UC Press

The US smart home market has been struggling — here's how and why the market will take off

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 21:00:00 +0000

The US smart home market has yet to take off. Quirky's recent announcement that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy — and selling off its smart home business, Wink — highlights this well.

At its current state, we believe the smart home market is stuck in the 'chasm' of the technology adoption curve, in which it is struggling to surpass the early-adopter phase and move to the mass-market phase of adoption.

There are many barriers preventing mass-market smart home adoption: high device prices, limited consumer demand and long device replacement cycles. However, the largest barrier is the technological fragmentation of the smart home ecosystem, in which consumers need multiple networking devices, apps and more to build and run their smart home.

In a new report from BI Intelligence, we analyze current US consumer demand for the smart home and barriers to widespread adoption. We also analyze and determine areas of growth, and ways to overcome barriers.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

Smart home devices are becoming more prevalent throughout the US. We define a smart home device as any stand-alone object found in the home that is connected to the internet, can be either monitored or controlled from a remote location, and has a noncomputing primary function. Multiple smart home devices within a single home form the basis of a smart home ecosystem.
Currently, the US smart home market as a whole is in the "chasm" of the tech adoption curve. The chasm is the crucial stage between the early-adopter phase and the mass-market phase, in which manufacturers need to prove a need for their devices.
High prices, coupled with limited consumer demand and long device replacement cycles, are three of the four top barriers preventing the smart home market from moving from the early-adopter stage to the mass-market stage. For example, mass-market consumers will likely wait until their device is broken to replace it. Then they will compare a nonconnected and connected product to see if the benefits make up for the price differential.
The largest barrier is technological fragmentation within the connected home ecosystem. Currently, there are many networks, standards, and devices being used to connect the smart home, creating interoperability problems and making it confusing for the consumer to set up and control multiple devices. Until interoperability is solved, consumers will have difficulty choosing smart home devices and systems.
"Closed ecosystems" are the short-term solution to technological fragmentation. Closed ecosystems are composed of devices that are compatible with each other and which can be controlled through a single point.

In full, the report:

Some of the companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nest, August, ADT, Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Lowe's, and Honeywell.

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: New aerial footage shows aftermath of explosion in China

Avoiding UC Implementation Failure – A UCStrategies Webinar

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:41:13 +0000

This webinar will focus on one critical objective: ensuring that you are highly successful in managing your current UC environment despite its complexity. Join Phil Edholm, UC Expert, and leading vendors, to discuss how Business Communications Operations Management (BCOM) is a critical component of UC success.

THE STORE CARDS REPORT: The original payment card is driving loyalty at big brands and hitting mobile wallets next

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:40:00 +0000

Over half a century after they fell out of favor to general credit cards, store cards — or private-label cards — are still an important component of the payments landscape.

For many merchants, they represent a significant portion of sales. This is because private-label cards offer unique advantages for consumers and merchants that distinguish them from general-purpose cards.

Now private-label cards could play a crucial role in propelling the adoption of mobile in-store payments among US consumers.

Samsung's wallet, Samsung Pay, now supports private-label credit cards. Apple Pay users who have upgraded to iOS 9, released in September, can sync Apple Wallet with store cards. These cards, which include unique loyalty programs that often reward frequent usage, could provide an incentive for consumers to adopt mobile wallets.

In a new report from BI Intelligence, we size the private-label card market, explain how a private-label system is integrated, map out how a private-label credit-card transaction works, illustrate private-label's impact at two major retailers, and show data that suggests these cards could be a major driver of mobile-wallet adoption.

Access the full report by signing up for a full-access trial »

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Private-label cards have grown steadily in terms of purchase volume. We estimate that private-label credit and debit cards generated $218 billion in purchase volume in the US in 2012. Volume increased 17% over the next two years, reaching $254 billion in 2014.
Private-label cards work within existing payment environments on a partitioned network. This gives merchants the ability to integrate private-label programs without a massive overhaul of their point-of-sale systems.
Private-label cards have been successful for big-box retailers like Target and luxury retailers such as Neiman Marcus. Target has an array of store-card products bundled under the REDcard brand, which accounted for 21% of total store sales in 2014. The Neiman Marcus Group, which includes Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, captured 40% of its sales through private-label credit cards in 2014.
These types of cards could ultimately boost mobile-wallet adoption. A number of surveys suggest that rewards-laden private-label cards might give customers a more compelling reason to adopt mobile wallets.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, and daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Victoria's Secret is making one mistake that is driving away a lot of women

Yorktel Publishes Whitepaper and Case Study

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:35:00 +0000

Yorktel today announced two significant additions to its Professional Services Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) library: a whitepaper titled, “Best Practices for UC&C Productivity;” and, “Guiding Global Broadcasting Company from Disparate Legacy Systems to Next-Gen Video Infrastructure,” a case study.

Mobile video advertising is growing three times as fast as spending on desktop video

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 16:58:56 +0000

Video is quickly becoming the dominant medium of the smartphone era.

YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, BuzzFeed, and Snapchat videos are increasingly keeping audiences glued to their small screens, opening up new greenfield opportunities in advertising.

In this in-depth research from BI Intelligence, we find that US digital-video advertising revenue from PC- and mobile-based video ads will top nearly $5 billion this year, and grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.9%. Total revenue will reach $13.3 billion by year-end 2020, according to BI Intelligence estimates based on historical data from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial »

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Video is quickly replacing static display advertising on desktop. Video will account for 41% of total desktop display-related spending in 2020, up from a 26% share this year.
Video ads perform better than standard display ad units. In-stream video ads, including ads that play at the start, during, and after video content, yielded click-through rates (CTRs) that were 18x higher than HTML5 banner ad units in February 2015, according to Google's Rich Media Gallery.
Video's premium status within digital is reflected in the format's high prices. Video ads tend to cost significantly more (e.g., 2x or 3x) than non-video ad units on premium publishers like Vice and Instagram.
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have all introduced new digital-video ad products. Social video offers several major advantages from an advertiser perspective, including huge built-in mobile audiences, advanced targeting, and native-style ad units.
But despite their high prices and strong results, video ads create a special set of challenges around viewability.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's what it takes to be President Obama's right-hand man

Vidyo Reaches 10th Anniversary and 100th Patent

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:45:00 +0000

It seems a fitting time to congratulate Vidyo Inc., which is celebrating its 10th year anniversary. What better way to celebrate than by surpassing 100 patents?

Fonality Announces Four-Categories Integrations Strategy

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:40:17 +0000

Fonality has announced its integrations product strategy, and is bringing forward a different kind of approach to integrations. The new strategy involves supplementing its Heads Up Display (HUD) software, unifying its business applications and features into a single experience.

Tadiran Ready to Take UC to AWS

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:25:00 +0000

By Eric Krapf
This longtime telephony vendor is positioning the utility public cloud as just another platform on which you can deploy its core product, the Aeonix UC platform.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are betting on these 5 in-store technologies to win back shoppers

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Brick-and-mortar retailers are scrambling to win back consumers who are increasingly turning to the web to make their purchases.

To catch up with changing consumer behavior, physical retailers are adopting digital technologies — from beacons to interactive fitting rooms — to keep customers engaged and coming back for more. These in-store technologies are interactive, productive tools designed to catch the attention of increasingly tech-savvy consumers.

In this new report from BI Intelligence, we explore the top-five in-store technologies that represent the future of retail. To test out some of these hi-tech upgrades ourselves, we visited several New York City-based retailers that have implemented these technologies in their stores. We take a close look at these technologies, assess their user-friendliness, and project their potential benefits.

