Mobile UC More than FMC

David Byrd : Raven Call
David Byrd
David Byrd is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer for Raven Guru Marketing. Previously, he was the CMO and EVP of Sales for CloudRoute. Prior to CloudRoute, He was CMO at ANPI, CMO & EVP of Sales at Broadvox, VP of channels and Alliances for Telcordia and Director of eBusiness development with i2 Technologies.He has also held executive positions with Planet Hollywood Online, Hewlett-Packard, Tandem Computers, Sprint and Ericsson.
| Raven Guru Marketing http://www.ravenguru.com/

Mobile UC More than FMC

Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) once synonymous with mobile UC is now defined as merely a capability that most UC platforms deliver. The ability to transfer a call from a desk top device to a mobile device is not mobile UC. Furthermore, expanding IP communications from the VLAN to Wi-Fi is not UC. The use of Wi-Fi as a transport medium is more closely related convenience, cost reduction and technology leverage than UC.

Unified Communications (UC) offers users the ability to transition from non-real-time communications to real-time communications. With real-time communications businesses can gain productivity improvements and offer better services and support. Because UC is based upon real-time communications, we expand the definition to include unified messaging, instant messages, presence, conferencing (video, web, audio) and collaboration. Therefore, transferring a call from a stationary device to a mobile device, FMC, has about as much to do with UC as speed dialing.

Mobile UC is the ability to have the real-time features and capabilities available on mobile devices. It also means having those devices use Wi-Fi networks and 3G/4G networks for access. Finally, mobile UC means embracing and implementing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) within the business infrastructure and processes. In 2010 Forrester reported that 52% of enterprise IT managers expressed an interest in mobile UC, however, 66% had no plans for implementation. Given the explosion in smartphones and tablets, I wonder if these numbers haven’t shifted. Of course, there are other issues to address when mobile UC is incrementally added to a UC implementation. It is incumbent upon several departments (IT, HR, Procurement, Operations) to establish policy when BYOD is approved for devices introduced by employees into the UC environment.

I will address that in a separate blog on Friday along with some of the companies working on mobile UC applications/solutions.

 



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