News

News

• September 24, 2015 24 Sep'15

  New Microsoft Office 2016 touts collaboration

  The new Microsoft Office 2016 includes a Groups collaboration tool for building convenient team workspaces.

• September 23, 2015 23 Sep'15

  Communication integration drives business app productivity

  Mobility and the cloud have become the primary drivers for organizations to integrate communication capabilities like voice and video with business applications. Moving unified communications (UC) ...

• September 18, 2015 18 Sep'15

  Verizon, CenturyLink top SIP trunking provider ranking

  Verizon and CenturyLink take the top two spots in an IHS Infonetics SIP trunking provider ranking of the top 10 providers in North America.

• September 16, 2015 16 Sep'15

  Companies look for email alternatives

  More companies are seeking email alternatives to curb an overabundance of information.

• September 15, 2015 15 Sep'15

  UC briefs: StrongLoop acquisition buoys IBM app development

  In UC news this week, IBM acquires StrongLoop to support IBM app development in the enterprise, while NetFortris announces four new UC services.

• September 14, 2015 14 Sep'15

  WebEx integration with Spark advances Cisco UC

  Cisco combines mobile and Web collaboration with Spark and WebEx integration.

• September 10, 2015 10 Sep'15

  Microsoft acquires VoloMetrix to improve Office 365 data analytics

  Microsoft acquired VoloMetrix to mine Office 365 data for better intelligence on employee productivity.

• September 09, 2015 09 Sep'15

  UC blogs: Industry leaders collaborate on open WebRTC video codec

  In this week's blogs, UC analysts discuss the Alliance for Open Media's plan for an open WebRTC video codec, and BlackBerry's EMM market position.

• September 04, 2015 04 Sep'15

  Polycom video conferencing gets tighter integration with Skype for Business

  Polycom video conferencing system RealPresence provides better content sharing in Microsoft Skype for Business.

• September 03, 2015 03 Sep'15

  Apple, Cisco to improve iOS for business, UC&C

  Apple and Cisco are partnering to improve iOS for business. Analysts say UC&C performance could get better on devices running the mobile OS.

• September 01, 2015 01 Sep'15

  UC briefs: Global spending on SaaS apps on the rise

  Global spending on enterprise SaaS apps is expected to reach $201 billion in 2019; IR debuts service to help organizations migrate to Office 365.

• August 31, 2015 31 Aug'15

  A new chapter for mobile UC and collaboration apps

  Have mobile unified communications and collaboration apps finally outgrown their awkward adolescence?

• August 27, 2015 27 Aug'15

  Businesses get behind mobile-first development for UC

  With enterprises increasingly dependent on mobile devices, UC vendors that tackle mobile-first development can differentiate themselves.

• August 26, 2015 26 Aug'15

  Which WebRTC video codec will prevail?

  Cisco recently announced a new WebRTC video codec named Thor, which joins the fray of other video codecs competing for compatibility dominance.

• August 26, 2015 26 Aug'15

  Hosted IP telephony market reaching mass adoption

  More organizations are deploying hosted IP telephony and UCC services to reap the benefits of the cloud, according to a report from Frost & Sullivan.

• August 25, 2015 25 Aug'15

  UC blogs: Kollective, Panopto form video platform partnership

  In this week's UC blogs, analysts discuss Panopto and Kollective's potential enterprise streaming video platform partnership, as well as the innovative features of Enghouse's contact center platforms.

• August 20, 2015 20 Aug'15

  ShoreTel offers single UC client trend for cloud, on-premises software

  ShoreTel launched a single UC client for cloud and on-premises software designed to ease use of both.

• August 19, 2015 19 Aug'15

  Gartner debuts Magic Quadrant for group video

  A market evolution has led Gartner to create a Magic Quadrant for group video systems, as enterprises focus not only on endpoints, but infrastructure and interoperability with their room system deployments.

• August 18, 2015 18 Aug'15

  UC briefs: Cisco developing new video codec

  In UC news this week, Cisco is developing a new video codec following licensing issues with H.265, while wearable technology is making its way into the enterprise.

• August 14, 2015 14 Aug'15

  Microsoft refreshes Yammer mobile

  Microsoft has made it easier for corporate employees to use Yammer mobile for team collaboration.

• August 11, 2015 11 Aug'15

  Digium joins rivals in providing WebRTC mobile app tools

  Digium introduces WebRTC mobile app development tools. The communications tech vendor joins a host of companies bringing WebRTC to mobile devices.

