ShoreTel
ShoreTel was a Sunnyvale-based provider of IP unified communications and contact center systems for mid-market and enterprise customers, founded in 1996. The company was acquired by Mitel in 2017, with its products integrated into Mitel's broader cloud, hybrid, and on-premises UC portfolio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSunnyvale, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ShoreTel does
ShoreTel was a Sunnyvale, California-based provider of Internet protocol (IP) communications systems for enterprises, founded in 1996. The company developed and sold unified communications (UC) solutions — including IP-PBX systems, contact center platforms, and collaboration software — primarily targeting mid-market and enterprise customers. Its core product portfolio included the ShoreTel UC platform, ShoreTel Connect (cloud), and ShoreTel Contact Center, distributed largely through a channel partner model supplemented by direct enterprise sales. The company raised approximately $54.5M in venture funding across rounds from 2001 to 2004, completed an IPO on NASDAQ under ticker SHOR, and executed a series of acquisitions between 2010 and 2016 (Agito Networks, M5 Networks, M5 Networks Australia, CorvisaCloud) to expand into mobility, cloud UC, and cloud contact center capabilities.
In 2017, ShoreTel was acquired by Mitel and subsequently delisted from public markets. Post-acquisition, ShoreTel's products were integrated into Mitel's broader unified communications and collaboration portfolio, which spans cloud, hybrid, and on-premises deployment models and serves 70M+ users globally across verticals including healthcare, education, government, financial services, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail. The combined entity is positioned as the #1 UC provider worldwide (per its own market claim) with 2,100 patents and a 6,000+ global partner network. The Mitel platform encompasses MiCollab, MiVoice Business, OpenScape UC, contact center suites (MiContact Center, Mitel CX), critical communications, and devices, with revenue generated through software subscriptions, hardware sales, and professional/managed services on a quote-based, annual billing cadence.
ShoreTel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ShoreTel
- Website
- https://shoretel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- ShoreTel was a Sunnyvale-based provider of IP unified communications and contact center systems for mid-market and enterprise customers, founded in 1996. The company was acquired by Mitel in 2017, with its products integrated into Mitel's broader cloud, hybrid, and on-premises UC portfolio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ShoreTel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Unified Communications
- NAICS
- All Other Telecommunications (5178), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony (HDAIAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband) (HDAIABAI)
Keywords
Where ShoreTel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sunnyvale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
ShoreTel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Revenue from unified communications software platforms including MiCollab, MiVoice Business, and OpenScape UC solutions. Typically sold as subscriptions with software assurance.
- Contact Center Solutions: Revenue from customer experience platforms including Mitel CX, MiContact Center Enterprise/Business, and workforce optimization solutions.
- Hardware Sales: IP phones, SIP phones, conference phones, DECT solutions, and accessories sold alongside software solutions.
- Professional and Managed Services: Advisory, transformation, operational, and optimization services delivered through Mitel or trusted partners. Includes implementation, training, and ongoing support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Solutions |
| Subscription | Annual | Midsize Business Solutions |
| Subscription | Annual | Small Business Solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
ShoreTel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ShoreTel develops and sells Internet protocol (IP) communications systems for enterprises internationally, including unified communications and collaboration software, business phone systems, contact center platforms, IP and SIP phones, and critical event management solutions. Following its acquisition by Mitel, ShoreTel's product portfolio is integrated within Mitel's broader UC and CX platform offering, supporting cloud, hybrid, and on-premises deployments.
Product overview
The source data provided pertains to Mitel's unified communications portfolio. ShoreTel was acquired by Mitel in 2017 and its products have been integrated into Mitel's broader UC platform. The available source material does not contain specific product listings or detailed descriptions of ShoreTel's individual products or services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MiCollab Collaboration software enabling voice, messaging, and video communications for enterprise users.
- MiVoice Business Business communications platform for voice and unified communications, designed for enterprise deployments.
- OpenScape UC Enterprise unified communications platform supporting voice, presence, and collaboration features.
- Mitel CX Customer experience and contact center solution with AI-assisted capabilities for enterprise customer interaction handling.
- MiContact Center Enterprise Enterprise-grade contact center solution for large-scale customer interaction environments.
- MiContact Center Business Mid-market contact center solution providing customer interaction management for growing organizations.
- IP Phones Business IP phone devices supporting VoIP standards for enterprise desk and office use.
- Mitel SIP Phones SIP phones targeted at the open SIP market, providing standards-based business telephony endpoints.
- Conference Phones Conference phone devices designed for meeting room and group audio communications.
- Mitel Xpert Mission-critical communication solution for demanding environments requiring high-availability voice communications.
- Revolution Mass notification system for critical communications and emergency alerting.
