The acceleration in the use of unified communications in the enterprise hits home when I look round the office here at Microsoft in Reading. There is not a desktop phone in sight. Most people now communicate using Microsoft Lync from their PC for the majority of their telephone, online conferencing, collaboration and corporate instant-message requirements.

The implementation of unified communications (UC) across public sector organisations is also happening rapidly and delivering substantial cost-savings and efficiency improvements for the organisations that have implemented UC solutions from Microsoft and our partners:

  • Argyll and Bute Council – as a result of greater use of Microsoft Lync conferencing for meetings and training, the budget for travel and subsistence for employees has been reduced by 5% .  Read more about the solution and the Microsoft partner - Exactive - responsible for the successful UC project here.
  • Open University (OU) - expects to save £2 million over five years as a result of deploying Microsoft Lync 2010 instead of upgrading its PABX system. Read more about the solution and the Microsoft partner – Dell – responsible for the project here.
  • Scottish Borders Council - By standardising on Lync 2010, the council expects to save more than £1 million over three years with presence, group conversations, audio conferencing, and instant messaging delivering significant improvements in productivity. Read more about the solution and the Microsoft partner – Exactive – responsible for the successful UC project here.

In the increasingly connected world where everyone has multiple devices to help keep in touch and in control of their information – PC, smartphone, tablet – maybe it is just possible that one device less will be required as unified communications solutions increasingly supplant the need for the traditional and costly PABX and accompanying desktop phone.

Posted by Ian