UC strategy
Unified communications success relies on more than technology. End-user adoption is paramount for a successful rollout. Learn how to build a successful UC strategy that encompasses technology, training, staffing and culture.
Top Stories
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Tip
26 Sep 2023
Assess unified communications pros and cons for hybrid work
Unified communications as a service is getting renewed attention as businesses oversee hybrid workforces. Learn what you should know before deploying UCaaS at your operation. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2023
6 workplace benefits of immersive learning with AR and VR
AR and VR have the potential to enhance workplace learning programs. Learn how both employees and organizations can benefit from immersive learning with AR and VR. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Sep 2023
How unified communications tools address accessibility
The increased use of cloud communications means the tools must be accessible for everyone. Organizations should vet how their UC providers support accessibility features. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Aug 2023
RCS vs. SMS: What's the difference?
SMS is being supplanted by RCS to let carriers compete against WhatsApp and Messenger and open new avenues to business messaging. Learn the difference between RCS and SMS. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jul 2023
How to calculate video conferencing bandwidth requirements
Image motion, frame rates and screen resolution often dictate video conferencing bandwidth requirements. Learn four steps to address remote and office video call bandwidth needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jul 2023
4 common problems with hybrid meetings and how to fix them
Hybrid meetings can be hamstrung by technical and nontechnical challenges. Learn how to address common hybrid meeting problems to support attendees, no matter how they participate. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2023
3 video conferencing best practices to improve meetings
Hybrid work means that video meetings are here to stay. Organizations need to plan to ensure their video conferences are as effective as possible. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jul 2023
How IT departments structure collaboration management
Today, there are countless apps used to communicate across companies. IT departments are taking two approaches to organize the teams responsible for collaboration deployments. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jun 2023
Office hoteling pros and cons for hybrid work
As hybrid work gains traction, companies must rethink how they want to allocate their offices. Office hoteling offers some advantages, but be careful of the pitfalls. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Avaya prioritizes slow migration from on-prem to the cloud
The longtime contact center vendor aims to rebound from double bankruptcy by focusing on highly regulated customers' needs, such as continuity of some on-premises communications. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2023
Explore UCaaS architecture options and when to choose them
The first step to a UCaaS migration is choosing the deployment architecture. Learn how to choose which UCaaS architecture best suits your organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 May 2023
Top 7 UCaaS features to enhance productivity
UCaaS continues to evolve as more companies use the platform to support meetings, calls and messaging. New features, among them generative AI, could make UCaaS even more important. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2023
3 best practices for a successful UCaaS migration
Migrating to UCaaS requires careful planning to make the transition as seamless as possible. IT leaders can incorporate three best practices into their deployment strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 May 2023
Migrating from Slack: Inside the trend and spend
The availability of all-in-one collaboration apps, like Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace, is spurring some companies to ask if it's time to migrate from Slack. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 May 2023
Telepresence vs. video conferencing: What's the difference?
Though seemingly similar in concept, telepresence and video conferencing have different approaches to virtual meetings. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 May 2023
Absorb, acclimate and aspire at Enterprise Connect 2023
Innovation was the highlight of Enterprise Connect 2023, with advancements in interoperability, AI and CRM. But the conference also stressed where vendors must widen their reach. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2023
Microsoft releases Teams Payments app for small businesses
The tech giant brings transaction capabilities to its Teams platform, expanding digital commerce options for small businesses that offer online services through Teams. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2023
5 steps to achieve UC network modernization for hybrid work
The shift to hybrid work is putting new demands on the unified communications network infrastructure. Split tunneling and an enterprise CDN are two ways to meet those needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Apr 2023
Tap collaboration devices for employee experience data
Collaboration devices play a key role in supporting employee experience, from extracting engagement data to improving hybrid meeting parity. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Apr 2023
5 video conferencing trends to eye in 2023
We live in a video world now, and businesses are focused on improving the experience for their employees. Check out the video trends driving the market in 2023. Continue Reading
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Podcast
11 Apr 2023
Enterprise Connect 2023 news highlights
Antone Gonsalves, news director for networking and security, and Katherine Finnell, senior site editor, discuss Enterprise Connect 2023 highlights in "Tech News This Week." Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Apr 2023
3 common video conferencing problems and how to solve them
Employees have grown more skilled with video over the last few years. But video problems still plague meetings today. Learn how to address the most common challenges. Continue Reading
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Video
10 Apr 2023
Recap Enterprise Connect hybrid work trends, generative AI
Analysts discuss the top trends from Enterprise Connect 2023, including generative AI and how to make hybrid work more inclusive. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2023
IT pros face hybrid work technology challenges
Enterprises need specialized video conferencing equipment for office spaces that are usually empty to accommodate both in-office and remote participants during meetings. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2023
Successful hybrid working mixes tech, policy and culture
IT leaders at Enterprise Connect discuss their strategies for successful hybrid working, from transparent team agreements to parity between home and office setups. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Mar 2023
Collaboration tools help and hinder workplace accessibility
Cloud-based collaboration tools have improved workplace accessibility for people with disabilities. But IT leaders must examine where collaboration tools still fall short. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2023
Amazon Chime SDK gets new tools for call analytics insights
The communications service's new call analytics tool set enables users to conduct voice tone analysis to track customer sentiment and send the data to their preferred data lake. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Mar 2023
Enterprise Connect 2023 highlights Microsoft Teams, ChatGPT
The annual unified communications conference once again spotlights current and future industry trends as IT leaders weigh their business and technology investments. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Mar 2023
Workplace transformation: 8 steps to build a successful plan
The pandemic might have changed the workplace for good. Here's how to ensure that your organization's physical spaces, business processes and technology suit employees' workstyles. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
20 Mar 2023
Everything Enterprise Connect 2023: News, trends and insights
This guide gathers the latest news and analysis from Enterprise Connect, one of the largest enterprise communications and collaboration conferences in 2023. Continue Reading
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News
17 Mar 2023
Microsoft unveils AI-backed Copilot for Teams, Word and more
Microsoft 365 Copilot integrates AI-supported tools into Microsoft's productivity apps to help users write and organize emails, garner insights, and corral disparate data. Continue Reading
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Answer
14 Mar 2023
What is a jitter buffer used for?
