Unified communications or UC, is a business and marketing concept describing the integration of enterprise communication services such as
- Instant messaging (chat),
- Presence information, voice (including IP telephony),
- Mobility features (including extension mobility and single number reach),
- Audio,
- Web & video conferencing,
- Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC),
- Desktop sharing,
- Data sharing (including web-connected electronic interactive whiteboards),
- Call control and
- Speech recognition with non-real-time communication services such as unified messaging (integrated voicemail, e-mail, SMS and fax).
Simply, unified communications is an evolving set of technologies that automates and unifies human and device communications in a common context and experience.
It optimizes business processes and enhances human communications by reducing latency, managing flows, and eliminating device and media dependencies.
UC is not necessarily a single product, but a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
Table of Contents
UC is a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
In its broadest sense, the UC can encompass all forms of communications that are exchanged via a network to include other forms of communications such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and digital signage communications as they become an integrated part of the network communications deployment and may be directed as one-to-one communications or broadcast communications from one to many.
UC allows an individual to send a message on one medium and receive the same communication on another medium.
For example, one can receive a voicemail message and choose to access it through e-mail or a smartphone on Microsoft 365.
If the sender is online according to the presence information and currently accepts calls, the response can be sent immediately through text chat or a video call.
Otherwise, it may be sent as a non-real-time message that can be accessed through a variety of media.
Unified Communications allow freedom
Investing in a UC service that delivers a consistent, multi-device, UI, and UX platform can free your organization from the need to download, install, and learn new software.
With the right UC provider, all your communications are streamlined, reducing friction within your organization.
While freedom is an essential feature of UC, you should not jeopardize your company by investing in a service that may put your business at risk.
Before investing in a UC provider, make sure that you speak with us about security features and encryption services, as well as refined user controls, privacy, and transparency.
Contrasting Unified Messaging
Unified communications are sometimes confused with unified messaging, but it is distinct.
Unified communications refer to both real-time and non-real-time delivery of communications based on the preferred method and location of the recipient; unified messaging culls messages from several sources (such as e-mail, voice mail, and faxes), but holds those messages only for retrieval at a later time.
Unified communications allow for an individual to check and retrieve an e-mail or voice mail from any communication device at any time.
It expands beyond voice mail services to data communications and video services.
Components of Unified Communication
With unified communications, multiple modes of business communications are integrated.
Unified communications is not a single product but a collection of elements that include:
- Call control and multimodal communications
- Presence
- Instant messaging
- Unified messaging
- Speech access and personal assistant
- Conferencing (audio, Web, and video)
- Collaboration tools
- Mobility
- Business process integration (BPI)
- Software to enable business process integration
Presence
Presence is knowing where intended recipients are, and if they are available, in real-time – is a key component of unified communications.
Unified communications integrate all systems a user might already use, and help those systems work together in real-time.
For example, unified communications technology could allow a user to seamlessly collaborate with another person on a project, even if the two users are in separate locations.
The user could quickly locate the necessary person by accessing an interactive directory, engaging in a text messaging session, and then escalating the session to a voice call or even a video call.
In another example, an employee receives a call from a customer who wants answers.
Unified communications enable that employee to call an expert colleague from a real-time list.
This way, the employee can answer the customer faster by eliminating rounds of back-and-forth e-mails and phone-tag.
Benefits of Unified Communications
UC offers a competitive advantage to businesses by reducing the number of independent tools, platforms, and solutions they need to communicate.
Many businesses are choosing UC solutions over a traditional phone system because it’s a better way to future-proof their investment and keep pace with advances in technology.
Here are a few of the main benefits UC has to offer businesses:
- Improved efficiency
- Reduced costs
- Increased revenue
- Better customer service
Can Unified Communications (UC) work for companies?
The examples in the previous paragraph primarily describe “personal productivity” enhancements that tend to benefit the individual user.
While such benefits can be important, enterprises are finding that they can achieve even greater impact by using unified communications capabilities to transform business processes.
This is achieved by integrating UC functionality directly into the business applications using development tools provided by many of the suppliers.
Instead of the individual user invoking the UC functionality to, say, find an appropriate resource, the workflow or process application automatically identifies the resource at the point in the business activity where one is needed.
When used in this manner, the concept of presence often changes.
Most people associate presence with instant messaging (IM “buddy lists”) the status of individuals is identified.
But, in many business process applications, what is important is finding someone with a certain skill. In these environments, presence identifies available skills or capabilities.
This “business process” approach to integrating UC functionality can result in bottom-line benefits that are an order of magnitude greater than those achievable by personal productivity methods alone.
What are some popular Unified Communications (UC) platforms?
There are several popular Unified Communications (UC) platforms available in the market today. Some of the popular ones include:
It is a collaboration platform that integrates chat, video conferencing, document sharing, and other communication tools. It also offers integration with other Microsoft products like Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
It is a cloud-based video conferencing platform that allows users to host and join virtual meetings, webinars, and online events. It also offers features like screen sharing, recording, and file sharing.
It is a video conferencing platform that allows users to host and join virtual meetings, webinars, and online events. It also offers features like screen sharing, recording, and file sharing.
Cisco Webex
It is a web conferencing platform that allows users to participate in virtual meetings, webinars, and online events. It also offers features like screen sharing, recording, and file sharing.
Avaya Spaces
It is a cloud-based collaboration platform that offers chat, video conferencing, document sharing, and other communication tools. It also offers integration with other Avaya products like Avaya IX Workplace and Avaya Vantage.
