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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News
14 Oct 2024
How Zoom is charting its course towards an AI-first platform
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan talks up his vision for the future of work, the company's transition to an AI-powered platform and what it is doing to stay ahead of rivals Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2024
Zoom expands AI Companion capabilities, adds customisation options
Zoom reveals major advancements in AI Companion, including customisation options, personalised avatars and integration across the entire Zoom workplace platform Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2022
Organisations struggling to support remote and hybrid employees
Digital workplace productivity report reveals limited workplace technology availability sees average worker operating at 60% capacity Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2022
Packaging, translation to the fore in Zoom platform evolution
Collaboration and conferencing company brings together options for persistent chat, phone, meetings, whiteboard and other features into a single, scalable package Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2022
Organisations struggle to support IT in a hybrid work model
Study from digital employee experience tech firm finds 95% of professionals face disruptive IT issues that hinder productivity, with particular problems regarding remote workers Continue Reading
- 09 Jun 2022
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Feature
07 Jun 2022
A new design for the new world of work
Widespread forecasts at the height of the pandemic about the death of the office have largely failed to come to pass, but its role is definitely changing as part of a wider, but as yet still mainly experimental, shift to hybrid working Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2022
Executive interview: Jeetu Patel, general manager of collaboration and security, Cisco
Anyone with an idea can help solve a problem if geography and distance don’t matter when bringing in talent, says Cisco’s collaboration and security chief Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jun 2022
The state of Australia’s national broadband network
Australia’s national broadband network promises to improve broadband connectivity across the country but has been plagued by pricing issues. Here’s a look at where it is today and what lies ahead Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2022
Swim England takes the plunge with CaaS to reap remote work benefits
England’s national body for swimming deploys communications-as-a-service platform to support remote work for employees and sees benefits such as 35% reduction in monthly platform costs Continue Reading
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Tip
25 May 2022
Hybrid meeting technology helps AV teams address equity
AV teams are challenged in providing remote and in-room meeting attendees the same experience. Hybrid meeting technology for speaker framing is the first step to meeting equity. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
25 May 2022
Proof is in the pasty
With the opening of the new Elizabeth Line there was always going to be questions about value for money. At a cost of £25bn, will it deliver value, 13 years after the project to build it began? The ... Continue Reading
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News
25 May 2022
Zoom boom continues as it delivers billion-dollar first quarter
Despite partial return to work and adoption of hybrid rather than permanent home working, collaboration technology provider sees first-quarter total revenue up 12% year on year and +$100,000 customers rise by 46% Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2022
Reimagining the cities of the future in Finland
New ideas around new space: Helsinki not only imagines, but can see, the cities of the future Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2022
Marsden building society deploys UCaaS to enhance employee, customer experiences
Regional financial services leader chooses unified communications as a service offering for more agile, flexible and scalable communication to support both immediate needs and long-term growth Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2022
Zoom furthers contact centre expansion with Solvvy acquisition
In the next step of progression from being the pandemic’s breakout collaboration services leader, Zoom makes strategic buy to add advanced conversational AI and automation capabilities Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2022
Cisco enhances Webex for hybrid with ChomeOS, wellbeing support
Network and collaboration technology provider enters into partnership with IT giant to build the Webex Meetings PWA for all Chrome OS devices, and introduces collaboration services that support wellbeing Continue Reading
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Feature
16 May 2022
Evolution of unified comms services
Post-pandemic ways of working are forcing organisations to rethink their comms – we look at the growth in cloud-based services to support hybrid working Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2022
Avaya extends CCaaS reach on Microsoft Azure
Avaya and Microsoft expand partnership by pairing CCaaS with Azure to provide more options to increase productivity and customer engagement by accelerating digital transformation initiatives in the cloud Continue Reading
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Feature
09 May 2022
CPaaS – a technology for the future
There is a received wisdom that as businesses flock towards the cloud, they are looking for a single platform on which to manage all their communication needs, leading to boom times ahead for communications platform as a service Continue Reading
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03 May 2022
Next generation of collaboration and communication services
Future comms systems may look and feel rather different from what exists today – we look at the journey for communications services Continue Reading
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E-Zine
03 May 2022
A prescription for digital accessibility at Boots
In this week’s Computer Weekly, millions of people have difficulties when using websites – we find out how Boots is making its e-commerce offering fully accessible. Our new buyer’s guide examines communications as a service. And we talk to Trainline’s CTO about how the rail app provider survived and thrived post-pandemic. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 May 2022
Next generation of collaboration and communication services
Future comms systems may look and feel rather different from what exists today – we look at the journey for communications services Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2022
European employers missing the opportunity to automate processes for hybrid work
The transition to hybrid work has stimulated a shift among employees looking to their business to streamline their workflows, but research finds just a tenth have access to automation tools Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2022
