Deploying unified communications may look like a luxury in these recessionary times, but enterprises can take steps on the migration path towards unified communications that bring immediate cost savings.
There is a growing consensus that enterprise communications is moving towards a unified communications (UC) endpoint, at which voice, email, instant messaging and video are linked to each other and to enterprise productivity applications. Microsoft is now aggressively marketing its OCS platform and this has brought UC into the mainstream. However, enterprises typically start towards UC from the position of having a complex legacy infrastructure, including PBXs from multiple vendors, separate email and conferencing systems and, often, widespread unauthorised use of IM. UC functionality integrates existing voice, email, and messaging infrastructure, both fixed and mobile, and builds on platforms such as Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes, as well as on SIP PBXs.
This report examines the competing claims of different types of vendor to provide the ideal starting point for deployment of UC, and considers possible migration paths and styles of UC architecture, with particular emphasis on fixed and mobile voice systems. It identifies the first steps that will offer quick wins for most enterprises as they look to cut costs while aiming for a strategic move to UC. It provides forecasts of the number of users and of spend on TDM, VoIP and FMC services for business voice in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the UK and Europe as a whole to 2014 for organisations of 20–500 and 500+ employees.
Migrating to unified communications: integrating legacy enterprise phone systems answers your key questions:
- How is UC developing in the enterprise?
- Will it be built around voice systems?
- Is Microsoft OCS the best platform for UC?
- How will mobile phones be integrated into UC systems?
- Which aspects of UC can bring immediate benefits to the business?
- Which UC tools deliver immediate cost savings?·
- How many enterprise networks are ready for UC deployment?
