Unified Communications ? Everything At Once

It wasn?t too long ago that office hallways were filled with people carrying a utility belt that would make Batman jealous. No, the belt didn?t have crime-fighting tools; instead, it usually had some combination of PDA, cell phone (one or two), a pager, and possibly even a small notebook with all possible logins for IM and email accounts ? and none of those synced up wirelessly.

If that doesn?t seem like ages ago, it?s because it wasn?t. However, the rapid evolution of smartphones, VoIP, and collaborative sync platforms have changed quickly everything. Technology is consolidating, creating a synced-up world where communication is updating in real time, all streamlined down to a select few devices. That?s the big idea behind unified communications: providing users with a fast and easy way to maintain their data and communication without having to carry a Batman-esque utility belt.

Everything starts with the network platform for communication. Microsoft Lync is one of the leading choices because of its flexibility and compatibility. It?s Microsoft, of course, so it works seamlessly with the complete Office suite. On top of that, Lync allows users to maintain contacts and check availability, sync email, send instant messages, and start conferences (audio/video) for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices. Mobile devices are just the beginning. Lync extends fully out to desktops, creating an all-in-one package that integrates communication, collaboration, and Office applications.

How far out can this extend? VoIP phones are now becoming the norm for many organizations. These devices may look like a standard desk telephone, though they connect through an ethernet cable rather than a standard phone cable. This extended bandwidth opens up many capabilities, including sync with email servers. For example, Cisco?s VoIP phones can integrate with Microsoft Outlook servers so that voice mails are stored both on your phone system AND as an email with an audio file ? and when you delete the message on your phone, the email disappears too.

VoIP phones have come quite a ways in just a few years. Polycom?s VVX 1500 media phone set the stage in 2009, bringing together integrated video conferencing and web access through a simple desktop phone. While this may seem like many extra bells and whistles, the goal for all of this is really to streamline communication, giving users the option of going with whatever method is most convenient at the time.

What?s next? The near-future may bring us even further leaps and bounds in the realm of unified communication. In October 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype, the leading video conferencing provider. While no formal plans have been announced, you can bet that Microsoft is hard at work integrating Skype?s proven system with its own Lync system. The results may take communication to the realms once left to the pages of Batman comics and science-fiction.

Source: http://www.calnettech.com/blog/unified-communications

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