Vercom plots ‘spectacular’ entry into global CPaaS market with MailerLite acquisition
Communications platform-as-a-service market continues hot streak as Polish solutions provider enters the world stage by acquiring global provider of tools for email communication Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Disappointing earnings at Google, but cloud still strong
Google posts first-quarter 2022 revenue of $68bn, but growth is not as fast as last year Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2022
Zoom adds new round of cyber security enhancements
Videoconferencing platform Zoom adds multiple third-party security certifications and service enhancements Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2022
Flexible return-to-office policies are hammering employee experiences
Research shows work-related stress and anxiety is skyrocketing among office workers and those without flexibility, stressing that trusting teams to work where and when works for them will lead to better results Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Apr 2022
Positive benefits in the new experience economy
While creating a positive employee experience (EX) has been on the agenda of companies for years, the concept – and that of the experience economy in general – has come of age in the Covid-defined working arena Continue Reading
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News
14 Apr 2022
Zoom unveils platform innovations to elevate customer experience
Breakout videoconferencing leader announces conversation intelligence service and enhances online events offering, with aim to modernise how businesses engage with customers Continue Reading
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News
14 Apr 2022
Cisco and Venywhere reimagine the future of hybrid work in Venice ‘living lab’
Cisco employees live and work remotely in Venice for three months as part of a pilot programme to help the city reinvent itself as a work-from-anywhere destination Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2022
Office Wi-Fi may not cope with hybrid work
Continued growth of online meetings is triggering disruption across the employee productivity technology market, research from CCS Insight has found Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2022
Singapore enterprise comms and collaboration spend set for steady growth
The widespread enterprise adoption of remote operations that bolstered the demand for comms and collaboration products and services is set to persist Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2022
Hybrid work offers markedly positive improvements to culture
Study finds effects that hybrid working is having on business culture, with nearly half of study across the globe feel diversity and inclusion has improved during the pandemic. Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2022
Manufacturers reveal concerns over tech readiness for hybrid work
Research reveals manufacturing firms must address both human and tech barriers relating to visibility of networks and the digital experience to create a sustainable and high-performing hybrid workplace Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2022
Webex aims to reimagine hybrid work experiences
After one of the biggest shifts of how we work in decades, collaboration technology firm adds functionality innovations to help organisations personalise the hybrid work experience for employees and customers Continue Reading
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News
24 Mar 2022
Under-investment in hybrid work threatens successful return to the office for European workers
Research from Ricoh Europe shows staff are looking to their employers for clarity and innovation in their new hybrid workplace, but a lack of planning and investment threatens to derail the success of a widespread return to the office Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2022
Kurmi brings UC, CC provisioning automation to the cloud
Software developer takes on-premise platform to a hosted model to deliver faster and easier access to the tools required to streamline and optimise the day-to-day administration of Unified Communication platforms Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2022
Wellness essential as hybrid work to see total redesign of the office
Almost one-fifth of companies are asking employees to return to the office full-time, as new workspaces with quiet zones, Zoom pods and wellness areas are seen as key to retaining and attracting talent Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2022
Mavenir makes business communications software pivot
Network software provider transitions from radio access network software solutions towards offering SaaS portfolio of business communications for CSPs, channels and systems integrators Continue Reading
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News
17 Mar 2022
Verizon Business enriches mobile endpoint for Microsoft Teams
Business solutions provider becomes one of the first operators to join forces with IT giant to enable enterprise customers to experience the full power of communications and collaboration system Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2022
UK businesses struggling to support flexible work
Research reveals that as hybrid becomes the norm, a clear majority of firms say the pandemic caused them to re-evaluate what they value in the workplace Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Mar 2022
Ratcheting down the tension in the hybrid world
Employers who reject the trend towards adopting more flexible, hybrid ways of working may struggle with staff retention - and CIOs have more to win or lose than most in a hybrid world Continue Reading
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News
10 Mar 2022
Hybrid cements place in working life as employees choose flexibility
Research from automation platform advises that focusing on technologies that improve employee and IT experiences is critical for future of work success and retaining talent in the hybrid world Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2022
Ukrainian engineers fight to keep internet online
IT professionals in Ukraine are working tirelessly and at great risk to keep the country connected to the internet during the Russian invasion Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Feb 2022
Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an internet protocol used to synchronize with computer clock time sources in a network. Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2022
Workers demand universal high-performance broadband to succeed with hybrid work
Cisco Broadband Index finds just more than two-fifths of UK workers now rely on their home internet to work from home or run their own business, but almost three-quarters think broadband services need to dramatically improve to enable them to work from anywhere Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2022
IT leaders primed to drive innovation and hybrid work
As organisations move beyond the pandemic, survey shows IT leaders are being given greater levels of responsibility Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2022
