AudioCodes Introduces CloudBond™ 365 for Skype for Business

AudioCodes, a leading provider of converged voice solutions that enable enterprises and service providers to transition to all-IP voice networks, today introduced CloudBond 365 for Skype for Business, a unique hybrid solution that enables unified communications with Skype for Business. Building on the success of the AudioCodes One Box 365, CloudBond 365 is a next-generation solution in the AudioCodes’ One Voice for Skype for Business suite of products that integrates with Skype for Business deployments. It facilitates smooth migration of users from on premise Lync, Skype for Business Server or legacy PBX deployments to Microsoft’s Cloud PBX. This versatile solution is ideal for hybrid environments, main sites and branch offices and supports service provider hosting and managed services. CloudBond 365 will be generally available in January 2016 with the preview of the AudioCodes Cloud PBX Connectivity tool.

CloudBond 365 is a scalable solution based on AudioCodes’ Gateways and Session Border Controllers (SBC). CloudBond 365 Virtualized Edition (VE) is designed for enterprises and carriers that have chosen to virtualize their IT infrastructure. CloudBond 365 management capabilities are designed to offer full user life-cycle management that are designed to simplify and reduce operational costs associated with managed and hosted services.

“Market reaction to the AudioCodes One Box 365 has been extremely positive and we are pleased to introduce its successor, CloudBond 365,” commented Nimrode Borovsky, VP Marketing at AudioCodes. “CloudBond 365 meets the market demand for a simple, cloud-based, all-in-one solution that is easy to operate and scale, and that ties closely with Microsoft’s Office 365 vision of Cloud PBX.”

“We are very pleased to see continued innovation from AudioCodes in close collaboration with Microsoft’s Office 365 service of Cloud PBX,” commented Giovanni Mezgec, General Manager of Applications and Services Marketing at Microsoft. “There is strong market demand for a hybrid solution to integrate with Skype for Business, and we feel that this solution enables our business partners to deliver the Microsoft Unified Communications experience to enterprises worldwide.”

The new CloudBond 365 solution supports Microsoft’s Cloud PBX architecture and can run the Microsoft Skype for Business server. A key focus of CloudBond 365 is simplified deployment and migration of a sophisticated set of technology that brings great value to customers.

“Given the recent release and excitement around Cloud PBX from Microsoft, we needed a solution that allowed us to align our approach with that of Microsoft. Cloud Bond 365 fits the bill perfectly,” said Michael Cassady, of the Via Group, a leading Microsoft systems integration partner. “CloudBond 365’s ease of deployment and adaptability provides us a single solution that fits our entire customer base, no matter how they consume their communications.”

CloudBond 365 includes a backup and restore solution and Cloud-PBX Connector, as well as an open platform for third party applications for Skype for Business. As part of the AudioCodes One Voice suite, CloudBond 365 is compatible with the AudioCodes 400HD series of IP Phones, Session Experience Manager (SEM) and Element Management System (EMS).

“CloudBond 365 is ideal for customers looking to leverage tomorrow’s UC today. Ease of deployment is key, though equally important is its manageability,” said Rob Husted of Cerium, a leading integrator of advanced Unified Communications (UC) solutions. “Our customers are looking for us to not only voice-enable their communications but also provide a solution that is simple to manage on an ongoing basis.”