Communications & Collaboration
Top Stories
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Tip
09 Jul 2026
Top 7 UCaaS features to enhance productivity
Enterprises have historically used UCaaS to reduce operating costs. No longer. Today, due in part to AI, companies view UCaaS as the most efficient way to boost collaboration. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jun 2026
Securing AI meeting assistants: What IT leaders need to know
More companies are deploying AI agents to make their meetings more efficient. But these tools can also expose companies to some significant security risks. Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2018
Zendesk bundles customer support services as cloud contact center
Zendesk has combined its products into an omnichannel cloud contact center offering. The CRM vendor also released a new tool for sending automatic alerts to customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 May 2018
How to monitor application performance in the cloud
As you move real-time applications to the cloud, you might relinquish some network control. However, several mechanisms are available to monitor application performance. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2018
Microsoft hopes for smooth rollout of Surface Hub 2 after previous snags
The Surface Hub 2 will feature tight integrations with Microsoft Teams and other cloud collaboration tools. The vendor plans to release the product in 2019. Continue Reading
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Answer
14 May 2018
How will speech technologies integrate with UC apps?
Analyst Jon Arnold examines use cases for speech technologies in the enterprise and explains how UC vendors expect to add speech tools to their platforms. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 May 2018
Use cases for IoT and UC integration starting to emerge
The convergence of IoT and UC technologies seems to be emerging. IoT tools, for example, could track the use of meeting rooms and interact with collaboration apps. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2018
Avaya cloud revenue grows, but profitability remains elusive
Avaya reported a net loss of $130 million last quarter, but the vendor still appears largely on track to hit its annual targets. Avaya cloud revenue rose modestly as a percentage of total earnings. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2018
Microsoft Teams app expands developer toolbox
Microsoft is giving businesses new tools for building custom integrations within the Microsoft Teams app. The vendor is also enhancing native ties between Teams and Office 365. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2018
Number of Slack users soars, but Enterprise Grid adoption unclear
More than 8 million people use Slack every day, and 3 million people are paid subscribers. The startup now has paid Slack users in two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 May 2018
Integrated communications extends UC capabilities
Organizations that want to drive greater value from their unified communications deployment should look to integrate communications into other parts of their business. Integrated communications ... Continue Reading
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Tip
08 May 2018
GDPR rules have big effect on UC applications
The European Union General Data Protection Regulation sets tighter controls on businesses and how they handle customers' personally identifiable information. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2018
Cisco loses Trollope, acquires relationship intelligence startup
In a surprise announcement, Cisco said Rowan Trollope was leaving to lead Five9 and would be replaced by the CEO of the relationship intelligence startup Accompany, which Cisco expects to acquire. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 May 2018
Dolby Voice Room conferencing product wins Network Innovation Award
Dolby's new video conferencing product, Dolby Voice Room, targets the huddle room market, while touting high-end audio capabilities and ease of management. Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2018
Why going private should help grow Mitel cloud
A private equity firm plans to acquire Mitel for $2 billion in the second half of 2018. The move should give the vendor more flexibility, as it pushes adoption of Mitel cloud. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2018
Workplace by Facebook integrations broaden app's appeal
Facebook added dozens of business tools to a newly created app directory in its platform for businesses. The Workplace by Facebook integrations should broaden the product's appeal. Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2018
Avaya partners with Afiniti for intelligent call routing
Avaya will add intelligent call routing to its contact center platforms. The vendor is partnering with Afiniti, which uses artificial intelligence to match customers with agents. Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2018
Cisco Spark to Webex Teams integration follows Microsoft's footsteps
The integration of Cisco Spark to Webex Teams is similar to Microsoft's move to compete against Slack team collaboration and Zoom meeting services, according to analysts. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Apr 2018
AV1 video codec carries clout with royalty-free status
Industry giants, including Cisco and Microsoft, have backed AOMedia's new royalty-free codec. So, what does this mean for royalty-bearing video coding standards? Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2018
BroadSoft diversifies Cisco's cloud contact center portfolio
Cisco's cloud contact center portfolio now includes BroadSoft's CC-One. The vendor will use the multi-tenant platform to target small and midsize businesses. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 Apr 2018
Should you buy contact center services in a UC bundle?
