We have a Reg Tech Panel survey that needs filling in. This time we swoop on Unified Communications, which has been the next big thing for as long as we can remember. The research will form the basis of an upcoming Regcast and will publish the survey's findings on this site and in The Reg Library. The more of you who participate, the more useful the results will be. So a few minutes of your time, please!

Now for some scene setting;

Despite extensive use of a broad range of business communications mechanisms - phone, email, voicemail, instant messaging, audio conferencing, video conferencing – there exists a degree of inefficiency in communicating as a result of these largely disparate services.

Unified Communications (UC) is the term used to describe approaches and solutions which aim to provide integration across a range of communication mechanisms, with the goal of a more coherent way of working.

Going back a few years, UC was largely about visions and theory, with very little activity in the mainstream in terms of real life adoption. UC is gaining pace in the market, but there remains a degree of confusion and uncertainty around the business benefits. One of the main challenges is how to articulate the problems, opportunities, principles and benefits in a meaningful manner.

The generic way in which the unified communications proposition is often presented is unhelpful. Whether it’s vendors or pundits, there is a tendency to discuss the area without distinguishing between the different scenarios in which the same (or similar) underlying technology can be applied. The reason this is significant is because it is only possible to get 'crunchy’ about defining specific benefits and practicalities if you are precise about the kind of deployment you are considering.

But when you cut through this a lot of the ideas are pretty straightforward, and you may even have adopted elements of UC already without realising. So, whether you are an expert in this area, just getting up to speed, or simply wondering what all the fuss is about, we are interested in gathering your views and experiences through our latest Reg Tech Panel survey. Click here to get started.

Thanks. ®