Who should enter the ‘Business Communications Solution of the Year’ category?

The ‘Business Communications Solution of the Year’ category recognizes a cloud-based solution that transforms how business teams connect, collaborate, and share information – both internally, or with customers. Eligible solutions may include unified communications platforms, cloud telephony systems, UCaaS solutions, VoIP platforms, and integrated communications environments.

Entries should show innovation in internal communications and external engagement, demonstrating how the solution streamlines stakeholder management, crisis communication, or large-scale virtual events.

Evidence of AI-driven features – such as real-time transcription, intelligent noise cancellation, or sentiment analysis – to enhance the clarity and impact of business interactions should be noted. The category also covers the security and compliance aspects of communication, ensuring that sensitive corporate data remains protected across all channels.

Successful entries will provide clear evidence of user adoption, measurable improvements in employee engagement or project turnaround times, and a clear commitment to interoperability with existing enterprise software.

Submissions should demonstrate how the platform supports the demands of the modern, hybrid workforce while ensuring high-quality connectivity and reliability.

Online Video Conference Call

Example Use Cases

Business communications solutions eligible for this award may either provide an outstanding broad solution, or exceptional specialized solutions in one of these areas (among others):

Businesswoman speaking during a virtual meeting Connecting teams through integrated voice, video, messaging, and collaboration tools within a single cloud-based platform. Business communications solutions centralise internal and external communications, enabling seamless collaboration across locations and devices.

Typical use cases:

  • Cloud-based VoIP and video conferencing
  • Integrated team messaging and file sharing
  • Unified inboxes across communication channels
  • Mobile and remote workforce enablement
  • Calendar and productivity tool integration

Some examples of results from this application:

  • Improved team collaboration and responsiveness
  • Reduced reliance on fragmented communication tools
  • Lower infrastructure and telephony costs
  • Increased productivity across hybrid and remote teams

Call center team with headset and computer Enhancing customer engagement through intelligent, cloud-powered communication platforms. These solutions integrate voice, chat, email, and social channels to deliver seamless, consistent customer service experiences.

Typical use cases:

  • Omnichannel contact centre management
  • Intelligent call routing and queue optimisation
  • AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants
  • Real-time agent performance dashboards
  • Integrated CRM and ticketing systems

Some examples of results from this application:

  • Reduced average handling and response times
  • Improved first-contact resolution rates
  • Higher customer satisfaction scores
  • Greater visibility into service performance metrics

Person making a secure digital payment online Ensuring secure, reliable communication across regulated industries and distributed workforces. Cloud communications platforms embed encryption, monitoring, and compliance controls to protect sensitive information.

Typical use cases:

  • End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls
  • Compliance recording and archiving
  • Role-based access controls and user authentication
  • Secure document sharing and collaboration
  • Regulatory reporting and audit trails

Some examples of results from this application:

  • Reduced compliance risk and security breaches
  • Improved audit readiness and governance
  • Greater trust in digital communication channels
  • Enhanced data protection across the organisation

Team working with graphs and data on laptops and tablets at office table Streamlining business processes through automated communication triggers and workflow integration. Cloud platforms connect communication tools with business systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual intervention.

Typical use cases:

  • Automated notifications and alerts
  • Workflow-triggered messaging across departments
  • Integration with ERP, CRM, or HR systems
  • Appointment reminders and customer updates
  • Escalation management and incident alerts

Some examples of results from this application:

  • Faster response times to internal and external requests
  • Reduced manual coordination and follow-ups
  • Improved operational efficiency
  • Increased consistency in service delivery

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Supporting enterprise growth with resilient, scalable cloud communication architecture. These platforms enable organisations to expand internationally while maintaining service reliability and performance.

Typical use cases:

  • Multi-region cloud telephony deployment
  • International number provisioning and routing
  • Real-time performance and uptime monitoring
  • Scalable user provisioning and management
  • Disaster recovery and business continuity planning

Some examples of results from this application:

  • Simplified global expansion and onboarding
  • Improved system reliability and uptime
  • Reduced infrastructure complexity
  • Greater operational agility across markets

Hall of Fame: Previous Winners

Intermedia Logo

Intermedia Unite stood out for delivering a truly unified cloud communications platform that businesses can rely on at scale. Its seamless integration of telephony, collaboration, and security reflects a mature and well executed approach to cloud-based communications. The judges were particularly impressed by its reliability and real world adoption across distributed teams. This made Intermedia a clear winner at The Cloud Awards.”

Lead Judge, Nitin Gupta

Best Use of Telephony / Unified Communications in Cloud Computing 2025/26, Intermedia Intelligent Communications
ALE Logo

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s innovative approach to unified communications with their ‘Rainbow’ solution showcases how tailored cloud technology can transform enterprises across diverse sectors. By delivering secure, sustainable, and flexible solutions that adapt to customer needs—whether in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid—ALE has redefined connectivity in the digital age.”

The Cloud Awards COO, Annabelle Whittall

Best Use of Telephony / Unified Communications in Cloud Computing 2024/25, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise
dstny Logo

Call2Teams is a cloud-native, middleware product that sits between any phone system, and Microsoft Teams. What impressed the judging panel at The Cloud Awards the most is that it is easy to buy, quick to deploy, and enterprise-grade. No hardware or software is needed – there is no need to port numbers, change carrier, or throw away an existing phone system. What an impressive offering. Congratulations, Dstny!”

The Cloud Awards COO, Annabelle Whittall

Best Use of Telephony / Unified Communications in Cloud Computing 2023/24, Dstny

Areas to Highlight in Your Submission

Judges score nominations across these five key areas:

  • Innovation: The features or technology that makes your business communications solution unique - or transformed your market.

  • Impact: Evidence of the positive effect your business communications solution has brought to your customers.

  • Scalability: How your solution grows or adapts to changing business needs, without significant upgrades or overhauls.

  • User Experience: How intuitive your business communications solution is to use for users of varying roles or skill levels.

  • Relevance: What makes your solution a worthy winner in this particular category.

Although not formally scored, focus on these areas specific to this category, can help your nomination stand out:

Mobility

How the solution enables users to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and customers remotely.

Reliability

Robust infrastructure, redundancy measures, and SLAs that ensure high availability, call quality, and minimal downtime.

Security

Implementation of robust security measures, encryption protocols, data privacy controls, and compliance with relevant regulations.

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Next Steps to Enter The Cloud Awards

To enter this Cloud Awards category, or any other category in The Cloud Awards, please follow these three simple steps:

  • Download the entry form. Open up the ‘Cloud Awards Simple Form’ document.
  • Complete your form. You only need to complete the form once, even if entering multiple Cloud Awards categories.
  • Submit your entry. Head to the ‘Submit Now’ section on our website, select ‘The Cloud Awards’ and the category/categories you are entering from the list, upload your form and any other materials you would like the judges to review, and process your fees.

Since 2011, The Cloud Awards been helping organizations across the globe gain the recognition they deserve for market-leading innovation in the cloud computing and software sectors.

For a detailed breakdown of all the benefits you receive as an awards entrant as either a shortlistee, finalist or ultimate winner, please see our “Why Enter?” page. The many benefits are replicated across all international awards programs. If you have any questions about this category, please contact us.