Communications platforms and integrations
Integrating UC with other business apps and workflows can enhance collaboration and productivity. With offerings like CPaaS, businesses can use APIs and other development tools to connect disparate systems and enable a more seamless communications experience.
Top Stories
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News
31 Jan 2023
Zoom adds chatbot virtual assistant to CCaaS offering
The Zoom chatbot uses conversational language and proprietary AI to assist people calling Zoom's contact center as a service. Zoom launched its CCaaS last year. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2023
Compare Microsoft Teams Operator Connect vs. Direct Routing
As more companies migrate their telephony to Microsoft Teams, IT departments have two options to bring their current PSTN provider to the Teams platform. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 Jan 2023
Can Microsoft Teams send text messages?
As more companies move to remote work, IT teams can enable sending text messages through Microsoft Teams for quicker and easier communication among users. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jan 2023
Top UC and collaboration news of 2022 highlights 4 key trends
Review the 2022 UC and collaboration news highlights to learn about the trends that drove the market, and discover how these trends will influence the market in 2023. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Dec 2022
Understanding hot desking pros and cons for the hybrid office
Hot desking is one way to manage workspaces in a hybrid office. Learn some hot desking pros and cons to decide if it's the right approach for your company. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Nov 2022
How to approach a Webex-Teams integration and make it work
Cisco and Microsoft are finally breaking down the interoperability barriers between Webex and Teams apps. Companies will be able to soon reap the benefits. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Oct 2022
How asynchronous video communication boosts remote work
When it's time to share information with colleagues, a full-blown video conference isn't always necessary. Maybe an app like TikTok could help. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Oct 2022
Balancing remote work privacy vs. productivity monitoring
Weighing employee productivity monitoring against remote workers' privacy is a serious issue that requires protecting personal and corporate data and setting the right policies. Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2022
Zoom updates Contact Center, but features lag rivals
Zoom has added new Contact Center tools for supervisors and agents, giving management better insight into metrics while offering agents more ways to help customers. Continue Reading
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News
01 Aug 2022
Zoom IQ provides more intelligence for sales teams
Zoom's latest enhancements to IQ for Sales represent a product diversification strategy focused on delivering better intelligence to sales teams. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2022
Zoom One bundles services to draw single-vendor customers
Zoom ties its services together in Zoom One as it evolves from a video conferencing app to a communications platform. The company targets firms that want a single UC vendor. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2022
Understanding WebRTC security architecture
WebRTC is a secure technology for real-time communications, but security also depends on the application using it. Find out how developers can maintain that security. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Jun 2022
How do you evaluate UC applications for frontline workers?
UC offerings differ depending on business goals and intended users. When evaluating tools for frontline workers, consider factors based on communication, endpoints and workflows. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2022
Cisco links Webex to ThousandEyes internet intelligence
Integration between the Cisco Webex Control Hub and ThousandEyes lets IT administrators spot internet problems before they can affect video conferences. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jun 2022
UC, employee experience management offer complex insight
New research shows that many organizations are rethinking the employee experience amid remote work. Here are the methods, platforms and tools to consider in your evaluation. Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Salesforce pushes automation for Slack
Salesforce's low-code automation tool Flow and programming language Apex will soon work on Slack. The company said the move will help workers avoid rote tasks. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Mar 2022
What's the difference between speech and voice recognition?
It's easy to be confused about the difference between speech and voice recognition. Each has a specific role to play in business collaboration and contact centers. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Mar 2022
UCaaS vs. CCaaS vs. CPaaS: What's the difference?
It can be difficult to make sense of popular cloud communications service models. Compare UCaaS vs. CCaaS vs. CPaaS to understand their differences and how they can be used together. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
14 Mar 2022
Everything Enterprise Connect 2022: News, trends and insights
This guide gathers the latest news, trends and analysis from one of the largest conferences focused on the enterprise communications and collaboration market. Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2022
Microsoft integration tightens bonds between Teams, Outlook
Microsoft's upcoming integration will add Teams' collaboration capabilities to the Outlook email client. The update should save time for corporate workers. Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2022
Companies face legal uncertainties defending against NFTs
Companies enter a legal gray area when protecting their intellectual property, copyrights and trademarks against NFT makers. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2022
Zoom launches virtual conference floor for online events
Zoom wants virtual events to feel more like in-person sessions. The company's 2D virtual show floor, Expo, aims to re-create that sense of presence for remote attendees. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2022
Meta makes frontline worker push with Workplace, WhatsApp
Meta will allow businesses to send Workplace announcements over WhatsApp this year. The integration lets HQs use a popular consumer app to communicate with frontline workers. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Jan 2022
Video streaming vs. video conferencing: What is the difference?
