8x8

Cloud communications and collaboration solutions provider 8x8, Inc. has announced that it will be acquiring UK-based Voicenet Solutions for $18.4 million in cash. The transaction is set to close by the end of 2013.

The privately held Voicenet is a provider of cloud business telephony and communications services, including applications for fixed mobile convergence which lends the functionality of desktop business phone solutions to smartphones. Voicenet CEO Kevin Scott-Cowell says that the company has more than 1,000 business customers.

Last year, Dave Michels and I set out to identify and profile several hosted VoIP/UC services targeted at small businesses - particularly, under 50 users. I recently revisited this exercise, interviewing and meeting with several of the leading hosted vendors aimed at SMBs. It was not an exhausted study, and only a small handful of the many, many vendors were included. I'll be adding more vendors over the next few months, so please don't be upset with me if your company was omitted.