Technology: Improving Communications
Author: Paul Moncrief
January 2007
Paul Moncrief, Berbee
The days of the busy signal and answering machines are over. Communications, like computer technology, continues to evolve at a dizzying pace. Today, technology is sophisticated enough that a single message can follow the intended recipient to any number of outlets including voicemail, email, i-Pods, BlackBerrys and Blue Tooth devices.
The Cisco Unified Communications suite of solutions enable all communications to be single-focused through a common platform built around the Call Manager – IP PBX (Private Branch Exchange).
What is Unified Communications?
In a traditional system, a PBX handles routing calls to the correct telephone line. With a conventional PBX, companies need separate networks for voice and data communications. One of the main advantages of an IP based PBX is the fact that it employs converged data and voice networks. This means that Internet access, Voice over IP (VoIP) communications, and traditional telephone communications are all possible using a single line to each user. This provides flexibility as an enterprise grows, and can also reduce long-term operation and maintenance costs. Out of that core comes a host of products that provide users a common platform to access all communications, including voice, video, and collaboration. This total package of solutions, from the IP PBX to the products running on the converged network, is what Unified Communications is all about.
One such Unified Communications product running on the core is Cisco Unified MeetingPlace®. This complete conferencing solution integrates voice, video, and web conferencing. It is deployed on the network, behind the firewall and integrated directly into an organization's private voice and data networks and collaborative applications. This helps businesses save money, improve security, and provide an enhanced user experience.
Another component is Cisco Unity Unified Messaging. Cisco Unity Unified Messaging delivers unified messaging across email, voice, and fax messages sent to one inbox. If you send me a voicemail, the Unity Unified Messaging solution takes that message and deposits it into my Outlook or Lotus Notes email as a waiting media file. You can listen to it in your inbox or through your phone, and save it to your own computer. It also allows for intelligent voice messaging. All together, this solution improves communication, boosts productivity, and enhances customer service capabilities.
Unified Communications also includes capabilities for customer contact and call centers. With these technologies residing on the converged networks, users can readily handle large volumes of customer interactions, whether they are phone calls, email, or web-based communications. And with voice self-service solutions using automated speech recognition and text-to-speech, customers can, for example, pay bills, order products, and track deliveries-all without the costs of interacting with a live agent.
The next exciting phase in Unified Communications comes with Presence capabilities. Cisco Unified Presence Server uses dynamic presence information, to allow users to check the availability of colleagues in real time, reducing "phone tag" and improving productivity. Cisco Unified Presence Server also provides a standards-based presence service that works with Cisco Unified IP phones connected to Cisco Unified CallManager. Support of open standards enables integration to other systems such as IBM Lotus and Microsoft Office Communicator clients. In short, Cisco Unified Presence Server helps users quickly connect to their colleagues using the most appropriate communications medium at any given time.
All told, Unified Communications really enables businesses to communicate more efficiently. Businesses are able to stay connected with their employees, and their employees with their customers, regardless of where the employees are located (desk phone, cell phone, home phone). Think of the CallManager IP PBX as the hub and the user’s location as the spoke. A spoke that can now be anywhere the end user is located on the network.
How has communications progressed through the years?
We’ve gone from the old days of rotary and Time-division multiplexing (TDM) phones, into an IP-based environment. It has truly eliminated the boundaries of the traditional PBX, and has allowed voice, video, and collaborative features to be delivered to the user in the best method, regardless of where the user is located. It’s the new way to connect, and the way we’re interacting with all of this is becoming the standard. It’s the next logical step. Cisco is converging the traditional data network to include not only files and information, but also to integrate and simplify voice, video and data.
How exclusive is Unified Communications to Cisco?
Cisco has the best end-to-end solution available in the market today. While their competitors have components, they cannot compare with Cisco when it comes to a total Unified Communications solution. Cisco has the largest share of the IP Telephony market, and is constantly innovating to bring even more powerful communication products to the market.
Why switch?
When IP communication first burst onto the scene, it was all about how to reduce communication cost, which made it a purely ROI-based decision. Today, with all of the convergence Unified Communications offers, an organization can build a solid infrastructure that can transport data, voice, and video on the same network. This means lower support costs, less people needed to maintain separate networks, and better tools to manage the infrastructure. In the old days, if I wanted to move my phone from one area to another, I had to call a telephone provider. Now, I just unplug my phone in one office and plug it in at another office.
And once you’re converged network is up and running, you can start to look at ways to improve productivity through things like web-conferencing and call centers. It drives new business and strategies that were never possible in the past.
Who installs the systems?
In the previous Cisco business partner structure, Cisco designated three levels of partner status, with Gold being the highest. Cisco recently introduced a new program called Master Specialization. Berbee Information Networks Corporation, previously a Gold Certified Partner, has now achieved Master Certification in Unified Communications and Security. We are the first partner in the world to achieve the Master Certification. This means we have extensive experience and certified staff members that have met a strict set of criteria. This criteria includes comprehensive abilities starting with the Sales and Design process, and continuing through Delivery, Implementation, and Support of our clients’ systems.
Berbee has assisted clients with a full range of technology solutions. For more information, please visit www.berbee.com or call John Uchacker at 513.677.4119.