Jitter buffers play a key role in supporting audio quality and mitigating network anomalies. Learn how jitter buffers work and their potential drawbacks. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Mar 2023
How the UC market is addressing corporate ESG initiatives
More organizations are adopting ESG initiatives, and UC vendors have begun to offer new programs and capabilities in response. But how much of a priority is ESG in the UC market? Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2023
ClickUp 3.0 built for scalability with AI, universal search
The new platform moves to the modern cloud infrastructure and offers a streamlined inbox, an AI-supported writing tool and universal search to access files across many apps. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Feb 2023
How do you build a CPaaS business case?
No matter how big or small the deployment, building a business case for CPaaS is essential to creating a more flexible and controlled communications environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jan 2023
Evernote and Notion take aim at enterprise collaboration market
Notion and Evernote -- best known as personal note-taking apps -- are pivoting to serve as enterprise collaboration tools. Are they viable options yet? 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
04 Jan 2023
Weighing the pros and cons of asynchronous collaboration
UCaaS vendors are developing tools that let remote workers collaborate on their own time. That flexibility can reap benefits, but what does it do to the value of teamwork? Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2023
Companies focus on UCaaS consolidation
Replacing redundant collaboration tools with a UCaaS platform is the focus of many companies looking to cut unified communications costs as the possibility of a recession looms. 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
22 Dec 2022
5 UC and collaboration trends reshaping the market in 2023
An uncertain economy is forcing companies to plan carefully as they prepare their 2023 unified communications strategies. Here are five key trends to watch for. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Dec 2022
Cisco collaboration study guide for 350-801 CLCOR exam
Learn the basics of Cisco collaboration products and how to deploy collaboration tools in this excerpt from 'CCNP and CCIE Collaboration Core CLCOR 350-801 Official Cert Guide.' Continue Reading
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Quiz
19 Dec 2022
Cisco collaboration 350-801 CLCOR practice test questions
This 350-801 CLCOR practice test for the CCNP and CCIE certifications quizzes readers on Cisco collaboration technologies, from endpoints to applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2022
Comparing Microsoft Teams free vs. paid plans
While Teams is bundled with some Microsoft 365 licenses, it does offer a free plan. Learn the difference between Teams free vs. paid plans and which is right for your organization. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Nov 2022
Hot desking vs. hoteling: What's the difference?
More and more companies are adopting hybrid workforce models, but as physical office spaces shrink, what are some options to support employees who do come into the office? Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Nov 2022
Carrier UCaaS services extend cloud communication benefits
UCaaS is becoming more popular as carriers roll out more sophisticated and integrated packages to users. Learn why it might make sense to consolidate your vendors. 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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Feature
05 Oct 2022
Desktop video conferencing hardware now built for hybrid work
Desktop video hardware offers organizations hybrid work benefits, including high-quality video for home workers and simplified IT management. But getting buy-in can be a challenge. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2022
Asynchronous work best practices require strong policies
Hybrid work is becoming the norm, but it challenges distributed teams collaborating to complete projects. A new generation of asynchronous collaboration apps may be the answer. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2022
How to approach enterprise social software for hybrid work
Enterprise social software can help organizations build communities to support employee engagement in the hybrid workplace. But IT leaders need to weigh how to manage communities. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Sep 2022
5 steps to manage desktop phone systems for hybrid work
Even as hybrid work gains traction and video communications grows, some employees still prefer using desktop phones. Supporting these devices means making sure they're up to date. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Sep 2022
3 UC user scenarios influence hybrid work budgets
As IT decision-makers evaluate their hybrid workplace budgets, three end-user scenarios lay the foundation for UC and collaboration technology investments. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Aug 2022
UC hybrid models reap benefits but require good planning
Hybrid unified communications is getting more attention as remote working becomes standard at many organizations. But be sure to understand how applications are being delivered. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Aug 2022
Why organizations need to revisit end-user device policies
Now that WFH collaboration is established at many organizations, companies need to review and revise their end-user device policies to manage security and IT support. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Aug 2022
5 steps to address hybrid meeting equity
Meeting equity is more than how you appear on camera. Follow these five steps to ensure hybrid meetings are engaging, productive and equitable for all employees. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Aug 2022
How to approach learning technologies in the workplace
Author Ria O'Donnell discusses the importance of continuing professional development and how to approach digital learning technologies in the workplace, including VR and AI. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Aug 2022
Virtual whiteboard vs. ideation system: Which is best for you?
