TMCnet Unified Communications Week in Review

Ending the teleconferencing Tower of Babel was the focus of TMCnet Contributor Tracey E. Schelmetic’s feature on Blue Jeans Networks’ introduction of its cloud-based cross-platform video conferencing solution. The solution can bridge together Cisco/Tandberg, Polycom (News - Alert) and Lifesize with consumer platforms such as Skype and Google (News - Alert).

The details of Orange Business Services (News - Alert) launch of its “Business Together as a Service solution” was the subject of a feature story by Anil Sharma, TMCnet Contributor . The Unified Communications (News - Alert) (News - Alert) solution offered via the cloud uses an "as a service" model that allows enterprises to access communication and collaboration tools quickly and cost-effectively, anytime, anywhere, on any device. Based on the Cisco (News - Alert) (News - Alert) Hosted Collaboration Solution, the solution is already available in France where it is being delivered to six customers.

TMCnet Contributor Beecher Tuttle did an interesting feature based on a New York Times report on the infiltration of internal social networking solution into corporate America. He points out that just like smartphones and tablet devices, internal social network are finding their place in enterprises so employees can discuss business matters in a more comfortable and collaborative setting.

CompTIA, a non-profit association for the IT industry, has announced added emphasis on unified communications that will be provided through its educational program at Breakaway 2011, which is scheduled for Aug. 1-4 in Washington, D.C.

Calculating the return on investment (ROI) for any new solution is critical in measuring and understanding its business value. And as highlighted in our feature, Maximizing ROI for a Unified Communication and Collaboration Solution and Making the Business Case, such calculations can be tricky. The need to focusing on key core components in making the calculations in order to justify the business case for a UC&C deployment are emphasized.

Finally, check out the SIP and Serve blog of David Byrd (News - Alert) of June 27, No Patent Pending, Just Heat. He makes a good point about the Patent Reform Act which is actually making its way through Congress.

Peter Bernstein is a technology industry veteran, having worked in multiple capacities with several of the industry's biggest brands, including Avaya, Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert), Telcordia, HP, Siemens, Nortel, France Telecom, and others, and having served on the Advisory Boards of 15 technology startups. To read more of Peter's work, please visit his columnist page.