Ascenda brings together the right mix of software, services, capabilities and professionals utilizing a tech agnostic approach to solve your business needs – no matter your size or industry.
Ascenda Merger FAQ’s
Is it really free to start?
Yes! We have two tiers, allowing you to choose the best option for your organization. The first, which is no cost to you, is a vendor alignment engagement where we manage the whole technology acquisition process, taking the load off your back. The second, would be a paid consulting proceeding, including a deep dive into your customer’s journey, providing actionable deliverables to improve the customer and employee experience while also reducing cost where needed.
What tech does Ascenda Focus on?
Ascenda specializes in customer experience technology that includes: Unified Communications/Voice, Contact Centers, AI, Collaboration, Work From Home, Video Meetings, Network Services, and Managed Security.
Who was ATI & Third Generation?
ATI (Advanced Telecommunications of Illinois) was a US focused on-premise VAR, that lead the Chicagoland in phone system deployment and support since 1983. Most recently they managed 1,000+ Mitel & ShoreTel systems before merging with Ascenda, focusing primarily on cloud technologies.
Third Generation you may see in some of these PR’s is a value added reseller much like ATI, and is actually owned by ATI Holdings, but based in Pittsburgh, PA, focusing on the Mid-Atlantic, similarly how ATI focused on the Great Lakes region. Third Generation and ATI are now all part of Ascenda.
Why the change?
On-Premise phone systems are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and that is increasingly apparent from the journey Mitel has taken from ending support on their market leading MiVoice 250 and MiVoice Connect in favor of selling their base of customers to RingCentral.
Ascenda has a history of guiding companies of all sizes along the new customer journey, to engineer and implement customer experience technologies. And with ATI & Third Generation’s 40 year history of locally supporting UC clients it was a great fit.
Will the same people I’ve grown accustomed to still be working for Ascenda?
Yes everyone that worked for ATI & Third Generation will be with Ascenda.
Who do I contact for sales, service, billing, etc...?
- The phone numbers and addresses will the stay the same, with the only minor change being the email addresses. (The old emails will still work)
- Ascenda – 750 Warrenville Rd., Ste. 250, Lisle, IL 60532
- service@goascenda.com, contact@goascenda.com, sales@goascenda.com
- 630-505-7500 Main, 630-577-2700 Service, 630-577-2680 Sales
Are my current agreements with ATI still valid?
Yes all previously executed agreements with ATI will still remain valid thru their expiration dates with no changes to the terms or pricing.
Maintenance, ATI SkyVoice, MiCloud, Network Services, etc…
What changes will I immediately notice?
In an effort to better re-align ourselves with the cloud based UC technology of the future, there will be some noticeable differences seen by our customers that still utilize on-premise phone systems. (Mitel/ShoreTel/Axxess/Toshiba)
- Ongoing support renewals will no longer be offered in 2023, except for Mitel Orange/ShoreTel Enterprise support.
- Mitel Blue/MiVoice250/5000 support agreements will not be eligible for renewal effective immediately.
- Time & Materials (Hourly) will be best effort & remote only, effective immediately.
What if I want to continue using ATI/Third Gen for ongoing support?
While it is true that Ascenda’s on-going support for legacy phone systems (Mitel/ShoreTel/Axxess/Toshiba) will be winding down in 2023, there are still ways you can continue to receive Total Customer Care through our TAC.
- A big reason why Ascenda merged with ATI/Third Generation was for their SkyVoice product. SkyVoice is a hosted voice platform installed and supported from our geo-redundant data centers. So while the phone system is in the cloud, the support is still at home with Ascenda’s TAC; managed by the same employees you’ve grown accustomed to since 1983.
- Thru 12/31/22 there is a Mitel/ShoreTel to RingCentral promotion that allows for a seamless migration path to the Gartner leading RingCentral cloud with free months, and free phones, making any upfront expenditures minimal. While you wouldn’t call us directly for any tier 1 support, we would still be your partner of record; able to answer any questions and help implement your technology and voice initiatives.
