Digium introduces new family of HD IP phones

02/08/12

Digium, the company that leverages Asterisk open source software, has introduced a new family of high-definition IP phones. The phones are engineered to leverage Asterisk software, and Switchvox, Digium's unified communications (UC) system.

ShoreTel acquires M5 Networks

02/03/12

ShoreTel had a blockbuster week, announcing it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire M5 Networks, giving its customers a choice between on-premise and hosted UC solutions. The acquisition allows ShoreTel to quickly offer cloud-based unified communications as a service (UCaaS) to customers that are looking to deploy IP communications through a hosted model. M5 is a service provider with customer base of more than 2,000 companies.

Avaya embraces BYOD trend with iPad app

01/31/12

Avaya has launched its next-generation mobile collaboration for consumer devices with an Apple iPad application. The Avaya Flare Communicator is designed to provide enterprise-class voice, instant messaging and presence with email integration over both Wi-Fi and 3G networks -- embracing the BYOD (bring your own device) trend that is increasingly popular among enterprise users. Avaya plans to offer the app for additional consumer devices and operating systems later this year.

AT&T offers 'UC as a service' to enterprise customers

01/27/12

AT&T is now offering cloud-based unified communications to its enterprise customers, adding to its existing portfolio of hosted VoIP services (with Voice DNA) and other managed UC services. AT&T UC Services are embedded in the AT&T managed network, offering accessibility to multiple device types regardless of location. The service allows seamless transfers such as those between devices like sessions between a PC and compatible mobile devices; or transfers between communications applications such as switching from an IM chat to a phone call, or to a Web or video conference.

Logitech updates webcam technology

01/24/12

Logitech has introducing its next generation of webcam technology for business with the Logitech C920 offering full 1080p HD video, onboard H.264 compression, USB Video Class (UVC) driver-less install and other features designed to enhance enterprise videoconferencing and unified communications. The technology was built in collaboration with Skype to offer 1080p videoconferencing at a maximum 30 frames per second.

T-Mobile enhances Bobsled with mobile calling app and messaging

01/20/12

One of the announcements we missed in our wrap-up from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012) was news from T-Mobile on the latest feature for its Bobsled portfolio, now offering expanded messaging and enhanced calling functionality. Expanding upon the Bobsled Calling service introduced earlier this year, the latest addition of Bobsled Messaging provides a cloud-based messaging application that allows consumers to send and receive individual and group messages with friends and family from any Android-powered smartphone or tablet, and almost any Web-connected, browser-enabled device.

Avaya releases IP Office 8.0

01/18/12

Avaya unveiled the latest version of the company's unified communications (UC) solution for small and midsize enterprises (SME) with the release of Avaya IP Office 8.0. The new version includes enhancements designed to improve collaboration with mobile capabilities. Avaya's latest mobile application builds on the previously available Essential Mobility solution for IP Office.

UC and VoIP updates from CES 2012

01/13/12

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas was very well attended with an estimated crowd of more than 140,000 and despite all the usual noise, we managed to find a few newsworthy pieces affecting VoIP and unified communications.

New paper offers advice on UC deployment

01/11/12

For those readers who found sound advice in our last newsletter delivered from Avaya on how to avoid pitfalls with unified communications (UC), we've got one more paper to recommend. "UC: Mitigating the Risk and Reaping the Rewards" is available from Integrated Research through Webtorials, helping to identify some of the possible hazards associated with deploying Unified Communications so network managers can mitigate and manage the risks to achieve the best possible outcome.

Avaya: Top 10 pitfalls with UC implementations

01/06/12

Webtorials and Avaya have once again provided a great reference for those considering a unified communications (UC) deployment. The white paper, titled "Why UC Implementations Fail," reviews the top 10 pitfalls that organizations should consider when as they move through the UC implementation process.

Top 5 UC predictions for 2012

01/03/12

Today we unveil our top five predictions for 2012, looking at expected trends for telepresence, wireless substitution, cloud-based unified communications, BYOD and fixed mobile convergence, and net neutrality.

Looking back to our 2011 predictions -- how'd we do?

12/21/11

As has been our custom for over a decade, today we'll look back at the predictions we made a year ago and see how well we did with our crystal ball, then next time we'll look forward with some 2012 predictions about convergence, VoIP and unified communications.