Companies are finding that video streaming and video conferencing can serve the same purpose. That doesn't mean, however, they are interchangeable. Find out why. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Dec 2021
UCaaS for frontline workers poised for adoption 'explosion'
The unified communications and collaboration market has historically neglected customer-facing and field workers. But experts suggest a frontline UCaaS boom could be on the horizon. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Avaya pushes OneCloud customization
Avaya aims to create an ecosystem of customers, developers and partners that use its many integration tools to tailor the OneCloud platform for their individual needs. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2021
Zoom to blur lines between video, phone meetings
Zoom Phone head Graeme Geddes said the lines between video meetings and phone calls will blur, allowing workers to choose the best communication tool for their needs. Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2021
Ericsson to acquire Vonage for 5G development
Ericsson plans to use Vonage's developer community and cloud-based communications platform for 5G software development. The $6.2 billion deal is expected to close next year. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 Nov 2021
How do you set up Zoom breakout rooms?
Breakout rooms might seem difficult to configure, but it's not so challenging once you have the right options enabled. Our expert outlines how to set up Zoom breakout rooms. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Oct 2021
What are the use cases for programmable video?
Programmable video is a growing trend in the CPaaS market to integrate video with apps and websites. Learn the use cases driving adoption of programmable video APIs. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Oct 2021
Consolidate UCaaS platforms for the post-pandemic workplace
Enterprises preparing for the post-pandemic workplace are reevaluating their UCaaS platforms. Learn the benefits of a consolidated architecture and why it's not for everyone. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2021
Facebook focuses on business-to-consumer messaging
Facebook announced tools to make it easier for enterprises to reach customers on Instagram and WhatsApp, saying customers prefer messaging businesses. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Mar 2021
Salesforce-Slack deal heralds the future of collaboration
Deeper platform integrations, widespread communications tools and a dash of workflow automation are some of the elements that shape the future of team collaboration. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2021
WebRTC standard designation highlights technology's evolution
The WebRTC standard is official. Learn how the technology evolved beyond facilitating embedded video communications and the future of the standard. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Dec 2020
Virtual visits to mature in 2021
The pandemic forced virtual care's hand in 2020, but healthcare systems and patients have found that the benefits of telehealth outweigh the drawbacks. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Nov 2020
How has COVID-19 driven CPaaS API adoption?
New CPaaS use cases are emerging as business requirements for digital communications services evolve in response to COVID-19. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Nov 2020
CPaaS market growth broadens amid new use cases
While the pandemic didn't have a significant effect on CPaaS market growth, organizations accelerating their digital transformation plans are driving demand for APIs. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2020
Integrated collaboration environments offer new ways to work
By integrating with several other business operations, team collaboration platforms can provide a central workspace for virtual teams to organize their productivity. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Oct 2020
Microsoft and Amazon take on CPaaS market share
The CPaaS landscape is evolving as Microsoft and Amazon introduce their own communications APIs. Learn how cloud computing vendors entering the market is changing the CPaaS game. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Sep 2020
Making the business case to migrate to Microsoft Teams PBX
Replacing an on-premises PBX with Microsoft Teams Phone System offers organizations flexibility with pricing, hardware and collaboration capabilities but does have limitations. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Aug 2020
CPaaS industry growth driven by pandemic communications
The CPaaS industry is accelerating as the pandemic drives new use cases for communications APIs, from virtual patient visits in healthcare to contactless pickup in retail. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Jun 2020
Will remote work spur unified communications interoperability?
Unified communications interoperability is gaining more attention as more employees work from home. But, while some progress is being made, there is a long way to go. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2020
Gains in WebRTC technology making it increasingly versatile
WebRTC technology is now an important part of today's unified communications environment. But its road to adoption didn't come without a few bumps along the way. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Mar 2020
Should you buy communication APIs from a UC or CPaaS vendor?
Organizations can deploy communication APIs from their UC provider or a stand-alone CPaaS provider. Learn why communication requirements will influence the vendor decision. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2020
Determining the business benefits of CPaaS use cases
Deploying CPaaS can improve business efficiency. But the success of CPaaS use cases depends on the benefits outweighing service implementation and development costs. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Feb 2020
Comparing UCaaS vs. CPaaS for cloud-based communications
CPaaS and UCaaS platforms are growing, as organizations move from on premises to cloud. Learn what capabilities these options offer and how they fit into your enterprise communications. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Feb 2020
How can IT manage video conferencing interoperability?
