Tango Networks: FMC, UC Driving Business Productivity

Efficiency and productivity have become bywords of successful business in today’s world, regardless of the industry in which a company operates or which company a person works for. But how to make sure that business is as efficient and productive as it possibly can be? Technology is one answer, and in the communications market fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) is one of the main solutions touted as a way to do more work in less time and with more flexibility.

 

Alastair Westgarth, president and CEO at Tango Networks (News - Alert), thinks that FMC, paired with unified communications (UC), will be key to successful business efficiency in the future. I asked Westgarth to elaborate on this, and he predicted that femtocells will enable IT departments to more efficiently manage mobile assets, and that more workers will use mobile handsets exclusively while working from their desks less often. He also offered his perspective on the impact of Google (News - Alert) and iPhone, among other topics.

 

Westgarth will continue the discussion about FMC next month at INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO when he co-presents the “Overcoming FMC Challenges” session on September 16.

 

AW: While Tango Networks has had a number of announcements regarding firsts, including the first enterprise VCC offering and enterprise femtocell fixed-mobile convergence, our biggest achievement to date is the commitments to lab and/or customer trials with about a dozen mobile operators worldwide. This proves the point that mobile operators do value enterprise business and want to provide enterprises with value-added offerings such as fixed-mobile convergence for unified communications.

 

AW: Tango will continue to partner with best-of-breed companies in the PBX, unified communications and telecom equipment manufacturing markets. And, even more pertinent to TMC’s audience, mobile operators around the globe will start announcing and selling enterprise fixed-mobile convergence offerings powered by Tango Networks.

 

AW: As workers, we will all become even more productive and efficient in the way we work. People who want to reach us will call us, not a device (desk phone or mobile phone). With presence and location information availability (that can be shared or not, depending on preferences), I can, for instance, let someone know that I’m in Spain so they don’t try to reach me in the middle of the night Barcelona time. Partner ecosystems to will continue to grow, innovation will continue and more applications will be available at an enterprise level. Mobile operators will offer more innovative enterprise solutions such as fixed-mobile convergence to tie in with unified communications systems and provide additional value.

 

AW: Obviously we’d love to say Tango Networks, but most of the work we’ve been doing this year is “under the covers” so to speak. Apple’s (News - Alert) probably made the biggest contribution as it’s really gotten end-users excited about handsets again (when else have you seen people camp out overnight for something other than concert tickets or toys due to be in short demand for Christmas?)

 

AW: Let me Google that and get back to you…

 

AW: Apple has had a profound impact on handsets within the industry. Other handset manufacturers have had to up their game to offer more consumer/prosumer-friendly, intuitive devices. Apple’s really been a game-changer in that regard.

 

AW: I just recently got my Apple iPhone (News - Alert) 3G.

 

AW: End users. There’s enough room in the market for both companies (plus many others), and heavy competition just spurs companies to continue to innovate and produce better products.

 

AW: Mobile operators will do a much better job at serving enterprise needs as their IMS infrastructures will allow more capabilities. Femtocells (News - Alert) will be commonplace throughout enterprises to offer improved coverage for operator networks. IT departments will do a better job of managing their mobile assets, as they’ll all be tied in with their fixed voice infrastructures. Many more people will use their mobile handsets exclusively, as they’ll be working from their desk even less often, and the handsets will have even more capabilities, tying in with enterprise data and voice systems and networks. We’ll all have one number that’s used to reach us wherever we are, and only one voicemail to check. And, our unified communications systems will let us know how and when to reach someone, letting us know if someone is on the phone, in another country, etc.

 

AW: Fixed-mobile convergence is a subset of Unified Communications, and, done right, can help enterprises manage all aspects of their voice communications — fixed and mobile. We’ll dispel some of the myths about FMC and will give attendees a framework for deciding what type of FMC solution works best with their business needs.

 

AW: Enterprise IT and telecommunications managers and directors interested in finding ways to help their company’s employees become even more productive and effective, while leveraging their current infrastructure.

 

AW: The base of employees that can be supported by an FMC solution from Tango Networks is much larger than that of any other company. Tango Networks’ Abrazo supports :

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