ShoreTel UC developments empower enterprises

12/16/11

ShoreTel is in the news again with two separate announcements: It has extended virtualization support to the enterprise contact center and it has partnered with Ruckus Wireless to deliver a "Mobile Unified Communications Starter Kit" targeting SMBs.

Microsoft, IBM deploy mobile apps for UC

12/13/11

In two separate initiatives that advance mobile unified communications and collaboration, Microsoft has deployed mobile clients for Lync 2010 while IBM has launched new social networking and collaboration mobile apps designed to address enterprise-class requirements.

New Cisco initiative addresses growth in cloud-based services

12/09/11

Cisco has introduced CloudVerse as a framework designed to help organizations build, manage and connect public, private and hybrid clouds. Cisco CloudVerse combines three elements -- Unified Data Center, Cloud Intelligent Network, and Cloud Applications and Services.

ChatTime mobile app offers low-cost long-distance calling

12/06/11

About a month ago, we covered the launch of a free mobile app by AT&T that offered substantially reduced long distance calling rates from an AT&T mobile phone. Today, we report on a similar offer using a service called ChatTime, with a couple of notable differences: Not only is the app free, but calls between ChatTime users in 53 countries are also free of long distance charges.

More enterprises willing to adopt mobile-only communications: study

12/02/11

We observed in our newsletter a week ago that the integration of business apps on mobile devices was very important to business, but we weren't quite sure businesses were willing to "cut the cord" in favor of wireless substitution. However, based on results published this week in the BroadSoft 2011 Mobile Enterprise of the Future Survey, enterprises appear more likely to adopt mobile-only communications than we thought.

Siemens improves UC solutions; Toshiba adds to mobility choices

11/29/11

Siemens Enterprise Communications announced today that it has improved its OpenScape Office and HiPath 3000 UC Solutions with additional features designed to improve efficiency and mobility for SMBs. The company's UC suite upgrades include enhanced mobility, tablet client, Web collaboration capabilities and more flexible deployment options.

Consumer VoIP services grow in Q3

11/28/11

Company results from wireline voice service providers are in from Q3 2011, and the results for VoIP-based services growth are mixed. Legacy voice services from phone companies have continued to decline, while "digital voice" line growth from cable operators has slowed.

Skype adds new features to Facebook video calling

11/22/11

Facebook, Skype, and Microsoft (which now owns Skype) have been working together again to offer Facebook-to-Facebook calls from within Skype. In November 2010, Facebook launched new features that brought together users chats, texts, emails and messages all in one place. And in July this year by working with Skype, Facebook introduced video calling and other improvements to its chat services. The latest calling features were included in Skype's 5.4 Beta for Mac and 5.7 Beta for Windows.

Verizon adds new contact center partner

11/18/11

Today we return to news coming from Verizon and the hosted contact center market: Verizon has teamed with inContact to deliver new cloud-based "virtual contact center" services. The offer will enable customers of businesses and government agencies to choose how they want to contact whether by phone, by requesting a call back, or using the Web for an online chat.

AT&T enhances telepresence solution

11/15/11

AT&T has been working to improve its AT&T Telepresence Solution with service bundling options designed to give customers new choices and more flexibility to meet "face-to-face" from a wider range of locations. In addition to the new service bundles, the company has added new features and scheduling capabilities to improve connectivity across disparate video conferencing systems.

Ericsson predicts tenfold mobile data traffic growth by 2016

11/11/11

We interrupt our regularly scheduled content to bring you highlights from a new Traffic and Market Data report provided by Ericsson -- forecasting a tenfold increase in mobile data traffic by 2016, with most of the traffic growth driven by video.

AT&T to offer free mobile VoIP app for international calls

11/08/11

Today we cover an announcement from AT&T: The company will offer its smartphone customers a free mobile VoIP app -- providing international long distance calling at competitive rates with its latest AT&T Call International service. The AT&T Call International app is available today as a free download from the Android Market and BlackBerry AppWorld. 

Cisco targets SMBs with telepresence and Business Edition offers

11/04/11

Cisco has introduced new and expanded telepresence offerings along with innovations to its Business Edition portfolio that are targeted to enhance Cisco solutions for midsize organizations.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Larry Hettick is a principal analyst at Current Analysis.