Unified communications
Unified communications (UC) is an umbrella term for the integration of multiple enterprise communication tools -- such as voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging (IM), presence and content sharing -- into a single, streamlined interface, with the goal of improving user experience (UX) and productivity.. See complete definition.
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E-Zine
11 Nov 2021
CW Benelux: Dutch IT company rips up the HR rule book for better work-life balance
One Dutch tech firm has used learnings from the pandemic to rip up its HR rule book and implement an official work-from-home policy. In fact, Infolearn has gone further than hybrid working, with a personal mobility budget for staff and a four-day working week, all with retention of full-time salary. Also in this issue, read how Dutch education administrators appear to be underestimating the threat of cyber crime. Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2020
IT Priorities 2020: Benelux organisations and budgets focused on digital transformation
IT leaders in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg expect bigger budgets this year, with spending on digital transformation projects and related technologies being prioritised Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Sep 2023
Gearing up for the industrial metaverse
With the hype around the metaverse probably at an all-time low since the former Facebook invented it, it could be argued that its potential is at an all-time high. Where will this potential be exploited and though what tools? Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
Zoom looks to transcend AI hype with Companion
Collaboration and comms technology firm makes further addition to comms platform to help improve collaboration and productivity through generative AI-powered assistant Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2023
Zoom takes Notes to collaboration suite
Collaboration and comms technology firm unveils workspace technology to offer clean user experience that allows users to create agendas and notes while staying in core conferencing platform Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2023
Teams unbundled in European economic community
Following the European Commission’s antitrust investigation, the tech giant will offer cheaper Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites without Teams Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2023
8x8 adds to AI self-service capabilities with voice interactions for customer assistant
Open beta programme sees launch of service based on conversational artificial intelligence designed to allow contact centre customers to add voice self-service capabilities Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
Kura rolls out Avaya Enterprise Cloud to transform customer experience
UK’s largest independent outsourcer replaces five legacy systems to deliver lower TCO, advanced contact centre features on-demand, scalability and external platform integration Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
Enterprise elevated in Zoom Q2
Collaboration and communications technology provider releases second-quarter results showing steady increase in total revenue and significant rise in enterprise revenue Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2023
London calling as Zoom opens hub heralding new era of modern work
Communications tech provider makes latest evolutionary step having gained reputation as breakthrough pandemic collaboration company, opening doors on hub in UK capital to support hybrid ways of working Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2023
Voxnube, Altigen unite for cloud-based Microsoft Teams phone systems in Europe
Partnership to combine voice offerings with multi-channel intelligent routing expertise to allow European enterprises to use Microsoft service as primary communications and collaboration platform Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2023
Cisco: Hybrid work needs to get better
Cisco’s head of collaboration and security talks up the state of hybrid work and calls for organisations to create magnets rather than mandates for workers to collaborate in the workplace Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Aug 2023
CTO interview: Gavin Rea, Gulf Bridge International
GBI ensures service continuity of submarine cable networks, which bring high-speed internet to the Gulf states, supporting the region’s ambitious plans to be one of the world’s leading poles for technological innovation Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2023
Sourcewell awards Avaya unified communications and contact centre contract
Leading purchasing consortium selects customer experience technology provider for unified communications and contact centre contract covering government, education and non-profit organisations Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Aug 2023
Zoom eyes up European opportunities
Zoom boasts a range of communications and collaboration products, and this portfolio is evolving into a broader-based business platform of interest to the enterprise market, with Europe set to be centre stage in this evolution Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jul 2023
How to calculate video conferencing bandwidth requirements
Image motion, frame rates and screen resolution often dictate video conferencing bandwidth requirements. Learn four steps to address remote and office video call bandwidth needs. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2023
European Commission starts investigation into Microsoft Teams bundling
The commission will investigate if the bundling of Microsoft’s collaboration software with its office productivity suite breaks competition rules Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2023
Shift towards ‘smarter’ digital life as broadband security, sustainability become key needs
Cisco survey finds consumer expectations will reshape the needs and economics of the internet Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2023
Zoom doubles down on customer experience in UCaaS play
Zoom is going beyond its roots in employee experience as it looks to strengthen its position in the unified communications-as-a-service market Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2023
