 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
Unified Communications Next Frontier For Technology Growth: IBM
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
IBM predicts five major trends that will propel demand for unified communications and collaboration over the next five years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 20, 2008:
IBM has announced a major new initiative for the unified communications market including a wide range of investments, product and technology advances and collaboration with leading clients and business partners. The unified communications market is expected to reach $17 billion in worldwide revenue in 2011, growing at 38 per cent compounded annually from 2007, according to IDC.
|
|
Seeing unified communications as the next significant frontier for technology growth, IBM predicts five future trends that will increase demand for this market and reshape the way businesses and workers communicate and collaborate globally.
According to the company, the virtual workplace will become the rule. Desk phones and desktop computers will gradually disappear, replaced by mobile devices, including laptops, that on traditional office capabilities. Work models will be changed by expanded globalisation and green business initiatives that reduce travel and encourage work at home.
Secondly, companies will go beyond initial integration of communications into their desktops to deep integration with business processes and line-of-business applications.
Just as e-mail became a company necessity, the company says, younger generations of workers will demand instant messaging (IM) as the preferred method of business interaction. This will fuel more rapid adoption of unified communications as traditional IM becomes the core extension point for multi-modal communications.
'Walled Garden' business models will give way to open interoperability across business and public domains. Corporate demand for interoperability and maturing of industry standards will force unified communications providers to embrace interoperability.
And lastly, new models for conducting effective 'meetings' will emerge. 3-D virtual world and gaming technologies will significantly influence online corporate meeting experiences to deliver more life-like experiences demanded by the next generation workers who will operate more efficiently in this familiar environment.
To meet these demand, IBM is investing significantly in a range of resources. IBM Research is currently exploring a growing number of social and collaborative software projects with over 70 researchers dedicated to this work in eight research labs worldwide. In 2008, over 1,300 IBM software developers and technical experts will make innovative contributions to unified communications. New technical skills programmes for IBM developers are being used to help accelerate software development, including the teaching of Eclipse-based development. In addition, IBM's Venture Capital programme is working to identify and fuel promising new innovations in unified communications.
A part of this investment also covers an expansion of IBM Lotus Sametime software products. The new IBM Lotus Sametime Advanced software, to be available from 28 March 2008, includes community tools that enable users to spend less time trying to figure out who can help solve a problem, by reaching out to a community of colleagues or experts instantly. Lotus Sametime Advanced also features persistent group chat and instant screen sharing capabilities.
IBM Global Technology Services is assisting clients around the globe to exploit the convergence of voice, video and data. The IBM investments will address clients' requirements for integration of multi-platform environments and multiple network equipment providers, while masking the complexity of delivering the solution with proven reference architecture to address mission critical business needs. The company is making full investment in training its engineers, consultants and services professionals in IBM Global Services Method and Reference Architectures.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREE NEWSLETTER
Receive the latest reviews, how-tos, news & more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Broadcom India In Expansion Mode |
| "Since India contributes significantly to Broadcom's overall growth, we are reinforcing our commitment to India by expanding our facilities in the cou... |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|