Unified Communications: Trends To Watch in 2018

Guest Blog by Charles Pugh from 5th Utility

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Unified Communications

Published: March 27, 2018

Ian Taylor Editor

Ian Taylor

Editor

Unified Communications has been making some huge leaps in 2018 with some key trends beginning to emerge.

Charles Pugh from 5th Utility shares his thoughts on the top trends to look out for when it comes to Unified Communications in 2018:

Collaboration Apps

Mobile focused collaboration apps are being adopted more now than ever before. Besides this, we are working toward a more streamlined communications system. There is no need to have separate providers for chat, email, video conferencing, and document sharing. The new trend is to provide all these services and more in easy to use mobile and desktop apps.

G Suite by Google and Microsoft Office365 are still in a dogfight to be the clear leader in this area.

A trend that is sure to emerge, particularly for companies integrating collaboration apps that are based in the EU, is a more stringent focus on data security and backup measures. GDPR regulation is set to come in soon and will require that data is kept secure and that the company storing the data is taking appropriate steps to back that data up. We actually wrote a blog article about Office 365 backups which may be of use if you’re based in the EU.

The Death Of PBX

The smartphone is inevitably bringing the death of PBX systems, and service providers are taking great advantage of it. Verizon’s One Talk system is a great example. It ingeniously connects both your work and mobile number. Soon there will be no more aggravating games of phone tag, and productivity will increase as a result.

When innovations such as this are combined with mobile and streamlined UC systems, it’s easy to see how our workflow will change. Our work environment will change along with it. The devices that anchor us to a physical workplace are disappearing. Remote work and working from home may soon become the new norm.

The Cloud

The cloud shouldn’t be big news to anyone, unless they’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years. But, there are many businesses that have been slow to fully adopt this innovation. Along with the changes mentioned above, the cloud will become an essential piece of the digital environment. With the erosion of the anchors that keep us tied to a physical workplace, and the trend to streamline UC systems, the cloud will work synergistically. It will greatly enhance the effectiveness of the aforementioned systems. Those still using antiquated systems of file management will have to adopt the cloud to stay competitive.

It’s easy to see how all these innovations are working together to change how, where, and when we work. These trends should all be watched carefully. They’re opening the door to bigger and better changes. We are living in a time of great change when it comes to our communications systems. The innovations that have been taken advantage of for social and personal use are now being tweaked and implemented in business. The way we work has long been lagging behind the way we communicate recreationally. This is soon to change. Streamlined UC systems, the Cloud, and services such as One Talk will be to traditional UC systems as the cell phone is now to the landline.

Guest Blog by Charles Pugh from 5th Utility

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