Ribbon SBCs Support New Branch Survivability Option for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing

WESTFORD, Mass., Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and packet and optical transport solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that its market-leading Session Border Controller (SBC) 1000, SBC 2000 and SBC Software Edition (SWe) Lite now support Microsoft Teams Survivable Branch Appliance (SBA) for Microsoft Direct Routing. Ribbon is among a select group of Microsoft-certified SBC vendors who have participated in SBA development and trials. The Teams SBA enables users to place and receive business calls even if Microsoft 365 is unreachable.

"Our enhanced support for Microsoft Teams SBA provides organizations with a reliable back-up to make calls from Teams in Offline Mode in case of a network or cloud outage," said Tony Scarfo, Ribbon's Executive Vice President and General Manager, Cloud and Edge Business Unit. "The SBA services are a perfect complement to our enterprise SBC portfolio. We are pleased to be among the first vendors to offer this resiliency capability to our customers, which will help accelerate their move to the cloud."

Mr. Scarfo added, "We have enjoyed a long, successful history with Microsoft, having worked closely with them to develop the SBA for Skype for Business, so we understand the technology and have years of experience deploying it in enterprises."

"Microsoft Teams Survivable Branch Appliance is a critical requirement for high-availability sites to preserve calling capabilities in the event of a Microsoft 365 outage," said Irwin Lazar, Vice President and Service Director at Nemertes Research. "With the growing number of organizations that have adopted, are evaluating, or planning to adopt Microsoft Teams Phone System, the need for Microsoft-certified SBCs to support remote site survivability is essential for ensuring reliable business operations."

Microsoft Phone System with Microsoft Direct Routing provides voice calling services for Microsoft Teams users, allowing them to connect to their colleagues, customers, and business partners. Ribbon's Microsoft-certified SBCs delivers secure, high-quality voice services for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing. 

The market-leading Ribbon SBC 1000 and 2000 can be ordered with an additional Server Module and SBA software. The SBC SWe Lite offers a configuration that includes SBA software. The Ribbon enterprise SBC portfolio will offer cost-effective hardware and software-based options for both small business and large offices. The solutions provide advanced security and interoperability with legacy PBXs and contact centers. The new SBA features are built into Ribbon's easy configuration wizard, which allows for simple installation and administration.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ribbon SBC 1000, 2000 and SBC SWe Lite are among the first solutions selected by Microsoft to deliver advanced support for the new Microsoft Teams Survivable Branch Appliance (SBA) for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing.
• The Teams SBA enables Teams users to make and receive voice calls if Microsoft 365 is unreachable.
• The Ribbon certified solutions were selected because of Ribbon's long history with Microsoft and its market-proven security and interoperability capabilities.
• Ribbon worked closely with Microsoft to create the Skype for Business SBA several years ago and the company is leveraging that experience to deliver similar capabilities for Teams.
• The new SBA features are built into Ribbon's easy configuration wizard, which allows for simple installation and administration.

About Ribbon                                                                                 
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers global communications software and packet and optical network solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today's smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge IP solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge software security and analytics tools, as well as 5G-ready packet and optical networking solutions acquired via our recent merger with ECI Telecom. To learn more about Ribbon visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including those regarding expected benefits of Ribbon Communications' products, are forward-looking statements. The actual results of Ribbon Communications may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Ribbon Communications' business, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of Ribbon Communications' most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Ribbon Communications' views only as of the date on which such statement is made and should not be relied upon as representing Ribbon Communications' views as of any subsequent date. While Ribbon Communications may elect to update forward-looking statements, Ribbon Communications specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

SOURCE Ribbon Communications Inc.