Zoom brings together in-office, remote employees with Intelligent Director
Collaboration provider expands portfolio and capability with launch of Intelligent Director, which uses AI and multiple cameras to provide optimal images and angles of participants in conference room Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jun 2023
Networking a reconfigured workspace
We find out how one company has optimised its network to support a post-pandemic work environment Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2023
Avaya expands Google, Alcatel-Lucent alliances to boost customer experiences
Collaboration with leading cloud platform designed to deliver enhanced contact centre solutions as improved Experience Platform enables users to integrate digital capabilities to redefine agent operations Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2023
Avaya deals Aces to boost customer experiences
Communications and collaboration tech provider unveils what it calls reimagined professional services, prioritising AI, cloud and digital transformation through its core customer experience services platform Continue Reading
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E-Zine
20 Jun 2023
How to keep network costs affordable
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as demands for networking performance and speed increase, we examine how to keep a handle on costs. Chip makers are investing in PLC technology – the next generation of flash storage – but some think it won’t be worth the effort; we investigate. And we listen in as tech industry leaders and politicians discuss the regulation of AI. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Avaya assures future-proof global communications with Enterprise Cloud
Comms tech provider kicks off user group conference proclaiming company is back, and unveils tech for firms to pursue hybrid cloud models by hosting parts of comms infrastructure in dedicated cloud instance Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jun 2023
Optimising net gains: Building efficient and effective network coverage
We look at how companies can gain efficient and effective network coverage around the world without it costing the earth Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Qualcomm unveils video collaboration platform suite
Mobile technology giant unveils suite of artificial intelligence-based platforms focused on collaboration devices to accelerate design and deployment of variety video-conferencing product Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: Progress report
Halfway into its plan to give the country a makeover by 2030, Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on technology is starting to pay off Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
Welsh ambulance service upgrades life-saving communications
Welsh ambulances going through major communications upgrade as part of wider NHS programme Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2023
Zoom kicks off year with solid revenue growth
Zoom posts results for first quarter of 2024 fiscal year, showing impressive increases in enterprise revenues and growth in number of customers Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2023
Telstra makes 400Gbps services available through key Australian city routes
Wholesale division of Australia-based global telco offers customers ability to use 400Gbps wavelength services after enhancements made to advanced, high-bandwidth optical infrastructure based on optical technology Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2023
PTC stitches the digital thread for tomorrow’s Industry 4.0 digital transformation
With the software-as-a-service genie well and truly out of the bottle, leading engineering design and manufacturing company outlines roadmap for next generation of digital transformation providing a more agile and collaborative environment of creativity Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2023
Webex and Google drive improved collaboration capabilities
Collaboration arm of networking giant reveals enhanced relationship with IT behemoth centred on creating faster synergy offering seamless way to connect through meetings and messaging and to improve automotive meeting experiences Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2023
IT Priorities 2023: Collaboration technologies to benefit from future of work investment drive
Research finds that as businesses settle into hybrid work, UCaaS and other collaboration technologies are regarded by IT professionals as crucial tool for driving employee productivity and workflow optimisation Continue Reading
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News
05 May 2023
Welsh Water turns on CPaaS tap for enhanced customer experiences
Not-for-profit water company deploys CPaaS-based video comms services to optimise operations, budget control and solve customer issues more quickly Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2023
3CX incident may be world’s first double supply chain attack
It’s supply chain attacks all the way down as Mandiant publishes information suggesting that the 3CX software supply chain compromise was initiated via a prior software supply chain compromise Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2023
Huawei: rethinking approaches to networks and computing is critical
Comms tech giant Huawei kicks off 20th Global Analyst Summit affirming commitment to connectivity, computing, storage and cloud and how strategic objectives of industry should drive digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2023
Zoom looks to bolster employee experience with Workvivo acquisition
Latest part of continued expansion of communication and engagement platform sees acquisition of employee experience company to offer hybrid workers new ways to stay connected Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2023
Webex brings cloud collaboration to US security and defence
Leading collaboration technology provider announces air-gapped trusted cloud for defence industry use case allowing teams to work together through modern meeting, chat and calling experiences on Webex app Continue Reading
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News
12 Apr 2023
Stemmer Distribution optimises communications infrastructure
