Presence Management (PM) attended two dealer conferences this spring: the NextGen Group and The Ideacom Group, both held in April.
The NextGen Group hosted their annual meeting from April 5–8 in Atlanta, GA. The event was well attended, with over 60 participants. PM joined a dealer roundtable to gather insights into the direction of telephony in 2025. The general consensus is that U.S. business started off slow this year but is expected to rebound as the new administration’s policies take effect. Dealers reported steady sales of both hosted and, in many cases, on-premise solutions. Many are aiming to diversify their offerings to capture a larger market share. PM presented vUCP as a service, and several dealers committed to adding it to their portfolios.
Next was the Ideacom Annual Meeting, held April 13–15 in Nashville, TN, with a similar turnout of 70+ attendees. PM promoted vUCP as a service and participated in the 4-hour trade show on Monday. Again, several dealers expressed interest in the offering. They cited growing uncertainty with current carriers and a desire to control more revenue as key reasons for favoring iPECS over traditional hosted services.
A key topic of discussion was the evolving landscape of hardware bundled with hosted services. With market dynamics shifting, dealers noted that the long-term sustainability of “free” phone promotions from some hosted providers may be challenged. This change is opening the door for more strategic, value-driven offerings like iPECS, which give partners greater flexibility, control, and profitability — without compromising on quality or innovation.