• August 10, 2015 10 Aug'15

  UC blogs: Approaches to public cloud security monitoring

  In UC blogs, analysts discuss how enterprises approach public cloud security monitoring and the different categories of contact center chat vendors.

• August 05, 2015 05 Aug'15

  ThinkingPhones collaboration app integrates with Gmail

  ThinkingPhones integrates click-to-call, instant messaging and presence capabilities into Gmail. The collaboration app looks to limit context switch.

• August 03, 2015 03 Aug'15

  UC briefs: Silent Circle joins Android for Work program

  In UC news, Silent Circle announces its Blackphone 2 will launch as part of the Android for Work program, while Jive will release its mobile directory app this month.

• August 03, 2015 03 Aug'15

  Organizations slow to upgrade legacy communication platforms

  Organizations are holding out on updating their legacy communication platforms and endpoints until they can justify the cost of a new rollout.

• July 28, 2015 28 Jul'15

  UC blogs: Building on your enterprise mobility strategy

  In UC blogs this week, analysts discuss how a mobile center of excellence can support an enterprise mobility strategy and how enterprises can evaluate PaaS applications.

• July 22, 2015 22 Jul'15

  Office 365 telephony an emerging threat to Cisco UCM

  Microsoft is building out Office 365 telephony, a strategy that could trump Cisco in providing an all-in-one communications suite.

• July 21, 2015 21 Jul'15

  Lack of employee training equals lack of UC success

  Employees aren't using UC tools because they're not trained on them or don't know about them, which limits UC success, according to a new report.

• July 21, 2015 21 Jul'15

  UC briefs: 8x8 unveils new contact center analytics

  In UC news this week, 8x8 announces new contact center analytics capabilities, while IDC reveals the top UC and collaboration vendors.

• July 20, 2015 20 Jul'15

  Organizations opting for single-vendor UC architecture

  Struggles with interoperability, cost and user experience have led organizations to move away from a multivendor UC architecture.

• July 17, 2015 17 Jul'15

  Is your PBX bad for business?

  The legacy PBX is still a fixture for some organizations, but it may be holding them back from reaching their business goals. 8x8's Mike Reinhart, senior product marketing manager, and David Leach, ...

• July 14, 2015 14 Jul'15

  UC blogs: Enterprise tablet market growing

  In UC blogs this week, analysts discuss the factors driving the enterprise tablet market, and how vendors are approaching WebRTC testing.

• July 08, 2015 08 Jul'15

  Dell unveils UC tools for comparing Cisco UCM with Microsoft Skype

  Dell's latest version of Unified Communications Command Suite has UC tools for comparing Cisco UC Manager and Microsoft Skype for Business.

• July 07, 2015 07 Jul'15

  UC briefs: Video conferencing services grow worldwide

  In UC news, a Technavio report shows the trends in the global video conferencing services market, while Office 365 previews Skype for Business updates.

• July 02, 2015 02 Jul'15

  The three UC issues to address before you deploy

  Before making the move to unified communications (UC), every organization must prioritize three issues: scalability, application integration and security. Failure to address these issues can have ...

• July 01, 2015 01 Jul'15

  UC services, projects rank modestly in networking survey

  UC services, projects and planned investments rank in the middle of the pack among IT pros' networking goals in a recent TechTarget survey.

• June 30, 2015 30 Jun'15

  UC briefs: IBM and Box make collaboration partnership

  In UC news, IBM and Box announce a collaboration partnership, while LogMeIn updates its join.me application for new video capabilities.

• June 26, 2015 26 Jun'15

  UC blogs: Redefining collaborative technology

  In this week's blogs, analysts discuss how vendors were redefining collaborative technology at InfoComm, and how concerns over WebRTC can be addressed.

• June 24, 2015 24 Jun'15

  RingCentral acquires Glip for team collaboration capabilities

  RingCentral acquires Glip to strengthen its portfolio as enterprises put more focus on team collaboration applications.

• June 24, 2015 24 Jun'15

  Vidyo launches drone-based video conferencing service

  Despite strict federal aviation rules, Vidyo and Stampede tout the benefits of the video conferencing service, including governmental and industrial uses.

• June 17, 2015 17 Jun'15

  Ubiety Room launches for interoperable cloud video conferencing

  Collaboration Squared launches its Ubiety Room cloud video conferencing service that promises interoperability without having to buy additional hardware.