Largest distributor of dental products in France standardises communications through UCaaS to help meet all its needs of reachability and mobility, while rationalising costs for the present and future Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2023
Ericsson: flexibility the new work-life currency
Study from Ericsson’s Consumer & IndustryLab reveals how employees and employers navigate the current work environment and their views on the future of work shaped by the pandemic, digitisation and the fluctuating labour market Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2023
Disconnect emerges between UK management and employees on hybrid work
Study from leading business software company finds that while overwhelming majority of IT leaders say they are investing in improving the hybrid experience for their organisation, only half of workers think it’s enough and feel their productivity has suffered Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2023
HP looks to lead with hybrid work collaboration and productivity portfolio
Tech giant bids to address growing issue in world of hybrid work where many workers are reluctant to return to the office because of sub-optimal technology Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2023
3CX unified comms users hit by supply chain attacks
Ongoing supply chain attacks against customers of UC firm 3CX appear to be linked to North Korean threat actors Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2023
Cisco enhances hybrid work with AI Webex innovations
Comms tech giant makes AI-powered enhancements to collaboration offering, encompassing devices and customer experience to deliver more personalised and inclusive experiences with camera intelligence Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2023
Zoom announces AI-based collaboration smart companion
Conferencing and communications company uses OpenAI technologies to offer what it claims will be a unique federated approach to artificial intelligence based on flexibility Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2023
Tata unveils integrated, simplified cloud-based calling service for global enterprises
Global digital ecosystem enabler launches cloud-based application with an integrated and simplified voice-calling offering to enhance employee experience and productivity with accessible collaboration features Continue Reading
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News
23 Mar 2023
UK remote workers held back by poor tech, limited digital skills
Despite rapid adoption of hybrid working since Covid, research from Virgin Media O2 Business reveals organisations facing technical and personnel-related limitations in making third workspace pay off Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2023
Anheuser-Busch InBev brews digital infrastructure with Orange
Global brewing giant partners with business services division of global telco company to help with digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
20 Mar 2023
Zoom strikes unified communications home run in MLB partnership
Conferencing and communications company claims first-of-its-kind partnership with major US sports league to enhance MLB games and the fan viewership experience based on contact centre and core platform Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2023
8x8 aims to transform XCaaS customer engagement with AI
Cloud comms platform provider claims revolutionary AI-driven enhancements to core XCaaS platform, including a platform-wide integration with OpenAI Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2023
Millions in the Arab world use VPNs to overcome restrictions and bandwidth throttling
Citizens in the Arab world are using VPNs to help them bypass internet restrictions and increase available bandwidth Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2023
MWC 2023: ICT infrastructure investment to drive Industry 4.0
Study reveals how digital economy will account for more than half of global GDP by end of 2023 and how growth of 5G and intergenerational evolution of connectivity technology will increase global economic benefits by approximately 15% Continue Reading
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Podcast
23 Feb 2023
Video messaging: A Computer Weekly Downtime upload podcast
We speak to Vimeo’s chief product officer about asynchronous video comms Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2023
Executive interview: Will video kill the streaming star?
While we are used to live streaming, video messages seem cheesy – but Vimeo’s chief product officer believes they will revolutionise communications Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2023
Gap grows between users and providers in digital service delivery
Global survey of 10,000 consumers finds demand for self-service channels is twice as high as current usage, and reveals a large gap between providers’ reported rates of digitisation and consumer behaviour Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2023
Cost-of-living crisis hampers UK remote work
Expected productivity gains from UK’s third workplace at risk as workers feel the chill from environments not permitting hybrid working Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2023
Symbio acquires Intrado Australia’s UCaaS business
The all-cash A$5m deal will expand Symbio’s footprint in the UCaaS market and deepen its reach into enterprises and government entities Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2023
UK local authorities reveal connectivity priorities, challenges
Study examining topics ranging from gigabit-capable broadband to 5G, smart places, telecoms and net-zero finds progress being made in UK local government, but challenges remain in the drive to improve digital connectivity Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2023
UK businesses urged to move away from ISDN in 2023
Research warns that as analogue switch-off approaches, only 15% of SMEs and 20% of large businesses have plans in place to migrate to an alternative technology Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jan 2023
Building culture within collaboration to make hybrid work pay
As hybrid working evolves, some firms are struggling to support non-office-based workers and management is unclear of its new responsibilities. What is being done to address this evolution? Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2023
Cutting-edge contact centre means experience is everything for Bayview