Is an integrated contact center with UC right for your organization? UC expert Jon Arnold explains how to compare stand-alone and bundled contact center services. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2018
Will social messaging apps and Apple Business Chat supplant SMS?
The limitations of SMS are starting to emerge. Meanwhile, social messaging apps and Apple Business Chat offer richer interactions between customers and contact centers. Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2018
Twilio SIM cards simplify IoT connectivity
Twilio has released programmable SIM cards for IoT connectivity. The Twilio SIM cards connect to the vendor's APIs for voice, text and data communications. Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2018
Cisco Webex Teams to replace Spark platform
Cisco plans to combine Spark and Webex to provide a single platform for team collaboration and web conferencing. Cisco Webex Teams and Webex Meetings will rely on the same cloud infrastructure and user interface for online meetings. Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2018
Google Cloud speech-to-text service gets revamp
Google Cloud speech-to-text service has been updated for improved accuracy through machine learning. The company is also releasing a tool for automatically adding punctuation to transcripts. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Apr 2018
How do Twilio Flex API-based services affect contact center software?
Twilio Flex, a programmable contact center platform, reflects an emerging trend toward software products built on APIs, according to API expert Tsahi Levent-Levi. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Apr 2018
Software for team collaboration presents deployment challenges
When organizations evaluate team collaboration apps, should IT or lines of business implement the service? The answer might be somewhere in the middle. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2018
Cisco eyes blockchain messaging for better security
The decentralized data storage method of blockchain could make enterprise group messaging more secure. Cisco is among the vendors investigating the promise of blockchain messaging. Continue Reading
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Video
12 Apr 2018
Cloud video services spark adoption of conferencing tools
Video conferencing is becoming prevalent in most unified communications products. Cloud video services, in particular, have fueled the adoption of video conferencing tools. Continue Reading
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News
12 Apr 2018
Slack Enterprise Grid adds security, compliance tools
More than 150 large companies are already using Slack Enterprise Grid. The vendor views scalability and security as key to winning more customers for its premium product. Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2018
Microsoft Teams roadmap includes tighter Skype integration
Microsoft has tightened interoperability between Skype for Business and Teams. So far, the vendor has largely kept pace with its Microsoft Teams roadmap for 2018. Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2018
Polycom acquisition helps Plantronics against Cisco, Logitech
In recent UC blogs, analysts discuss the Plantronics-Polycom deal, the convergence of cloud contact center services and UC, and the new AV1 video codec. Continue Reading
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Video
09 Apr 2018
Open-office plans prompt noise-mitigation technology
From noise-cancellation headsets to officewide acoustic management systems, organizations are looking to quell noisy chatter associated with open-office environments. Continue Reading
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Video
09 Apr 2018
New contact center services boost customer engagements
Contextual communications within contact center services can improve customer engagement. New products from Oracle and TTEC aim to ease the exchange between customers and agents. Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2018
IBM Watson Assistant offers flexibility, data privacy
IBM has released a toolkit for building enterprise-grade virtual assistants. The IBM Watson Assistant is highly customizable and lets businesses keep their data private. Continue Reading
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Video
06 Apr 2018
How to select a UCaaS provider amid market volatility
As mergers and acquisitions swirl around the UCaaS market, organizations need to inspect potential vendors' long-term financial stability and product roadmaps. Continue Reading
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Video
05 Apr 2018
New Microsoft Teams features on deck, but more work needed
Microsoft has made progress, as it moves Skype for Business features into Microsoft Teams. But more capabilities, especially enterprise voice features, are needed. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2018
Apple Business Chat taps consumer comfort zone
Apple is partnering with a handful of large businesses for the beta release of Apple Business Chat. The messaging service should help Apple compete with Facebook and Google in the enterprise market. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Apr 2018
What are the benefits of SD-WAN services vs. MPLS?