• June 16, 2015 16 Jun'15

  UC briefs: Plantronics UC headset reduces open workspace noise

  In UC news, Plantronics announces a UC headset aimed at reducing background noise in open workspaces, while Tango Networks debuts mobile messaging for Cisco Jabber users.

• June 16, 2015 16 Jun'15

  Polycom RealPresence video platforms, cloud updates unveiled

  Polycom has introduced its first WebRTC-based videoconferencing platform. The company has also updated its video library and cloud-based video conferencing platform.

• June 12, 2015 12 Jun'15

  Microsoft Outlook and the inside collaboration app conundrum

  Collaboration applications are the hot thing right now in unified communications. The big collaboration apps seemingly do it all. They offer an easy-to-use, consistent and persistent workspace that ...

• June 12, 2015 12 Jun'15

  Unify updates UC platforms for SMB, midmarket

  Unify is expanding its market reach by updating its OpenScape UC platforms for channel partner resale to SMB and midmarket organizations.

• June 10, 2015 10 Jun'15

  Microsoft Surface Hub looks to revamp conferencing systems

  Combining hardware and software, the Microsoft Surface Hub looks to replace aging conference room equipment.

• June 09, 2015 09 Jun'15

  Next generation 911 pinpoints location, supports multimedia messages

  NG 911 will support multimedia messages to 911 and help ensure that the locations of IP-based emergency communications are pinpointed.

• June 09, 2015 09 Jun'15

  UC blogs: Make shadow IT part of your collaboration strategy

  This week in UC blogs, analysts discuss how shadow IT can align with an enterprise's collaboration strategy, and what WebRTC practices can be seen in an Internet trends report.

• June 02, 2015 02 Jun'15

  Avaya acquisition of UC integrator Esna Technologies could threaten Cisco partnership

  Avaya has acquired Esna Technologies for its integration capabilities. The deal may force Cisco to find a different way to integrate its UC services with business apps.

• June 02, 2015 02 Jun'15

  UC briefs: Masergy adds WebRTC service for enhanced customer contact

  In UC news, Masergy launches a WebRTC service to ease communications between support teams and customers, while Lifesize Cloud now supports 15 languages in its video conferencing service.

• June 01, 2015 01 Jun'15

  Polycom RealPresence endpoints, features keep the user in mind

  At the Workplace of the Future event, Polycom highlighted its latest product for small-room and desktop videoconferencing. Polycom RealPresence Convene competes with the Cisco Telepresence EX Series.

• May 28, 2015 28 May'15

  Microsoft Skype for Business essentials: A look at the new platform

  Microsoft's recent rebranding of Lync to Skype for Business (SFB) is creating some confusion for IT leaders seeking to distinguish it from the consumer Skype service as they also look to integrate voice capabilities of SFB with their existing ...

• May 27, 2015 27 May'15

  UC Blogs: WebRTC video conferencing impacting education

  In this week's blogs, analysts discuss how WebRTC video conferencing is shaking up traditional views of video conferencing in education, while Genesys announces Skype for Business integration for the call center.

• May 21, 2015 21 May'15

  Comparing Cisco collaboration services: Spark vs. WebEx

  With Cisco Spark now on the market, the similarities between the service and WebEx may have stirred some confusion. But the collaboration services have two very different focuses.

• May 21, 2015 21 May'15

  Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise gives SMB communications a boost

  Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has made several enhancements to its unified communications portfolio for SMBs. The improvements are centered on mobility.

• May 18, 2015 18 May'15

  UC recap: Business VoIP services fueling VoIP market

  In this week's recap, business VoIP services are driving the global VoIP market, while NICE Systems announced it is leading development of a WebRTC recording standard.

• May 15, 2015 15 May'15

  Polycom unveils new platform, services to improve video ROI

  Polycom is helping buyers lift video ROI through its latest RealAccess platform, and two new video support services.

• May 13, 2015 13 May'15

  Jive Chime adds to business collaboration app market

  Jive Software's new, real-time messaging app focuses on simplicity, mobility and consumer-grade ease of use in the highly competitive collaboration app industry.

• May 12, 2015 12 May'15

  UC blogs: The evolution of video collaboration in education

  In this week's blogs, analysts discuss how video collaboration has evolved in the education industry and whether video integration is a threat to WebRTC PaaS.

• May 08, 2015 08 May'15

  Customers can build on top of Cisco collaboration tools with Tropo acquisition

  Cisco's Tropo acquisition will provide tools that customers can use to build communication apps into Cisco's collaboration software.

