2017 North American SIP Trunking Services Enabling Technology Leadership Award

1. 2017 North American SIPTrunking Services
EnablingTechnology Leadership Award

2. BEST PRACTICES RESEARCH
© Frost & Sullivan 2017 2 “We Accelerate Growth”
Contents
Background and Company Performance ...................................................................................... 3
Industry Challenges........................................................................................................... 3
Technology Leverage and Customer Impact.......................................................................... 3
Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 6
Significance of Enabling Technology Leadership ........................................................................... 7
Understanding Enabling Technology Leadership ........................................................................... 7
Key Benchmarking Criteria ................................................................................................. 8
Technology Leverage ......................................................................................................... 8
Customer Impact .............................................................................................................. 8
Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching, Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices ...... 9
The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best Practices Awards....................................10
Research Methodology ......................................................................................................10
About Frost & Sullivan .............................................................................................................10

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Background and Company Performance
Industry Challenges
As the session initiation protocol (SIP) trunking market matures, most of the competitors
have settled into a formula for delivering SIP trunking services, which is creating a unique
set of challenges. Many of these providers have framed SIP trunking and voice over
Internet protocol (VoIP) access services to mimic and replicate the core capabilities of the
more traditional voice services they are designed to replace. While this similarity between
the old and new makes SIP trunking easier for customers to understand and consume, it
also limits the innovation and growth potential of the market as a whole.
Along these lines, the majority of competitors in the SIP trunking services market require
customers to receive the IP-based voice services on the provider’s own wide area network
(WAN) services, such as Metro Ethernet or multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) networks.
Leveraging a provider’s network may provide greater control over the quality of service
(QoS) as well as the opportunity to lower cost through bundled pricing, but this approach
ignores a segment of the total addressable market that would prefer to bring their own
broadband or whose scale does not support the upfront and ongoing costs of pricy private
network access.
In addition, most SIP trunking services are architected to support a single primary use
case: connecting on-premises private branch private exchange (PBX) and unified
communications (UC) platforms to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). While
this deployment approach is still very popular among businesses, it is not the only option.
Today, businesses are leveraging on-premises solutions, cloud-based or hosted unified
communications as a service (UCaaS) offerings, and increasingly, a hybrid mix of these
solutions. In these cases, businesses find that even IP-based SIP trunking services are not
built dynamically enough to support these new deployment models and can actually be an
obstacle to architecting a communications infrastructure best suited to their needs.
Innovative leaders in the SIP trunking services market are working to enable SIP trunking
services to deliver more than a simple replacement for legacy services, and are disrupting
the common models set in place by traditional service providers. Through software and
cloud infrastructures, these enabling technology leaders are unlocking the full potential of
IP-based voice services and are well positioned to work with partners to incorporate their
services into a greater variety of solutions than the competition.
Technology Leverage and Customer Impact
Application Diversity
IntelePeer offers highly scalable SIP trunking services to enterprises, technology partners,
carriers, and platform providers across its carrier-grade network. While focused on a
relatively small number of services, namely SIP trunking, cloud-based contact center, and
enablement platforms for third party cloud UC solutions, IntelePeer’s Atmosphere®

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Communications Platform enables its customers to capitalize on considerable application
diversity. Through the platform’s web portal, customers and partners are able to provision
new services, scale capacity to meet demand, as well as add new features and
capabilities. In addition, IntelePeer’s platform is designed for a high level of automation.
This enables partners to incorporate IntelePeer services as part of their own offerings as
white-label services, or quickly facilitate their customers to sign up with IntelePeer
directly. Put another way, IntelePeer excels at enabling business communications
capabilities in a diverse set of partner applications, and highlights the provider’s
commitment to provide the best experience for its customers, regardless of their chosen
platform. IntelePeer works closely with UC vendors to validate and certify their voice and
call center services with not only the most popular, but nearly all of UC and PBX platforms
on the market today.
"There is a level of comfort and assurance with having the IntelePeer service we currently
use. No other provider so far is able to match the service offerings that IntelePeer
provides." - First Nations Home Finance
Stage Gate Efficiency
Frost & Sullivan defines stage gate efficiency as the adoption of technology to enhance the
stage gate process for launching new products and solutions. In the case of IntelePeer,
their stage gate advantage is rooted in the provider’s Atmosphere®
Communications
Platform, which powers its cloud communications, contact center and voice services. By
leveraging the Atmosphere®
platform, IntelePeer is not only able to provide SIP trunking
and contact center services to its own customers, but can also integrate its voice services
with other cloud services, as well as enable UC services delivery for other carriers and
platform providers. This unified and automated platform allows IntelePeer to quickly
deploy across its carrier-grade network. By deploying in a number of key data center
locations in the United States, the provider is able to deliver high availability through
geographic diversity. This diversity also affords IntelePeer the close proximity to partners’
Ethernet connections and MPLS links, meaning that it can deliver voice services in
whatever manner the customer chooses. IntelePeer’s platform differentiates the provider
from many of its competitors in the SIP trunking market, and allows it to be a first mover
with solutions such as Cisco Spark Calling.
Customer Purchase Experience
IntelePeer is one of the few SIP trunking service providers in North America that actively
market their communications services with an over the top (OTT) delivery option,
leveraging a customer’s broadband connection to deliver SIP voices services across the
public Internet. In addition to OTT, IntelePeer also supports private Ethernet and MPLS
connectivity options for customers with more specific quality assurance or bandwidth
requirements. With multiple connectivity options, IntelePeer customers are able to strike
the right balance of affordability, reliability and security to meet their specific needs.

