So while SPs of all types scramble to capture the fully integrated communications market, it seems that there's plenty of opportunity for all sorts of players to meet the needs of varying business segments. From hosted cloud providers like PanTerra Networks and 8X8, to legacy carriers, UC will continue to require a sound business proposition to grab a foothold in the business environment.
Turns out the dream of UC and that one contact number you can control on the fly will not only be a complicated solution to provide, but will require a buy-in from all levels of enterprise prior to adopting a UC solution. But providers who can invest in networks and guarantee a reliable service, will be ready to grab the top-tier global business, particularly those who have invested in mobile.
"SPs get a pretty bum rap for how they deliver services, but what they do is very difficult–its one of the hardest things to do in the world," May said. "The issue they have is that they have to spend on mobile to maintain position. So it's all about fighting for capital."
The Reality of Unified Communications
The promise of one number to reach you anywhere you go isn't quite a reality–yet. But SMEs are increasingly investing in at least one component of UC. According to a recent report from IDC, at least 30 percent of small businesses and 55 percent of medium-sized enterprises will add at least one UC component in the next 12 months.
IDC researchers also noted," VoIP technology is gaining steam in the SME market with more than 30 using this technology." The report goes on to explain that small businesses tend not to deploy VoIP because of a combination in f a lack of awareness and a resistance to investing in a new technology.
The primary barrier to more widespread UC adoption in the business market, according to Don Van Doren, principal analyst for UniComm Consulting, LLC, is the misunderstanding, both on the part of customers and service providers, about the business case for UC implementation. He uses the example of being able to hover over someone's name online and right-clicking to call them. A cool tool, but certainly not a game-changer in the larger business sense.
"Where the real benefits come–10 times more important in our studies–is when you change how work gets done by providing speedy, timely access to people and information for communication and collaboration as well as a number of new tools to enhance these processes," Van Doren said. "Those opportunities are more difficult to understand, and sometimes require process changes to gain full advantage."
But despite the confusion, Van Doren adds, there are three primary reasons UC adoption is gaining steam. First, the cost of hosted solutions continues to drop, making it more attractive to the SMB market. Second, the cloud is making it easy to provide hosted solutions by vendors and independent hosting companies. And third, all-in-one and bundled solutions are rapidly being designed for organizations.
And while the full suite of UC services isn't quite a reality, there are some in the market who are getting close. From a telephony perspective, Van Doren says, the leaders include Cisco, Avaya, Siemens, Interactive Intelligence Mitel, and others. Desktop providers like Microsoft and IBM are also getting into the act. But, Van Doren says, it's the applications providers, like Salesforce.com that are likely poised to make the most of UC.
"In the long run, the applications providers may be the road to highest UC benefits," Van Doren says. "Because communication and collaboration tools are embedded in the work activities and software applications that workers use all the time – improving timely access to people and information, offering significant work process change opportunities, and showing dramatic ROI."
