The Dilution of UCThe Dilution of UC

Here's another post from Allan Sulkin. My apologies; I'm still delinquent in getting Allan his own blogger account. Is it just me, or has everyone noticed how almost all of the product and application software offerings from too many of the enterprise voice communications system suppliers have been re-categorized as Unified Communications (UC) products and solutions? I think the trend may have started when Cisco Systems renamed CallManager, its IP telephony system, Unified Communications Manager. Cisco also renamed its enterprise voice communications business unit Unified Communications. All of a sudden every Cisco voice-related offering had the word Unified attached to its name.

Here's another post from Allan Sulkin. My apologies; I'm still delinquent in getting Allan his own blogger account.

Is it just me, or has everyone noticed how almost all of the product and application software offerings from too many of the enterprise voice communications system suppliers have been re-categorized as Unified Communications (UC) products and solutions? I think the trend may have started when Cisco Systems renamed CallManager, its IP telephony system, Unified Communications Manager. Cisco also renamed its enterprise voice communications business unit Unified Communications. All of a sudden every Cisco voice-related offering had the word Unified attached to its name.Before too long many of Cisco's competitors began to follow their lead. For example, Avaya recently moved its IP telephony systems (desktop telephone instruments included) unit under its UC business unit; its Communications Enabled Business Processes (CEBP) unit was also shifted to the UC unit.

UC is quickly becoming a generic term for all communications offerings and solutions, when a few years ago it was a more defined category of communications products and services. UC now apparently includes: the core telephony system; voice, integrated, and unified messaging systems; digital and IP desktop telephone instruments; cellular extensions and wireless handsets; and in some cases ACD contact center solutions. Even audio conferencing systems are labeled UC. Where will the madness end?

The reclassification of all things communications as UC is not without precedence. Fifteen years ago something similar happened with the coming of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). In an effort to hype and promote CTI when few customers were buying into the new technology foundation, some industry market research houses began bundling messaging, IVR, and a good chunk of contact center as CTI products for revenues estimates. This had the effect of inflating reported revenue dollars in the newsletters, reports and press releases to make for a better story. Sound familiar?

It is difficult to get a grasp on current revenues for UC offerings and solutions, so some researchers and forecasters are throwing everything into the UC pot and reporting revenues in the billions. I was very pleased when Blair Pleasant segmented her UC numbers into "core" and total, but she is one of the few to do so.

When the IP telephony system suppliers begin bundling station user licenses for UC applications with their generic software license, it will be next to impossible to impute the UC portion to generate market revenues estimates and forecasts exclusive to UC (unless everything is UC). The funny thing about all this is that customers shouldn't care less about what something is called or how much is being sold, because it should be irrelevant to their buying decision. What aren't irrelevant are the benefits they derive from their purchase.