Apple iPad Support: The Race is On
New UC Clients on the Horizon
May 2, 2012
Leading communications vendors continue to introduce UC clients running on computers and popular consumer mobile devices, addressing the ‘bring your own device’ or BYOD trend that has become unstoppable as more and more employees favor using their own smartphone or tablet for both personal and business communications (see related blog below “Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Embracing the Trend”).
Earlier this year, Avaya announced the Flare Communicator for iPad tablets as the first version of the Avaya Flare technology on a consumer tablet device (general availability was January 16, 2012; more devices are planned). Microsoft introduced support for the Lync 2010 client on its Windows Phone in December 2011, as well as on iPhone, iPad, Android and Nokia Symbian mobile devices; RIM is developing a Lync application for BlackBerry devices. Several other vendors, namely Aastra, Alcatel-Lucent and Cisco, are rolling out new UC clients for the Apple iPad and other devices in the coming months. Read more below.
Aastra
Description: Aastra is expanding its BluStar portfolio, adding support for this technology across a number of devices, including PCs, laptops and Apple iOS devices. The first product in the line, the BluStar 8000i media phone, was made generally available in November 2011 in North America and Western Europe. BluStar 8000i is a personal video phone that combines audio, HD video conferencing and unified communications into a single functional desktop display device. Now, Aastra is introducing this collaboration technology as client software for other devices, including a UC client for the Windows PC and for Apple’s iPhone and iPad, making it possible for users, especially remote workers, to choose the device that is most convenient for them and be able to collaborate with colleagues using video (2-way video initially; 3-way video later in 2012 for the Windows PC client).
Availability: The BluStar Windows PC client is expected in second quarter 2012; the Apple iOS client for iPhones and iPads will become available during the second half of 2012 and will be a subset of the PC client features focused on 2-party video calling. The BluStar clients will be available for the following Aastra call managers: Aastra 5000, MX-ONE and Aastra 400.
Alcatel-Lucent
Description: Alcatel-Lucent OpenTouch Conversation is the company’s new UC client that will enable a range of voice, video, instant messaging and data sharing capabilities across PCs and popular consumer devices, beginning with the Apple iPad in June 2012. OpenTouch Conversation builds on the OpenTouch architecture that Alcatel-Lucent introduced last November for mid-size and larger businesses. The technology concept is to allow users to continue conversations across multiple devices, including desktop phones, smartphones, tablets and PCs, without having to hang up and redial. For example, on the iPad screen, a user will be able to view a graphical timeline of recent, current and future conversations, as well as photos and presence statuses of their contacts, along with a "stage" where the current conversation takes place. Users will click on the screen to easily switch a chat session to a voice conversation or a video conference (the OpenTouch platform supports up to 94 participants). So, users are able to start a voice call on an office phone, seamlessly move the conversation to a video conference on a PC or tablet and then to a mobile phone if desired.
Availability: The OpenTouch Conversation client application will become available on the Apple iPad in June 2012, followed by clients for Windows PCs and the Mac operating system later in 2012. The iPhone client will be available for download at the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013. OpenTouch Conversation clients compatible with Android-based tablets and Android-, Microsoft Windows- and BlackBerry-based smartphones are expected in 2013.
Cisco
Description: Cisco is extending the Jabber UC application to Apple iPad tablets and Windows PC platforms, adding to its Jabber portfolio which already includes UC clients for Android, iPhone, Mac, BlackBerry and Cisco Cius. Users can collaborate using a variety of modes, including presence, instant messaging (IM), voice and video, voice messaging (visual voicemail), desktop sharing and conferencing from these popular consumer devices, PCs and laptops (note that video and desktop sharing are not part of the Jabber client for smartphones). Cisco Jabber users can also join Cisco TelePresence and WebEx sessions natively from their PC or mobile device (Cisco TelePresence and WebEx are separately purchased). Cisco acquired Jabber in 2008 and began incorporating the Jabber presence and IM technology into its on-premises solutions and cloud-based services, and since then, has developed a standards-based (H264, SIP, XMPP) UC client that combines federated presence and IM, but also incorporates other modes of communication. Cisco Jabber for iPad has three deployment options: IM only, Voice/Video or IM/Voice/Video. Cisco Jabber for Windows has the added benefits of HD video, desktop sharing and integration with Microsoft Office, Outlook and SharePoint.
