It’s no overstatement to say that 2024 was a banner year for the evolution of Mobile Unified Communications (Mobile UC).
Not only did Cisco join us in announcing the integration of native mobile communications into Webex Calling, but the Cloud Communications Alliance announced that mobility services are the largest area of growth in the cloud communications space.
Here’s a look back at major developments in Mobile UC in 2024 and what that will mean for further growth during 2025.
Native Mobile UC Enabled by eSIMs
The modern hybrid workforce needs secure solutions to make corporate communications simpler, and Tango Extend’s eSIM solution is the answer, Technology Record wrote in June.
Linking previously disconnected remote and deskless frontline workers into a company’s UC platform is simplified by modern eSIM technology, the magazine wrote. Incorporating Tango Extend into the communications mix has resulted in much more efficient collaboration with coworkers and clients, boosting productivity, job satisfaction and engagement.
This was followed shortly by the Cloud Communications Alliance’s survey, The State of the Cloud Communications Market in 2024, which noted the “importance of mobility services” as the largest focus area for growth.
Businesses adopting “bring your own device” (BYOD) initiatives as the norm are seeing the most benefit, according to the CCA.
Tango Extend’s advances in mobile phone eSIM support enable organizations to turn mobiles into native extensions of UC platforms. An eSIM can be incorporated into any smartphone, allowing for a separate business line with the business ID, landline features, and all the company’s IT controls, including any recording and archiving compliance needs.
A BYOD mobile device retains a separate and private personal line. The native phone dialer can be used with each line – making it the best user experience for busy professionals.
We commissioned a Cavell Group survey of 800 enterprise IT leaders, which found that 96% in the USA and Europe are willing to use eSIM technology to replace fixed-line desk phones. The research also showed that 90% of surveyed workers would allow an employer to install a business eSIM on their personal phones.
This marked a tipping point in how workers and their employers are willing to go “Mobile First” or “Mobile Only” in business communications. Not only is it more convenient to carry just one mobile device, but companies can reduce the number of desk phones and company-provided mobile phones. Our Value Calculator unveiled in 2024 shows that businesses can also save up to 40 percent on these communications costs.
Major Industry Players Embrace Native Mobility
In early March, NTT DATA announced its Tango powered mobile offering, NTT Extend for Microsoft Teams, enabling businesses to optimize employee collaboration and productivity on mobile phones, and bringing unconnected frontline and mobile workforce into the enterprise communications fold.
Then in October, we announced that Extend now supports full mobile integration with Cisco Webex Calling, allowing a new set of Cisco Certified Mobile Calling Providers to deliver a native Mobile UC experience to their enterprise customers.
Any Cisco Certified Calling Provider can become a Certified Mobile Calling Provider via a commercial relationship with Tango Networks and validation from Webex. Many of the Webex Certified Calling Providers are already Tango Partners for MS Teams, and are able to sell and provision Tango Extend mobile service plans. Now they can extend this mobile offering to over 16 million Webex Calling users.
At launch six Certified Mobile Calling Providers announced Tango Extend-enabled mobile services, with their own Webex Calling numbers, mobile plans and branding. The first joint partners to bring the service to market are AudioCodes, CallTower, PureIP, NTT, Nuwave, and Tata Communications.
The importance of these developments in market adoption has been recognized by key industry analysts.
Frost & Sullivan gave us its 2024 Technology Leadership Award in the cloud-connected mobile UC industry, highlighting the powerful benefits of native mobility enabled by Tango Extend.
“Tango Networks’ creativity and innovation also extend to the channels that bring its solutions to market,” said Elka Popova, VP of Connected Work Research at Frost & Sullivan.
“As a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Tango Networks enables a broad range of service providers not possessing mobile capabilities of their own, including telecom operators, UCaaS providers, managed services providers (MSPs), and systems integrators, to deliver mobile solutions to business customers. This approach enables Tango Networks to launch services quickly in multiple geographies and vertical industries to tap into a large addressable market.”
Multi-Country Mobile UC Gets Easy
Tango Extend became even more attractive to businesses in March with the reveal of its global tariff plan: Global Pass.
Tango Extend with Global Pass offers a single subscription plan that covers mobile communications for employees in multiple countries, removing the need for businesses to contract directly with mobile operators in each region. For multinational companies this reduces procurement complexity, simplifies billing and offers international support through a single supplier.
Global Pass allows subscribers based in the USA, UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, the Isle of Man, Switzerland and Poland to work or roam seamlessly in 39 countries in Europe and North America.
Even better, we introduced unlimited data plans for Tango Extend customers.
Our second SIM plans for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) mobile usage already includes data when on a business call.
Where the new Unlimited data plans come into their own is when the SIM is being used as the Primary SIM in a business provided mobile phone. This would be the case where a business is swapping out their traditional MNO SIMs for Tango Extend eSIMs that are integrated with the business’s UC platform.
For our partners, unlimited data plans simplify billing, making it easier to manage and forecast expenses.
Are you in a business looking to embrace Mobile UC and achieve new levels of productivity and efficiency? Or are you a solutions reseller looking to bring the most advanced mobile communications solutions to your clients? Get in touch to learn more!