• May 08, 2015 08 May'15

  Shopping for a UC cloud services provider

  Cloud UC buyers have many services and providers to consider. But a cloud services provider is also seeking the appropriate potential customers.

• May 07, 2015 07 May'15

  Microsoft reins in Office 365 collaboration tools

  Microsoft launches tools that bring consistency to Office 365's wide-ranging collaboration portfolio.

• May 07, 2015 07 May'15

  Enterprises must be proactive in DDoS mitigation

  DDoS attacks are more prevalent than ever and enterprises can't always rely on their service providers for protection. Learn what enterprises should do for effective DDoS mitigation.

• May 05, 2015 05 May'15

  UC recap: ShoreTel, HP and Ingram Micro partner on hosted UC service

  In this week's recap, ShoreTel, HP and Ingram Micro have partnered to create a hosted UC service aimed at SMBs, while analysts discuss collaboration vendor relationships and Polycom's first quarter performance.

• May 04, 2015 04 May'15

  SDN promises real-time UC app, network dialogue

  The promise of SDN for real-time communications is to give UC apps the network paths and priority they need to eliminate performance problems ---- and development is part way there.

• April 30, 2015 30 Apr'15

  When organizational politics dictate the Cisco vs. Microsoft decision

  The Cisco vs. Microsoft decision doesn’t always come down to features and cost. Sometimes, organizational politics come into play.

• April 28, 2015 28 Apr'15

  YouTube influences video content management in the enterprise

  Enterprises looking to deploy a video content management system should take a page out of YouTube's book. While video content management allows organizations to store videos, create content and ...

• April 28, 2015 28 Apr'15

  UC recap: RingCentral adds contact center software

  In this week's recap, analysts blog about the changing audio conferencing market and BYOD risks, while RingCentral has partnered with inContact on cloud contact center software.

• April 27, 2015 27 Apr'15

  Arkadin resells Blue Jeans video services

  UC provider Arkadin will resell Blue Jeans video service as part of a new partnership between the companies

• April 21, 2015 21 Apr'15

  UC blogs: Twilio adds WebRTC video

  In this week's blogs, analysts discuss Twilio's move into WebRTC video and Avaya increasing workforce optimization support for SMBs.

• April 16, 2015 16 Apr'15

  Mobility sparks 'wonderful disruption' in our lives, work

  The power and proliferation of mobile devices are not new concepts. But stepping back and evaluating the mobility market and its staggering numbers – and what it all means for unified ...

• April 14, 2015 14 Apr'15

  Microsoft Skype for Business faces user concerns

  IT managers fear the Microsoft Skype for Business rebrand will cause confusion among employees. Also a survey found concerns with performance management and end-user experience.

• April 14, 2015 14 Apr'15

  UC blogs: Cisco's enterprise video streaming plans

  In this week's blogs, analysts discuss Cisco's enterprise video streaming plans as it develops its partnership with VBrick, and explore collaboration barriers that prevent successful adoption

• April 14, 2015 14 Apr'15

  Google Hangouts-based video service could attract enterprise interest

  GMeet, a Google Hangouts-based video conferencing service reportedly being developed by the Internet giant, might be an enterprise-grade option.

• April 06, 2015 06 Apr'15

  Recap: Skype for Business ready to roll out

  In UC news, Skype for Business will roll out in Microsoft's April Office 365 update, while the global E-SBC market is seeing revenue growth driven by SIP trunking.

• March 31, 2015 31 Mar'15

  UC blogs: Kontiki's video streaming platform rebrand

  In this week's UC blogs, analysts discuss why Kontiki's video streaming platform rebrand is signaling a market change and how LogMeIn finally got contact center video right.

• March 26, 2015 26 Mar'15

  Private cloud offers a stepping stone into cloud UC for enterprises

  Enterprises interested in cloud UC are adopting a single-tenant, cloud-based UC model rather than multi-tenant UCaaS.

• March 26, 2015 26 Mar'15

  Award finalists Vidyo, Unify, 8x8 ramp up innovation

  Wearables technology, collaboration software and phone call analytics products showcase the current depth of offerings in the unified communications market.

• March 25, 2015 25 Mar'15

  Messaging apps headline Enterprise Connect

  Recapping the Enterprise Connect conference, Nemertes Research analyst Irwin Lazar says pervasive messaging apps are changing collaboration practices.

• March 24, 2015 24 Mar'15

  Enterprise messaging unseating UC platforms? Not so fast

  Market research debunks claims that enterprise messaging apps are poised to take market share away from UC vendors.