Digital whiteboards are useful when tackling short-term needs, but a full-featured ideation system might be the best option for more sophisticated and mission-critical projects. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jul 2022
How do you measure ROI for virtual events?
Businesses and industries are using virtual events to reach customers. Determining ROI of these events isn't as easy as it was for physical conferences, but it can be done. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2022
How to plan a hybrid conference room setup
Conference rooms need to evolve as employees demand the same rich virtual meeting experience they have on desktop. Learn how to approach a hybrid conference room setup. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 Jul 2022
The difference between a traditional and hybrid meeting room
Hybrid meeting rooms differ from traditional rooms that focused on in-person attendees. Learn the challenges facing large and small rooms in supporting hybrid meetings. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Jul 2022
Room video conferencing interoperability critical for hybrid work
Vendors are beginning to take solid steps to make sure their video conferencing apps are interoperable with whatever meeting apps employees want to use. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jun 2022
3 use cases highlight AI and speech recognition evolution
The combination of AI and speech recognition has driven innovation for more advanced capabilities. Explore three applications that highlight the future of speech technology. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jun 2022
Effective hybrid meetings require training, equity, best practices
Authors Karin M. Reed and Joseph A. Allen discuss the need for proper training and best practices to support inclusive and effective hybrid meetings. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jun 2022
Hybrid meeting best practices emphasize engagement
In this book excerpt from 'Suddenly Hybrid,' learn about some hybrid meeting best practices that support engagement, regardless of where attendees are located. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 May 2022
Hybrid meeting technology helps AV teams address equity
AV teams are challenged in providing remote and in-room meeting attendees the same experience. Hybrid meeting technology for speaker framing is the first step to meeting equity. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Apr 2022
Rethinking asynchronous communication in remote work
Remote work carries different expectations for communication. Learn how to shift to asynchronous communication to create more equitable collaboration among remote employees. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Apr 2022
Remote work effectiveness requires adjusting expectations
Author James Stanier discusses the lessons from 'Effective Remote Work' in adapting to asynchronous communication and preparing for the hybrid workplace. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Apr 2022
3 ways to retool UC platform security architecture models
The security gap created when remote workers use unified communications to collaborate can be erased through tools designed to augment traditional security mechanisms. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Apr 2022
Assessing intelligent speakers for Microsoft Teams
Companies are exploring Cortana to beef up their Microsoft Teams meetings as more workers are brought into the office. The virtual assistant has some unique features. 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
25 Mar 2022
Video meeting equity comes into focus amid hybrid work
Meeting equity is the latest hybrid work challenge. Industry leaders at Enterprise Connect explain how organizations can ensure an equal experience for remote and in-person attendees. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Mar 2022
Build a strategy for compliance with federal 911 laws
Federal 911 laws are now fully in effect. Learn what your organization's obligations are to ensure PBX and phone system compliance with Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Mar 2022
5 ways to improve MSP marketing and sales
Review these tips to get a better understanding of the people, process and tools you'll need to bolster what has been a traditional weakness among service providers. Continue Reading
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Answer
11 Mar 2022
How do you create a Microsoft Teams template?
Microsoft Teams templates provide predefined collaboration spaces for specific business processes and team structures. Learn how to create a Microsoft Teams template in five steps. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2022
As large-room video conferencing ebbs, firms gird for future
As companies evaluate return-to-office strategies, they are also taking a look at the role video conferencing will play when they reassess how meeting rooms should be designed. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Feb 2022
Enhancing the efficiency of remote team communication
Successful remote team communication requires thoughtfully examining how teams use collaboration tools and designing interactions that improve the efficiency of remote teams. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Feb 2022
Remote communication best practices need mindful approach
Authors Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais discuss how to apply the lessons from their 'Remote Teams Interactions Workbook' to develop remote communication best practices for teams. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Feb 2022
What are types of virtual events and can they be improved?