- Critical Event Management Critical event management solution providing mass notification and incident coordination capabilities.
- Virtual Care Collaboration Service Healthcare-specific virtual collaboration solution for clinical and patient communication workflows.
- Professional and Managed Services Advisory, transformation, operational, and optimization services including implementation, training, and ongoing support delivered through the company or trusted partners.
- Mitel Secure Cloud Secure and sovereign hosted cloud deployment option for the unified communications and collaboration platform.
- OpenScape 4000 On-site phone system for enterprise deployments supporting large user bases.
- MiVoice MX-ONE On-site phone system solution for enterprise telephony environments.
- OpenScape Business Business communications platform targeted at mid-market organizations.
- Mitel Workforce Optimization Workforce optimization software providing performance and quality management for contact center operations.
- Mitel Workflow Studio Workflow automation tool for designing and managing contact center operational workflows.
Quantifiable outcome
- City of Baltimore reduced carrier costs by 75%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ShoreTel
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ShoreTel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature17 records
ShoreTel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ZoomcoreMitel offers Zoom Hybrid Workplace solutions, integrating Mitel's UC capabilities with Zoom's collaboration platform to provide hybrid workplace options for customers.
- MicrosoftcoreMitel provides Microsoft Teams Integration, enabling customers to integrate Mitel communication solutions with Microsoft Teams for enhanced collaboration capabilities.
- Unify (Atos)coreMitel offers Unify Phone products and OpenScape UC solutions, maintaining compatibility and integration with Unify's communication portfolio including OpenScape Voice and OpenScape 4000.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ShoreTel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 8x8: Cloud-native UCaaS and CCaaS provider competing for the same enterprise and mid-market communications spend, with comparable contact center and integration capabilities.
- Genesys: Enterprise contact center and CX platform overlapping directly with MiContact Center Enterprise, MiContact Center Business, and Mitel CX offerings.
- RingCentral: Pure-play cloud UCaaS and contact center vendor targeting the same SMB-to-enterprise customers with a cloud-native architecture, putting pricing pressure on hybrid UC deployments.
- Sangoma Technologies: Provides UC, SIP phones, and on-premises/cloud communications for SMB and mid-market, directly overlapping ShoreTel's product mix with a focus on open SIP and channel distribution.
- Avaya: Long-standing direct peer in enterprise UC and contact center (Avaya OneCloud, Aura); shares ShoreTel's hybrid cloud/on-premises deployment model and similar regulated-vertical customer base.
- Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise: Sells Rainbow, OpenTouch, and OmniPCX enterprise communications, including hybrid cloud and on-premises UC, competing in the same verticals and mid-market segments as ShoreTel/Mitel.
- Mitel: ShoreTel's acquirer and now its operating parent; Mitel sells overlapping unified communications, contact center, and on-premises telephony products (MiVoice, OpenScape, MiCollab) into the same enterprise and mid-market customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Zoom: Zoom Workplace and Zoom Contact Center compete in the same UC and CX categories and are also a strategic integration partner via Mitel's Zoom Hybrid Workplace.
- Microsoft (Teams): Bundles voice, meetings, and collaboration inside Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone; the dominant collaboration suite Mitel integrates with, and the largest competitive threat to standalone UC.
- Cisco (Webex): Incumbent vendor of IP telephony (CUCM) and the Webex collaboration suite; competes head-to-head in enterprise UC, contact center (Webex Contact Center), and SIP-based on-premises deployments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ShoreTel social profiles
Digital presenceShoreTel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ShoreTel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
ShoreTel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ShoreTel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ShoreTel
What does ShoreTel do?
ShoreTel develops and sells Internet protocol (IP) communications systems for enterprises internationally, including unified communications and collaboration software, business phone systems, contact center platforms, IP and SIP phones, and critical event management solutions. Following its acquisition by Mitel, ShoreTel's product portfolio is integrated within Mitel's broader UC and CX platform offering, supporting cloud, hybrid, and on-premises deployments.
When was ShoreTel founded?
ShoreTel was founded in 1996. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is ShoreTel based?
ShoreTel is headquartered in Sunnyvale, United States, in the North America region.
How does ShoreTel make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses and Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are contact Center Solutions, hardware Sales and professional and Managed Services.
Who are ShoreTel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 8x8, Genesys, RingCentral, Sangoma Technologies, Avaya, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise and Mitel. Broad incumbents are Zoom, Microsoft (Teams) and Cisco (Webex).
Does ShoreTel have an API?
No public API is recorded for ShoreTel.
What industry is ShoreTel in?
ShoreTel's product category is Unified Communications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAHAB, Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony, with a secondary code of HDAIABAI, Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband). Its NAICS code is 5178 and its SIC code is 7385.