SIMTone: Multiple carriers launching cloud-based desktops this year

Such affordable devices could ultimately open up the consumer market for SIMTone's services as well, the company said. And because it is based on virtualized cloud computing systems, telecom service providers could smooth out the differences in processing demands between business and residential users: For example, the same infrastructure that powers business services during the week could maintain consumer services at night and on weekends.

Carriers could choose among different models for their relationship with enterprises: They could, for example, manage connections between their cloud and the enterprise's cloud. They could provide a managed cloud utility service – just capacity and transport, for example. Or carriers could provide the cloud and the software platform that sits on top -- all as one service.

Whichever model carriers choose, SIMTone execs say their products let carriers leverage their infrastructure to address the burgeoning cloud computing market that others are already capitalizing on over carrier networks.

"We're moving intelligence back into the network, so carriers have their destiny back in their own hands," Dal Canto said.