The report also lays out some potential barriers and drawbacks for these tools as the lines between online and physical retail continue to blur.

Access the Full Report by Signing Up for a Full-Access Trial »

Here are some of the key takeaways:

To keep up with online retailers, traditional brick-and-mortars are adopting digital technologies meant to enhance the in-store experience. E-commerce sales in the US were up 14% in the second quarter of this year, according to the data from the US Commerce Department, compared to growth of just 1% for total retail. Retailers are turning to better technology to draw more consumers into stores and help improve slow growth.
Brick-and-mortars already have a distinct advantage over online retailers, but they need to start leveraging it. Physical stores offer the ability to actually get up close to a product. Sixty percent of consumers say they would rather shop in stores instead of online because it gives them the ability to touch and feel a product, according to a report from PwC.
Many brick-and-mortar retailers have been testing out a number of new digital technologies aimed at bringing the connected experience into the store. These technologies include interactive fitting rooms, beacons, interactive storefront displays, mobile devices in store associates' hands, and heat mapping.
Though the brick-and-mortar retailers that have recently implemented new technologies within their stores have largely reported positive customer feedback, it's too early to tell if these technologies will actually boost sales and be worth the tech investment. Retailers need to stay cognizant of their customer bases to make sure their technologies are actually resonating with shoppers.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new, in-depth reports and hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: People were baffled by 50 sharks circling in shallow waters off the English coast

Jive Software Unveils Interactive Intranet

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 08:59:00 +0000

By Zeus Kerravala
Intranets certainly aren’t new, but building one in a way to make it an interactive hub for employees to collaborate is a refreshing take on it.

inContact Introduces Voice as a Service

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 06:53:00 +0000

By Sheila McGee-Smith
Partners with network performance monitoring company to deliver call quality reporting.

VR headsets are coming — and success will rest on the games and experiences created by developers

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 21:20:00 +0000

Virtual reality (VR) headsets are finally hitting the mass market, offering a revolutionary and immersive platform for content developers to reach consumers.

The tech industry has promoted the prospect of VR — a computer-generated simulation of an environment — for the past few decades. But only now, with headsets backed by big names like Sony and Facebook, is VR finally becoming a concrete product with mass market potential. While VR technology is largely associated with the gaming industry, the platform offers a new set of content opportunities in entertainment, advertising, and more.

In a new report, BI Intelligence examines how various VR headset categories will shape VR content development and looks at the trajectory for mobile gaming revenues to get a sense of how spending on VR content might develop. The report also lays out what types of content users and developers can expect on VR platforms, including gaming, video entertainment, and advertising.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For a Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some main takeaways from the report:

VR headset manufacturers are driving both the development and distribution of VR content by investing significant technical and monetary resources in developers, in an effort to build up an exclusive content library.
High demand for VR headsets by mobile and console gamers will fuel demand for VR content. The VR content market will take an increasing portion of the mobile gaming software industry.
Beyond gaming, VR video entertainment will remain short form until demand for VR headsets increases.
Ads featured on VR headsets will likely have higher view-through rates than standard video ad spots.
Other industries are also beginning to experiment with VR content. Travel companies, publishers, e-commerce merchants, and social platforms are beginning to see potential in this new category.
VR content faces major hurdles that could keep developers from investing: The VR experience must be good enough for people to take up the devices. In addition, developers need to know that a sufficient user base exists to be worthy of the resource investment in VR content.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports and hundreds of charts on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: More trouble for Subway's Jared Fogle...

What net neutrality means for Netflix, AT&T, Time Warner — and you

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:15:00 +0000

Americans are increasingly ditching their desktops and reaching for their mobile devices to access the internet instead.

For this reason, mobile broadband – or internet access from any mobile device – was included in the FCC's recently adopted net neutrality proposal, making it subject to many of the same constraints and regulations as the wired internet.

This has added another layer to the hot-button debate on net neutrality – the concept that all data transmitted over the internet, from all sources, ranging from established digital content companies like Netflix to budding online startups to indie blogs, should be treated equally.

In a new report, BI Intelligence examines how new provisions enacted by the FCC are applied to the mobile market, the impact that the application of net neutrality has on stakeholders like ISPs, consumers, and digital media companies, and what is likely to happen with the FCC's net neutrality rules in the months and years to come.

Access The Full Report And Our Ongoing Research By Signing Up For A Full-Access Membership>>

Here are some of the key takeaways:

The FCC's newest set of rules on net neutrality aim to ensure fair and unfettered access to the internet by explicitly enforcing "bright-line rules," which prohibit the practices of blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization of data.
The rules, which went into effect on June 12, also reclassify mobile broadband – or internet access from any mobile device – as a telecom service, and they grant the FCC permission to impose more strenuous regulations on broadband carriers. There are now more mobile-only users in the US than desktop-only users.
There are exemptions to the current net neutrality rules that allow for case-by-case rulings by the FCC and keep open practices like interconnection agreements, in which digital media companies and delivery networks pay ISPs for bringing their bandwidth-intensive content to consumers.
Large telecoms like AT&T and Comcast have argued that greater government regulation will force them to suspend network and infrastructure investments for both wireline and wireless broadband and thereby disadvantage the average US consumer. There is no question of the need for infrastructure investment: The US leads in 4G and LTE development but is behind the curve on 5G.
Consumers and pro-net neutrality companies like Etsy and Sprint argue that enacting net neutrality in some form is important to protecting competition and fostering innovation in mobile and digital content, and preserving fair access to consumers.
It's unlikely that the rules will remain in their current form. Pending lawsuits and efforts by Congress to pass net neutrality measures are likely to change the FCC's net neutrality implementation, at least in part.

In full, the report:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The exercise habits that 12 tech titans use to stay in shape

Is UC the Best Solution for Collaboration?

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:23:12 +0000

For a while now, the UC vendors have been emphasizing collaboration, to the point where UC&C has become the moniker of choice. While the technology keeps maturing, adoption has lagged expectations, largely because the value proposition is so hard to pin down. My view is that this shift reflects the fact that collaboration outcomes now resonate more as a value driver than the impact UC has on IT and the networks they manage.

7 Ways an RFP Fails

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:57:00 +0000

By J.R. Simmons
Why is it that an industry focused on communications technologies is sometimes so poor at communicating?

Cisco-Microsoft Collaboration Market Tug-of-War Continues

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:37:00 +0000

By Michelle Burbick
Cisco keeps its lead on Microsoft in Q2, while hosted outpaces premises-based solutions once again, Synergy research shows.

Big IT Crashes: Conclusions Small Businesses Should Not Draw

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:12:00 +0000

By Jonathan Levine
As experts mulled this summer's NYSE and United Airlines IT outages, they erroneously surfaced the idea that the days of five-nines availability are behind us.

