A communications revolution has been slowly but steadily engulfing enterprises of all types, in various, industries over the past decade. Seamless deployment of Voice/Video/Instant Messaging/Chat/Collaboration/Presence over existing IP communications links made this possible with cost savings, and brought people closer, even across geographical frontiers.
This technology transformation - Unified Communications (UC) - can be loosely defined as a host of communication-applications managed in a coordinated fashion and often deployed across a converged, next-generation network infrastructure.
Consolidation of Voice, Video, IM, Collaboration tools and other real-time communication tools on enterprise IP networks forms the UC solution that can be ubiquitously deployed and managed. Consolidation eliminates redundant voice and data networks with data and voice carried on the same T1/E1 line (example) instead of on PRI lines, and their associated investment and maintenance, for traditional voice networks. In addition, presence-enabled applications create an even richer communications experience.
As UC is taken further, enterprises are adopting new forms of interaction with external parties, including:
* Multi-channel communication with customers