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Mitel elevates hybrid cloud control with Edge and WX
Mitel Edge and WX enable organizations to maintain control of critical systems while taking advantage of AI for streamlined workflows and communication.
LAS VEGAS -- Mitel is enhancing hybrid cloud capabilities to provide organizations with greater control over critical services and to streamline operational workflows. The company announced two new products at Enterprise Connect: Mitel Edge and Mitel WX.
A hybrid communications architecture is no longer just a stopgap or migration path to the cloud. It can be a strategic advantage for organizations to maintain ownership over control, security and resilience while also using the cloud for services like AI.
Organizations operating in regulated industries, such as healthcare, government and financial services, want "uncompromising control of their own destiny, whether that's related to security or resilience," said Eric Hanson, chief marketing officer at Mitel.
This is particularly true in industries where lives are on the line if critical services were to go offline.
"That makes a big difference in certain verticals where you cannot be without communication," said Luiz Domingos, CTO of Mitel. "Think about emergency services -- that's an area where critical communications would require true resilience."
Mitel Edge is a communications architecture that enables organizations to keep critical systems, like voice, and sensitive communications data on-site, while also enabling AI and centralized management tools across a hybrid environment. Mitel Edge is aimed at regulated and high-availability environments, such as healthcare, government and manufacturing, that require local residency and control over sensitive data.
Mitel WX is a communications app framework that connects frontline, mobile, office and contact center workers in one system by embedding real time communications into operational workflows. It combines voice-centric, multimodal communications with hybrid deployment options across cloud, Mitel Secure Cloud and Mitel Edge.
Verticals require purpose-built approach to AI
Vertical offerings have also become increasingly important, as one-size-fits-all platform or AI deployments do not meet the unique needs of companies operating in regulated industries.
While some unified communications vendors might claim vertical offerings, these might not necessarily be purpose-built for a specific vertical, Hanson said. Mitel's vertical offerings are designed to meet those specific regulatory or industry needs.
Adding AI to the mix creates a richer experience for vertical communication needs. AI offerings are moving from general-purpose to tactical to support different kinds of businesses, said Metrigy analyst Irwin Lazar.
Domingos outlined some vertical healthcare use cases that the company supports. The first is electronic health record integrations, where AI can automatically create records from patient care sessions. Mitel also supports hospital bed terminals that are monitored through IoT integrations to provide services for outpatient and home care.
"We're moving more from 'here's this AI tool, good luck' to 'here is a package of AI-based solutions that you can start to use immediately that deliver real value to your specific operating industry,'" Lazar said.
Katherine Finnell is senior site editor for TechTarget's unified communications site. She writes and edits articles on a variety of business communications technology topics, including unified communications as a service, video conferencing and collaboration.