When weighing SD-WAN vs. MPLS for unified communications architecture, SD-WAN prevails. Networking expert Carrie Higbie Goetz explains the benefits of SD-WAN services over MPLS. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2018
Cisco Jabber client gets multiline calling, bot developer kit
The latest version of the Cisco Jabber client supports multiline calling and includes developer tools for building bots. The upgrades demonstrate the vendor's continued commitment to its on-premises UC product. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2018
Google releases cloud text-to-speech service for developers
A new Google text-to-speech service generates natural-sounding speech in 32 voices and 12 languages. Developers can integrate the software with most enterprise apps and devices. Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2018
Polycom acquisition expands Plantronics endpoint portfolio
Less than two years after going private, Polycom is preparing to become a part of Plantronics. The $2 billion Polycom acquisition will expand Plantronics' endpoint portfolio. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Mar 2018
How to navigate a Microsoft Teams migration from Skype for Business
A Microsoft Teams deployment seems inevitable for Skype for Business users. Learn how to prepare your organization, whether you're in the cloud or on premises. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2018
Team collaboration app Atlassian Stride adds 20 integrations
Team collaboration app Atlassian Stride announced 20 new third-party integrations. The vendor is urging HipChat users to switch to Stride, as it concludes an early access program. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Mar 2018
CPaaS vs. UCaaS platform: Which should you choose?
While the CPaaS vs. UCaaS debate might focus on overlapping features, the two technologies can be complementary, according to industry analyst Michael Brandenburg. Continue Reading
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News
23 Mar 2018
Slack still seen as leader in team communication apps market
Facing growing pressure from Microsoft and Cisco, Slack is expected to remain competitive in the team communication apps market because of its loyal customers and strong reputation. Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Mar 2018
New UC products highlight unified communications market trends
ZK Research focuses on eight UC products that emphasize strategic business value in light of unified communications market trends. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Mar 2018
Cloud contact center benefits include simplicity, integrations
More organizations are putting their contact center in the cloud to simplify and integrate their agent communications. But other organizations are taking a hybrid approach. Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2018
Twilio Flex provides a customizable cloud contact center platform
Twilio Flex offers a customizable interface that sits atop the vendor's application development platform. The offering could appeal to large enterprises looking for a flexible cloud contact center platform. Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2018
AWS attacks rivals with Amazon Chime pricing
Amazon Web Services is switching Amazon Chime pricing to a usage model to lure businesses away from rivals Slack, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Spark. The new pricing starts in April. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
New Masergy UCaaS feature helps avoid overpayments
Masergy UCaaS customers can use their human resource applications to automate adding and deleting UCaaS users. The new feature can avoid overpayments. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Ready for artificial intelligence in speech recognition?
Artificial intelligence in speech recognition is transforming the technology, but are enterprises ready to employ these new tools within their operations? Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Avaya Mobile Experience could lower contact center costs
The new Avaya Mobile Experience helps contact centers manage incoming calls from mobile phones. Analysts said the latest service could help reduce costs. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Users share team collaboration software strategies
Many companies are pursuing a team collaboration software strategy to consolidate messaging on one platform to streamline IT and end user communications. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Putting the contact center in the cloud blurs lines with UC
The line between unified communications and the contact center is blurring as organizations look to bring both technologies together via cloud adoption. Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2018
Cisco-BroadSoft cloud PBX to bring telephony to Spark
Cisco plans to use the BroadSoft cloud PBX to open Spark to the public telephone network. The PBX came with the Cisco-BroadSoft acquisition completed last month. Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2018
Team collaboration tools see different adoption strategies
Team collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams can be deployed in different ways. The options include focus on end-user choices or greater IT and executive control. Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2018
New Microsoft Teams features include Cortana integration
The latest Microsoft Teams features include foreign language translation of messages, recording of meetings and integration with the Cortana voice assistant. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Mar 2018
Vonage Business Cloud offers midmarket cloud-native UCaaS
Adding a Vonage cloud business option for the underserved midmarket, ZK Research says new UCaaS option was built with a cloud-native approach to accommodate market changes quickly. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2018
Enterprise Connect 2018 to showcase latest UC innovations
The latest UC products will be on display at this year's Enterprise Connect, including mobile unified communications platforms and team collaboration workspaces. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2018
RingCentral Meetings offered as stand-alone web conferencing platform
RingCentral has expanded its cloud portfolio with the release of RingCentral Meetings, a stand-alone web conferencing platform. Other recent product upgrades should make it a stronger player in the contact center market. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Mar 2018
What's driving the adoption of WebRTC services today?