Offering a variety of support, back-office and IT services to companies and customers around the world would present a variety of challenges to any firm. To ensure it could offer acceptable experiences for customers and employees at every touchpoint, IT-enabled BPO Bayview Technologies saw CCaaS as the solution. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2023
Remote workers shun return to work
Study from UK gigabit broadband service provider reveals that despite received wisdom of home workers wanting to make at least partial return to pre-Covid working practices, stark contrast exists between employers and employees in their desire for staff to hit the office once more Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2022
BT boosts network monitoring to improve customer experience
Comms tech provider’s analytics software selected by leading UK network provider in five-year deal to improve operators’ fixed access customer experience Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2022
Almost two-thirds of businesses fear IT estate incapable of supporting hybrid workforce
Research from managed workplace services provider finds current IT setup is preventing effective collaboration, putting remote workers at a disadvantage and driving up cyber risks Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Dec 2022
Hybrid work: How cloud PCs can drive collaboration
Organisations around the globe are grappling with remote working and are looking at various technologies to support flexible working practices Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2022
Communications runs in his blood
Symbio Connect CEO Giorgio Mihaila has spent more than two decades in a career dotted with roles at major communications technology providers Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2022
Expectation gap appears between users and managers with hybrid working IT
Research from Canon Europe finds that while more than three-quarters of IT decision-makers believe their company provides the right technology to enable people to do their jobs regardless of location, a fifth are providing their own IT equipment and struggling to get remote IT support Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2022
SMEs put faith in communications technology
Study from orchestration and digital platform provider shows a ‘new’ kind of small and medium-sized enterprise market, with companies already adopting connectivity technology for business resilience Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2022
CityFibre identifies massive economic gains for Cheltenham, Portsmouth areas through full fibre
Leading independent gigabit broadband provider reveals positive economic and productivity impacts in Gloucestershire and south-coast cities where it has introduced full fibre, running to £145m and £335m respectively Continue Reading
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News
24 Nov 2022
Profits fall but Zoom maintains revenue momentum in Q3
Breakout collaboration service maintains momentum for rising revenues in third fiscal quarter of 2022 with significant rise in number of customers contributing more than $100,000 Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Qualcomm, Renault go up a gear in electric vehicle partnership
Leading car manufacturer and mobile technologies firm announce plan to enter a strategic long-term cooperation, encompassing co-development of high-performance computing platforms based on Snapdragon Digital Chassis Solutions for next generation of software-defined vehicles Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
UK hybrid workers feel the strain
Survey reveals that UK homeworkers suffer most in Europe from a poor working experience, in turn leading to knock-on negative effect in customer experience due to lack of space Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2022
Webex looks to enhance customer experiences for digital era
Leading collaboration technology provider reveals what it claims is a unique functionality that can deliver a fully integrated UCaaS, CCaaS and CPaaS portfolio to improve customer experience Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Webex claims ‘breakthrough’ advances for hybrid work with innovations, partnerships
Collaboration tech provider announces major updates to the Webex Suite with new collaboration device and new partnerships to expand its footprint Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2022
Execs feel leadership strain in the new normal of work
Research finds flexible work policies as the leading factor that has improved company culture over the last two years, but burnout is on the rise globally and executive experience scores for overall satisfaction at work have dropped markedly Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2022
Orange reveals digital future with 5G innovations
Operator unveils latest in next-generation infrastructure applications and technologies, including what is said to be a first in Europe – a reflective surface intended to improve network speeds and coverage inside buildings Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Oct 2022
Work in the metaverse: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
In this special edition of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, we speak to Wipro CTO Subha Tatavarti about the business metaverse Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Gitex 2022: Florius takes AI-powered CCaaS speech analytics to transform customer experience
Changed workloads during the pandemic have driven Netherlands-based mortgage lender to use AI and CCaaS technology Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Oct 2022
CW Middle East: Qatar strengthens cyber defences ahead of FIFA World Cup
Being the first Arab country to host the World Cup is pressure enough on Qatar, but there is also a massive cyber security challenge associated with any event of this magnitude. Read about its preparations. Also in this issue, find out about the unique challenges of hiring IT professionals in Saudi Arabia. Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2022
UK Atomic Energy Authority makes call on new UC telephony
National nuclear-based research facility replaces inflexible cloud-based system to add agility to enable staff to collaborate more effectively in a hybrid working approach Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2022