Availability: Cisco Jabber for Windows is available as of April 16, 2012, and Jabber for iPad is due out in second quarter 2012.
Small Businesses Want Big Business Features
March 9, 2012
When choosing a new IP phone system, today’s small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) want high value phone system features that will improve productivity and collaboration and streamline their operation - ultimately resulting in better customer service that translates into more revenue. In short, small businesses want big business features.
There are common features supported by all phone systems today (hold, transfer, ad-hoc conference calling, Caller ID, etc.). But, aside from these expected features, today’s SMBs consistently request a number of higher value capabilities, including cell phone integration, desktop clients and unified messaging. Multi-party conferencing and call recording are also high on the list.
Furthermore, the larger the business, the greater the need for more enterprise-level features and higher-end applications such as multi-site networking, a contact center capability with reporting, third party integration such as for CRM applications, and of course, more advanced mobility.
Overall, mobility tops the list as a “must have” for any size business today as more and more professionals are on the go and working away from their office. SMBs are looking for affordable, easy-to-deploy access to phone system features from anywhere. Most phone systems today include standard features like find-me/follow-me call forwarding or a basic mobile twinning feature that rings multiple devices (simultaneously or in a cascading fashion). There may even be some call control features when the call is picked up from the alternate phone, such as transferring, holding or parking calls. Some mobile extension applications enable one phone number and one voicemail account regardless of the device used and the ability to assign an extension and profile to another phone (including an external phone) so that Caller ID information always displays the user’s office number.
Beyond these basic mobile options, SMBs are increasingly asking for more advanced cell phone integration that enables call control features from one of today’s popular consumer mobile devices such as an Apple iOS-based or Google Android-based device (the Bring Your Own Device or BYOD trend) . By simply installing client software, a smartphone or tablet device can still function as a personal phone, but also as a business phone with access to corporate phone system features such as extension dialing, call hold, transfer, forwarding or ad-hoc conferencing.
At the high-end, some SMBs are choosing to deploy a more costly Fixed Mobile Convergence solution (WiFi-Cellular) that utilizes a controller (server) connected to the phone system and client software to extend desktop telephone features to a mobile device for single number reach over both the corporate WiFi network and the cellular network. This may also support more advanced presence and location functionality or least cost routing that transmits cellular calls via the cheapest path inside and outside the enterprise.
New IP Phone Systems 2011 – a Chronology
SMBs Continue to Drive Business Telephony Market
January 4, 2012
A review of 2011 releases from the established telecom manufacturers reveals that the majority of the new IP phone systems that entered the market were again aimed at small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). It is well-known in most all world regions that smaller enterprises represent the largest and fastest growing business segment, and as such, are driving innovation. So it is no surprise that telecom manufacturers and service providers continue to make SMBs a particular focus as they introduce new IP phone systems, user devices and applications.
It was a good year for IP phone system introductions with twice as many new system entries compared to the previous year. About 20 new IP phone systems (some with multiple versions) and new system bundles were introduced by the telecom manufacturers we tracked* in 2011, with the majority (above 60%) aimed at the under 500-user segment. Aastra, Avaya, Cisco, Epygi, LG-Ericsson, Mitel, NEC, Panasonic, Siemens, snom, Toshiba and Vertical are among the telecom manufacturers that rolled out new IP phone systems or new system bundles for smaller businesses in 2011. Epygi and Toshiba also released higher capacity platforms that scale to 1,000 users, and there were several other mid-market offers, including Alcatel-Lucent’s OpenTouch Business Edition, Avaya Aura Midsize Enterprise and Siemens OpenScape UC Server Xpress. ShoreTel 12 addressed larger enterprises with additional scalability, and Siemens introduced the OpenScape UC Server Enterprise package for its large customers. See below for a detailed chronology.
Microsoft Lync was not new in 2011, but introduced in late 2010 as an upgrade to Microsoft’s Office Communications Server (OCS) unified communications software. Lync will continue to garner a lot of interest and speculation as an enterprise telephony solution with its added support for enterprise voice features.
