Did anyone watch the fireworks?

Based upon the number of IP communications merger
announcements this week, there were plenty of people busy working on deals up
to (and likely over) the holiday weekend.

Aspect Software bought BlueNote for its SOA software
technology, giving the Asterisk-using UC contact center company a bunch of
interesting bits and pieces of things for “communications enabling business
processes (CEBP).  Terms weren’t
announced, but I suspect BlueNote (and its investors) was happy to be bought
since the company had to sell a VoIP-SOA story to enterprises against the likes
of IBM and BEA.

Sangoma snapped up Paraxip (OK, so the Canadians would be
working over the Fourth). The deal was under $5 million, but gives Sangoma a
software base to build on for the future and customer lists in the contact
center and enterprise space. Definitely an interesting move.

Finally, there’s the rumored/unconfirmed purchase of Ribbit
by BT for around $55 million. Looks like both sides were at least talking about
acquisition and BT hasn’t been shy about being technology if they feel it fills
in a vital need.  On the other hand, the
Ribbit guys have been billing themselves as “Silicon
Valley’s First Telephone Company” so if BT didn’t know there was
some ego involved in the deal, they likely do now with all the loose lips.

FYI, if you need some quick cash, BroadSoft announced a
voice mashup contest with a $5,000 cash and a free booth at the Broadsoft
Connections show to the winner.

- Doug