Meta presents vision for business metaverse
How can hybrid teams collaborate seamlessly? Meta believes virtual reality tied to business applications is the way forward Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2022
Gitex 2022: Avaya aims for innovation without disruption as it reveals cloud comms partners
Global communications and collaboration firm showcases business outcomes at leading expo and announces new strategic partnership with conversational AI provider and cloud telecoms and technology solutions company Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Oct 2022
Hybrid working: Preventing damage to company culture
The hybrid working model is still a work in progress, and most employers are at an early stage in learning and finding their way towards achieving its benefits Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Harrison Drury elevates its employee, customer experience with Avaya OneCloud UCaaS
Solicitor’s transition to cloud-based unified communications-as-a-service platform modernises communications and sets up platform to support business’s strategy of providing a hybrid workplace Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2022
Three-quarters of business professionals want to embrace the metaverse
Study from networking systems, services and software company reveals business professionals’ interest in metaverse pointing to utilising more immersive and connected digital applications in the workplace Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2022
BSH Home Appliances takes on Twilio to revamp digital customer engagement
Customer engagement platform partners with Deloitte Consulting to support plan by home appliances firm to revamp its entire digital infrastructure within customer service organisation Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2022
Ofcom turns its attention to the hyperscalers
The regulator sees its role expanding into emerging areas of communications technologies and public cloud services Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
Mobile operators work on holographic calling pilot
Thanks to 5G, it may soon be possible add a third dimension to video calls using ‘realistic’ holograms Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2022
Oracle Red Bull Racing gets into gear with Zoom to power team unified communications
Collaboration technology provider’s Chat, Events and Meetings products taken up by championship-leading Formula 1 team to enhance key communications and hybrid experiences on and off the track Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2022
Swedish Electronics Protection Act coincides with major cyber spend
Swedish cyber security law comes at a time of heavy government investment Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Aug 2022
A-weighted decibel (dBA or dB(A))
A-weighted decibel (dBA or dB(A)) is an expression of the relative loudness of sounds as perceived by the human ear. Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2022
Continued major customer rise fuels strong second quarter for Zoom
Post-Covid boom may have subsided, but conferencing and comms company keeps on track with increased total revenues in second fiscal quarter, when its product diversification strategy focused on delivering better intelligence Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2022
Jabra, Lenovo expand collaboration to claim first full Microsoft Teams rooms system
Purpose-built, modular room kit provides enhanced business productivity and collaboration capabilities for companies looking to upgrade their meeting room technology for the hybrid working world Continue Reading
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News
12 Aug 2022
SMEs overwhelmed by distraction of comms technology, networking platforms
Study from collaboration workspace and targeted networking platform provider reveals small and medium-sized enterprises are becoming overwhelmed by the noise and distraction of social media channels Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2022
Tata teams with Genesys to boost enterprise engagement with enhanced InstaCC Platform
Global digital ecosystem enabler partners with cloud-based customer experience orchestration to further transform customer engagement across platforms ranging from social to mobile Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2022
Work-from-home slows in US but remains important part of hybrid workplace
Deloitte survey shows the ways in which people are using connected devices and technology to improve and enhance their lives, in particular dealing with the balance of hybrid work Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
Digital HQs fundamental to making hybrid work successful, say UK workers
Business messaging app provider finds cost-of-living crisis is eased by hybrid work, but 66% of employees would look for a new job immediately or within three months if hybrid or remote working was not an option Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jul 2022
Holding the line in the world of hybrid work
The role of line managers is evolving and changing as the shift towards hybrid working increases, and it would appear the secret to success in a hybrid context is to treat all staff members as if they were working remotely, even if they are based in the office Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2022
Cloud comms provider 8x8 claims visual, ‘effortless’ customer experience through CPaaS
Integrated cloud communications platform provider announces availability of communications management service in bid to allow array of user roles in organisations Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2022
Freight forwarding and logistics firm gains extra mileage through CallSwitch UCaaS
International logistics firm achieves improved business efficiency by replacing legacy VoIP system with hosted telephony solution supporting unified collaboration and communications platform Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2022
UK homeworking more than doubles since 2019
Office for National Statistics roundup of the latest data and analysis on the UK economy, business and jobs finds the number of people working from home in the UK increased by 108.8% between October to December 2019 and January to March 2022 Continue Reading