Sidestepping the recession with unified communications

By Stephane Julien, product manager of unified communications, at Interoute, owner operator of Europe’s largest next generation network

Unified communications is fast becoming the saviour of European communications. A technology that is expected to walk though the economic downturn unscathed, it provides businesses with immediate cost efficiencies, enhances employee interaction and maximises productivity.

Capturing businesses

Having already caught the imagination of more than 80 per cent of European enterprises, who according to Forrester* are said to be in some stage of a unified communications (UC) implementation, it is no wonder there are strong forecasts for growth over the next couple of years. Business Insights penned the growth of UC at a CAGR of 12% from $21.5bn in 2008 to $37.3bn by 2013 for the global market.  This shouldn't be that surprising though, considering that most of the European workforce is within reach of multiple communication points, from phones to e-mail and instant messaging.

However, unified communications shouldn't be confused with converged communications, which allows many forms of communication through one single access point, typically fibre. This access point delivers data and voice as well as access to the cloud and other internet based services. Unified communications, on the other hand, is delivered at the application level. It is delivered via software such as Microsoft's Office Communications Server (OCS) that sits in the IT infrastructure and unifies activity between email, landline, mobile, instant messaging and video conferencing.

By unifying all forms of communication and synching devices in this way, each worker is theoretically always contactable through one number. The inclusion of 'presence' allows you to see colleagues' availability and therefore make a decision about the best form of contact based on whether they are in or out of the office. Less time spent tracking down colleagues and losing momentum equals improvements in productivity and decreasing project completion times.

Businesses looking to take advantage of these productivity gains have a range of options, with Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, Alcatel and Microsoft all offering a UC solution. And, while Cisco is considered to have the largest share of market, Microsoft is likely to make significant market gains in the next four years, as its software based OC Solution doesn't require additional hardware investment to get started and is by far the easiest to implement.

Unlocking Unified Communications

As large vendors enhance their UC offerings, organisations are being encouraged to adopt them. The businesses that are leading the way are the large banks, consulting companies and other large corporations, which have already invested heavily in IT infrastructure and will invest further in applications to improve productivity. Small and medium sized businesses with multiple PBXs but without the funds to afford a large infrastructure change are also looking for solutions where they don't have to rip and replace their previous investment. Microsoft OCS with SIP trunking fits this bill, as it provides an update in business communications with a smoother transition, and at a lower cost.

SIP trunking unlocks the full potential of Microsoft OS through a simple configuration at the firewall layer, providing businesses with immediate access to the voice world via their IP connection. The SIP Trunking approach is unique in that it goes beyond providing free calls between desks within the same building to providing free business-class VoIP calls between dispersed offices, in a few easy steps.

Driving benefits

UC not only helps organisations streamline and manage all business communications in order to maximise staff productivity and save money. But it is proving a useful tool for individual workers as they look to stay connected with their increasingly mobile colleagues. And, it is not just colleagues in their immediate vicinity, team members in different countries can now be tracked down at the touch of a button.

From a cost perspective, organisations are taking advantage of high quality video conferencing and international calls, all available for free or charged at local rates through UC and SIP trunking.  This business quality communication channel is making it possible to cut back on travelling to in-person meetings and in turn drive remote working capabilities. For businesses, this isn't just about the ability to reduce travel costs.

Businesses can decrease real estate costs for the company over all. In times when every penny counts and some businesses are imposing travel bans, these benefits are proving extremely worthwhile. The shift to virtual meetings is also being encouraged by the increasing popularity of 'green' policies.

How secure is it?

UC offerings shouldn't be confused with the free services provided via Skype. Business class UC can offer security on three levels. There is the physical layer of the MPLS Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection which enables businesses to completely separate their voice traffic from the public internet. Businesses can also prioritise voice traffic above data, meaning users are not left frustrated with intermitted call drops outs caused by packet loss. At the IP layer, UC can be supported by Transport Layer Security (TLS).  And, at the application layer, VoIP solutions can work with the firewall rather than around it. By channelling voice traffic through a specific port on the firewall, which the security admin can monitor rather than sending traffic through an artificial web browsing stream, the integrity of the data between the voice network and the OCS is ensured.  

So, what are the inhibitors?

The main barrier to UC take up is the perceived large scale cost of the new technology. However, this isn't the case with every solution. With Microsoft's OCS software, there is no need to install any additional hardware, as it is an application that can sit on any hardware set up. OCS can even be used as a PBX replacement. If installed before the PBX contract runs out, OCS will run parallel to the PBX then take over as the PBX contract comes to an end. This is also more scalable should the company expand, as instead of having to purchase a larger PBX you can simply add further licenses for the OCS software.

Businesses are often reluctant to adopt new technologies fearing implementation problems and the inadvertent risk to their reputation. SIP trunking as a new technology may seem daunting, and the move from handset to headset may seem a big jump in technology. But the move from phone to unified communications is actually a more manageable step.  Confident that users will become hooked on the technology, organisations can even conduct free trials of the software.

Conclusion

The adoption of UC if managed correctly can make your business more competitive. The unification of all communications will lead to improved productivity by saving valuable time. The combination of presence and voice increases employee availability which in turn will enhance customer relations by providing constant contact and allow employers to trust all employees working remotely. In order to get the most out of UC, the correct network infrastructure needs to be in place, as the network infrastructure will have a huge effect on the quality of the service delivered.

*According to Forrester's 2009 "Outlook for Unified Communications in Europe