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In addition, IntelePeer offers pricing plans for its SIP trunking services that enable
customers to consume voice services in a way that best fits their requirements. Based on
the deployment scenario, customers can choose from plans that charge per user, per port,
or per call path. Each pricing plan includes unlimited local calling, with US and Canadian
long-distance calling plans bundled in the user and port plans.
"IntelePeer gave us something that no one else, even other cloud providers, could:
immediate service and the support to get the job done right." - Southwest Construction
Services
Commitment to Innovation
Unlike many of its competitors, IntelePeer has remained focused on its core competencies,
SIP trunking and cloud-based contact centers services, and as a result, is leveraging its
offerings in new and innovative ways. For example, IntelePeer worked closely with Cisco
to tightly integrate its SIP trunking services to provide the PSTN connectivity for Cisco’s
cloud-based Spark team collaboration and cloud PBX solution. When a Cisco Spark
customer adds the Spark Call option, they can choose to automatically provision and
activate IntelePeer voice services, creating a complete cloud-based voice and collaboration
solution. Many competing services require the customer to deploy SIP trunking services
on-premises and leverage a virtual machine to enable PSTN access to the customer's
cloud service. IntelePeer’s voice network and innovative Atmosphere®
Communications
Platform offer an elegant and automated approach to moving communications in the
cloud, while many competitors can only offer half measures to cloud migration.
"Companies like ours that aren't utilizing IntelePeer for cost effective and seamless
communications are really missing out on the technological innovation, rich set of
features, and better time-to-market they offer." - Horizons Consulting
While its competitors define innovation by the number of products they can deliver to
market, IntelePeer’s innovation rests in its ability to enable its technology and provider
partners, as well as its enterprise customers, to deploy voice and call center services
quickly and with minimal human intervention. Through its technology innovations,
IntelePeer brings a high level of speed and agility that are almost unmatched in the SIP
trunking industry.
Brand Equity
IntelePeer has been delivering SIP trunking services since 2003 and is recognized
throughout the market as an alternative to the more traditional service providers that are
moving to IP-based voice solutions. IntelePeer has also been building brand recognition by
the partnerships it has forged, such as its being the first integrated media partner for
Cisco Spark, enabling new solutions such as Cisco Meraki MC, as well as enabling another
providers’ entry into these new ecosystems. In addition, IntelePeer is a trusted and

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reliable partner to both cloud providers as well as channel partners such as value-added
resellers (VARs).
Conclusion
IntelePeer is a leader in SIP trunking technology enablement because of its ability to push
its SIP voice services to new limits. Through constant platform enhancements and a
willingness to partner, IntelePeer offers the benefits of a truly cloud-based voice service in
exactly the way its customers and strategic partners want to consume them.
Because of its strong overall performance, IntelePeer is recognized with Frost & Sullivan’s
2017 Enabling Technology Leadership Award.

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Significance of Enabling Technology Leadership
Ultimately, growth in any organization depends upon customers purchasing from a
company and then making the decision to return time and again. In a sense, then,
everything is truly about the customer—and making those customers happy is the
cornerstone of any long-term successful growth strategy. To achieve these goals through
enabling technology leadership, an organization must be best-in-class in three key areas:
understanding demand, nurturing the brand, and differentiating from the competition.
Understanding Enabling Technology Leadership
Product quality (driven by innovative technology) is the foundation of delivering customer
value. When complemented by an equally rigorous focus on the customer, companies can
begin to differentiate themselves from the competition. From awareness, to consideration,
to purchase, to follow-up support, best-practice organizations deliver a unique and
enjoyable experience that gives customers confidence in the company, its products, and
its integrity.

