On Tuesday, November 25th, we hosted another iPECS Insights session. These monthly sessions bring together our global partner community to share success stories, strategies and the latest market developments.

This month’s edition was presented by Brian Shin, Account Manager at iPECS, and Liam Tracey, Managing Director of Goldstar Telecom, our long-standing partner in Ireland. Together, they shared valuable insights into Ireland’s evolving UCaaS landscape and highlighted two major customer success stories that show the power and versatility of iPECS solutions.

The Market and Goldstar Telcom

Brian opened the session with sharing an overview of Goldstar’s background and a summary of the global and regional UCaaS markets.

Goldstar has been one of iPECS’s most loyal and innovative partners for over 40 years, earning a reputation for delivering high-quality communication solutions as Ireland’s sole distributor of iPECS on-prem and cloud solutions. They are leaders in reliable, flexible IP and hybrid phone systems and have a reputation of deep expertise in creating powerful, cohesive communication platforms.

Globally, the UCaaS market continues to show strong momentum, with projections of 18% – 24.9% CAGR through 2030 and a long-term potential projection that exceeds 136 billion USD. We are seeing an acceleration in on-prem to cloud migration being driven by hybrid work and AI.

Looking at regional market dynamics, Asia-Pacific remains the fastest-growing area, while Europe continues to focus on sovereignty and regulatory compliance. 94% of large enterprises in North America have embraced cloud-first policies with aggressive migration to cloud-native environments – it is a mature market with over 65% cloud adoption rate.

Brian highlighted that Ireland’s ICT market is valued at around €21 billion, with UCaaS representing one of its fastest-growing sectors. The market is competitive and is dominated by global cloud powerhouses such as MS Azure, Google Cloud and AWS. The UCaaS specialists include MS Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex and Ring Central. The market is set to accelerate even further as more organizations look to support modern work environments.

While around half of organizations still operate on-premise, cloud adoption is rising steadily, supported by national investment in digital infrastructure. Many businesses are now adopting hybrid models to balance flexibility, compliance and cost control.

Challenges do remain, including legacy infrastructure and financial or regulatory barriers to full migration, especially in the healthcare sector. However, this also represents a significant opportunity for iPECS partners, as iPECS solutions are uniquely positioned to support on-premise, cloud and hybrid environments.

Brian encouraged partners to continue expanding their portfolios with iPECS Cloud and vUCP, emphasizing that customers increasingly demand integrated tools that boost productivity and engagement.

Goldstar’s cloud journey and strategy

Next, Brian highlighted how Goldstar has evolved alongside the market dynamics. The company has achieved robust year-on-year growth in its cloud business, averaging 36% CAGR, supported by a clear focus on monthly recurring revenue and subscription-based services.

Aligned closely with iPECS strategy, Goldstar’s approach centers on:

  • Driving the continued transition to cloud
  • Growing recurring revenue
  • Increasing user attachment rates and ARPU
  • Preparing for new commercial models in partnership with iPECS

This focus has helped Goldstar strengthen its leadership position in the Irish market and maintain its reputation for reliability and innovation.

Case Study 1 – Qualvecom

The second half of today’s Insights session was led by Liam who began by introducing the first case study – Qualvecom.

Qualvecom is one of Ireland’s largest distributors of automotive components, headquartered in Dublin. With a team of 175 employees and a large mobile workforce operating over 40 delivery vans daily, seamless communication is critical to their operations.

Qualvecom’s legacy system struggled to keep pace with demand. They needed a modern, unified solution capable of handling high call volumes and connecting mobile workers efficiently. Goldstar deployed iPECS Cloud, integrating ACD, iPECS Analytics and iPECS ONE into a single, easy-to-manage environment.

Key benefits included:

  • Maintained and enhanced the business’ single-call resolution promise through advanced call management tools.
  • Improved visibility and accountability through analytics and call reporting.
  • Enabled remote and mobile workers to stay connected and productive through iPECS ONE.
  • Protected their existing investment by reusing current handsets.
  • A smooth, low-disruption upgrade path from ISDN to VolP.
  • Reliable local support gives peace of mind.

The impact on the business was significant. Remote workers now have the same access and functionality as office-based staff, customer calls are routed more effectively, ensuring faster resolution, managers can track performance and call data to optimise staffing and training and  the solutions offers simpler day-to-day use for employees, reducing time spent on technical issues.

Case Study 2 – Waterville Golf Club

The second case study showcased a very different environment: Waterville Golf Club in County Kerry, one of Ireland’s most prestigious golf destinations. Founded in 1889 and recently modernized, the club needed a communications upgrade to match its world-class reputation.

The site’s legacy ISDN-based infrastructure lacked reliability and offered no connectivity between the main club and its associated accommodation, Waterville House.

Goldstar implemented an iPECS UCP 100 system, supported by 19 IP handsets (1010i, 1020i, and 1030i with 1024idss), creating a fully IP-based environment with integrated desk-to-desk dialling across both premises.

The results were clear:

  • The modern, future-proof IP system now matches the high standard of the venue.
  • It offers greater reliability and resilience, which was demonstrated when the system was restored within 12 hours after a lightning strike.
  • Cost savings by moving away from ISDN and reducing rental charges.
  • The scalable solution now meets the needs of both the golf course and the accommodation site.
  • Reputation is enhanced through reliable communications for guests, including international visitors.

The system has ensured that Waterville has seamless integration between the golf course operations and Waterville House accommodation. The reliable communication channels for staff and guests have improved customer experience and the flexible system can grow with the business and adapt to its future needs. Ultimately, Waterville have experienced reduced downtime and gained confidence from the rapid support and recovery provided by Goldstar if issues occur.

Closing remarks

Brian brought the session to a close by thanking Liam for sharing these outstanding examples of customer success. Together, the two case studies illustrated how iPECS empowers partners to deliver value in every type of environment – from large-scale distributors to luxury hospitality.

As Brian summarized, the Irish market is rapidly accelerating toward cloud-based communications, but hybrid flexibility remains vital. iPECS and its partners, such as Goldstar, are ideally placed to meet these needs through technology that combines innovation, reliability and local expertise.