BroadSoft

BroadSoft, Inc.

Company type	Public (until 2018)
Industry	Communication software and services
Founded	1998 (1998)
Founder	Michael Tessler, Scott D. Hoffpauir
Defunct	2018 (2018)
Fate	Acquired by Cisco Systems
Headquarters	Gaithersburg , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Michael Tessler (Founder)
Products	Cloud-based communication technologies including voice, video, web conferencing, team collaboration messaging, contextual services, unified communications platforms
Website	www.broadsoft.com

BroadSoft, Inc. was a provider of communication software and services that was acquired by Cisco Systems in 2018. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Maryland, BroadSoft went public with its initial public offering in 2010. The company collaborated with major carriers and service providers worldwide, including AT&T, Verizon Communications, Sprint, Charter Communications, Comcast, KPN, and Vodafone.

Offering cloud-based communication technologies such as voice, video, web conferencing, team collaboration messaging, and contextual services, BroadSoft enabled service providers to broaden their product portfolios. Its business approach centered on delivering scalable technology platforms supporting unified communications, which strengthened its position within the telecommunications sector. In 2016, BroadSoft reported revenues of US$340.96 million alongside an operating income of US$15.51 million, demonstrating consistent financial health prior to its acquisition.

History

BroadSoft was established in 1998 by entrepreneurs Michael Tessler and Scott D. Hoffpauir. Tessler contributed significant telecommunications expertise gained from his tenure at Celcore and Alcatel, where Hoffpauir also held executive roles. Following Celcore’s acquisition by Alcatel, they founded BroadSoft with $5 million in Series A capital.

Over twenty years, the company grew both organically and through targeted acquisitions to broaden its cloud communications offerings and expand its international reach.

Notable milestones include:

• 1998 – Company founded under the name iKnow • 1999 – Rebranded as BroadSoft • 2000 – Launched research and development center in Montreal • 2003 – Fujitsu appointed as primary system integration partner for Asia-Pacific region • 2005–2016 – Completed numerous acquisitions including Carbon Twelve, Genband’s M6 server technology, Sylantro Systems, Packet Island, Casabi, iLinc Communications, Movial Applications, Partners 1993 EOOD, Adaption Technologies Ventures, HIPCOM (Europe), finocom AG (Germany), Systems Design & Development, Leonid Systems, mPortal, PBXL, Transera, Intellinote, and VoIP Logic—significantly enhancing product range and market penetration • 2010 – Executed IPO on Nasdaq Global Market signaling a period of accelerated growth • 2016 – Introduced Team-One platform to compete within the unified communications market • 2017 – Announced acquisition agreement with Cisco valued at approximately $2 billion • 2018 – Cisco finalized acquisition, incorporating BroadSoft’s cloud communication solutions into its global business operations

This timeline illustrates BroadSoft’s strategic emphasis on innovation via acquisitions and expanding its presence in the competitive cloud communications landscape under founder Michael Tessler’s leadership.

External links

• Official corporate website