Here's why the US smart home market is poised to take off

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The US smart home market has yet to take off. Quirky's recent announcement that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy — and selling off its smart home business, Wink — highlights this well.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

Smart home devices are becoming more prevalent throughout the US. We define a smart home device as any stand-alone object found in the home that is connected to the internet, can be either monitored or controlled from a remote location, and has a noncomputing primary function. Multiple smart home devices within a single home form the basis of a smart home ecosystem.
Currently, the US smart home market as a whole is in the "chasm" of the tech adoption curve. The chasm is the crucial stage between the early-adopter phase and the mass-market phase, in which manufacturers need to prove a need for their devices.
High prices, coupled with limited consumer demand and long device replacement cycles, are three of the four top barriers preventing the smart home market from moving from the early-adopter stage to the mass-market stage. For example, mass-market consumers will likely wait until their device is broken to replace it. Then they will compare a nonconnected and connected product to see if the benefits make up for the price differential.
The largest barrier is technological fragmentation within the connected home ecosystem. Currently, there are many networks, standards, and devices being used to connect the smart home, creating interoperability problems and making it confusing for the consumer to set up and control multiple devices. Until interoperability is solved, consumers will have difficulty choosing smart home devices and systems.
"Closed ecosystems" are the short-term solution to technological fragmentation. Closed ecosystems are composed of devices that are compatible with each other and which can be controlled through a single point.

In full, the report:

Some of the companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nest, August, ADT, Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Lowe's, and Honeywell.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: New aerial footage shows aftermath of explosion in China

THE MID-YEAR SMARTPHONE UPDATE REPORT: Power struggles between the biggest platforms and the underdogs that are gaining ground

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 21:00:00 +0000

Google's Android and Apple's iOS dominate the smartphone platform market, controlling a combined 95.7% of the installed base in the US. But the global battle for subscribers between the two operating systems is expected to intensify, especially as the US and China — powerhouse smartphone markets — reach saturation.

Growth of iOS device shipments is outpacing growth of Android device shipments, but Android's opportunity in low-end and emerging markets is still greater. iOS has been boosted heavily by the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but Android bounced back in Q2.

In a new report, BI Intelligence takes a closer look at the biggest developments in the smartphone market during the first half of 2015, including what the platform landscape looks like at the country level. We also review how the world’s largest vendors are positioning themselves in the battle for some of the fastest-growing mobile markets.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial >>

Here are some key points from the report:

Growth of iOS device shipments is outpacing growth of Android device shipments. iOS device shipments saw YoY growth of 35%, to reach 47.5 million shipments. This is much steeper on-year growth than the 12% it saw in the same quarter of 2014, and it outstrips Android's 13% YoY growth in Q2.
Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the smartphone market by vendor, while Chinese manufacturers account for the vast majority of remaining shipments. Samsung and Chinese manufacturers were heavily affected by a slowing smartphone market in China in Q2 and the growing popularity of Apple devices in their key markets.
The US has one of the most developed smartphone markets globally. 77% of the total mobile installed base owned a smartphone in June. The biggest challenge for platforms and vendors in the smartphone-saturated US is declining interest in frequent upgrades.
India has yet to fulfill its promise as the future engine of smartphone sales growth, but that could change soon. Smartphones accounted for ~44% of mobile shipments in India in Q2 2015. India is expected to surpass the US in total shipments in 2017.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a 14-day full-access trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The most expensive and extravagant vacations in the world

How Little Voice Telephony Do You Need?

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 19:21:14 +0000

PBX-based and desk phone-based voice telephony is fading out – being replaced by voice functions that are part of software-based applications running on computers and mobile devices. Based on our UniComm Consulting experience, we recommend your enterprise take a close look at this trend to determine just how little voice is actually needed by the employees, clients, customers and partners of your organization.

Ad-block software is approaching 200 million users — here's how publishers are reacting

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:10:00 +0000

Ad-block software usage may be more common than previously thought. There are nearly 200 million monthly active users (MAU) of ad-block software globally, according to data from a new study by PageFair and Adobe included in our latest ad-blocking report.

That represents a big uptick in ad-block usage from just one year ago. The software, which blocks ads from appearing on websites, search, and social networks, is also catching on in the US. Ad-block MAU totaled 45 million in the US as of June 2015, increasing nearly 50% from last year, according to PageFair and Adobe.

In this report, BI Intelligence looks at ad block usage rates, Apple's newest ad block software and how it could make ad blocking more common on mobile, and examines solutions for publishers. There are several solutions that publishers can use to combat the growing ad-block problem, including education, technical solutions, and micropayments. Which solution publishers should opt for can be determined by their particular ad-block usage rates.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

Ad blocking poses a major threat to digital media companies that depend on advertising for revenue. If ad blocking on mobile reaches desktop levels, US digital media companies could lose out on as much as $9.7 billion across digital ad formats next year, according to BI Intelligence estimates based on current usage rates.
Ad-block usage rates vary greatly depending on content type and audience demographics. Publishers whose audience skews toward young males, such as video game sites, tend to see much higher ad-block usage compared with general news sites.
Ad blocking may become even more common with the release of Apple's widely used desktop and mobile operating systems later this year. The operating systems will feature a framework that makes it significantly easier for developers to create ad-blocking software, particularly on mobile.
Ad blockers typically use one of two methods to prevent ads from loading. In most cases, ad blockers prevent the loading of digital ads that are served by a list of known ad servers. Blocked ads typically include display, video, social, and search ad units that appear in web browsers.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

How beacons — small, low-cost gadgets — will influence billions in US retail sales

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:48:08 +0000

Traditional retailers have become much more adept at using technology to push back against online-only e-commerce sites.

Beacons are among the most important new mobile technologies helping real-world merchants win back sales. These low-cost devices communicate with smartphone apps indoors through a Bluetooth signal. Last year saw tons of retailers testing beacons, including Macy's and Target. This year, hundreds of big retail chains are turning those devices on and using them to communicate with mainstream consumers in store.

In an in-depth report, BI Intelligence takes a look at beacons in large retail settings, discussing sales influence, addressable market, and examining the top applications, including offers, coupons, data-collection, as well as loyalty, payments, and digital-marketing programs. We also look ahead to future beacon-powered retail strategies. This is a follow-on to our past, popular research on beacons and retail.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial>>

Here are a few of the primary drivers that we expect to spur beacon adoption in 2015:

We expect beacons to directly influence over $4 billion worth of US retail sales this year at top retailers (.1% of the total), and that number will climb tenfold in 2016.
Many early adopters who opt in to receive beacon-triggered messages will likely be coupon clippers. Half of beacon-triggered messages sent currently are some form of coupon, according to Shopkick. Mobile coupons are a significant part of this market. Mobile couponing app company RetailMeNot claims that its offers alone influenced $3.5 billion in retail sales in 2013.
Loyalty programs will also be important drivers. Beacons and loyalty apps could be used together to reward customers for all sorts of location-based actions, even just walking into a store. Brick-and-mortar stores will use mobile payment apps and in-store technology to establish integrated online and offline loyalty programs among their own customers.
Since beacon-powered apps will collect valuable data on consumers' in-store activity, they could result in highly personalized and targeted offers, which will reinforce the above programs. Once a consumer opens an app in-store, the data on their clicks and location can help retailers target them with offers customized to their location in a store, or based on past in-store shopping behavior.
Some retailers are explicitly using in-store signs and promotions to encourage shoppers to download apps and opt in to beacon campaigns. GameStop is experimenting with prominently displaying beacons in stores, so that shoppers can voluntarily wave their smartphone in front of them to receive some type of offer or information.

The report contains charts and data that can be downloaded and put to use.

In full, the report:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This 9-year-old makes $1 million a year opening toys

Avoiding UC Failure

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:17:45 +0000

For organizations that have deployed UC solutions and continue to use tradition labor-intensive configuration methods, any (or all) of these indicators demonstrate that there are issues in the deployment. The answer is to implement a Business Communication Operations Management (BCOM) solution to automate the configuration and change process based on the range of lifecycle events of the system.

