Waters Rankings 2015: Best Trading Floor Communication System Provider ─ IPC Systems

Jersey City-based IPC Systems, which takes the award for best trading floor communications system at this year's Waters Rankings for a second consecutive year, has tapped into this communication need with Unigy-its unified trading communication platform-designed to support the entire trading workflow. This year's Rankings award builds on the firm's considerable success across several other Waters awards, including wins in the 2014 and 2015 Sell-Side Technology Awards category for best sell-side trading floor communications system.

The Unigy platform comprises several modules. The IQ/MAX suite of turrets and dealerboards provides the physical aspect for trading desks, controlled by the IQ/MAX Sync software that enables users to access data and call functions either remotely or on-site. Internal middle- and back-office communication is enabled via the Pulse suite of hoot and intercom solutions, providing support for the entire trade lifecycle. Unigy also offers support to third-party applications such as Microsoft Lync and Salesforce.com.

IPC provides users with the option of developing custom applications for the system with the Blue Wave Apps Dev Platform containing APIs and a Software Development Kit, to bolster the standard applications already present in Unigy.

As a result of the company's partnership with T-Ware Connect, Unigy supports an in-network-based recording service for mobile devices, while Alliance and SIP recording is enabled through NTR, an application co-developed with NICE Actimize, which supports all major recording interfaces, such as E1 and IP for PBX platforms like Avaya and Cisco.

IPC Systems was acquired by affiliates of private investment firm Centerbridge Partners in January this year for a massive $1.2 billion, with IPC CEO Neil Barua saying at the time that "2014 was our second best year in terms of revenue and one of our largest booking years as well, with Unigy in particular capturing the marketplace." The firm claims that through its unified communication systems, it is present on 51 percent of trading floors worldwide. Don't bet against that figure rising soon.