Unified communications (UC) is hot. It seems like almost every day another company in the communications space announces a new or revised UC strategy. Case-in-point: NEC (News - Alert) Unified Solutions, which recently introduced UNIVERGE360, a UC solution that enables businesses to integrate the tasks employees perform with automated business processes.

 

NEC expanded upon its UNIVERSGE360 initiative Wednesday, unveiling a new set of solutions for enterprises and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) based on the concept of “role-enabled communications.” This refers to solutions that let companies tailor communications capabilities based on the roles users play rather than the other way around.

 

Putting people at the center of communications is, in fact, the concept behind the entire UNIVERGE360 portfolio (which NEC describes as an “approach”). The company works with its clients to define user roles, and then builds a communications solution based on a “Unified Infrastructure.” Specific UC elements are added and integrated with business processes.

 

NEC’s new UC portfolio utilizes software associated with the company’s servers. In the case of solutions geared toward enterprises, the servers used are UNIVERGE SV7000 and SV8500. For SMBs, NEC uses its UNIVERGE SV8100 and SV7300 servers. These servers are enhanced further with NEC’s DT700/DT300 line of modular IP and digital terminals.

 

The suite of UC solutions from NEC incorporates the following elements.

 

UNIVERGE UC700 Desktop Client—combines UC functionality in a single application with a variety of communications enhancements (e.g. presence-based routing, Web conferencing, incoming message screen pops).

 

UNIVERGE MC530 Mobile Client—seamlessly extends UC capabilities to mobile devices.

 

UNIVERGE UM8500 Unified Messaging System—a scalable, feature-rich unified messaging client compatible with the desktop and mobile clients.

 

Enterprises also get enhanced value from release 24 of NEC’s UNIVERGE SV7000 VoIP server software, with support for next-gen softphones, SIP-enabled devices, wireless LAN, and other functions. Plus, common management tools and development platforms are delivered by NEC’s UNIVERGE DT700/DT300 terminals, UNIVERGE OW5000 API, and UNIVERGE MA4000 management system.

 

As mentioned above, for SMBs the UC suite from NEC is built on the UNIVERGE SV8100 and SV8300 servers. Both servers support NEC’s UC For Business application, with built-in troubleshooting and HTML-based programming access.

 

Networking features for the SV8000 series servers are delivered via products called Netlink (for SV8100) and Remote Link (SV8300).

 

“There are many buzzwords in the industry today including Unified Communications, Fixed Mobile Convergence (News - Alert) and Voice over IP, but the fact remains that enterprises need to know how to integrate these communications into their business processes based on the role of their employees,” noted Jeff Kane, president at NEC Unified Solutions, in a statement. “With NEC’s new infrastructure and applications, we provide a clear choice for customers looking to move to IP while giving our current customers a smooth migration path.”

 

Kane referred specifically to enterprises, but his points extend to SMBs as well.

 

NEC’s new solutions will be on display at the VoiceCon show in Orlando March 17-20, 2008.

 

 

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