The Apple Watch is winning in the battle of fitness trackers

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Consumers are ditching their fitness trackers for the added functionality of smartwatches. And as smartwatches become increasingly easy to use and affordable, they will capture an even greater share of the wearables market, driving down demand for fitness- and activity-tracking bands, like the Fitbit. The fitness-band category will make up 42% of total wearables shipments in 2020, down from an estimated 48% share this year, and a 53% share in 2014.

To win over nontech buffs, smartwatch makers are also offering models that cater to health and fitness enthusiasts. The Apple Watch Sport model, for example, has basic materials like an aluminum case with a rubberized band, similar to the material on popular fitness trackers like the Jawbone Up or Fitbit Force.

In a recent report, BI Intelligence takes a closer look at how smartwatches will siphon market share from fitness trackers in the wearables market, and how Apple's smartwatch might impact the market for luxury watches. We also forecast shipments for both Apple Watch and the broader luxury watch market over the next five years, and examine the pricing and design strategy behind the Apple Watch, the new retail distribution opportunities with this device, and the wider opportunity among tech-savvy consumers.

Access The Full Report And Our Ongoing Research By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some key points from the report:

Potential smartwatch buyers are interested in notifications and health and fitness apps. Apple has the advantage among these buyers: three times as many people are interested in a smartwatch from Apple, over one running the Android platform, according to our BI Intelligence global online survey on smartwatch adoption and purchase intent.

A significant 27% of respondents interested in the Apple Watch said they already wear a watch and that the added functionality of a connected watch appeals to them.
Fitness bands have more limited functionality and will cater to a more niche, health-focused audience.

Fitness bands are aiming to widen their reach by offering designer brand versions of their devices. For example, Nordstrom carries a Tory Burch-design version of a Fitbit fitness tracker for the more fashion-conscious consumer.
By 2020, Apple Watch shipments will be equivalent to about two-fifths of the luxury-watch market. Assuming a lower-bound price of $350 for the luxury-watch category, and including Apple Watch in that category, traditional wristwatches would account for ~60% of total shipments in 2020, while Apple Watch would account for ~40%.

The report is full of charts and data that can be downloaded and put to use.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a 14-day full-access trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do

Mobile UC: The 'Power Liftgate' of Mobility

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 07:23:00 +0000

By Michael Finneran
Some UC functions make for great demos, but don’t provide much in the way of real value or convenience and so are easily forgotten.

3 Ways to Make Your Contact Center More Agent-Centric

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 06:43:00 +0000

By Brandon Knight
The happier the agent, the better the customer experience

The Rise of the Headless UC Client

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 06:12:00 +0000

By Irwin Lazar
For the last few years the market battles over UC have largely been fought on the desktop, but thanks to the Web, that model is poised to rapidly change.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are betting on these 5 in-store technologies to win back shoppers

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Brick-and-mortar retailers are scrambling to win back consumers who are increasingly turning to the web to make their purchases.

To catch up with changing consumer behavior, physical retailers are adopting digital technologies – from beacons to interactive fitting rooms – to keep customers engaged and coming back for more. These in-store technologies are interactive, productive tools designed to catch the attention of increasingly tech-savvy consumers.

In this new report from BI Intelligence, we explore the top five in-store technologies that represent the future of retail. To test out some of these hi-tech upgrades ourselves, we visited several New York City-based retailers that have implemented these technologies in their stores. We take a close look at these technologies, assess their user-friendliness, and project their potential benefits. The report also lays out some potential barriers and drawbacks for these tools as the lines between online and physical retail continue to blur.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial »

Here are some of the key takeaways:

To keep up with online retailers, traditional brick-and-mortars are adopting digital technologies meant to enhance the in-store experience. E-commerce sales in the US were up 14% in the second quarter of this year, according to the data from the US Commerce Department, compared to growth of just 1% for total retail. Retailers are turning to better technology to draw more consumers into stores and help improve slow growth.
Brick-and-mortars already have a distinct advantage over online retailers — but they need to start leveraging it. Physical stores offer the ability to actually get up close to a product. 60% of consumers say they would rather shop in stores, instead of online because it gives them the ability to touch and feel a product, according to a report from PwC.
Many brick-and-mortar retailers have been testing out a number of new digital technologies aimed at bringing the connected experience into the store. These technologies include interactive fitting rooms, beacons, interactive storefront displays, mobile devices in store associates' hands, and heat mapping.
Though the brick-and-mortar retailers that have recently implemented new technologies within their stores have largely reported positive customer feedback, it's too early to tell if these technologies will actually boost sales and be worth the tech investment. Retailers need to stay cognizant of their customer base to make sure their technologies are actually resonating with shoppers.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: People were baffled by 50 sharks circling in shallow waters off the English coast

Here's why the US smart home market is poised to take off

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 21:28:00 +0000

The US smart home market has yet to take off. Quirky's recent announcement that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy — and selling off its smart home business, Wink — highlights this well.

In a report from BI Intelligence, we analyze current US consumer demand for the smart home and barriers to widespread adoption. We also analyze and determine areas of growth, and ways to overcome barriers.

Don't be left in the dark: Stay ahead of the curve and access our full report to get everything you need to know about the US smart home market. All in an easy to understand format with helpful graphs. Get the report now >>

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

Smart home devices are becoming more prevalent throughout the US. We define a smart home device as any stand-alone object found in the home that is connected to the internet, can be either monitored or controlled from a remote location, and has a noncomputing primary function. Multiple smart home devices within a single home form the basis of a smart home ecosystem.
Currently, the US smart home market as a whole is in the "chasm" of the tech adoption curve. The chasm is the crucial stage between the early-adopter phase and the mass-market phase, in which manufacturers need to prove a need for their devices.
High prices, coupled with limited consumer demand and long device replacement cycles, are three of the four top barriers preventing the smart home market from moving from the early-adopter stage to the mass-market stage. For example, mass-market consumers will likely wait until their device is broken to replace it. Then they will compare a nonconnected and connected product to see if the benefits make up for the price differential.
The largest barrier is technological fragmentation within the connected home ecosystem. Currently, there are many networks, standards, and devices being used to connect the smart home, creating interoperability problems and making it confusing for the consumer to set up and control multiple devices. Until interoperability is solved, consumers will have difficulty choosing smart home devices and systems.
"Closed ecosystems" are the short-term solution to technological fragmentation. Closed ecosystems are composed of devices that are compatible with each other and which can be controlled through a single point.

This is just a small piece of our comprehensive 23-page report. Become an expert on the topic by accessing the full report now »

In full, the report:

Analyzes the demand of US consumers, based off of survey results
Forecasts out smart home device growth until 2020
Determines the current leaders in the market
Explains how the connected home ecosystem works
Examines how Apple and Google will play a major role in the development of the smart home

Some of the companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nest, August, ADT, Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Lowe's, and Honeywell.

Don't wait to become a subject matter expert, get the full report now »

Join the conversation about this story »

Here's why the US smart home market is poised to take off

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 21:10:00 +0000

The US smart home market has yet to take off. Quirky's recent announcement that it was filing chapter 11 bankruptcy — and selling off its smart home business, Wink — highlights this well.

