Cisco Systems has completed its US$1.9 billion acquisition of BroadSoft, extending the networking giant's aggressive, software-centric strategy and giving it a larger slice of the unified communications market.
Acquiring BroadSoft accelerates Cisco's cloud strategy by adding cloud calling and contact centre solutions to Cisco's existing communications portfolio, which includes calling, meetings and messaging software and services.
Former BroadSoft chief executive Michael Tessler is joining Cisco as part of the acquisition. BroadSoft will be part of Cisco's unified communications technology group, which is led by vice president and general manager Tom Puorro. The UC group is part of the company's applications group, which is led by senior vice president and general manager Rowan Trollope.
"We believe that our combined offers, from Cisco's collaboration technology for enterprises to Broadsoft's suite for small and medium businesses delivered through service providers will give customers more choice and flexibility," said Trollope when the acquisition was announced last October.
"Cisco and Broadsoft will deliver a robust suite of collaboration capabilities across every market segment."
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