Unified Communications Featured Article

Ribbon Unfurls Smart Office UC Enhancements

By Paula Bernier
Executive Editor, TMC

Ribbon Communications Inc. this week unveiled enhancements to its Smart Office Unified Communications (News - Alert) solution. That includes a new feature called Call Boost.

Leveraging Ribbon’s Call Grabber technology, Call Boost enables users to toggle between 3/4G and Wi-Fi connections when they experience a decrease in bandwidth or voice quality. It can also move a call from the user’s limited data plan to their cellular minutes.

The enhanced Smart Office Unified Communications also provides extended support for Vidyo’s (News - Alert) video technology, including H.264 SBC and VP6. That provides Smart Office Collaboration Rooms with HD videoconferencing and screen sharing functionality.

Additionally, the Ribbon solution support WebRTC and rich client options. And the Ribbon Omni container technology in the solution, which is powered by WebRTC media capabilities, allows traffic to traverse firewalls without problems. That’s important for business travelers, notes Ribbon.

"Our customers want the latest in technological and collaboration advancements, including one-number access to all communications devices, the ability to have the same office connectivity capabilities regardless of where they are working and the option to include co-workers, customers, friends and guests in multiple collaboration environments," said Sacha Gera, Senior Vice President of Cloud Products at Ribbon. "Smart Office is designed to deliver all of these capabilities and more, while providing anywhere access to UC. With great new features such as Call Boost and enhanced HD quality voice and video, we are delivering on our continued commitment to make staying connected easy and convenient."  

Ribbon, which is holding the Perspectives18 event next week in Los Angeles, was created in late October through the merger of GENBAND (News - Alert) and Sonus. In December, the new company named Fritz Hobbs as its president and CEO.