BroadSoft Xtended Updates

Yesterday, BroadSoft issued a press release to update the market on how things are progressing with its Xtended platform. I was briefed on it earlier this week, but with all the preparations for the IT Expo and client work, I haven't had a chance to post until now.

While there was no groundbreaking news, it was a helpful update with some proof points about how the platform is gaining traction since launching in March 2008. They talked about 5 commercial deployments - Alteva, SimpleSignal, Telesphere, Unity and WorldxChange Communications - and how the Xtended developer community grown to almost 1,500. That's a lot of brainpower working on cool Web 2.0 apps, and I really like what BroadSoft is doing here. I attended their Connections event back in October, and you can get a good sense of this community from my post.

Just like the Apple Apps Store or the Android Marketplace, BroadSoft has their Xtended Marketplace, so that's where you should visit to see the specific apps and mashups they have on tap.

My favorite is the Chumby - what a great name! I saw this at Connections - very cool. It's like a bedside clock radio, but is digital and web-enabled. Sort of a cuddlier gadget to sleep with than your smartphone - which I'm sure lots of people do. I don't want to get started on how people can't bear to be "disconnected" - even when they sleep - but you have to admit, this is a great gadget. Not something you'd normally associate with BroadSoft, but get used to it. Like Cisco, they're trying very hard to create a real consumer presence, and on some levels, I like their chances.

While all this good news was welcome, one has to ask the question as to why no updates were given about their progress integrating Sylantro. Well? Isn't that the news most of us are waiting for? Let's just say they're not ready to go there yet, but there will be some news coming about their relationship with IBM.

I'd have to say that's a good sign of how BroadSoft is making inroads with enteprise communications platforms. They already have some good things going with Microsoft, and the IBM story can only mean Lotus Notes, and together, this would give them very strong coverage. Of course, Sylantro had some history with IBM as well, and I'm sure one of their challenges is consolidating these Tier 1 relationships where there was duplicate coverage.