Access the full report >>

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

Smart home devices are becoming more prevalent throughout the US. We define a smart home device as any stand-alone object found in the home that is connected to the internet, can be either monitored or controlled from a remote location, and has a noncomputing primary function. Multiple smart home devices within a single home form the basis of a smart home ecosystem.
Currently, the US smart home market as a whole is in the "chasm" of the tech adoption curve. The chasm is the crucial stage between the early-adopter phase and the mass-market phase, in which manufacturers need to prove a need for their devices.
High prices, coupled with limited consumer demand and long device replacement cycles, are three of the four top barriers preventing the smart home market from moving from the early-adopter stage to the mass-market stage. For example, mass-market consumers will likely wait until their device is broken to replace it. Then they will compare a nonconnected and connected product to see if the benefits make up for the price differential.
The largest barrier is technological fragmentation within the connected home ecosystem. Currently, there are many networks, standards, and devices being used to connect the smart home, creating interoperability problems and making it confusing for the consumer to set up and control multiple devices. Until interoperability is solved, consumers will have difficulty choosing smart home devices and systems.
"Closed ecosystems" are the short-term solution to technological fragmentation. Closed ecosystems are composed of devices that are compatible with each other and which can be controlled through a single point.

In full, the report:

Some of the companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nest, August, ADT, Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Lowe's, and Honeywell.

Access the full report >>

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: New aerial footage shows aftermath of explosion in China

The new iOS is eating up your data plan — here's how to fix it

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:35:00 +0000

iOS 9 can use your phone's data signal to strengthen weak wi-fi signals. However, it can burn up your data plan real fast if you're regularly in weak wi-fi spots.

Produced by Matthew Stuart

Follow TI: On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

How to make a successful iPhone game, from the man behind FIVE number ones

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 19:29:51 +0000

Creating a hit game on Apple's iPhone and iPad store is a lot like making something a "viral" hit on the internet: it can feel like luck outweighs the many logical factors that make a success.

The man behind mega-hits "Crossy Road" and "Pac-Man 256," as well as lesser known (but similarly successful) games like "Little Things" and "Doodle Find," is an exception to that sentiment. Matt Hall has had five (FIVE!) games reach the number one spot in the Apple app store. He is an incredible anomaly.

Yet, as Hall tells Kotaku Australia in a recent interview, there are five principles he follows in creating great games that sell well.

Make your game with a person in mind

In the case of "Pac-Man 256," Hall tells Kotaku he made it with original "Pac-Man" creator Toru Iwatani in mind. “After I make that game for one person I try and broaden it a little bit. And as long as I don’t destroy what that one person loves, I’m happy.”

Respond to how people are playing games

Don't publish a game based on what you think people will like — look at how people are playing games and create with that in mind. Hall gives the example of his daughter Penny who hates losing in games. "With 'Deck Wars,'" an unreleased game from Hall that he's currently working on, "I was really trying to make a game where Penny would feel good about losing."

"Kill your darlings"

There's an old saying in the writing and editing world: "kill your darlings." The phrase isn't nearly as monstrous as it sounds; it's meant to tell the writer not to be so precious with his/her writing, and to be prepared to "kill" (delete) sentences/phrases/etc. that may be near and dear to the writer in question.

A kinder way of putting it is "Be flexible to change." And that's exactly what Hall says is crucial to his success: "I was fairly hostile to free-to-play in the beginning," Hall tells Kotaku Australia, referencing the rise of free-to-play games. "Because I like consuming games, I like going to the store, picking up a game, playing it for 12 hours and putting it away. I like owning it. But it’s really important for developers to understand that when big shifts happen like that, it’s going to change the perspective of the game audience."

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 4 ways to stay awake without caffeine

Nectar Provides Proactive Monitoring for Microsoft Communication Environments

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 18:00:00 +0000

Nectar Services Corp. has announced new capabilities for proactively monitoring Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange environments hosted both in the cloud and on premises. This is in addition to improvements to existing capabilities, and new availability and performance metrics for Microsoft Office 365.

BT Launches Three New Cloud Solutions to Bridge Technological Gaps

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:48:44 +0000

BT has announced the availability of three new cloud-based solutions worldwide. These solutions are designed to help customers integrate collaboration tools and services across technology platforms and vendors, widening their options, providing more freedom of choice, and maintaining a secure user experience.

Why Remote Workers are the Smart Choice for Choice Logistics

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Choice Logistics, a New York City-based global company that stores and delivers critical parts for major technology products, operates on six continents, in 80+ countries, and has over 400+ locations throughout the world. In order to keep operating 24/7/365 and serving customers regardless of location and in the event of natural disasters and power outages, the company has deployed a variety of Mitel solutions, including those that provide communication and collaboration capabilities for desktop and mobile workers, as well as its contact center solution, and has recently virtualized their Mitel unified communications and collaboration (UCC) solutions for the data center and the desktop.

VR headsets are coming — and success will depend on the games and experiences created by developers

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:41:43 +0000

Virtual reality (VR) headsets are finally hitting the mass market, offering a revolutionary and immersive platform for content developers to reach consumers.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For a Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some main takeaways from the report:

VR headset manufacturers are driving both the development and distribution of VR content by investing significant technical and monetary resources in developers, in an effort to build up an exclusive content library.
High demand for VR headsets by mobile and console gamers will fuel demand for VR content. The VR content market will take an increasing portion of the mobile gaming software industry.
Beyond gaming, VR video entertainment will remain short form until demand for VR headsets increases.
Ads featured on VR headsets will likely have higher view-through rates than standard video ad spots.
Other industries are also beginning to experiment with VR content. Travel companies, publishers, e-commerce merchants, and social platforms are beginning to see potential in this new category.
VR content faces major hurdles that could keep developers from investing: The VR experience must be good enough for people to take up the devices. In addition, developers need to know that a sufficient user base exists to be worthy of the resource investment in VR content.

In full, the report:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: More trouble for Subway's Jared Fogle...

Here's where digital ad spending is going over the next five years

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Dollars are increasingly flowing from traditional ads to digital, as strong growth in mobile, video, and social spending continue to change the face of the US media market.

Over the next five years, marketers will especially embrace mobile. Mobile will drive up spending on video, search, display, and social, and propel the migration of ad dollars away from traditional media, including newspapers and magazines.

In this new report, BI Intelligence forecasts spending trends for the major digital ad formats — including search, display, and video — and mobile versus desktop. We also examine trajectories for social ad spending and programmatic ad buying, which cut across digital formats. Finally, we look at how spending on traditional media formats will grow or contract over the next five years, as digital, and particularly mobile, rises.

Access The Full Report And Data By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial >>

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

Mobile will be the fastest-growing advertising channel and buoy spending on each of the digital formats. US mobile ad revenue will rise by a 26.5% CAGR through of 2020.
Digital-video ad spending is rising faster than search and display. US digital-video ad revenue will rise by a CAGR of 21.9% through 2020.
Mobile search will overtake desktop-search ad revenue by 2019. Mobile-search ad spend will rise by a 25.2% CAGR, while desktop-search ad revenue will decline during the same period.
Mobile display ads, including banners, rich media, and sponsorships, will overtake desktop display-related spending even earlier, in 2017.
Social-media ads, which cut across display and video, are seeing fast adoption. US social-media ad revenue, which includes video and display ads, will grow by a CAGR of 14.9% through 2020.
The rapid embrace of programmatic ad-buying tools is fueling a dramatic uptick in the share of digital ad spending coming through programmatic channels. Programmatic transactions will be a majority of total US digital ad spend this year.
Unlike digital, traditional ad revenue will remain flat overall through 2020. Total traditional ad revenue will rise by a CAGR of just 0.4% between 2015 and 2020.

In full, the report:

To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a full-access 14-day trial here. Full-access members also gain access to new in-depth reports and hundreds of charts on the digital industry.