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Key Benchmarking Criteria
For the Enabling Technology Leadership Award, Frost & Sullivan analysts independently
evaluated two key factors—Technology Leverage and Customer Impact—according to the
criteria identified below.
Technology Leverage
Criterion 1: Commitment to Innovation
Requirement: Conscious, ongoing adoption of emerging technologies that enables new
product development and enhances product performance
Criterion 2: Commitment to Creativity
Requirement: Technology leveraged to push the limits of form and function in the pursuit
of “white space” innovation
Criterion 3: Stage Gate Efficiency
Requirement: Adoption of technology to enhance the stage gate process for launching new
products and solutions
Criterion 4: Commercialization Success
Requirement: A proven track record of taking new technologies to market with a high rate
of success
Criterion 5: Application Diversity
Requirement: The development and/or integration of technologies that serve multiple
applications and can be embraced in multiple environments
Customer Impact
Criterion 1: Price/Performance Value
Requirement: Products or services offer the best value for the price, compared to similar
offerings in the market.
Criterion 2: Customer Purchase Experience
Requirement: Customers feel they are buying the most optimal solution that addresses
both their unique needs and their unique constraints.
Criterion 3: Customer Ownership Experience
Requirement: Customers are proud to own the company’s product or service and have a
positive experience throughout the life of the product or service.
Criterion 4: Customer Service Experience
Requirement: Customer service is accessible, fast, stress-free, and of high quality.
Criterion 5: Brand Equity
Requirement: Customers have a positive view of the brand and exhibit high brand loyalty.

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Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching,
Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices
Frost & Sullivan analysts follow a 10-step process to evaluate Award candidates and
assess their fit with select best practice criteria. The reputation and integrity of the
Awards are based on close adherence to this process.
STEP OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIVITIES OUTPUT
1
Monitor,
target, and
screen
Identify Award recipient
candidates from around the
globe
• Conduct in-depth industry
research
• Identify emerging sectors
• Scan multiple geographies
Pipeline of candidates who
potentially meet all best-
practice criteria
2
Perform
360-degree
research
Perform comprehensive,
360-degree research on all
candidates in the pipeline
• Interview thought leaders
and industry practitioners
• Assess candidates’ fit with
best-practice criteria
• Rank all candidates
Matrix positioning of all
candidates’ performance
relative to one another
3
Invite
thought
leadership in
best
practices
Perform in-depth
examination of all candidates
• Confirm best-practice criteria
• Examine eligibility of all
candidates
• Identify any information gaps
Detailed profiles of all
ranked candidates
4
Initiate
research
director
review
Conduct an unbiased
evaluation of all candidate
profiles
• Brainstorm ranking options
• Invite multiple perspectives
on candidates’ performance
• Update candidate profiles
Final prioritization of all
eligible candidates and
companion best-practice
positioning paper
5
Assemble
panel of
industry
experts
Present findings to an expert
panel of industry thought
leaders
• Share findings
• Strengthen cases for
candidate eligibility
• Prioritize candidates
Refined list of prioritized
Award candidates
6
Conduct
global
industry
review
Build consensus on Award
candidates’ eligibility
• Hold global team meeting to
review all candidates
• Pressure-test fit with criteria
• Confirm inclusion of all
eligible candidates
Final list of eligible Award
candidates, representing
success stories worldwide
7
Perform
quality check
Develop official Award
consideration materials
• Perform final performance
benchmarking activities
• Write nominations
• Perform quality review
High-quality, accurate, and
creative presentation of
nominees’ successes
8
Reconnect
with panel of
industry
experts
Finalize the selection of the
best-practice Award recipient
• Review analysis with panel
• Build consensus
• Select recipient
Decision on which company
performs best against all
best-practice criteria
9
Communicate
recognition
Inform Award recipient of
Award recognition
• Present Award to the CEO
• Inspire the organization for
continued success
• Celebrate the recipient’s
performance
Announcement of Award
and plan for how recipient
can use the Award to
enhance the brand
10
Take
strategic
action
Upon licensing, company is
able to share Award news
with stakeholders and
customers
• Coordinate media outreach
• Design a marketing plan
• Assess Award’s role in future
strategic planning
Widespread awareness of
recipient’s Award status
among investors, media
personnel, and employees

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The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best
Practices Awards
Research Methodology
Frost & Sullivan’s 360-degree research
methodology represents the analytical
rigor of our research process. It offers a
360-degree-view of industry challenges,
trends, and issues by integrating all 7 of
Frost & Sullivan's research methodologies.
Too often companies make important
growth decisions based on a narrow
understanding of their environment,
leading to errors of both omission and
commission. Successful growth strategies
are founded on a thorough understanding
of market, technical, economic, financial,
customer, best practices, and
demographic analyses. The integration of
these research disciplines into the 360-
degree research methodology provides an
evaluation platform for benchmarking
industry participants and for identifying those performing at best-in-class levels.
About Frost & Sullivan
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