Video interoperability is challenging but necessary for today's enterprise. Evaluating vendor partnerships and choosing hardware that supports multiple video services are key. Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2020
Avaya wants CCaaS to be included in RingCentral partnership
Avaya will attempt to expand its partnership with RingCentral to include its upcoming CCaaS offering. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Jan 2020
How do collaboration integration and interoperability differ?
Interoperability between collaboration platforms is scarce, but integrations are abundant. Learn why multivendor collaboration integration has more support than interoperability. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2020
Build a collaboration hub to transform team workflows
Team collaboration applications are coming together like never before. Learn how hubs are working now and why your team should get on board with this trend. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Jan 2020
The top 6 CPaaS trends to track in 2022
The CPaaS market is evolving to address digital transformation demands as a result of COVID-19. Provider priorities in 2022 include increased scale and improved support for video. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2019
Biggest UC trends revealed in top news stories of 2019
Vendor partnerships and interoperability initiatives are a few of the UC trends that made headlines in 2019. Take a look back at some of the top stories from the past year. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Dec 2019
CPaaS market evolves to meet changing business needs
Changing user needs are transforming the CPaaS market as vendors look to provide tools for nondevelopers and enhance communications API capabilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Dec 2019
Enhancing communications with a UC-contact center integration
The divide between contact centers and the rest of the business is shrinking. The demand for UC and contact center integrations is reshaping the contact center vendor landscape. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Nov 2019
The advantages of video calling drive business competition
Established companies can have a hard time competing with younger cloud-native competitors. But the advantages of video calling can level the playing field. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Oct 2019
CPaaS vendors can't ignore email in an omnichannel strategy
CPaaS vendors are expanding their omnichannel communications strategy beyond voice and SMS. Email APIs can create tighter integrations with business workflows. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Oct 2019
What are the benefits of UC in a cloud-based office suite?
Adopting the UC tools within a cloud-based office suite may be the most beneficial option if users are already comfortable with the suite's features. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Oct 2019
Apple contact center chat adds rich media, improved UX
The latest iOS update streamlines access for Apple Business Chat from any clickable phone number. Learn why business messaging is gaining popularity in the contact center space. Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2019
Poly integrates UC headsets with Amazon Alexa, Tile
Poly has integrated its UC headsets with Amazon Alexa after adding the AI voice assistant to its Trio conference room phones earlier this year. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Sep 2019
What are the benefits of a UC and contact center integration?
UC offerings that include contact center integration provide more seamless communications and engagement between office workers and contact center agents. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2019
Omnichannel messaging APIs still far off for CPaaS users
Omnichannel is not just a buzzword, but in some ways, it feels elusive. Omnichannel messaging APIs in CPaaS, in particular, are facing some adoption issues. Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Aug 2019
Programmability in UC needs more than communication APIs
The programmable enterprise has found its way into UC through CPaaS platforms. But organizations need more than communication APIs to achieve integration success. Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2019
AWS, Microsoft listening to voice recordings raises privacy concerns
Amazon and Microsoft won't say how often contractors listen to voice recordings captured in the workplace through products like Alexa for Business and Cortana. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2019
LogMeIn launches unified communications for small businesses
LogMeIn, Inc. has launched Grasshopper Connect to provide small businesses with a platform that enables them to create and manage businesses communications. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Jul 2019
Why is video interoperability a challenge?
Learn why video calls don't have the same level of interoperability as voice calls, and what challenges the lack of video interoperability presents for organizations. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2019
How to evaluate and prepare your organization for a CPaaS platform
Before deploying CPaaS, you must evaluate your organization's need for embedded communications. Plus, vendor stability and API features should be carefully examined. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 May 2019
How do you evaluate embedded communications use cases?
Most embedded communications use cases focus on customer-facing interactions. Learn how to evaluate the use cases that would benefit from embedding communications. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2019
How to prepare for API integration on your network
APIs are becoming the easiest way to customize services to fit business communications needs. Before deployment, IT should investigate what network constraints API traffic could bring. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Apr 2019
How Mio integrates Slack, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex users
Mio -- winner of TechTarget's Network Innovation Award -- enables a Slack, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex integration, enabling internal communication and collaboration across messaging apps. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2019
Slack-Office 365 integrations link email, calendar, documents
The latest Slack-Office 365 integrations include calendar syncing and an add-on for exporting email messages from Outlook to Slack. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Mar 2019
Contact center AI trends take center stage at Enterprise Connect 2019
Several vendors at Enterprise Connect 2019 focused on contact center AI innovation and virtual agents. But are businesses actually ready for the technology? Continue Reading
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News
20 Mar 2019
Polycom Trio integrates with Alexa for Business
Poly, the new name for the merger of Plantronics and Polycom, has added Alexa for Business to voice-activate meetings on the Polycom Trio conference room phone. Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2019
New widget for RingCentral integrations targets enterprises
RingCentral released several new tools for enterprises ahead of Enterprise Connect 2019, including a widget for adding RingCentral integrations to CRM and help desk apps. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2019
8x8 X Series integrates with Slack, Microsoft Dynamics
8x8 X Series has new APIs for embedding communications into third-party apps. Meanwhile, the vendor said it could now deliver speech analytics to larger contact centers through the public cloud. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Feb 2019
How can you measure WebRTC performance?
