Several misunderstandings about Unified Communication

Similar to any other new technology, there are many deviations and misunderstandings in people's understanding of Unified Communication.
With the continuous integration of voice, video, and data networks, more and more organizations see the value of deploying a Unified Communication solution based on Internet Protocol IP addresses. These solutions include IP voice VoIP) it works with IP phones, unified messaging, voice messaging, Contact Center Solutions, audio conferencing, video conferencing, and Web collaboration, and integrated communication and mobility solutions that utilize network information.
Misunderstanding 1:IP-based commercial communication solutions should be deployed after the standards become more mature.
Actual situation: the basic standards for IP communication have been introduced, of course, new standards will continue to emerge. In the technical field, many standards are usually eliminated in less than a year. For Unified Communication, most key standards have been formed.
Cisco has been working with leading software vendors such as Microsoft and IBM to drive the development of open standards to enhance application integration, further increase productivity, and provide functionality not available in the TDM field.
Misunderstanding 2:Implementing IP-based commercial communication is more expensive than implementing traditional TDM communication systems.
Actual Situation: At the beginning, the IP phone seems to be more expensive than the traditional circuit exchange key-encryption system and enterprise phone, but the intelligent IP phone exists in the actual phone, it does not exist in the line card of the enterprise or the key system controller. It seems that IP phones are expensive because most of the cost of the solution is related to the endpoint. In addition, people only see that the cost of VoIP phones is higher, but they do not calculate the average cost of Intranet cards and telephones, that is, there is no cost comparison.
It turns out that the total cost of ownership of the Unified Communication solution is low, and the ROI is high. Currently, the cost of a common IP Phone is no higher than that of a digital desktop phone. If the TCO is reduced by the ability to transmit voice, video, and data over a converged IP network, the Unified Communication solution can save considerable costs for enterprises.
Misunderstanding 3:In today's IP communication field, there is no super powerful application.
Actual Situation: enterprises use the Internet for different reasons. similar to this, enterprises use Unified Communication for a variety of reasons. Currently, many Unified Communication applications can reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve customer satisfaction. The real power of Unified Communication lies in the ability to integrate voice, video, and data applications. This architecture allows new applications to be integrated with original applications, including email, CRM, calendar system, inventory query, hotel calling, and school attendance vertical applications.
Misunderstanding 4:The Unified Communication System is not as secure as hybrid IP communication and traditional communication systems.
Actual Situation: It looks like this: "When was the last time the Internet worm destroyed the PBX ?" However, the true misunderstanding is that the hybrid system is safer than the end-to-end Unified Communication solution. Security is an important issue regardless of whether the data network supports voice applications.
For PBX systems, enterprises must prevent fraud, disguise, and dialing conflicts. For traditional systems, enterprises must prevent illegal access or eavesdropping that can be completed by a pair of dial-up pliers.
The security of Cisco Unified Communication is not inferior to that of traditional PBX systems, because Cisco can combine IP communication security technology and network security technology to make the network a secure and unified system.
Misunderstanding 5:Deploying IP-based communication solutions wastes investment in traditional voice solutions.
Since almost all companies have deployed some voice communication systems, many people think that, switching to unified communication means that the large amount of money invested in the establishment of voice infrastructure in the past 10-20 years has been completely scrapped.
Actual situation: the Unified Communication solution allows enterprises to migrate data as per their own schedule. In the IP communication field, telephone is a network service that can be provided from anywhere on the network, that is, it is not related to location. For example, a multi-site enterprise can deploy call control software on a central site and allow remote sites to remotely access services over the network.
Finally, all vendors in the industry believe that the ultimate fate of PBX is to completely disappear-the future will be an era with no chassis, no racks, no line cards, no ports.