Accelerating SME Phone DX: Fixed-line, Smartphone, and AI Integration - Partnership between Ascend and Foresta

Ascend Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku, Tokyo; CEO: Hiroshi Sato), a company developing AI systems for voice and telephony, and Foresta Inc. (Headquarters: Fuji, Shizuoka; CEO: Takaomi Nishikiori), developer of the 'Telewarp' service that enables smartphone use of fixed-line numbers, will begin a partnership in April 2026 to promote digital transformation (DX) in SME telephony.

In this partnership, Ascend will provide technology and support to Foresta for automatic call recording, AI-based summarization, classification, and search. This will enable Telewarp users to seamlessly utilize AI-driven call visualization alongside flexible, location-independent phone handling.

Background of the Partnership: With the rise of remote work, office phone operations face challenges like delayed responses and poor information sharing. Foresta’s 'Telewarp' has already liberated businesses from location constraints, and by integrating Ascend’s AI technology, both companies aim to provide a new 'phone DX' experience that goes beyond simple smartphone integration.

Value Provided: 1. AI-Automated Call Recording: Automatically records and transcribes calls, enabling keyword search and preventing 'he-said-she-said' disputes. 2. Zero Opportunity Loss: Immediate AI summaries allow for smooth handovers to staff who missed calls, improving response speed. 3. Low-Cost Implementation: No large PBX required; the combination of Telewarp’s simple setup and Ascend’s AI offers a cost-effective solution for SMEs.

Future Outlook: Both companies will collaborate on offering AI-integrated plans, strengthening service linkage, and conducting joint marketing campaigns to support SME productivity.