The HP/3Com Acquisition: The Good, the Bad, and the Confusing
Only weeks after the acquisition was completed, HP announced an end for 3Com's NBX product line. The VoIP system would no longer be available for purchase after July 30th, 2010. HP encouraged NBX customers, and VARs of NBX, to migrate to their robust VCX family. The NBX end-of-life announcement included the following statement from HP:
HP/3Com's future investments in the voice arena will be
centered around a standards-based solution, and as such,
will be focused on the development and marketing efforts
of the award-winning VCX product line.[2]
The VCX family was the hailed choice… for half a year… and, suddenly, that too appeared to be lip service. HP announced this week that VCX IP would be put into "maintenance mode." There is no promise of the line developing past this maintenance period, and there is no timeline for the period to last. As part of the maintenance mode, the update 9.8 will still roll out in the first half of this year, but what comes next is anyone's guess.
Now, VARs, who specialized in 3Com IP solutions, are left to scratch their heads, while existing customers wonder if HP/3Com will keep their earlier promises. And, everyone is left wondering how long HP will provide maintenance to those who have spent substantial sums on the product line, should it become discontinued.
Before it became a necessity during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, many companies had already begun realizing the benefits inherent in embracing remote work. These benefits are substantial and signal that (even when the pandemic is but a memory) remote work will continue to flourish and become a mainstay in the redefined workplace - particularly when it comes to VoIP. This guide will demonstrate how the workforce is changing and leaning toward remote work as a permanent business choice, explain the critical role VoIP will continue to play in supporting remote work, and highlight some of the new trends and innovations coming in 2021 for VoIP. more