• March 24, 2015 24 Mar'15

  WebRTC use cases extend beyond contact center

  Big vendors need to heed the proliferation of WebRTC, says Tsahi Levent-Levi, a WebRTC consultant and Enterprise Connect 2015 conference speaker.

• March 23, 2015 23 Mar'15

  UC blogs: Microsoft UC rebranding gamble

  In this week's UC blogs, analysts discuss why Microsoft's UC platform rebranding is such a gamble and how American Express is setting the standard for WebRTC video use.

• March 18, 2015 18 Mar'15

  Microsoft, Polycom set Skype for business conferencing series

  Microsoft and Polycom introduced a sub-$1,000 video conferencing series for Skype for Business environments at Enterprise Connect 2015.

• March 18, 2015 18 Mar'15

  Is email an endangered species? IBM Verse and other alternatives

  Vendors and analysts at Enterprise Connect 2015 discuss the possible end of email and what UC tools might replace it.

• March 18, 2015 18 Mar'15

  UC Summit: Interoperability is out; ease of use is in

  While major UC vendors say users are in the driver's seat, they steer clear of making their products interoperable.

• March 17, 2015 17 Mar'15

  Cisco Spark the new name for Project Squared collaboration app

  Cisco has given a new name to Project Squared. The cloud-based collaboration app is now Cisco Spark and will cost as much as $25 per user per month, the company said at Enterprise Connect.

• March 17, 2015 17 Mar'15

  UC blogs: UC&C adoption is a balancing act

  In this week's UC blogs, analysts discuss why IT must manage the expectations and realities of UC&C adoption and which vendors offer the best deal when it comes to IP telephony and UC costs.

• March 17, 2015 17 Mar'15

  WebRTC-messaging combo challenging UC

  The WebRTC-messaging combo adopted by vendors challenging unified communications platforms is threatening to replace the latter with simpler and more flexible technology, an expert tells Enterprise Connect attendees.

• March 16, 2015 16 Mar'15

  UCaaS market no longer just for SMBs

  With the UCaaS market expected to double its revenue over the next three years, service providers are ready to take on enterprise customers at Enterprise Connect 2015.

• March 13, 2015 13 Mar'15

  UC expert: Messaging apps tap into collaboration market

  UC expert Irwin Lazar previews Enterprise Connect, saying the messaging apps market is one to watch as chat collaboration becomes a big topic this year.

• March 13, 2015 13 Mar'15

  Vidyo introduces wearable video technology for smart glasses

  Vidyo introduced its wearable video technology for smart glasses platforms ahead of Enterprise Connect 2015.

• March 13, 2015 13 Mar'15

  Enterprise Connect 2015: News, trends and video

  Our team reports on the latest unified communication trends and technology from Enterprise Connect 2015. Learn what's on the mind of users, IT pros and analysts and what enterprise communications vendors are offering.

• March 12, 2015 12 Mar'15

  Avaya video updates focus on mobility, consistency across portfolio

  The latest Avaya video updates include new hardware, focus on mobility and product consistency for users.

• March 12, 2015 12 Mar'15

  UC service and product preview

  Check out some of the anticipated UC service and product announcements coming out of Enterprise Connect 2015.

• March 09, 2015 09 Mar'15

  Recap: StarLeaf room system offers Lync integration

  In UC news, StarLeaf's latest video room system offers Lync integration, while CentralTouch announced a WebRTC platform to enable real-time communication in the contact center.

• March 05, 2015 05 Mar'15

  Jive social software boasts more metrics for targeted communications

  Jive social software is delivering more relevant content to administrators and users with an updated homepage, analytics and integrations.

• March 04, 2015 04 Mar'15

  UC blogs: Why enterprises need effective collaboration

  In this week's sUC blogs, analysts discuss why effective collaboration must be a priority for enterprises and how Google is ready to join the BYOD game with Android for Work.

• March 03, 2015 03 Mar'15

  AT&T, Microsoft launch joint mobile office suite

  AT&T and Microsoft have launched a mobile office suite for small and medium-sized businesses that includes audio calls, video conferencing, Office 365 and tech support.

• February 27, 2015 27 Feb'15

  Video conferencing software cutting into hardware revenue

  Video hardware revenues are expected to stagnate as video conferencing software grows in popularity. Vendors may be in trouble if they don't adapt to a changing market.

• February 26, 2015 26 Feb'15

  Social email, collaboration bolster inbox importance

  Combining collaboration and social features into existing email platforms will encourage adoption, without forcing users to work with standalone tools.