Evolve IP Scoops Up U.K. UCaaS Giant Thevoicefactory

Evolve IP is continuing its 2017 shopping spree, saying Wednesday it has acquired U.K.-based cloud service giant Thevoicefactory.

Evolve IP, based in Wayne, Pa., aims to expand into Europe and has been working toward this expansion since last year. Thevoicefactory, with its extensive private-label program, will give Evolve IP a large customer base in the U.K. and in Europe, as well as another distribution channel in this region.

Thevoicefactory, one of the U.K.'s largest Unified Communications-as-a-Service providers, works exclusively through 35 resellers who will now join Evolve IP's partner program, Tim Allen, chief sales officer at Evolve IP, told CRN.

[Related: Evolve IP Adds ID-Authentication-As-A-Service With Clearlogin Acquisition]

Evolve IP will combine its virtual private cloud platform OneCloud with Thevoicefactory's UCaaS platform for resellers, Allen said.

"Thevoicefactory is letting large VARs enter the UCaaS market under their label, and the company has developed the billing and support for that model," he said. "As partners become larger, they want to start doing their own billing and owning the end customer, and that's the ultimate end game and the way for channel partners to really create value."

While the channel model in Europe isn't as mature as it is in the U.S., Evolve IP already is working with master agents that have a European presence, including Petaluma, Calif.-based Intelisys and Chicago-based Avant, Allen said.

Evolve IP will keep Thevoicefactory's private-label model for VARs and MSPs and will continue to offer its agent partner model in Europe, he said.

Thevoicefactory and Evolve IP's cloud platforms are based on the same architecture, so the introduction of new features and capabilities for partners and end customers will go smoothly, according to Evolve IP.

With the acquisition now under its belt, Evolve will have new office locations in Fordingbridge, U.K., and Orlando, Fla. The cloud service provider also scored two new data centers in the U.K. and two new data centers in the U.S.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Thevoicefactory, founded in 2009, has more than 65,000 users across 21 countries. Evolve IP today serves more than 410,000 users globally.

Evolve IP in 2017 acquired identity authentication provider Clearlogin. The company's other recent acquisitions include Mtel, a cloud communications firm based in the Netherlands, which Evolve IP bought in August as part of its strategy to extend its international reach. In May, the provider bought Mesa, Ariz.-based Workspace as a Service provider Azzaron.