New IP Phone Systems 2011
Below is a chronology that focuses on new IP phone systems or new system bundles that entered the market in 2011. There were also many new software releases for existing systems** and countless new user devices, mobile solutions and applications related to messaging, contact center, video, collaboration and business continuity. More on these in subsequent write-ups and in the G Business VoIP Insider as 2012 unfolds.
January 2011: Vertical released MBX IP for growing small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), a converged TDM/IP system that scales from 50 to 324 extensions (target is 200 extensions). MBX IP is positioned as the “going forward system” for businesses currently deploying Vertical's SBX IP Key system introduced in 2008 or for customers with a legacy key system from Comdial or Vodavi, two companies previously acquired by Vertical.
February 2011: Aastra introduced a new system called Aastra 700 to replace the company’s MX-ONE Compact for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Aastra 700 has the same capacity as the earlier MX-ONE Compact (up to 1,000 users in North America or 300 users elsewhere), but utilizes virtualization technology that reduces the hardware requirement. Aastra 700 adheres to open industry standards and has built-in, license-activated UC applications.
February 2011: Epygi responded to customer demand in foreign markets for larger capacity Quadro platforms with built-in ISDN BRI interfaces (ISDN BRI is a common trunking interface promoted in many countries outside of the United States). Two new Quadro systems, QuadroM12Li and QuadroM26xi, each support six ISDN BRI trunks and more IP phones (98 and 106 telephones, respectively) than Epygi’s earlier Quadro4xi and Quadro 16xi ISDN platforms (66 telephones).
February 2011: Siemens introduced two new IP-based voice packages for mid- to large-size enterprises, namely OpenScape UC Server Xpress, a Linux-based, pre-configured hardware and software solution for mid-market customers (350-1,000 users) and OpenScape UC Server Enterprise, an integrated OpenScape Voice and OpenScape UC software solution for larger enterprises (to 100,000 users). Both new packaged offers have license-based pricing similar to that of Siemens’ voice-only solutions, but which is less than purchasing the UC applications separately.
March 2011: At the annual Cisco Partner Summit, Cisco announced two new platforms designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), the Unified Communications 300 Series (2-24 users) and Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition 3000 (75-300 users across 10 sites). Both new solutions are all-in-one designs with what Cisco calls “foundational unified communications features” or an essential feature set that is required/desired by most SMBs.
March 2011: Siemens updated the OpenScape Office product for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), still offering the OpenScape Office MX for up to 150 users (previously available), but introducing the new OpenScape Office LX (to 500 users), a software-only version with software running on Linux-based industry standard server hardware or on a single virtualized server using virtualization technology from VMware (vSphere). At the same time, Siemens introduced the OpenScape Office HX Unified Communications (UC) software application server, adding UC features for the company’s earlier HiPath 3000 converged PBX for SMBs.
March 2011: snom introduced a hardware-based version of its snom ONE IP PBX called snom ONE plus (a software-only version was introduced in December 2010). The solid state appliance is available in two versions, each of which has the same snom ONE features: snom ONE plus yellow (up to 20 extensions) and snom ONE plus blue (up to 150 extensions). The appliance supports SIP trunking or PSTN connectivity via analog, PRI, BRI, T1 and E1 interface cards for flexibility in configuration and connectivity in regions with differing trunking requirements.
March 2011: Avaya announced Aura Midsize Enterprise, a single server platform that targets businesses with 250-1,000 employees. Aura ME is the successor to the Avaya Aura System Platform, a virtualized platform (Xen technology) first introduced in December 2009, but adds four additional co-resident applications beyond this earlier version, for a total of seven co-resident applications. The system supports centralized, distributed or mixed (centralized and distributed) branch architectures for up to 250 remote sites and up to 384 users per site using Avaya’s new B5800 Branch Gateway.
April 2011: Aastra announced the Aastra 400, an IP phone system for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) in France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK and later added several more European countries (Belgium, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Italy, and Netherlands), plus Brazil and Australia. Aastra 400 represents the next generation and evolution for earlier SMB platforms from Aastra, namely BusinessPhone, IntelliGate and MD-Evolution. Aastra 400 comes in three versions, Aastra 415 (4-12 users), Aastra 430 (to 50 users) and Aastra 470 (to 400 users with expansion to 600 users through networking).
