Challenges and Opportunities for On-Premises Unified Communications Vendors, Forecast to 2025

The traditional on-premises unified communications (UC) market is very mature and is experiencing pressure from both internal and external competitive forces. Premises-based solution vendors are facing challenges from a variety of competitors including disruptive unified communications as a service (UCaaS) providers, network service providers offering business telephony services alongside broadband offerings, as well as mobile operators adding second business numbers and PBX-like features to mobile devices. In addition, multiple factors have combined to restrain the on-premises UC market, including compelling UCaaS offerings, changing product strategies by UC vendors, market consolidation, and the continued financial uncertainty of some market participants.

However, the UC market is in many ways “down but not out”. While annual shipments of UC lines licenses and new systems have declined year over year, there are still opportunities for UC vendors to grow in license shipments and revenue, and claim additional market share.

A significant installed base of customers with ancient communications platforms exists. Each customer will have to choose at some point: migrate to a modern on-premises UC platform, or transition to cloud-based communications services. Many businesses are taking a wait-and-see approach while continuing to sweat out existing assets. Makers of on-premises UC equipment will have to take a more nuanced approach to selling their wares to this next wave of UC adopters. Hybrid communications, vertically-focused solutions, and on-premises friendly regions are among the possible opportunities still available for vendors to capitalize on.

This research study discusses the current growth environment for the Global Enterprise Communications Platforms market, including base years 2018 market size, in terms of revenue and line license shipments, forecast trends for the market, as well as drivers and restraints that are positively or negatively affecting the market.

Finally, the study includes seven growth opportunities that Frost & Sullivan has identified for global unified communications vendors. These opportunities represent areas that Frost & Sullivan believes vendors that are committed to the on-premises platform market should focus particular emphasis on, including market and product vision, product and competitive strategy, products, services, disruptive new business models, marketing, partnerships, sales, and support initiatives. Through this research, UC vendors will be able to identity successful growth opportunities within their own organizations as well as we discover new potential opportunities that likely apply to their own business. The study also includes “Growth Opportunities in Action” highlighting cases where key market participants are already leveraging select growth opportunities to great effect.

Author: Michael Brandenburg