Video conferencing software has helped companies connect with their employees and customers, but it hasn't quite filled the bill when it comes to supporting virtual events. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Feb 2022
How to achieve the ideal classroom video conferencing setup
Remote learning is here to stay. Having the right classroom video conferencing setup can help students and teachers feel more engaged whether they're at home or in the classroom. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2022
How to mesh video conferencing, video calling devices for home
Giving remote employees the chance to use their Amazon Echo Shows or Facebook Portals when logging in to meetings has advantages, but security and performance concerns remain. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Jan 2022
Pairing SD-WAN, UCaaS together has benefits and challenges
Organizations may combine SD-WAN and UCaaS to gain synergies and avoid multivendor complexities. But the combination of the two technologies can create challenges. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2022
Top 16 unified communications market blogs to follow
Follow these top unified communications blogs for the latest trends in the UC and collaboration markets. These blogs provide insight into analyst research, product news and market trends. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jan 2022
The evolving role of email in business communication
Email has been around for decades, but its role in business communications will change as collaboration apps become more predominant and open. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Jan 2022
What are best practices for working with external partners?
More organizations now use collaboration tools to work with external partners. Learn how to manage external collaboration to support distributed teams and keep company data secure. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2021
Understanding the 4 hidden costs of working from home
While remote work offers cost savings, there are hidden costs of working from home that affect both employees and businesses. Learn four hidden costs and how to address them. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Dec 2021
Integration strategy key to fuel cross-company collaboration
The need to communicate with external partners has put a new emphasis on cross-company collaboration tools. Explore the best ways to provide everyone with the same capabilities. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Nov 2021
How do you apply a zero-trust security policy to UC?
An important piece of remote and hybrid work is keeping UC environments secure. Learn how a zero-trust policy keeps user and app communications secure. Continue Reading
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News
22 Nov 2021
Apple self-service repair unlikely to help businesses
Experts believe small and medium-size businesses will continue using repair shops to fix Apple iPhones and Macs to avoid breaking and replacing the hardware. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Oct 2021
Teams vs. Webex vs. Zoom: Comparing collaboration features
When organizations compare Teams vs. Webex vs. Zoom as their primary UCaaS platform, the deciding factor may be how each vendor approaches collaboration. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Oct 2021
UC user adoption training must evolve for hybrid work
Learn why industry leaders at Enterprise Connect said user adoption training is key to UC success in the hybrid workplace -- and how employee experience platforms can help. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Sep 2021
How UC flexibility can overcome hybrid workplace challenges
Hybrid workplaces present unique challenges for every organization. But adapting UC technology and company culture can help organizations address certain obstacles. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Sep 2021
Hybrid work strategies fuel Enterprise Connect 2021 topics
Navigating the post-pandemic workplace is challenging. Enterprise Connect 2021 will explore UC's role in supporting ongoing remote work and the hybrid workplace. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jul 2021
Understanding CPaaS market growth, trends and providers
The CPaaS market is maturing as increased demand for digital communications drives new use cases. Learn about the trends and providers fueling CPaaS market growth. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Jun 2021
What technologies are essential for effective telework?
Some form of remote work is likely here to stay, even as the worst of the pandemic seems to be over. But employees need the right technologies if they are to remain productive. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jun 2021
As workers return, virtual assistant tools get a new look
People are familiar with using Siri and Alexa to control TVs and listen to playlists. Now, businesses are examining how these tools can help protect employees coming back into the office. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jun 2021
Guide to building an enterprise unified communications strategy
IT needs a unified communications strategy for voice and video conferencing, chat and other tools. This step-by-step guide helps you implement, evaluate and manage UC in the enterprise. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 May 2021
Top 10 must-have unified communications features in business
UC priorities changed dramatically due to the pandemic. Read our list of the features made for this new era of remote collaboration. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 May 2021
How could BYOD support touchless meeting rooms?
Organizations have a few options to approach low-touch and touchless meeting rooms. BYOD and employee smartphones are one method to support social distancing and meeting room access. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 May 2021
10 essential business benefits of unified communications
How can unified communications tools benefit your business? Explore these 10 unified communications benefits to make the best deployment decision for your needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Apr 2021
5 steps to managing team collaboration apps
Team collaboration apps offer measurable productivity and cost benefits. Follow these five steps to address technical, security and operational needs and achieve deployment success. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Mar 2021
Hybrid workplace model starts with meeting rooms, video
The hybrid workplace is the future as not everyone will return to the office full time. Learn how IT leaders at Enterprise Connect Virtual are using UC to support a hybrid workplace model. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Mar 2021
Companies eye CPaaS, RCS business messaging to expand reach
RCS business messaging, paired with CPaaS, is becoming an important tool for businesses looking for new ways to reach their customers and employees. Continue Reading