May 2011: Avaya updated IP Office with a number of enhancements for smaller businesses, including a new mode of operation for the sub-20 user market; the new Quick Mode enables basic system functionality with voice mailboxes on all phones and a simple Telephony User Interface (TUI) or Graphical User Interface (GUI) for managing the system. Also, the IP Office Essential Edition Norstar Version, first introduced in 2010, now has more capacity, up to 100 analog or digital stations and 64 trunks (the PARTNER Version also has this increased capacity).
May 2011: ShoreTel addressed larger enterprises with a new version of its call processing software, ShoreTel 12, that doubles the user capacity to 20,000 local or remote users in a single system image (up from 10,000). Up to 500 ShoreGear voice switches can be connected anywhere on the IP network to handle a maximum of 20,000 total users. This total can include up to 20,000 IP phone users or up to 5,000 analog phone users.
June 2011: Toshiba released IPedge, an IP-only platform that runs multiple applications on a single Linux-based server. Call processing, voicemail and centralized management are built-in and part of the standard software, while unified messaging, UC client software and Meeting audio/Web conferencing reside on the system as license-activated applications. IPedge comes in three models: the EC server (200 users) and the EM server (up to 1,000 users) were released first, while the EP server for smaller businesses (8-40 users) became available in September 2011.
August 2011: Epygi announced its first offer geared toward mid-size enterprises, the QX1000, which handles 1,000 IP extensions and has some more advanced capabilities, including a new audio/video conferencing licensed feature and a hot standby option. The QX1000 unit supports 200 IP phones in the default configuration with an additional 800 SIP phones enabled via software licenses in blocks of 16, 32 or 64 phones. The new platform joins other Epygi Quadro all-in-one IP PBXs that have varying physical trunk and station configurations and scalability from two to 192 users.
August 2011: Panasonic partnered with software provider BroadSoft to offer the new Panasonic Cloud Business Phone System for businesses with up to seven employees. The offer is comprised of Panasonic’s KX-TGP551 SIP Cordless Phone System, a corded handset base station and up to six associated cordless handsets at the customer premises, with BroadSoft’s BroadWorks switch providing the call control as a hosted service.
September 2011: LG-Ericsson’s new iPECS SBG-1000 is a SIP-based system for very small businesses (up to 24 users) that incorporates voice, data and wireless services all in one box. The SBG-1000 includes voicemail and auto attendant, license-activated applications, SIP trunking, a WiFi antenna and DECT base station, Gigabit WAN connections, LAN ports with built-in PoE, an embedded file server/print server and Web-based administration.
September 2011: As part of the latest Mitel Communications Director (MCD) release and enhancements, Mitel expanded the scalability of its virtualized solution, Virtual MCD (vMCD), to handle 150-2,500 users (previously, vMCD scaled from 300-1,000 users). Virtual MCD consolidates voice and non-voice (data) applications on a single VMware vSphere platform. The latest version (5.0) provides a virtualized MCD for smaller businesses (150 users) that includes embedded voicemail and auto attendant, creating an all-in-one virtualized solution convenient for smaller companies.
September 2011: NEC developed a new bundled offer for the mid-market (50-300 users) called UNIVERGE Sphericall for Medium Businesses and Small Enterprises (MB/SE); four configurations offer different levels of functionality with Sphericall call control (R8.0) and user-based licensing, a choice of IP phones and NEC’s UM8700 Lite unified messaging on a general purpose server.
November 2011: Alcatel-Lucent released the first products in its OpenTouch suite for mid-size and larger businesses, introducing new IP telephony platform options to meet varying customer needs and pre-installed software applications such as for one number service, Web conferencing, presence, Instant Messaging, video interactions. New platforms include OpenTouch Business Edition 500 Users (Appliance Server), OpenTouch Business Edition 1500 Users (Appliance Server) and OpenTouch Business Edition Hosted 500 users (Blade Server for data center environments available as a managed or hosted service), as well as the OpenTouch Multimedia Services 1500 Users, a software add-on for existing OmniPCX Enterprise Communication (OXE) customers.
