Trending Stories: Avaya, AireSpring Hires, Lumen Controversy

Avaya made the news multiple times this week.

The cloud communications provider signed an agreement with a master agent, expanded its partnership with a public cloud company and hired a key executive.

The Channel Partners editorial team also covered a telco team-up that bolsters 5G support and a grievance that a union directed at large service provider.

The seven snippets below represent our website’s most-read stories from the last week. Enjoy!

7. Consolidated Communications Enlists Ciena for 5G Network Support

Consolidated will use several tools and services from Ciena to better support customers.

Their agreement brings Consolidated networking slicing and standards-based IP connectivity. As a result, the company can deliver improved automation and analytics to 5G customers.

Learn about the partnership.

6. B2B Technology Provider Comstar Technologies Unveils Brand Transformation

Comstar is giving partners new resources as it rebrands.

The Pennsylvania-based company announced a new logo and website, but there’s much more to the rebrand. The company has hired several channel-facing employees and recently acquired a VoIP company. Comstar executives say they’re targeting VAR/MSP partners.

Edward Gately has the scoop.

5. CWA Wants to ‘Dismantle Racism,’ Demands MLK Day as Paid Holiday for All Lumen Employees

Lumen Technologies last year made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a holiday for it’s employees — well, not all of them.

Communications Workers of America (CWA) union members do not enjoy the benefit. A Lumen spokesperson said the company establishes plans for paid holiday in collective bargaining agreements and will eventually do so with the CWA.

But the CWA lambasted Lumen for making MLK Day a paid holiday for only non-union workers last November.

“This decision directly undermines Dr. King’s legacy of fighting for civil and labor rights,” the union said in a letter. “We are asking you to make it right and extend the MLK paid holiday to all Lumen workers.”

Learn about CWA’s initiative.

4. AireSpring Hires TPx Vet as New Customer Experience Leader

AireSpring’s Mike James

Mike James worked at TPx Communications for 19 years before joining AireSpring.

Now he’ll oversee customer and partner experience for the carrier. He most recently worked as TPx’s senior vice president of customer experience. James has also worked for Nortel Networks, Optimus Communications and other telecommunications companies.

Get details of the personnel announcement.

3. Hot New Services: RingCentral, Lumen, Verizon, More

We noticed a trend of vendors enhancing their contact center platforms last month. For example, Lifesize brought in new AI features, and Cisco launched a new offering.

December news also included an SD-WAN vendor that Verizon added to its portfolio.

Check out the gallery.

2. TBI to Sell Avaya, Hires CenturyLink, RingCentral Alums

The Chicago-based firm became the latest master agent to sell Avaya UCaaS and CCaaS.

A TBI executive called Avaya’s program “one of the biggest opportunities that our channel has been presented.” TBI signed an agreement with three other vendors as well.

Our story also included news of new TBI channel managers.

Read the news story about the latest Avaya master agent partner.

1. Avaya Taps Ujet, Cisco Vet to Lead North America Cloud Sales

Speaking of Avaya news — the communications giant hired a vice president of North America cloud sales.

Darcey Harrison, a former Ujet and Cisco Meraki employee, said she will support customers and resellers as the vendor transitions “to a modern cloud environment.”

Avaya also expanded its relationship with AWS.

Read our story about the hiring.