Organizations can take two approaches to measure WebRTC quality, both of which assess real-time communications performance on end-user devices and the network. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Feb 2019
7 key trends driving the CPaaS market and its vendors
Do you know where the CPaaS market is headed? Expert Tsahi Levent-Levi breaks down the seven trends that are influencing how vendors offer their services. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 Jan 2019
What are potential use cases for meeting room software?
It's likely that even your hardware-based meeting room is making use of software. Our expert explains where software fits into meeting rooms and its use cases. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Jan 2019
How is CPaaS influencing UCaaS vendor portfolios?
The customizability of CPaaS is changing how UCaaS vendors approach their platforms. Vendors are adopting more APIs to integrate CPaaS capabilities within their UCaaS platforms. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 Dec 2018
What are speech technology applications beyond contact centers?
Speech technology applications aren't confined to contact centers. Our expert explains the use cases for the technology, including personal digital assistants and knowledge management. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2018
WeWork reportedly halts rollout of Amazon Alexa for Business
WeWork, one of the premier early adopters of Amazon Alexa for Business, has reportedly shelved plans to deploy the AI voice assistant after a two-month pilot. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Nov 2018
How does embedded video fit into unified communications strategies?
Video communications have gained popularity in UC. Our expert explains how embedded video can enhance the communications experience beyond customer-facing applications. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 Nov 2018
The time for the omnichannel contact center is now
Editor's note: In this opinion piece, industry analyst Zeus Kerravala shares his thoughts on the omnichannel contact center and Talkdesk's latest approach. After years of discussion but low ... Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Oct 2018
AI in contact centers offers agents behavioral analytics
Contact center AI offers tools to help agents provide better customer service through behavioral analytics. But AI may also present some privacy concerns. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
12 Oct 2018
Opinion: New APIs work to connect apps to multiple messaging platforms
Note: Vonage is a client of ZK Research. The digital transformation era has arrived, and market leadership will be largely based on excellence in customer service. In 2017, ZK Research data showed ... Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2018
Embedded communications have business embracing CPaaS
In the UC blog world, analysts discuss how businesses are embracing CPaaS for embedded communications, why SD-WAN and MPLS make a strong team, and why Cisco is losing focus on collaboration software. Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2018
Microsoft intros Cortana Skills Kit for app developers
Microsoft has unveiled the Cortana Skills Kit, a platform comprising Azure AI services developers can use to leverage the Cortana voice assistant to improve worker productivity. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Sep 2018
Should you use CPaaS vendors or develop communications in-house?
While some organizations prefer to develop communications capabilities in-house, deploying vendors' communications APIs offers benefits. Two factors can influence the best approach. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Sep 2018
Apple Business Chat vs. WhatsApp business messaging API partners
WhatsApp is taking a different approach than Apple when it comes to business messaging APIs. Tsahi Levent-Levi explains how WhatsApp is differentiating with vendor partnerships. Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2018
Microsoft and Amazon sync AI voice assistants Alexa, Cortana
The integration of the AI voice assistants Alexa and Cortana combines Amazon's familiarity among consumers with Microsoft's adjacency to office productivity software. Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Jul 2018
Integrating unified communications products and other UC trends
Communications and collaboration in the enterprise has never been more business essential. Learn how to make sense, and best use, of the latest UC products and services. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Jun 2018
CPaaS brings contextual communication to customer interactions
Organizations that want to compete in an increasingly digital world and improve customer experience will find contextual communication benefits with communications platform as a service. Customers ... Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Jun 2018
What are the security threats when working with CPaaS vendors?
Four security vulnerabilities should be top of mind as you move into real-time communication with APIs. Expert Tsahi Levent-Levi explains how to approach real-time communication security. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2018
Open UC platforms improve communication workflow, but carry risks
An API-based integration between UC and business apps can improve workflows and contextual communication. But the integrations may carry security risks. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 May 2018
How do you monitor performance of communication APIs?
Measuring API performance depends on whether the API is provided by a vendor or developed in-house. API expert Tsahi Levent-Levi offers steps to monitor APIs. 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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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
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
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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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
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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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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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