.

About BroadSoft

BroadSoft provides software that enables fixed-line, mobile and cable service providers to deliver voice and multimedia services over their IP-based networks. The Company’s software, BroadWorks, enables service providers to provide enterprises and consumers with a range of cloud-based, or hosted, IP multimedia communications, such as hosted IP private branch exchanges, video calling, unified communications, collaboration and converged mobile and fixed-line services.