Zoom launches hardware as a service video conferencing portfolio

Zoom has partnered with four video conferencing equipment manufacturers to offer customers new hardware as a service (Haas) subscription-based packages.

As part of the HaaS launch, Zoom customers can choose hardware from DTEN, Neat, Poly and Yealink to power Zoom Phone and Zoom Rooms, the company’s enterprise communications products. Both have been launched in the US only, for now.

Customers can purchase several Zoom Phone hardware options ranging from desk-phones to smart conference phones, while Zoom Rooms equipment includes video bar projectors and meeting room displays.

Customers can deploy the communications systems across their businesses with a variety of subscription options for phone and meeting room hardware, with the capacity to scale video conferencing rooms and hardware options.

“Amazing hardware partnerships are a key part of Zoom’s ecosystem,” says Zoom’s president of product and engineering Velchamy Sankarlingam.

“With many people globally coping with today’s unique challenges, easy access to hardware is critical for offices, distance learning, telehealth, and more. Zoom Hardware as a Service will help users adapt to new work-from-anywhere environments by making it easier than ever before to get access to the latest and greatest hardware for Zoom Rooms and Zoom Phone.”

Zoom claims its HaaS packages will offer low upfront costs, allowing companies of all sizes to access the services but deferring otherwise highly costly payments. Payments will also be handled in a single invoice, including hardware and software purchases.

Businesses can also add additional hardware and devices over time, as well as refresh existing equipment every three years if they so choose.

“Hardware as a Service is a game-changer that addresses key IT challenges of heavy upfront hardware costs, complex deployments, high-touch support, and cumbersome device lifecycle management,” said industry director for unified communications and collaborations at Frost and Sullivan, Roopam Jain.

“It enables flexible and cost-effective OPEX-based end-to-end deployments that future proof technology investments, allowing business users to leverage cutting-edge communications.”

Zoom has performed exceptionally well as a business since the COVID-19 crisis emerged across the world, with revenue surging by 169% according to figures released in June. One of the challenges the company faced was converting a massive increase in demand, and an influx of free users, into revenue, although the company’s financial reports would suggest this is a challenge the company is overcoming.

Privacy and security have been an Achilles’ heel of sorts, however, with the company initially underestimating its significance. The debate over encryption best exemplifies this, with the company initially claiming it offered end-to-end encryption despite this not being the case.

Zoom eventually announced it would be offering paid subscribers end-to-end encryption over their communications, but after some online backlash, this policy was later extended to cover all Zoom users.