WebRTC adoption is influenced by the ecosystem around the technology, including browser support and commercial products. Emerging technologies could also affect future deployments. Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2018
Microsoft Teams guest access made universal
Microsoft is chasing competitors Slack and Cisco Spark with the expansion of Microsoft Teams guest access. More enterprises are using team chat apps to collaborate with external partners. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
07 Mar 2018
Enterprise Connect 2018 conference coverage
The unified communications industry is seeing significant changes. Read the latest news in our comprehensive coverage of Enterprise Connect 2018. Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2018
New vendors, trends crash Enterprise Connect 2018 party
Slack and Facebook are making their first appearances at the unified communications conference. Plus, contact center technologies could take center stage at the show. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2018
Communication API vendors offer serverless architecture benefits
A serverless architecture benefits communication developers in several ways, including fewer maintenance tasks, automated scalability and quicker time to market. Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2018
Huddle rooms help fuel audio conferencing endpoint market
Despite recent economic struggles, the audio endpoint market is benefiting from the newest trend of smaller collaboration spaces in enterprises. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2018
Which business messaging app will prevail in the contact center?
Apple, Facebook and Google are rolling out messaging apps that connect businesses and consumers. As a result, contact centers should consider an omnichannel messaging strategy. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2018
Avaya revenue growth depends on success of cloud products
New cloud products are expected to drive Avaya revenue growth in 2019. Meanwhile, revenues in fiscal 2018 are forecast to be almost the same as last year. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2018
Blue Jeans integrates AI-powered transcription technology
Blue Jeans has integrated an AI transcription service powered by Voicera's virtual assistant, Eva, while Slack deepened its GitHub integration to support developer collaboration. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2018
Google Hangouts Chat team collaboration app released
Google is continuing to aggressively target the enterprise market with its release of Hangouts Chat. The team collaboration app will compete with Slack, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Spark. Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2018
CEO lays out roadmap for Mitel Cloud after ShoreTel acquisition
In 2018, Mitel is looking to capitalize on its large install base and a strong mix of public and private cloud offerings. But Mitel Cloud will have to compete with both pure-cloud startups and legacy UC vendors. Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2018
Genesys acquires Altocloud sales analytics for contact center cloud
Genesys acquires analytics vendor Altocloud to help businesses find sales opportunities in online customer interactions. Genesys will integrate Altocloud into omnichannel contact center products. Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2018
Avaya Zang upgrades workflow, IoT tools
Avaya Zang has upgraded its CPaaS platform with new workflow and IoT tools. The vendor is also making it easier to integrate Zang apps with Avaya UC hardware. Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2018
Orion Labs releases push-to-talk app for enterprises
Orion Labs has made its push-to-talk app generally available to enterprises. The voice-powered platform offers benefits beyond the mimicking of walkie-talkies. Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2018
Slack competitor Atlassian Stride releases tools for developers
Atlassian Stride, a Slack competitor, has released an API platform. The ability to integrate with business apps and workflow tools is expected to fuel the growth of the team collaboration market. Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2018
Many enterprises need better conference room technology
Enterprises are taking action to ensure they have the conference room technology necessary to support the latest collaboration tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Feb 2018
Is the virtual SBC market poised for rapid growth?
Recent market developments and research indicate virtual SBC products could see a significant upswing, as companies find success with virtualized offerings. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Feb 2018
How do you build a disaster recovery communications plan?
