ICYMI 63 JULY - AUGUST 2024 | CHANNELVISION Back in January, Twilio announced a plan to discontinue Authy Desktop for macOS, Windows and Linux. The cloud communications provider followed through in August, shutting down the service and forcibly logging users out of its desktop application. According to BleepingComputer, users who continued on Authy for Desktop without syncing to a mobile device wound up losing their two-factor authentication accounts. Meanwhile, users who synced their desktop apps with mobile versions found that some tokens failed to synchronize correctly, making associate accounts inaccessible. Even though Twilio insists that its apps provide better support and similar features for storing authenticator account tokens, not all customers are in favor of the idea of being pushed into using the mobile version. Many organizations are now seeking alternative options from providers offering greater flexibility and control. For partners, this serves as a reminder that there is a broad market of providers beyond Twilio offering similar voice and messaging integration services. For example, cloudbased voice leader QuestBlue is gaining market traction as a leading Twilio alternative, offering high-touch support along with the ability to save 30 percent to 60 percent on communication services. “Twilio users often face challenges including additional payments for technical support, complicated rate structures and scalability issues,” explained QuestBlue CEO Kevin Masse. “QuestBlue ensures easy access to their experienced technical support team and programmers, and a pay-for-what-you-use rate structure.” While both QuestBlue and Twilio offer voice and messaging APIs to enable business communications, QuestBlue exceeds expectations with its award-winning technical support team which is available to customers at no additional cost. In addition, QuestBlue offers high-quality communication systems with guaranteed connectivity, as well as competitive rates with transparent and easy-tounderstand pricing structures. “QuestBlue prides itself on building strong partnerships through a seamless onboarding process and hassle free, user-friendly experience,” said Masse. “With no contracts required, QuestBlue dedicates themselves to earning your business every day.” While the choice between QuestBlue and Twilio will depend on specific business needs, QuestBlue goes above and beyond to deliver the attention and care that customers expect, as well as the promise of guaranteed call deliverability and performance, said the company. C3 Complete recently announced the official opening of its office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the companies fifth office location. Puerto Rico has been part of C3 plans for some time now, with the first San Juan-based employee — Reynaldo Rosario, director of voice services — hired in 2018. Two trends in particular drew C3’s attention to Puerto Rico. Firstly, its growing, diversifying economy is creating new demand for wide-ranging technology services, including highly regulated industries such as financial services and healthcare. Secondly, this rise in demand has coincided with the withdrawal in recent years of major telecom carriers including AT&T and Telefonica from the market — a boon to smaller voice providers such as C3 that can compete with the largest players on price and features while surpassing them on service. “Combine these trends together, and we believe there is a unique opportunity for a nimble technology and communications consultancy with a white-glove touch,” said C3. “We confirmed this when we began rolling out voice services to the island last year, striking a note with customers hungry for ‘the C3 difference’ and gaining business by word of mouth.” As C3 executives point out, Puerto Rico is easily overlooked by mainland-based businesses — to their own detriment. For starters, Puerto Rico is the largest economy by GDP in the Caribbean ($113 billion), with a third of GDP coming from finance, insurance, real estate, and professional services. Additionally, as a U.S. jurisdiction, Puerto Rico is highly unique within Latin America: it uses the U.S. Dollar, is subject to federal law (including the FDA, FDIC, IRS and beyond) and essentially confers the same operational security, stability and protections that C3 enjoys in its Florida headquarters, said the company. “For all these reasons, we consider Puerto Rico to be a hidden gem, a rising star and a community in which we are excited to deepen our roots,” said the company on announcing the new office. “And by the way, did we mention it is absolutely beautiful?” Twilio Discontinues Authy; QuestBlue Provides Alternative C3 Opens Puerto Rico Office
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