What is Unified Communication (UC)? A Complete Guide

Three types of unified communication systems are Cloud UC, On-Prem UC, and Hybrid UC.

A cloud-based UC system, also known as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), allows you to make calls, video conferencing, and send messages over the Internet. These systems lower unnecessary maintenance expenses and enhance work flexibility, as employees can access them from anywhere and work remotely.

Premises UC systems are installed and managed directly within a company’s IT infrastructure, allowing full control. While this gives businesses full control over their systems, it is relatively costly, requires investment, and requires consistent maintenance costs. An in-house IT team manages installations, upgrades, and security. On-premises UC systems limit users’ access to them remotely and hence hinder flexibility.

Hybrid UC solutions combine on-premises and cloud-based features, allowing businesses to maintain control over certain tools while benefiting from the flexibility and scalability of the cloud. These solutions are ideal for businesses with existing on-premises systems looking to adopt cloud technologies without a full replacement gradually.
 

Some core components of a unified communication system are voice-over Internet protocols, unified messaging, real-time updates, and collaboration tools. These components allow a UC system to help businesses communicate differently from a single platform.

VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a cloud telephoning technology that uses the Internet to make calls, send messages, and share other forms of information. Any unified system that requires the Internet works under VoIP technology.

Video conferencing supports a hybrid work environment by helping business personnel connect and communicate face-to-face, eliminating the need for physical presence. It also supports remote work and promotes interactive communication.

Unified messaging combines various messaging platforms, such as voicemail, email, SMS, and fax, all in one place. Instead of checking multiple apps or devices for different client messages, you get notified every time a new message appears, which you can open with a simple click.

Presence information provides real-time updates about whether your contact is available to communicate. Using a UC system, you can see if your contact is online, busy, or away from work so that you can pick the best time to reach out to them.

Collaboration tools such as screen sharing and file sharing make it easy to share your screen to show presentations or documents in real time. They allow call participants to contribute ideas and feedback, even if they are not together physically.

Unified communications can benefit your business by offering a secure and easy communication platform that saves time, promotes productivity, and allows real-time cooperation inexpensively.
 

• With all communication tools in one place, UC helps employees save time and access important messages quickly.
• UC uses the internet and allows employees to access communication tools from anywhere, supporting hybrid and remote work culture.
• UC offers collaboration tools that make it easy for team members to collaborate no matter where they are.
• Once businesses start utilizing UC, they don’t need to maintain separate systems for calls, emails, and messaging, which lowers business communication costs.
• UC enables users to make calls and send messages using their apps to stay connected and informed at all times, even while using their smartphones.

Adopting UC is cost-saving, as businesses don’t have to manage multiple telephony systems and handle subscriptions. Unlike traditional telephone lines, UC uses VoIP, which drastically reduces expensive calling charges on international calls.

A good Unified communication system can cost between USD 100 and USD 700 per user. However, if you are looking for a Unified Communication (UC) system to enhance your business communications, you should consider several factors, such as your business requirement, the solution provider’s features, scalability, and convenience, influencing the overall cost.

Premises systems require an upfront investment in hardware and software equipment. Conversely, Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) typically involves lower upfront costs because it operates on a subscription basis, allowing companies to pay monthly based on the number of users and features they need.

Investing in a good UC will help you offer customers timely assistance and accurate information, enhancing their communication and interaction experience. However, choosing the best one for your business can be challenging among the many UC options. Before adapting to a UC solution, you must consider business needs, size, ease, uptime guarantee, functionality, and cost to get an appropriate return on investment.

Consider the size of your team, analyze how often your employees work together, and identify your business’s communication needs that UC can solve. Look for services that integrate well with the existing tools you are using for a smooth transition and cost savings.

Compare different UC providers to see what features they offer, such as screen sharing, voicemail transcription, or mobile access, and if those features can assist your agents.

A UC system must be easy to use so users can quickly adopt and utilize the platform. A user-friendly UC system will avoid requiring much employee training to learn complicated features.

An uptime guarantee of 99.99% is a must for any UC system to ensure reliable connection and minimum chances of disruptions. High uptime means the system is mostly functional and facilitates smooth communication without delay.

If you have a scalable business, find a UC solution to support your growth and add more users to the system. Make sure the system can handle increased communication needs as your business grows and that the cost does not increase drastically.

Many reputable companies offer UC solutions that claim to improve productivity, customer satisfaction, and privacy; choose the best one for your needs and budget.

Calilio is a cloud phone system that centralizes all your calls, SMSes, and voicemails in a single place. Its unified call box makes switching between conversations easy, reducing interaction management time and improving productivity.

Calilio is the best VoIP solution for businesses of all sizes. It has 3 pricing plans, starting from USD 12 per user/month, and can be customized according to your needs.

Microsoft Teams is a team collaboration software that offers only Microsoft products and features like workspace chat, video conferencing, file storage for messaging services, video call, file sharing, and conducting online meetings.

It Includes AI features for scheduling and enhances virtual meetings with team chat, VoIP telephony, and email services in a single platform. It has three pricing ranges: USD 4 per user/month for Microsoft Teams Essentials, USD 6 per user/month for Microsoft 365 Business Basic, and USD 12.50 per user/month for Microsoft 365 Business Standard.

Nextiva is a cloud-based communication platform that enables users to make voice and video calls, chat, integrate social media, and send emails. The platform also allows users to conduct online surveys and obtain customer insights and feedback.

It is user-friendly and easy to set up. Nextiva’s pricing ranges differently depending on its customized package. Nextiva Digital for startups costs USD 20 per user/month and goes up to USD 60 per user/month for its Nextiva PowerSuite plan, which is specially tailored for sales and service teams.

Ring Ex, formerly known as RingCentral MVP, combines many communication tools and services in a single customizable system, like messaging, video, and audio call services.

Additionally, the system offers video conferencing, webinars, messaging, and built-in whiteboarding tools, which are tailored to modern businesses and their communication needs. Its core plan is ideal for small businesses and costs USD 9.99 per user/month, and its ultra plan can hold up to 200 users and costs only USD 35 per user/month.

Unified Communication integrates various communication tools, such as voice calls, video conferencing, and instant messaging, into one unified platform, making it easy to use, productive and inexpensive.

With different types of UC systems and their capacity to cater to diverse business needs with flexibility and scalability, it can be tough to choose the best one. Sign up for Calilio to get your right UC phone system!

Unified Communication (UC) is an all-in-one communication system that integrates different communication tools, like phone calls, video chats, instant messaging, and email, into one place and allows users to communicate and share information easily and quickly over the Internet.

UC stands for Unified Communication in communications and refers to integrating various communication tools and service methods into a single platform to improve team collaboration, productivity, and efficiency.

The purpose of Unified Communication is to help teams work together by making it easier to share information and communicate in real time while eliminating the need to pay expensive carrier fees.