Metaswitch, once a leading provider in the UCaaS/CPaaS space, has undergone significant changes in recent years, leaving service providers uncertain about its future. In 2020, Microsoft acquired Metaswitch, sparking initial optimism. However, this optimism quickly turned to concern as Microsoft, with its enterprise focus, deprioritized Metaswitch. In June 2024, Microsoft announced the end-of-life (EOL) for the MaX UC client, and soon after, layoffs wiped out much of the team responsible for Metaswitch’s platform.
The situation took another drastic turn in December 2024 when Alianza, a smaller company, announced it was acquiring Metaswitch from Microsoft. The deal, expected to close in early 2025, came with a promise from Alianza to extend Metaswitch’s EOL date—though the unspoken assumption is that Metaswitch customers will eventually be pushed toward Alianza’s platform. This acquisition signals the second time in a few years that Metaswitch has been sold off, further raising doubts about its long-term viability.
Alianza is significantly expanding its operations, with its headcount doubling and customer numbers rising dramatically. However, for service providers relying on Metaswitch, the writing is on the wall—Metaswitch will eventually be phased out. The question now is: How can service providers navigate this transition without being forced into an uncertain future?
How Can Service Providers Survive These Changes?
The answer is simple: Do not let yourself be pushed into a migration you didn’t choose. Migrations are often long, complex, and risky, and being forced onto a platform you did not select can be detrimental to your business. Service providers should now take the time to assess their UCaaS/CPaaS options and seek a replacement for Metaswitch that meets their technical, support, and financial needs.
Here are the key factors to consider when evaluating a new UCaaS/CPaaS platform:
- Support for Remote Work: Look for a platform that offers reliable telephony, video conferencing, and chat applications with strong authentication and security protocols.
- Optimal User Experience: A platform should provide a user-friendly interface, with clear workflows that minimize clicks to achieve key tasks.
- APIs and Integrations: Choose a platform that offers an extensive library of APIs for integration with systems such as CRM, helpdesk, and accounting tools.
- Global Compliance and Localization: Ensure the platform supports local regulations and is adaptable to the languages and markets you serve.
Why PortSIP is the Clear Alternative
PortSIP offers a robust, stable, and scalable solution that addresses the risks associated with Metaswitch and Alianza’s acquisition. Here’s why PortSIP is the clear alternative for service providers looking for long-term stability and growth:
- Proven Track Record: With over 12 years of continuous development, PortSIP supports over 800,000 end users globally. Our platform is reliable, consistently innovating to meet the evolving needs of telecom providers.
- Flexible, Transparent Pricing: PortSIP’s straightforward pricing model ensures no hidden fees, offering service providers predictable and manageable costs.
- Customization and Control: With open REST APIs and SDKs, PortSIP gives service providers complete control over their platform and the flexibility to integrate with third-party solutions.
- Seamless Migration: PortSIP ensures a smooth migration from legacy systems, minimizing disruptions to your operations. Whether you need an on-premise or cloud solution, PortSIP can handle the transition with minimal downtime.
- Scalability and Support: PortSIP scales with your business, offering both cloud and on-premise deployment options to suit your needs. Whether you’re a small provider or a large enterprise, we have the infrastructure and support to back you.
- Native Multi-Tenant Architecture: PortSIP PBX is built with a native multi-tenant architecture, designed specifically for telecom operators. This ensures maximum performance and allows service providers to manage multiple tenants efficiently without compromising scalability or reliability. Whether you’re running a small business or supporting large enterprises, PortSIP’s architecture can easily scale to meet your needs.
- High Performance Designed for Service Providers: PortSIP is engineered for high performance, making it an ideal choice for service providers who need a robust platform to support large-scale operations. It is optimized for carrier-grade performance, offering exceptional reliability, minimal latency, and robust security, all while handling thousands of concurrent calls and users.
- Not Based on Open-Source PBX (Asterisk and FreeSWITCH): Unlike many alternatives, PortSIP is not based on open-source PBX platforms like Asterisk and FreeSWITCH. This means that PortSIP delivers superior performance, stability, and support, ensuring that service providers do not face the common issues and limitations associated with open-source systems.
- Mobility: PortSIP’s platform is built with mobility in mind, ensuring that users can access voice, video, messaging, and collaboration features on any device, whether it’s a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop. The mobile apps are designed for high performance, providing full functionality for remote workers and on-the-go employees, ensuring your business is always connected regardless of location.
Comprehensive Features to Meet Your Communication Needs
PortSIP goes beyond just voice calling, offering a full suite of features to help service providers stay competitive and streamline their communication offerings:
- Voice Calling: Using SIP, PortSIP provides reliable, industry-standard voice functionality. Any SIP client can register with PortSIP, ensuring seamless voice communication across devices.
- Provisioning: Just like Metaswitch, PortSIP supports provisioning for both UC clients and physical phones. You can easily create provisioning URLs for devices, ensuring streamlined device management.
- Unified Messaging (SMS and WhatsApp): PortSIP integrates SMS and WhatsApp functionality, enabling providers to handle both SMS and messaging via WhatsApp through open APIs. PortSIP also supports MMS, making it a versatile solution for modern communication needs.
- Group Chat: PortSIP’s group chat feature allows users to create and manage group conversations effortlessly, enhancing collaboration within teams and across customer-facing teams.
- Instant Messaging (IM): PortSIP PBX supports full integration of IM, allowing service providers to manage text messages, as well as presence statuses, enabling efficient real-time communication.
- WebRTC Support: PortSIP SBC provides support for WebRTC, enabling easy deployment of browser-based voice and video communications, empowering businesses to offer real-time communication directly from the web.
- Microsoft Teams Direct Routing: PortSIP SBC also supports Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, allowing integration between Microsoft Teams and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), enabling seamless voice calling between Teams users and external phone numbers.
PortSIP’s full suite of solutions—including PBX, SBC, VoIP SDK, and APIs—ensures that service providers can offer a comprehensive, modern, and scalable communications platform.
The Transition Process: Managing Change with PortSIP
If you are transitioning away from Metaswitch, it’s essential to work with a partner that can manage every step of the migration process. Some vendors struggle with managing on-premise and cloud solutions running in parallel, but PortSIP has the experience to ensure a seamless transition. We provide extensive training and support for both technical teams and end users to ensure that the migration doesn’t disrupt your daily business operations.
Final Thoughts: Why Service Providers Should Choose PortSIP
The uncertainty surrounding Metaswitch’s future under Alianza should serve as a wake-up call for service providers. The risks of forced migration, rising costs, and diminishing support are real threats that must be addressed now. PortSIP offers a stable, flexible, and reliable solution that enables service providers to stay competitive and future-proof their operations.
Choose PortSIP for a seamless migration, transparent pricing, and a platform that gives you full control. Don’t wait until Metaswitch becomes obsolete, unsupported, or too costly to maintain. Partner with PortSIP for long-term success.
