Unified Communications Week in Review: Broadsoft, Mitel, Polycom

By Steve Anderson
Contributing TMCnet Writer

One of the biggest weeks in technology came to a close as the sun set on ITEXPO 2015 in Miami, Florida, and in its wake, a host of news items emerged about products and services on an array of fronts. Unified communications (UC) proved no different, and now with a weekend afoot, it's time to take a step back and make sense of it all. There's nothing better for doing just that, meanwhile, than our Week in Review coverage!

First, we had word from CounterPath, who set up a reseller agreement with an as-yet-unnamed network equipment manufacturer. The agreement gives the two companies access to each others' product lines to offer up better combination solutions for a variety of different markets, ranging from healthcare and government to financial firms and beyond. With more companies making moves to UC applications and tools, having more options will likely prove beneficial for those companies purchasing from the new alliance.

Next came word from Vertical Communications, whose director of product management Kevin Butler offered up some comment on the UC field at ITEXPO (News - Alert) 2015. More specifically, Butler talked about CRMLink, the latest release from Vertical, that allows Vertical Wave IP UC systems to integrate successfully with several major platforms from Salesforce to Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics CRM and beyond. Butler further noted that CRMLink is perfect for companies just getting started with CRM, as it provides more basic understanding of the tool.

Broadsoft came in next with news of a major milestone passed: specifically, it recently passed the 10 million market for hosted UC lines deployed, making it an industry leader in the field and showing all concerned how much demand there is for Broadsoft material. Services like Broadsoft UC-One are paving the way for even greater demand in the future, bringing together voice, video, instant messaging and an array of other services all under one central umbrella.

Then came word from Polycom, who brought out an array of new collaboration technologies geared toward making an online meeting experience as much like an in-person meeting as possible. With new features like the Eagle Eye Producer that track user participation and keep cameras focused on participants as much as possible, and the Noise Block system to help keep ambient sound and background noise out of the conversation, it's clear that Polycom (News - Alert) has plenty to offer when it comes to communicating without being in the same room.

Finally, while out at ITEXPO 2015, Mitel's Richard McBee talked to us about the key components of a UC strategy. Noting, those in the front of the field today may not be at the forefront tomorrow—given the sheer rapid change of technology in the field. Mitel (News - Alert), meanwhile, is working to keep itself at the head of the line, bringing in new companies and new focus to the product line to help ensure it remains a relevant part of the future of technology. .

That was the week that was in UC, and clearly, a lot was going on. This is a market that's poised for a great many shakeups in the near-term future and only time will tell just how it all comes out. Our global online community, meanwhile, was right at the tip of the spear in terms of bringing back the best in news, so be sure to join us back here next week for all the latest, and every weekend as well for our Week in Review coverage!