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