Business Applications – Mobility, Video and the Cloud
As noted earlier, there was no shortage of new productivity applications, phones and mobile devices to complement the new and existing IP phone systems in 2011.
New technology is emerging rapidly, and 2012 will be another year of major advances in the business communications market. Read the monthly G Business VoIP Insider to stay informed about the latest new offers as the New Year unfolds.
*G Business VoIP tracks business telephony products from leading manufacturers, including Aastra, Alcatel-Lucent, Allworx, AltiGen, Altitude, Avaya, AVST, Cisco, CounterPath, Digium, eOn, Epygi, ESI, Esnatech, Grandstream, HP, Interactive Intelligence, Iwatsu, LG-Ericsson, Microsoft, Mitel, NEC, Panasonic, Polycom, RADVISION, Samsung, ShoreTel, Siemens, snom, Tadiran, Toshiba,Vertical and Zultys.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Embracing the Trend
December 21, 2011
Consumer mobile devices continue to find their way into the workplace as more and more employees are coming to work equipped with their own mobile phone. This trend, dubbed “Bring your own device” or BYOD, is clearly unstoppable. In fact, a 2011 Forrester Research survey of 1,681 U.S.-based workers indicated that the number of workers using consumer devices, such as Android-based smartphones or the Apple iPhone, for work-related purposes is certainly on the rise. Nearly half (48%) of those surveyed said they chose a particular smartphone based on their own individual preference, without regard to what mobile devices their company recommends or supports. And, in environments where employees are forced to use a company-approved mobile device, the study found that many workers are bringing in their own smartphone anyway in order to use applications not supported by the approved device.
IBM is a good example of a major corporation that is embracing the BYOD trend, but with some precautions. IBM is preparing to allow some 200,000 IBM employees (half of the company’s global workforce) to bring their own smartphone or tablet to work by 2012. IBM recognizes what it refers to as the consumerization of IT with employees preferring to use their personal mobile device at work. Rather than buck this trend, the company is accepting this reality, but taking steps to secure their internal network at the same time. IBM will require users to download IBM client software onto their device and is also developing endpoint management tools that will delete corporate proprietary information if the device is lost or stolen.
Most unified communications (UC) vendors are wisely introducing mobility solutions compatible with the leading smartphones and tablets rather than developing their own, proprietary devices. Those that are fully behind the open mobile platform approach or BYOD concept are extending support to the highly popular Android-based consumer mobile devices, including those from Motorola, Samsung and HTC that support the Android operating system, as well as smartphones and tablets based on Apple, Symbian and BlackBerry operating systems.
Looking forward, there is no doubt that consumer mobile devices will continue to make their way into the business environment. By using the same mobile device for both personal and business communications, workers never miss an important call and can collaborate with colleagues and customers quickly and efficiently, from anywhere. Businesses will find it impossible to ignore the BYOD trend and addressing security issues will be a very high priority. But, in the end, a mobile device that can function as both a personal and business device means improved employee productivity and better customer service - businesses must and will embrace the trend.
The Right Phone
September 30, 2011
There is a lot of talk about Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) telephones. These phones continue to gain ground due to a wide market reach and interoperability with a variety of SIP-compatible phone systems such as those from Avaya, Cisco, Digium, Mitel, NEC, Toshiba and Vertical, to name only a few, but also service provider hosted phone systems from BroadSoft, Metaswitch and others.
The investment protection is appealing, and in addition, SIP phone manufacturers continue to add new models and enhance the functionality. An informal survey of SIP phone manufacturers revealed that the lower-priced entry-level SIP telephones are most widely sold as budgets remain constrained in our current economy, so most manufacturers now offer a low-cost model for under $100. Grandstream sells their newest entry-level SIP phone for just $55, and while there is no display, the phone does support some more advanced features such as HD audio, security protection and integrated Power over Ethernet.
