Large Enterprises Seeking Cloud-based UC

BT Global Services has boosted to its unified communications (UC) services with the development of BT One Cloud for Microsoft Lync. Microsoft’s cloud-based Lync 2010 offers services including video, web and audio conferencing and instant messaging (IM) to business customers. The other three UC deployments BT has to offer are premise-based Microsoft Lync solution and premise and cloud-based Cisco solution.

The four options are well-suited to BT’s current UC strategy, which is hinged on offering hybrid solutions and consulting services to assist customers in navigating their route between Cisco, Microsoft Lync and other unified communications migrations.

According to Tom Wolf, vice president for business development at BT Global Services, by offering cloud-based and premise-based options, BT is acknowledging that its bigger clients are increasingly interested in cloud-based UC. "In the last 18 months, we've seen a shift in demand. We have seen not only medium-sized but also large customers asking for cloud deployments," Wolf said.

Stephen Bruce, MNC portfolio head for mobility and unified communications with BT Americas, pointed out that this change is fuelled by an increased demand for instant messaging (IM). "The majority of people were deploying Lync for IM. Now, they are getting their heads around the fact [that] the environment, the economy and how they do business has changed. They are looking to outsource things that they used to have on premise. They are looking to add telephony and video and other UC services to the IM," Bruce explained.

Of course, when it comes to UC deployment, there is no simple solution for all enterprise; every company has different needs and expectations. Bruce illustrated this point with the example of matching the deployment of BT One Cloud for Microsoft Lync with a client using an Avaya environment. "From our cloud environment, we could put in a SIP trunk directly into their Avaya environment to accommodate routing," he added.

Along with BT One Cloud for Microsoft Lync, BT also introduced a cloud-based version of its Trace supply chain management solution. The new product has the ability to accrue, save and analyze high volume data related to the movement of goods across a global supply chain. The service also combines data from global enterprises’ IT and resource planning systems to create a unified view of the supply chain. Wolf explained that this has become increasingly important due to emerging markets in Africa, Middle East, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

"Our new capabilities are being driven by our clients who are telling us, particularly in the CPG and global commerce space, the challenges of getting global visibility through their supply chain is getting more painfully particularly as they focus on emerging markets, specifically Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa," he said. "The supply chain issues get exacerbated by a lack of sophisticated technology; a lot more layers of distribution that make it easier for goods to disappear; and the need to take the technology down to the $5 phone to help people with supply chain visibility issues," Wolf explained. (CU) Link