Join the conversation about this story »

European IT & Software Excellence Awards 2016 announced

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:48:32 +0000

IT Europa is to stage the European IT & Software Excellence Awards 2016 on 14th April at the Lancaster Hotel in London.

Now in their eighth year, the Awards have been designed to recognise and reward excellence in European software development and IT and Telecoms solutions provision.

Time for Channel Specialization

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:53:14 +0000

The traditional dealer or VAR is no longer just competing with a handful of firms in the same city, but a globe of providers on the same planet. As products turn into services the margins disappear. What’s happening is the general practitioner model for business communications is getting strangled.

7 Skype for Business Deployment Gotchas to Avoid

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 11:19:00 +0000

By Beth Schultz
Panelists at the recent Enterprise Connect Tour on implementing Skype for Business shared the mistakes they commonly see among enterprises.

The Moral Case for Unified Communications

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 10:50:00 +0000

By Andrew Prokop
Mobile SIP clients are not scalpels, and WebRTC applications are not fire hoses, but they can still play a part in saving lives and protecting property.

Circuit Comes to Dreamforce... and Salesforce

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 07:00:00 +0000

By Sheila McGee-Smith
At this year's Dreamforce, Unify showcased integrations between its collaborative PaaS solution and the Salesforce.com ecosystem.

Video Conferencing Infrastructure: Time for the Old Business Model to Die

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 06:24:00 +0000

By Andrew W. Davis
As personal and mobile video endpoints fill the enterprise, companies need to rethink how they buy video conference infrastructure.

VR headsets are coming — and success will rest on the games and experiences created by developers

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 14:15:00 +0000

Virtual reality (VR) headsets are finally hitting the mass market, offering a revolutionary and immersive platform for content developers to reach consumers.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For a Full-Access Trial>>

Here are some main takeaways from the report:

VR headset manufacturers are driving both the development and distribution of VR content by investing significant technical and monetary resources in developers, in an effort to build up an exclusive content library.
High demand for VR headsets by mobile and console gamers will fuel demand for VR content. The VR content market will take an increasing portion of the mobile gaming software industry.
Beyond gaming, VR video entertainment will remain short form until demand for VR headsets increases.
Ads featured on VR headsets will likely have higher view-through rates than standard video ad spots.
Other industries are also beginning to experiment with VR content. Travel companies, publishers, e-commerce merchants, and social platforms are beginning to see potential in this new category.
VR content faces major hurdles that could keep developers from investing: The VR experience must be good enough for people to take up the devices. In addition, developers need to know that a sufficient user base exists to be worthy of the resource investment in VR content.

In full, the report:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: More trouble for Subway's Jared Fogle...

Brick-and-mortar retailers are betting on these 5 in-store technologies to win back shoppers

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Brick-and-mortar retailers are scrambling to win back consumers who are increasingly turning to the web to make their purchases.

Access The Full Report By Signing Up For A Full-Access Trial »

Here are some of the key takeaways:

To keep up with online retailers, traditional brick-and-mortars are adopting digital technologies meant to enhance the in-store experience. E-commerce sales in the US were up 14% in the second quarter of this year, according to the data from the US Commerce Department, compared to growth of just 1% for total retail. Retailers are turning to better technology to draw more consumers into stores and help improve slow growth.
Brick-and-mortars already have a distinct advantage over online retailers — but they need to start leveraging it. Physical stores offer the ability to actually get up close to a product. 60% of consumers say they would rather shop in stores, instead of online because it gives them the ability to touch and feel a product, according to a report from PwC.
Many brick-and-mortar retailers have been testing out a number of new digital technologies aimed at bringing the connected experience into the store. These technologies include interactive fitting rooms, beacons, interactive storefront displays, mobile devices in store associates' hands, and heat mapping.
Though the brick-and-mortar retailers that have recently implemented new technologies within their stores have largely reported positive customer feedback, it's too early to tell if these technologies will actually boost sales and be worth the tech investment. Retailers need to stay cognizant of their customer base to make sure their technologies are actually resonating with shoppers.

In full, the report:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: People were baffled by 50 sharks circling in shallow waters off the English coast

Microsoft Office 2016 Available Worldwide With New Collaboration Tools

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 13:15:00 +0000

The worldwide general availability for Office 2016 has just been announced, and along with the usual tools comes an assortment of collaboration features.

Musings on the Skype Outage

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 08:36:00 +0000

By Beth Schultz
When Skype fails, what are enterprises to make of a commitment to going into the cloud with Microsoft and Skype for Business?

The Cloud Isn't Everything -- You Need a Guide

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 07:12:00 +0000

By Gary Audin
DoD best practices can be useful in guiding enterprise cloud decisions.

My Assistant: Human, or Not?

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 06:30:00 +0000

By Matt Brunk
Enterprise-oriented virtual digital assistants have the potential to help relieve employees from mundane and time-consuming tasks.

Mobile's Impact on Call Centers in 2015... and Beyond

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 10:06:00 +0000

By Tim Fujita-Yuhas
Today's consumers expect more mobile interactions with businesses, and text-enabling contact center phone numbers is an easy and effective way to meet their needs.

Meeting Space Evolution

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 07:10:00 +0000

By Zeus Kerravala
A system integrator and service provider perspective on how to approach meeting spaces -- both physical and virtual.

Masergy Backs WebRTC, Improves Web Calling

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 06:05:00 +0000

By Phil Edholm
This cloud networking provider introduces WebRTC-based, in-bound Web calling and visual IVR.

Kubi Wins by a Neck

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 08:17:00 +0000

By Dave Michels
Revolve Robotics' tabletop telepresence bot is a new, affordable approach to an old problem.

Number Porting Insanity

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 07:23:00 +0000

By Melissa Swartz
Does it really have to be such a crazy process?

Networking in 2025

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 06:48:00 +0000

By Tom Nolle
Five characteristics will define networking a decade from now.

UCaaS: the Gold Rush Is On!

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 09:29:00 +0000

By Marty Parker
As Gartner reports in its 2015 Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, companies of all sorts are heading into the cloud with the hopes of mining unified communications dollars.

MSPs tested by prevailing ‘analysis-paralysis’ paradox

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 09:10:23 +0000

The future success of MSPs depends on their ability to resolve the prevailing ‘analysis-paralysis' paradox, according to speakers at this year's Managed Services and Hosting Summit (staged by IT Europa, 17th September at London's Bishopsgate).

Four Tips for Increasing Skype for Business ROI

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 06:16:00 +0000

By Sonu Aggarwal
Following management best practices can help shrink spending on UC and accelerate time to deployment.

IVR in the Cloud Pays Out for Heartland

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 12:50:00 +0000

By Beth Schultz
This payment processor, one of the largest in the U.S., turned to an IVR system hosted by Corvisa when traditional offerings didn't pass muster.

Masergy Introduces WebRTC-Based Visual IVR and Web Calling

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Masergy is rolling out a new capability in its cloud UC infrastructure, using WebRTC with a wizard-driven wage page development environment to rapidly create web-based interactions into its SIP-based cloud service.

Arkadin Study Shows Unified Communications Reaching Critical Mass Yet Employee Resistance to Change is Major Obstacle to Adoption

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 16:32:31 +0000

A survey by Arkadin reveals that while (67%) of companies have begun their UC journey, challenges persist which cloud their ability to achieve the full transformative benefits of the technology.

Edouard de Fonclare Named CEO of Kurmi Software

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 21:40:00 +0000

Kurmi Software, French Independent Software Vendor which develops and markets software solutions dedicated to the management of corporate unified communication services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Edouard de Fonclare as its CEO.

