The sun may be shining today in beautiful Austin, Texas, but inside the Austin Convention Center the technology forecast is cloudy.

The Cloud Communications Expo begins today, October 2, in Room 8A with three informative sessions that will set the stage for what’s to come this week for the remainder of the conference. Today’s sessions include Building a Strong Basis for Unified Communications (News - Alert) in the Cloud, Utilizing Cloud-based UC as a Competitive Advantage and Web 2.0 + Telco 2.0 = Voices in the Clouds.

Moderated by Peter Bernstein, senior editor at TMC, the first session, Building a Strong Basis for Unified Communications in the Cloud, will be held from 12:30-1:15pm and start the conference off with a basic level of how to utilize cloud-based communications in a UC environment.

Now that virtualized cloud services have emerged as the top prospect to reduce capex, expedite delivery of new applications, improve business agility and minimize IT support costs, we need to explore the impact these services have on existing technologies. In this session, attendees will learn how to prepare for the use of cloud services while extracting the maximum value from existing equipment and solutions by utilizing ideal case studies on how to make the most of existing investments while also leveraging the best the cloud has to offer.

The panel will include four presenters well- experienced in the cloud telesphere including David Scult, CEO of Fonality, Dean Parker (News - Alert), president and CEO of Callis Communications, Jeff Wissing, NetVanta UC senior product manager, Enterprise Networks Division of ADTRAN, Inc. and Adam Cole, CEO of Votela.

The second session, Utilizing Cloud-based UC as a Competitive Advantage will follow at 1:30-2:15pm with presenters John Drolet, VP, Channel Operations at eZuce, Marlon Machado, product manager, Unified Communications and Collaboration Software at IBM (News - Alert), Aron Aicard, senior director of Product Management at Fonality and Jebb Dykstra of Meetrix Communications, Inc.

Deploying a cloud-based UC platform takes the process a step further by enhancing cost savings, scalability and the opportunity to access important data from just about anywhere. This session will share best practices, address strategic opportunities and show the positive impact UC in the cloud can have on a business, no matter its size.

Last, but certainly not least, the final session concluding Day 1 of the Cloud Communications Expo is Web 2.0 + Telco 2.0 = Voices in the Clouds from 2:30-3:15pm.

The world has been revolutionized by the advent of Web 2.0 with its apps, APIs, real-time data and mash-ups, however, the world has also been revolutionized by the Telco 2.0 shakeup with new business models, cheap and ubiquitous communication possibilities and innovative companies and services. This session will discuss the technologies and opportunities created by this potent combination and the strategies necessary for building these “2.0” voice + web applications that can run entirely in the cloud.

Presenters include Dave Link, chairman at ScienceLogic, Rene Sotola, VP of CGI (News - Alert), Eric Hernaez, VP of marketing at NetSapiens and Louis Hayner , EVP and chief sales officer, WVT Communications Group & its wholly owned subsidiaries, Alteva (News - Alert) & USA Datanet

If you are interested in any of the sessions above, be sure to join us in Room 8C of the Austin Convention Center.

If your organization is on the smaller side and you are looking for information on how to leverage cloud-based technology for the benefit of your small to medium-sized business (SMB), be sure to check out the Cloud4SMB Conference also beginning today in Room 10C.

Want to learn more about cloud communications? Then be sure to attend Cloud Communications Expo, collocated with ITEXPO Austin 2012 happening now in Austin, TX.  Stay in touch with everything happening at Cloud Communications Expo. Follow us on Twitter.