Following the pandemic, UC became less of a fringe use case and more of a solution that millions of workers use as part of their daily workflow.
What started as a necessity to remain connected in lockdown, continued to support the hybrid workforce that many companies are enacting.
This initial switch to cloud-based solutions put legacy telecom UC providers on the back foot, as on-premises effectively became useless during lockdown.
Although lockdown ended, what remained was hybrid and remote work.
Equally, UC platforms are now offering enhanced capabilities like AI summaries for meetings as opposed to just providing the platform for the meeting, meaning they are more than just a substitute.
However, it's not all roses. Some hurdles are present in the current UC setup. For instance, business telephony is not integrated by default into out-of-the-box into many UC platforms.
It is here where, Steve Flavell, Co-CEO of LoopUp, sees an opportunity for telecoms to re-enter the market in a meaningful way, by ushering in what he calls "truly unified communications".
The Rise of Cloud Communications
The impact of the cloud transition on the telecom industry has been profound.
"By 2034, it is estimated that more than 75% of businesses will use cloud-based rather than on-premises telephony services, with the market expected to grow from $23.2 billion in 2024 to $42.7 billion by 2032," Flavell explained.
Many telecom companies initially responded by developing standalone cloud telephony offerings. However, Flavell argues this approach is rapidly becoming obsolete.
"This standalone segment is now in decline, rapidly being replaced by cloud telephony services that integrate into UC platforms."
However, according to Flavell, significant gaps remain in this current setup within the UC ecosystem.
"Business telephony is not integrated by default into out-of-the-box into many UC platforms," he noted.
This is where Flavell thinks that telecoms can reassert their position in the market following the fallout from the cloud transition.
The Challenge of Global Unification
When discussing unified communications, there's often confusion about what true unification entails.
Flavell clarifies that truly unified communications should involve "all core communications tools – e.g., video, meetings, chat – to be available within a single UI or application."
Beyond mere availability, these tools should be consistent for all users across an enterprise's global operations.
"The ideal would be for distinct UC platforms to interface seamlessly with one another," Flavell explains.
However, achieving this ideal remains challenging, particularly for integrating calling services for multinational enterprises.
Multinational enterprises face multiple barriers to achieving true unification, as the jurisdictions they are in may have varying technological infrastructures, fragmented landscape of geographically-defined telecom providers, and complex country-specific telecom regulations.
