1) IP Telephony (also referred to as VOIP) is the contemporary technology for voice communications. With VOIP, telephone calls are transmitted in the form of Internet Protocol (IP) packets over a data network, instead of digital “ones and zeros” on the traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN).

 

In addition to VOIP Systems, contact center capabilities that utilize UC tools are also often included in the voice communications category of Unified Communications. Many UC solutions also include a “soft phone” capability that allows you to use your laptop or desktop PC as an IP phone to launch and receive calls.

 

2) Enterprise Mobility Businesses are deploying mobile workforce solution to address the key challenges associated with BYOD (bring-your-own-device) demands from employees: soaring international roaming costs, poor in-building coverage, and integration into corporate PBX and unified communications.

 

3) Instant Messaging (or IM) allows two or more people to communicate with words in a text format using personal computers or other devices such as smart phones or tablets.

 

4) Conferencing allows two or more individuals to interact using simultaneous audio (Audio Conferencing), combined audio and video (Video Conferencing), or a combination of audio, video and visual information sharing -- such as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation – using a web browser-based capability (Web Conferencing). Businesses of all sizes typically use conferencing to reduce the need for travel, as well as encourage tighter collaboration between employees, customers and partners who may be at different physical locations.

 

5) Unified Messaging is itself an integrated set of capabilities which allows users to send and receive voicemails, emails, faxes and text messages using a variety of devices, and then switch back and forth interchangeably between the different message   formats.

 

6) Presence is the capability of an end user to indicate their current “communications status” to others -- whether or not they are available to communicate, and if so, how they would prefer to be communicated with (for example, “I’m available”, “on a call” or “In meeting”).

 

Instead of being separate stand-alone communication tools (such as a telephone set and a fax machine), UC applications are in fact designed to all work together and provide a single, fully integrated communications experience for the end user.

 

So what does this all amount to from a business standpoint? In a nutshell, UC is all about enhancing your company’s ability to communicate more rapidly and effectively, and in doing so, making your employees more responsive and productive, and your business processes and procedures more efficient.

 

 

 

Bill Flanagan is Founder and CEO of NORSTAR Networks can be reached at 800-228-1308 or email bflanagan@norstar.net