Dimension Data and EMC Create the Catalyst Alliance for Hybrid Cloud Deployments

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 18:32:01 +0000

Dimension Data and EMC have announced a new strategic market development initiative, which they are calling the Catalyst Alliance. It’s designed to accelerate the adoption of hybrid cloud for mid-sized enterprises, and will sell solutions that help clients see the value from hybrid cloud-based business strategies while adopting the new technology.

WebRTC World Announces Real Time on the Web China 2015 in November

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 18:00:26 +0000

WebRTC Conference and Expo has become the leading WebRTC event in the world, and will grow that role as the Real Time on The Web Conference and Expo. By extending the event to include all of the technologies and business capabilities that real time brings to the web, the conference will address the broader range of issues beyond WebRTC as a technology as well as how real time can transform web applications and business models.

Lifesize Introduces WebRTC-Based Conferencing on Cloud Video

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 17:51:09 +0000

This week, Lifesize announced the availability of WebRTC-based access to the Lifesize video cloud. Lifesize delivered integration of WebRTC-based video conferencing and web conferencing into its cloud collaboration solution through Google Chrome and WebRTC. This solution enables guests to participate in Lifesize cloud-based video, audio, and web conferencing apps from a browser without a plug-in or download.

The Cloud-Based UC Revolution is Here

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 20:30:00 +0000

As we enter what many predict to be an explosion of cloud-based unified communication services, how will everyone in the UC sphere be affected by this rapid evolution?

Apple In The Enterprise

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 17:48:01 +0000

It is no secret that Apple has a long history or ignoring the needs of enterprise users and has focused its attention on the consumer market. That was why it was so surprising to see Microsoft’s Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office 365 client apps and services team, giving a demo of Office running on Apple’s new iPad Pro during the Apple “monster announcement” last Wednesday.

IT Europa sets date for European Software & Solutions Summit 2016

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 16:12:26 +0000

IT Europa is to stage its ninth annual European Software & Solutions Summit on 14th April 2016 in London.

PanTerra and CNSG Enter Platinum Sponsorship Agreement

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 18:10:47 +0000

PanTerra Networks recently announced that the company has entered into a Platinum Sponsorship agreement with Converged Network Services Group (CNSG). Through this agreement, it will increase its distribution network of its WorldSmart services through CNSG’s partner network, and in turn broaden CNSG’s reach.

Why Audio Quality Really Matters for Conferencing

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Poor user experiences are typically the norm, and poor audio quality is often the root of the problem. To cite a recent market study, 66% of buyers are “actively looking” for new and better conferencing solutions, and by far, the biggest reason is to get a better user experience. While this can be a highly subjective concept, there’s little doubt that audio quality is the most important factor for an effective conferencing experience.

New wave of vendors drive growth in managed services

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 10:58:46 +0000

Increasing demand for the provision of IT and telecoms as a managed service is revolutionising the IT industry and creating new opportunities for both vendors and resellers, according to IT Europa.

Switch Communications and Sprint Offer New UCaaS System

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Switch Communications has partnered up with Sprint, offering a new Switch unified communications service for businesses. This new service is location-neutral, cloud-based, and is designed to maximize the productivity that mobility makes possible.

5 Key Questions to Ask About Your SIP Services Solution

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 17:50:00 +0000

There are over 200 companies in the US that provide some form of SIP trunking, which one fits your requirements best? To help decide, there are five key questions that should be asked of any SIP trunking provider.

Cisco and Apple Announce Business Communications Partnership

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 23:22:49 +0000

Cisco and Apple have announced a new partnership, wherein they’ll create a “fast lane” for iOS business users. The partnership aims to turn the iPhone into a greater business communications and collaboration tool.

Apple and Cisco Partner for Enterprise Mobility

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 18:29:20 +0000

The announcement yesterday that Apple and Cisco are going to work together to make iDevices more business friendly on cisco networks and with the Cisco collaboration products is a significant change for both companies.

Bimodal IT – changing your IT department from rule police to business partner

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 15:54:46 +0000

Some industry commentators believe we’ve reached the end of the era in which organisations’ IT departments "own" their IT. Central to this change are two factors sweeping the current IT landscape: firstly, the move to alternative consumption models which includes everything from private, to public, to hybrid cloud options in which the technology isn’t owned by the organisation itself.

Bimodal IT – the changing role of IT and the shift in technology decision-making

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 15:38:53 +0000

One trend that’s becoming a growing point of discussion for leading organisations and market analysts alike, is the rise of bimodal IT.

Sparkcentral Introduces First Enterprise-Class In-App Messaging Platform

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 14:41:14 +0000

Sparkcentral, the first channel-agnostic, enterprise customer engagement platform- powering customer-obsessed brands- announced today the launch of their In-App Messaging solution for enterprise mobile customer service. Now brands can provide their end-users with the ability to engage with a live customer service agent through secure messaging without ever leaving their smartphone app.

Gartner Magic Quadrant for UC Results – Customer View is Very Different

Mon, 31 Aug 2015 15:40:45 +0000

We thought we would provide some feedback on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications from a customer view (whether large enterprise, government; or a small business like FOX GROUP that uses various UC apps every day).

ShoreTel Connect is Here

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 18:55:00 +0000

In addition to ringing the opening bell at Nasdaq last week, ShoreTel officially launched the availability of ShoreTel Connect ONSITE, Connect CLOUD, as well as the new ShoreTel Connect user interface and a new streamlined contact center offering.

10-Step Health Check to Avoid Toll Fraud

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 12:55:34 +0000

What keeps IT managers up at night? Security issues – and for good reason. When it comes to business communication systems, there are lots of reasons for concern – denial of service (DoS) attacks, eavesdropping, VoIP phishing (Vishing), and toll fraud.

iPad Sales Are Flat! The Sky is Falling

Wed, 26 Aug 2015 19:28:08 +0000

I’ve seen a couple of articles of late decrying the fact that Apple iPad sales are essentially flat and speculating about the future of one of the iconic Apple devices. I think what we are really seeing is the natural maturing of a market where technological advances have slowed, technical limitations (and hence potential applications) are inherently limited and just about everyone who wants one has it and sees no reason to replace it.

RingCentral and the Elephant in the Room

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 15:07:32 +0000

RingCentral announced a new partnership with Microsoft to enable O365 users to integrate their O365 environment to the RingCentral VoIP cloud telephony system. So users can now activate calls using RingCentral from within an email or an Office document.

Vonage Acquires iCore, Grows as Enterprise Player

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 18:00:00 +0000

Vonage's latest acquisition is UCaaS provider iCore Networks, Inc., further boosts Vonage Business’ UCaaS portfolio, sales force, and ability to reach mid-market and enterprise customers.

Verint Acquires Telligent – Adds Communities

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 19:30:00 +0000

Verint announced that it is acquiring Telligent, part of Zimbra, which provides “social applications and social services that enable organizations to create communities of interest for their customers.” A combined solution would bring together Telligent’s Community Solution with Verint’s Customer Engagement Optimization offerings.

Update on Industry News – Summer Edition

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Ah, the lazy days of summer. There haven’t been many conferences or major news announcements in the past month or so, but I’ve still had some interesting briefings with vendors. Here’s a quick recap of a few announcements...

Decision time for managed services, says IT Europa

Wed, 12 Aug 2015 15:32:39 +0000

New research by IT Europa shows that Europe presents a patchy picture of managed services provision. Decisions on which cloud suppliers to work with, which services to use, the pace of expansion and the management of systems and users, particularly those on mobile links, are being debated in an environment with little history and experience on which to build a strategy.