The benefits of SIP phones are easy to see, but SIP phones don’t always meet end user needs. Selecting a phone really depends on the user’s particular job function and the applications they require to handle their day-to-day tasks. A company CEO will likely require a high-end, full featured, large screen executive phone set, while a busy office receptionist will use a PC attendant console with softphone in order to view and manage call activity, directories and statistics. Sales executives will want a mobile device that functions as their office extension whether they are in the office using the corporate WiFi network or out of the office on a cellular network.
End users must also be aware that SIP phone features depend on the associated telephony system. As an example, with Toshiba’s new IPedge, customers can choose to deploy Toshiba’s own IP 5000 phones or a selection of Polycom SIP-based endpoints. There are differences. The Toshiba IP phones are tightly integrated with the phone system and enable more functionality than is possible with the Polycom SIP endpoint. IPedge users with a Polycom endpoint will not have access to some basic functionality such as conferencing, multiple line appearances, inbound paging and blind call transfer, and several features (e.g. voicemail retrieval, call forwarding, do not disturb, etc.) require the user to press # access codes instead of the convenient one-touch buttons found on the Toshiba IP phones.
So, in the end, businesses must carefully evaluate job functions and required applications and find the right phone for each employee – the phone that allows each worker to accomplish their particular tasks and to communicate most effectively with customers and colleagues. Afterall, productive employees are a company’s most valuable asset, and the right phone may make all the difference.
Web Conferencing, In-house vs. Hosted, the ROI
May 2, 2011
The current trend toward a more distributed and more global business environment has been well-discussed. The number of remote workers and telecommuters is growing fast, and at the same time, there is the expectation that we are on-call and available 24x7. Web and video conferencing is a natural fit since it enables a viable alternative to travel, effectively allowing colleagues and customers to communicate with ease, anytime and from anywhere.
In addition to the collaborative advantages, vendors of Web and video conferencing solutions are highlighting the cost-cutting aspect due to reduced travel, but also the benefit to the environment in terms of lower carbon emissions. Some governments in Europe and Asia are now mandating environmental policies, and many companies in the United States have begun their own initiatives, actively using collaborative conferencing to reduce travel costs and help our planet. Some are going as far as instituting company travel policies that require virtual meetings instead of travel.
So, the benefits are easy to see. The question becomes whether to deploy an in-house conferencing server or to use a hosted conferencing service from an outside vendor. Of course, there are hardware equipment costs and maintenance issues for the in-house solution, while the hosted service will entail monthly fees or fees per use. In-house solutions are limited in terms of capacity and features with a fixed maximum for the number of participants in the conference. Hosted services, on the other hand, can handle large numbers of participants, and new features can be added as these emerge. Businesses can quickly take advantage of new technologies as needed without the hassle of deploying additional software or equipment.
For businesses, the decision point rests on what their particular conferencing needs are and which option will be more cost effective in the long run. What is the business objective? For businesses that have a regular, predictable need for meet-me or Web conferencing meetings such as among internal sales groups or executives, it may make good sense to invest in on-premises hardware that will pay for itself over time. In-house conferencing solutions can guarantee privacy and security as well. For businesses that routinely engage in large-scale webinars, or those whose conferencing needs are infrequent, a hosted service may be the answer.
It’s really all about the Return on Investment (ROI) based on a business’ conferencing objective. What are the actual savings that will result from purchasing equipment versus making an ongoing payment for a hosted service? More and more, small and mid-size businesses with regular conferencing needs will likely opt for an in-house solution, or at least seriously consider this, and here's why. Keep an eye on the latest SMB telephony systems as manufacturers continue to make the in-house Web conferencing option even more attractive by offering Web conferencing functionality that runs natively on an IP communications system with no additional hardware required.
Smartphones and Tablets Take Center Stage
January 24, 2011
Looking back over 2010, there were a host of new products and applications introduced into the business telephony market, including new VoIP desktop telephones and softphones and new applications related to contact center, conferencing, messaging, mobility, presence and video. Also, some new trends emerged such as voice virtualization, a stepping stone toward cloud-based services, and new user experiences or so-called personal workspaces that utilize tablet devices. And, as in prior years, Small and Mid-sized businesses (SMBs) remain a key and growing segment within the enterprise communications market and a particular target for new solutions.