Maintaining voice communications is vital to disaster recovery. Networking expert Carrie Higbie Goetz explains how to build a disaster recovery communications plan. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Feb 2018
Conference rooms of the future target meeting efficiency
When overhauling your meeting room technology, don't forget the basics, such as high-speed network connectivity and power accessibility for all end users. Continue Reading
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Buyer's Guide
21 Feb 2018
Evaluate team collaboration tools to increase productivity
Organizations need to consider several factors when buying a team collaboration tool, including deployment options and security features. Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2018
Email collaboration evolves in the modern enterprise
Messaging apps are great for team collaboration, but bridging the gap between internal and external communication remains a hurdle. That's why vendors are developing tools to improve email collaboration. Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2018
Enterprises given clarity on cost of cloud services
Enterprises are gaining greater clarity about the cost of cloud services for UCC, as many IT departments are discovering that cloud deployments don't usually save them money. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Feb 2018
The evolution of unified communications technologies
Over the years, unified communications tools have evolved to incorporate different modes of collaboration. Enterprises need to be receptive to this ongoing innovation. Continue Reading
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News
13 Feb 2018
Adopting business messaging apps requires changing corporate culture
To successfully adopt business messaging apps in the enterprise, organizations must put end users at the center of a messaging strategy crafted to prevent shadow IT and collaboration silos. Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2018
Jive acquisition takes LogMeIn into UCaaS midmarket
LogMeIn plans to acquire UCaaS provider Jive Communications for $357 million. The Jive acquisition, expected to close next quarter, will send LogMeIn into the UCaaS market. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Feb 2018
How should enterprises deploy group collaboration software?
Multiple communication platforms will make collaboration management difficult for IT. Overall efficiency will be reduced with too many different apps in one enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2018
Avaya adds AI voice assistant to desk phones
Avaya has created an AI voice assistant application for desk phones. AI voice assistant platforms could make mundane tasks easier for office workers. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2018
Mitel products revamped post-ShoreTel acquisition
In UC news, Mitel's product portfolio has rebranded for the integration of ShoreTel's UCaaS products, while the new Logitech SmartDock accessory supports meeting interoperability. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2018
Automated transcription services could be integral to web conferencing
Automated transcription services are expected to become a must-have feature for web conferencing. Zoom made its version of that service available to its subscribers on Jan. 31. Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2018
How Apple Business Chat could change contact-center market
The Apple Business Chat release comes as many businesses are rethinking the role of the contact center, which could turn the platform into a market disruptor. Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2018
Spoken acquisition the highlight of Avaya Engage 2018
The standout announcement at Avaya Engage 2018 was the acquisition of contact-center-as-a-service provider Spoken Communications, which will bolster Avaya's cloud strategy. Continue Reading
- 01 Feb 2018
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Feature
01 Feb 2018
Consolidating overlapping tools for enterprise collaboration
Tools for enterprise collaboration are most effective when users work on the same platform. Consider these best practices to consolidate overlapping features. Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2018
Microsoft Teams updates streamline search, sharing features
In UC news, new features in Microsoft Teams look to improve how users share and access information, while Verizon and Ribbon Communications partner for virtual SBC services. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2018
Smartphone push-to-talk apps poised for enterprise growth
Smartphone push-to-talk apps are a viable option for enterprises because of the improved reliability of 4G and LTE networks. Their automation and integration tools could be key to future growth. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Jan 2018
How to configure VoIP on a network
VoIP configuration requires significant preplanning to meet the requirements of voice traffic. Learn the steps to take when configuring VoIP on your network. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jan 2018
Private Slack shared channels look to boost security, admin controls
With the addition of private shared channels, Slack looks to broaden its external collaboration tools. However, interoperability issues still nag team collaboration apps. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jan 2018
How the top cloud collaboration tools stack up
Team collaboration apps have saturated the UC market. See how the leading products compare on calling features, video conferencing support, pricing and other criteria. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jan 2018
How do you manage enterprise video communications performance?
Enterprise video performance is vulnerable to latency and packet loss. Organizations must address three key areas in video communications to prevent issues that could impede performance. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2018
PGi releases GlobalMeet 5.0, as demand for web conferencing grows
PGi has revamped its flagship virtual meeting platform with the release of GlobalMeet 5.0. Many enterprises now prefer web conferencing over traditional dial-in calls. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2018
Cloud, mobility, telephony to fuel UCC market growth, report says
In unified communications news, one industry report issues a bullish outlook, a new group messaging platform has launched and Plantronics expands its headset offerings. Continue Reading