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications 2015 – The Maturity Maze

Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

This year’s Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications (UCMQ) was published on August 10, packing a solid summary of the industry status, industry trends, and leading vendors into a concise report. But the rankings are never the entire story, so let’s get some highlights.

Creating High-Value Partnerships with UCaaS

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:05:00 +0000

UCaaS has matured over the last two to three years with widespread acceptance of the value Unified Communications (UC) creates within businesses ranging from SMBs to multinational corporations. That naturally raises the questions, “Where does the UC industry go from here?” and “What is going to drive new developments in platforms and services?”

SIP Trunks to Reduce the Cost of Cellular

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:55:00 +0000

Verizon Enterprise Solutions today announced Wireless Connected VoIP. The new service eliminates per-minute usage charges on calls placed over the carrier’s US IP trunks to any of its wireless subscribers. While free cellular calls between subscribers on the same carrier are common, Wireless Connected VoIP extends the “on-net” benefit to enterprise wired connections.

Getting Schooled on the Cloud - West Aurora School District 129

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Unified communications and cloud solutions offer benefits to all types of users, and one of the biggest beneficiaries of these solutions is the education segment, including K-12 schools. I recently spoke with Don Ringelestein, Director of Technology for the West Aurora School District 129 in Aurora, IL to discuss their cloud communications solution.

Mobile customer service can save Twitter

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 11:05:28 +0000

Twitter is a product (service?) people love to hate and hate to love. It was constantly failing when it first caught on because the platform couldn’t handle the uptick in usage. No doubt early users of Twitter remember the infamous “fail whale.” The company eventually resolved any capacity and scaleability issues to become a top social network, as well as a Wall Street darling when it became a publicly-traded firm.

But recently there’s a dark cloud hanging over Twitter. Shareholders and investors are anxious about its future.

Stagnant growth and a leadership vacuum are plaguing the company. Early on when Twitter was considered a novel replacement for SMS users found it quite useful. Then it became so popular that some folks just don’t want to deal with the “noise” anymore. It used to serve a simple purpose; now it’s like being at a noisy, overcrowded cocktail party, with you yelling at acquaintances while a server constantly shoves food in front of your face. It’s gotten bad enough that there’s been a few high-profile Twitter quitters. There are even Twitter apps that allow you to block tweets based on username or keyword.

Yet there are plenty of successful stories about Twitter usage too. It’s an effective platform to bring awareness to social issues. Many have used it in other parts of the world to mobilize protests, e.g. the Arab Spring movement. Sports competitions seem more exciting when we’re able to share our support of the home team.

But I think where Twitter can really shine is in its potential to be a dominant mobile customer service platform, and it knows this.

Consider these generalizations:

Most people have smartphones
Most people hate IVRs
Most people rather interact with a live person when technology fails

That’s why companies are monitoring tweets and staffing service reps to answer them. That’s why CRM and other enterprise software are integrated with Twitter. Customer service apps see Twitter as another interaction channel.

What if I can tweet “@BofA I have a question about my latest statement, please call me” and I’m queued to receive a callback (the bank has my Twitter handle associated with my customer info)? Or “@Comcast Please reschedule my technician visit to this Friday anytime” and the broadband provider notifies me of an updated appointment? Also, “@CityGovt I want to report a downed tree blocking Main Street” and along with the tweet’s GPS coordinates, the city is able to send a crew to address the hazard?

Feel free to let your customer service imagination run wild… Just think of the impact in the contact center when Twitter becomes much more ingrained in the customer service experience. Save the contact center with Twitter, and vice versa.

Amazon offers speech services with Alexa

Mon, 03 Aug 2015 23:48:56 +0000

When Amazon announced Echo, I had the feeling that it was going to offer speech services down the road, built on top of its massive cloud capabilities.

Well, say hello to Alexa Voice Service.

Remember when the speech services market was a niche with Nuance being the dominant player, as it absorbed and acquired various smaller competitors? That market was looking bleak until the explosion of cloud computing and mobile devices, when tech companies suddenly have access to cheap computing resources and overwhelming amount of data to sample. Developers are getting acquainted with Google Now, Microsoft Cortana, Apple Siri, and now Amazon Alexa.

Amazon wants to be the one-stop shop for developing cutting edge interactive apps. It has the cloud, it has the APIs, and it has the data. It’s even setting aside $100 million to invest in companies that produce innovative voice-enabled products. So far the list of seeded companies doesn’t include any customer service- or contact center-oriented ones.

It’s ironic that speech apps were the talk among contact centers decades earlier. Companies already realized the value in an IVR that understood the caller’s instructions. But the majority of today’s IVRs still only understand touch tone. Where is the adoption? Why can’t I speak to the bank app on my smartphone and simply ask, “Please connect me to an agent who can handle credit card fraud”? Where is the innovation?

Hopefully by opening up Alexa, Amazon will attract developers who are also familiar with creating such apps, and not merely ones that’ll check weather, play music, or set alarms.

Time to Drop the Anchor

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 20:20:00 +0000

There are two times when it makes more sense to go with UCaaS than a premises-based UC anchor: always and now. There was a time when premises-based solutions made the most sense - basically when there wasn’t a choice. UCaaS has been evolving now for over a decade and it now offers a robust set of benefits. There are lots of reasons why UCaaS stands out. Here’s five...

And Now for Something New – A UC Application Contest

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 18:00:00 +0000

NEC recently introduced their new UT880 smart desk phone. I think NEC may be on to something; they have added the Android capability so the screen is essentially a tablet, and apps can be developed for the device. NEC is running a UT880 App Challenge contest for suggestions on how to use this capability.

Nectar to Provide Generation-e With Comprehensive Monitoring and Diagnostics for Their Skype for Business Solution Offer

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:51:16 +0000

Nectar Services Corp. announced they will be the solution provider for Generation-e's Premier Skype for Business managed offerings. Generation-e is a recognized leader in the Australian market supporting Unified Communications solutions and is a Microsoft Gold Communications Partner.

New Research - What SMBs Think About UC

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:36:30 +0000

Metaswitch Networks conducted a study in conjunction with Edgewater Networks about VoIP and UC in the SMB space. With their permission, I have extracted selected highlights from the research focused specifically on UC, as the data will help quantify what many have long suspected about how SMBs view this opportunity.

M2M, IoT, and UC

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:35:00 +0000

Vodafone just released its annual M2M Barometer report. Although the report heavily emphasizes the critical role of communications and communications infrastructure as part of the M2M ecosystem, surprisingly nothing at all regarding unified communications is discussed.

Nadella Bites the Bullet on Nokia and Apple Still Rules in the Enterprise

Fri, 17 Jul 2015 15:15:00 +0000

In what can’t be deemed a surprise, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella last week announced the company will take a $7. 6 billion write-down on its $9.4 billion investment (81% of the initial value) in Nokia and will be laying off some 7,800 workers. With Ballmer’s “Devices and Services” strategy in the can, where does Microsoft go with mobile?

Ending the Era of the IT “No”

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:00:00 +0000

Where in the past, a firm’s IT team could get away with responses like “no” and “because we say so,” in today’s world every “no” from IT is just an app store download away from becoming part of what is referred to as Shadow IT. This dynamic has forever changed the role of the CIO and the IT department. Instead of just managing what they feel is a best practices ecosystem, they now need to manage a bimodal environment.