FirstComm has entered the next generation of business communications with the launch of AscendOne, a unified platform designed to bridge the gap between Unified Communications (UC), Contact Center (CC), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The new solution arrives as organizations increasingly seek to consolidate fragmented communication stacks into a single, seamless interface. AscendOne integrates voice, messaging, video meetings, and contact center capabilities, bolstered by a suite of AI-powered productivity tools intended to modernize workflows and improve business continuity.
Strategic Partnership with Intermedia
To power the underlying infrastructure of AscendOne, FirstComm has partnered with Intermedia Intelligent Communications, a global leader in cloud-based customer engagement and collaboration.
By leveraging Intermedia’s cloud communications platform, FirstComm is able to deliver enterprise-grade reliability—including a 99.99% uptime guarantee—while maintaining its own branding and specialized U.S.-based 24/7/365 support. The partnership allows FirstComm to offer sophisticated AI capabilities that were previously often reserved for high-end enterprise deployments.
Paul Van Hyfte, CEO of FirstComm, commented on the launch:
“With AscendOne, we’re delivering on our promise to bring customers a reliable, scalable platform that makes communication effortless. Business continuity, support, and simplicity are at the core of what we do, and AscendOne takes that even further with single-click management and practical AI tools that empower every employee to get more done, serve customers faster, and work with greater confidence.”
AI-Driven Customer and Employee Experiences
A core pillar of the AscendOne launch is the integration of “high-impact” AI directly into the daily user experience. Rather than treating AI as a bolt-on feature, FirstComm has embedded it into standard workflows to assist both back-office employees and front-line contact center agents.
Key AI features include:
- Interaction Intelligence: Real-time sentiment analytics and interaction summaries.
- Productivity Tools: Automated meeting recaps and voicemail transcriptions.
- Agent Empowerment: Real-time coaching for contact center teams to improve service quality on the fly.
Notably, FirstComm is moving away from the industry trend of complex “AI surcharges.” The company stated that these tools are designed to improve service quality without the burden of extra licensing fees or per-minute charges, utilizing a predictable per-user pricing model.
Bridging the Hybrid Work Gap
AscendOne is built to support the modern distributed workforce, offering a consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices. The platform includes over 100 enterprise calling features, HD video collaboration, and omnichannel contact center capabilities spanning voice, SMS, chat, and email.
For organizations already entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem, AscendOne offers a significant integration path. The platform provides full enterprise calling and contact center functionality for Microsoft Teams without requiring the additional (and often costly) Teams Phone licensing. This allows businesses to keep their existing collaboration workflows while gaining advanced voice and CX capabilities.
Simplifying IT Management
As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, FirstComm’s AscendOne positions itself as a simplified, scalable alternative to legacy systems, focusing on the intersection of reliability and modern AI innovation.