A Timeline of Unified Communication

With any technology there is a process of evolution for how something looks and works. Take for example the current iteration of the iphone; it didn’t always look or function the way it does now, but look at where it is (and where it’s going!).

When it comes to unified communication there’s a similar evolutionary timeline.

‘Over the years, Unified Communications have evolved from a long-term trend to a new opportunity for company development and investment. It’s worth noting that Unified Communications helps to draw attention to the fact that communication isn’t limited to voice interactions. Unified Communications centre around the understanding that communication can involve the exchange of any form of communication – through cloud sharing, messaging, email, and more.

In the 1980s, when the idea of Unified Communications was emerging in the form of IVR, email, and voice messaging. Voicemail systems that included IVR-like features were seen as a solution to accessing corporate information for mobile employees, before cell phones became the everyday necessity that we perceive them to be today. Interestingly, in 1985, VMX chose to offer an “email reader” feature on their voicemail system – marking the growth of the new communications future.

By the time the 1990s rolled around, the concept of unified messaging had really taken hold, with many investments coming together to bring voicemail and mail into the light. As the rise of mobile phones became more evident, UM systems became “find me/follow me” systems, where callers could find the called party at a current location and number.

The early 2000s is when UC really began to grow, with many companies figuring out new ways of providing user communications. When IP Telephony was combined with UM, mobility, speech, and desktop experiences, customers could find a Unified Communications experience, but most clients weren’t ready to leave their investments in PBXs with e-mail and voicemail systems, meaning that many new solutions experienced a slow growth.

Today, business application software companies are beginning to integrate the necessary solutions for communication into their business management solutions. This growth has been reflected by the Gartner Magic Quadrant report on Unified Communications. Today, the market has continued to grow solidly, with new innovations emerging every day. Truly comprehensive and unified solutions for business management and communication have been embraced by companies throughout the world – allowing for a more productive, and remote workforce on a global scale. (Rebekah Carter, commstrader.com)

At NuEdge Communications, your business communication specialist, we pride ourselves on using the latest technology to help our clients’ businesses better connect and communicate. We’ll also keep you abreast as to how the technology is evolving to ensure that you are always able to have access to the best for your business. Contact us to learn more about how we can help!