Most significant, however, has been the focus on end user devices that improve worker productivity and make collaboration simpler and more efficient. Smartphones and tablet devices have taken center stage as these consumer devices continue to make their way into the business environment, becoming the device of choice for today’s dispersed and mobile workers. Many of us are frequently away from our offices, so using the same mobile device as both our personal phone and our business telephone means never missing an important call and being able to collaborate with colleagues and customers quickly and efficiently – an obvious advantage for any business.
Telecom manufacturers have been busy developing solutions that integrate these mobile devices into the workplace. By simply installing client software, a smartphone can function as both a personal phone, but also as a business telephone to make calls and to access corporate PBX calling features such as extension dialing, call hold, transfer, forwarding or ad-hoc conferencing. Some clients support more advanced presence and location functionality or least cost routing that transmits cellular calls via the cheapest path inside and outside the enterprise.
The benefits to both businesses and their employees are clear. Regardless of the network that the call is using (cellular or corporate WiFi), the Caller ID name and number of the user’s office extension will be displayed, giving employees a single phone number and single voicemail wherever they are. Businesses will benefit from lower communications costs when the corporate WiFi network is used for voice calls instead of more expensive cellular minutes.
Looking forward, we can expect continued uptake of smartphone and tablet devices in the business environment as these are fast becoming the devices of choice for today’s mobile workers. In conjunction, video collaboration will also play a key role, becoming more affordable, easier to manage and more available with high quality video features delivered via portable smartphone and tablet devices. This innovation and integration will also mean more focus on corporate security and management of these mobile devices.
Voice Virtualization and True Convergence
December 28, 2010
Virtualization technology is advancing rapidly. It well-known in the IT space, but for voice communications, virtualization is just taking off. Several leading telecom manufacturers have announced virtualized telephony solutions for larger businesses that allow their enterprise-level call control software to run with their own voice applications on a single virtualized platform. Fewer (so far) have begun to take this to the next level, running their voice software alongside data applications for true consolidation and convergence in either a data center environment or in a cloud computing scenario.
As background, virtualization technology is a layer of software that decouples or breaks the bond between the operating system and the physical hardware, thus allowing multiple operating systems and software applications to run simultaneously and share the resources of a single physical computer. So, for example, an IT organization can run both Windows and Linux, or multiple versions of an operating system, along with multiple applications, on the same server. Fewer servers results in capital, operational and energy savings.
Businesses will hear about the economic savings of a virtualized telephony solution, as well as the environmental benefits in terms of energy, but they will also consider the potential down-side. Each physical server still has the potential for hardware failure, and with fewer actual servers running multiple applications, there is the risk for failure of all of these applications at once if the server goes down.
So, the question remains “When the pros and cons are weighed, will businesses choose to adopt voice virtualization technology?” I believe so. Technology is advancing quickly in this area, and the hardware failure issues will be overcome. The consolidation of hardware and the associated savings tied to running call control software and voice applications together are appealing, and even more so when both voice and data applications successfully co-reside on the same server. This true convergence, in which telephony and IT come together, is the future of communications.
Media Phone vs. UC Client?
June 23, 2010
In recent months, a number of leading communications vendors have introduced new multimedia desktop phones that integrate a telephone with video and/or Internet content and even access to popular social media applications. With so many of these new devices making a debut, it seems that the new media phone market is poised to take off. And, it’s not just the business communications market. Service providers, too, are rolling out media phones, but to the consumer market. The Verizon Hub, a new touch screen home phone, promises to replace traditional home phones with a “home communications system” that runs over broadband.
Some analysts are predicting that the media phone market, for both businesses and consumers, will soar over the next few years; however, others (Microsoft among them) are touting the end of the desk telephone altogether, since soft phones and unified communications clients are already providing more advanced, multimedia functionality via an existing PC or even over a mobile device.
As leading communications vendors are introducing new media phones, they are simultaneously developing and marketing unified communications clients that encapsulate all communications – telephony, presence and contact management, Instant Messaging, e-mail and voice mail, video and much more, right from an existing desktop PC, or better yet, a mobile device. And with the proliferation of mobility, one wonders if the media phone will have much of a future.
Email: info@gbusinessvoip.com