Unified Communications Get Consumerized

The original purpose of unified communications (UC) was to provide business markets with voice over IP (VoIP) as the foundation for a complete UC system that would increase service, speed and value in the workplace. Not surprisingly, UC services are becoming increasingly popular with consumers. Many UC services designed for enterprise are now being offered to consumers by wireless and wireline providers. Though the consumer portfolio is still a long way from matching that held by enterprise, it is starting to gain ground.

Most telecommunications companies and cable providers already offer VoIP and many of them have bundle packages similar to those offered to enterprise. A prime example is Verizon's FiOS digital voice package, which offers follow-me – a service that rings multiple phone lines, unified messaging with voice mail via email, call management features with user preferences for call routing, and calendar synchronization.

Companies like Google and Skype offer even more UC services. Google Voice enables users to receive calls directly from within Gmail, pushes notifications when the user receives new voicemails and texts, diverts calls with “Do Not Disturb,” and allows users to send SMS to multiple recipients at once. Skype, meanwhile, offers videoconferencing along with video messaging and many other useful UC services.

Other companies jumping on the consumer UC bandwagon are T-Mobile – the company’s Bobsled service provides a range of UC services, and Metro PCS – offering VoLTE and several Rich Communications Services (RCS). Expect to see more wireless carriers offering VoLTE and RCS throughout 2013.

One of the factors driving the consumerization of UC is the flood of consumer devices, such as smart phones and tablets on the market, as well as the increasing popularity of BYOD.

“As the proliferation of consumer devices in organizations continues, organizations need to investigate communication platforms that increase productivity and flexibility to be successful,” said Bob Melk, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of IDG Enterprise. “Unified communications and collaboration tools, whether a paid or free service, need to unite employees and foster an environment of seamless communication.”

Consumer UC services are quickly becoming an essential aspect of all carriers’ portfolios. Without it, over the top providers, such as Skype and Google, will have an easy way means of stealing carriers’ consumers and their voice service revenue. Although voice and its linked UC services many one day become “just another data application,” the ability to provide bundled voice and UC services with wired and 4G/ LTE data connections will be a strong incentive in the competition between network providers. (CU) Link

2 Responses to "Unified Communications Get Consumerized" - Add Yours

Art Rosenberg 1/11/2013 12:37:20 AM

Glad to see the pundits starting to focus on consumerization of UC, rather than just on employee productivity benefits.

With the rapid adoption by consumers, UC will extend to business notifications via CEBP, not just person-to-person contacts. That will be a huge business target for the wireless carriers who still control the consumer market and support of the multi-modal mobile devices and wireless connection service that consumers are gobbling up.

This will impact traditional contact center activities in several ways, but most particularly with greater access to online self-service applications (mobile apps) that are coupled with contextual "click-for-assistance" (chat, voice) rather than requiring traditional phone calls for IVR application access.

Read my post on this subject at:
https://ucstrategies.com/un...

dave michels 1/14/2013 6:40:30 AM

I see your point, but not so sure I agree. For all the consumerization hype and glory - CES this year was a bit of a downer. Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple didn't bother exhibiting. No major new mobile phones launched. The big themes were hard to even identify but included things like appliances and cars. Very little emphasis on employee/personal productivity or communications.