TELUS and RingCentral expand Business Connect with AI-powered features for Canadian businesses

Executive Summary

• TELUS and RingCentral announced an expanded partnership to integrate RingCentral’s AI suite into TELOS Business Connect, adding multiple AI‑driven features for customer engagement and employee productivity.
• The new AI capabilities—including AVA Assistant, AIR Receptionist™, ACE Insights, AI Chat, and RingCX Contact Centre—will be rolled out to Canadian business customers in early 2026.
• The collaboration aims to differentiate TELUS’s cloud communications platform, positioning it as an enterprise‑grade, AI‑enabled solution for SMBs across Canada.

Key Details

• Partnership Scope: Expansion of existing TELUS–RingCentral alliance to embed RingCentral’s conversational AI and automation tools into TELUS Business Connect.
• AI Features Added:
• AI Assistant (RingCentral AVA): Real‑time, context‑aware guidance and automation during live interactions.
• AI Receptionist™ (RingCentral AIR): Voice agent that interprets caller intent, answers FAQs, schedules appointments, and routes calls intelligently.
• AI Insights (RingCentral ACE): Sentiment analysis and coaching insights for sales teams.
• AI Chat: Real‑time website messaging to handle routine inquiries and free up live agents.
• AI Contact Centre (RingCX): Omnichannel solution covering 20+ digital channels with AI‑assisted agent and supervisor tools.
• Target Market: Small and medium‑size businesses in Canada using TELUS Business Connect; platform positioned as a unified cloud phone, messaging, and meeting solution.
• Availability: Features slated for customer rollout in early 2026.
• Executive Comments:
• Katherine Emberly (SVP & President, SMB, TELUS) highlighted the competitive edge AI brings to customers.
• Sandra Krief (SVP Global Service Providers, RingCentral) emphasized transforming everyday interactions into intelligent experiences.
• Strategic Rationale: Enhances TELUS’s value proposition by offering enterprise‑grade AI capabilities without requiring deep technical expertise from clients; supports TELUS’s broader mission of enabling smarter work and stronger customer relationships.

Notable Quotes

“Businesses are looking for technology that works as hard as they do,” – Katherine Emberly, Senior Vice‑President & President, Small and Medium Business, TELUS.

“By integrating RingCentral's industry‑leading voice, contact center and conversational AI across Business Connect, we are transforming everyday interactions into intelligence, efficiency, and exceptional customer experiences.” – Sandra Krief, SVP Global Service Providers, RingCentral.