Unified Communications

According to Gartner, unified communications (UC) offers the ability to significantly improve how individuals, groups and companies interact and perform. UC also enables multiple communication channels to be coordinated. In some cases, separate servers may be consolidated; however, more frequently, UC adds functionality to existing communication applications. Key technologies include Internet Protocol (IP)-PBX, voice over IP (VoIP), presence, e-mail, audio conferencing and Web conferencing, videoconferencing, voice mail, unified messaging (UM), instant messaging (IM), and various forms of mobility. Another key capability of UC is that it offers a method to integrate communication functions directly with business applications; Gartner calls this capability "communications-enabled business process" (CEBP).

Microsoft is the world leader in UC

Based on the Gartner's Magic Quadrants for Unified Communications released in July 2010, Microsoft is in the Leader quadrant. The Leaders quadrant contains vendors selling comprehensive and integrated UC solutions that directly or, with well-defined partnerships, address the full range of market needs. These vendors have defined migration and evolution plans for their products in core UC areas, and are using their solution sets to enter new clients into their client rosters and to expand their footprints in their client bases in new function areas.

> Check out the Gartner Unified Magic Quadrants, and see why Microsoft is top of the stack in UC

Microsoft Unified Communications

From controlling costs to managing compliance, Microsoft® Lync™ delivers value that speaks to the needs of today’s organizations.

Unified Communications helps you create powerful connections between people, both inside and outside your organization, for greater productivity. It provides a seamless flow between the work users do and the people they need to connect with to get that work done—leading to a significant increase in overall productivity. With Microsoft Unified Communications, users will have the ability to communicate from within the business applications they know and trust.

Microsoft® Lync™ ushers in a new connected user experience transforming every communication into an interaction that is more collaborative, engaging, and accessible from anywhere. For IT, the benefits are equally powerful, with a highly secure and reliable system that works with existing tools and systems for easier management, lower cost of ownership, smoother deployment and migration, and greater choice and flexibility.

Lync Server 2010, saves you time and money by replacing separate e-mail, phone, audio and video conferencing, voice mail, and instant messaging systems with an integrated, Windows-based platform and built-in, enterprise-grade protection.

> Read more about Lync

Aastra Unified Communications

Unified Communications helps your employees, business partners and customers connect, communicate and conduct business in real time. Whether across the room or across the globe, collaboration happens instantly and in the mode best suited for the parties involved.

Answer your desk phone in the car. Make a call from your hotel phone that looks like a call from your office. Seamlessly move a call from your mobile phone to your desk phone. Aastra's Unified Communications solutions help mobile employees communicate with customers and colleagues in the most efficient and cost effective manner, enjoying all the conveniences of a virtual office.

Increase Productivity

Leaving multiple voice mails and emails wastes time. Employees are more productive when they can choose how to communicate in the most efficient manner. By integrating with leading collaboration suites like Microsoft® Lync™ and IBM® Lotus® Sametime®, Aastra's Unified Communications solutions combine presence information with multiple modes of communication to improve employee efficiency.

Be more responsive to your customers

By unifying and simplifying the many modes of communications available, Aastra's Unified Communications solutions can help your employees communicate in the most efficient manner. This means getting answers faster and results in better customer service.

Microsoft UC Integration

Aastra has partnered with Microsoft to provide solutions that improve and streamline business communication. The Aastra MX-ONE Telephony Server has been certified through the Microsoft Partner Program to ensure interoperability and tight integration with Microsoft Unified Communication software. Learn more...

> Read more about Aastra UC