The promise of unified communications is that it will make life both easier and more productive for its users.

Currently, we are awash with ways to interact with each other. From voice call to video conference, text message to chat, some days it feels as though there are as many ways to communicate as there are types of people in the world.

Managing and checking all of these various communication channels take time—and it is inefficient. That’s because often there must be multiple address books, multiple windows to manage, and a lot of copy and pasting of information.

One of the big promises of unified communications is that it simplifies all of this, delivering all communications channels through a single interface. This both is less cluttered, but also there is more synergy among the various channels.

The promise of cloud computing also partially is the promise of an easier, more productive computing experience. The cloud frees the user from a single device, enabling them to have an address book and communications history that stays with them no matter what device they currently are using. It also frees the user from having to manage applications and make sure that all have the right software.

The cloud also simplifies computing and makes it more useful by enabling a level of mobility that just is not possible otherwise—something anyone who uses cloud storage or web-based e-mail such as Gmail will understand immediately.

It is a natural, then, that unified communications and the cloud would come together. Instead of having a desktop-based unified communications setup, a cloud-based approach delivers all channels, on all devices, at all times.

That’s a heady combination.

It is no surprise, then, that an increasing number of businesses are not only moving away from an isolated PBX (News - Alert) system and choosing unified communications instead, but that they also are scrapping on-premise entirely and using a cloud provider for all their communication needs.

A cloud-based unified communications approach also has the additional benefit of enabling more scalable communications solutions. Instead of having to predict usage, cloud-based unified communications can easily be scaled up or down depending on actual demand. That’s one of the benefits of the cloud, and it pays dividends in this case.

There are many cloud-based unified communications offerings on the market today, however, and finding the right one is not always as easy as using the technology. With that in mind, Stephen Brown (News - Alert), vice president of cloud strategy at Mitel, will be hosting a free webinar on February 20 at 1pm ET about communications in the cloud. It promises to help businesses discover the key factors they will need to find the right provider. Those interested in the webinar can register here.