Mondelēz moves global operations to digital workspace with Orange Business Services
Snack giant transforms legacy infrastructure to digital platform, enabling communication and collaboration on a global scale, with analytics and AI used to improve customer experience and personalise service for employee workplace needs Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2022
Zoom gains NCSC Cyber Essentials Plus and NHS security badges
Video platform Zoom has added a number of UK-specific cyber certifications to help it demonstrate its platform is safeguarded against common threats Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2022
RealWear enables remote nuclear plant inspection
Augmented reality headsets from RealWear have been deployed by TÜV SÜD for certifying technical systems during the pandemic Continue Reading
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News
17 Feb 2022
Unified communications and collaboration set for automation surge in hybrid world
Research reveals hybrid working world unified communications and collaboration now seen as improving productivity, but challenge exists for organisations managing UCC at scale to provision users across multiple apps and communications platforms Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2022
New world of work sees emergence of hybrid holiday
Research from Virgin Media O2 suggests 2022 will be the year when working from anywhere becomes a reality for businesses across the UK Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Feb 2022
Hybrid working in the metaverse
Few topics have attracted more headlines over the past year than hybrid work and the metaverse. How can these realities fit together and become productive in the new normal of work? Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2022
CPaaS key to enabling customer experience to drive digital transformation
IDC study shows nearly four-fifths of enterprises are set to implement conversational customer engagement to improve customer experience Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2022
Vodafone Business teams with RingCentral to deliver cloud communications
New cloud-based comms platform set to enable UK operator’s mobility and 5G capabilities to give customers more choice, flexibility and simplicity in workforce collaboration and remote working Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2022
Cisco pitches into private 5G, reveals hybrid work technology slate
Comms and collaboration technology services giant introduces new technologies to help businesses rapidly scale networks and digitise operations Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Feb 2022
Companies need to embrace voice to promote empathy and intentionality at work
This is a guest blogpost by Oliver Palihes, CEO at Aircall. It seems that, in recent years, messaging and video have become the de facto modes of communication for businesses looking to optimise ... Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2022
Majority of UK employees prefer hybrid work
Survey reveals the importance of hybrid working and shows a degree of WFH fatigue following Omicron, with firms assessing when it will be possible to return to in-person work Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2022
What does 2022 have in store for hybrid working?
The Omicron coronavirus variant has brought a return of working restrictions. Can we be optimistic about the resilience of organisations as they try to get the best out of their workforce? Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2022
BT appoints MD of advanced enterprise comms division, inks ABB contract
Managing director appointed for what is regarded as a likely key growth engine for UK incumbent telco’s enterprise business, moving it from a telco to a techco by expanding into services that go beyond traditional calls and lines Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jan 2022
CW Middle East: What does Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle agenda mean for the world?
If all goes according to plan, within a few years, one million people will live in Saudi Arabia’s ‘city of the future’ – and every one of them will depend on a fleet of self-driving cars. Also in this issue, read about the UAE's bid to become a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Jan 2022
instant messaging
Instant messaging, often shortened to IM or IM'ing, is the exchange of near real-time messages through a standalone application or embedded software. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2022
Qualcomm announces Microsoft collaboration to boost AR in the metaverse
Mobile chipmaker enters into collaboration with Microsoft to design custom augmented reality chips and integrate software platforms Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jan 2022
Avoiding the two-tier workforce in the third workplace
The new world of hybrid working is sometimes referred to as the third workplace. Yet just as firms are having to deal with the ‘great resignation’, they are in danger of unwittingly creating a two-tier workforce Continue Reading
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News
04 Jan 2022
BlueJeans and Google join forces to unlock value for remote workforces
Leading US comms provider re-bundles flagship collaboration platform so it can be preloaded on Google’s Glass Enterprise Edition 2 Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2021
Avaya comms support Santa-as-a-service tracking
As sleigh bells ring, Avaya’s OneCloud contact centre services let you chart Father Christmas’s journey Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Neos Networks brings high-capacity fibre access to leading UK cities and Oxfordshire
UK business connectivity provider opens first of four metro access networks to offer last-mile services direct to nearly 10,000 regional businesses and those in the City of London while also announcing rural county expansion plan to connect over 200 public service sites in a bid to improve digital and social inclusion Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Avaya enhances educational and logistics environments with UCaaS and cloud
Supply chain leader supports business expansion and supercharges agent retention with cloud comms platform, and enables ‘exceptional’ education experiences for thousands of students with unified comms as a service Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2021
More than 50% of UK workers would quit without hybrid work
Research provides insight into the views of UK workers regarding splitting time between the office and home Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2021
Rapidly changing hybrid workforce sees IT departments struggle to keep up
Research finds faulty technology is leaving businesses ill-equipped to support the future of working, warning that tech-savvy workers will expect more from their employers Continue Reading
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News
24 Nov 2021
Zoom boom rolls on over to Q3 2021
Partial return to the office fails to stop momentum of breakout collaboration technology giant in the third quarter of 2021 Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2021
Ericsson boosts business play with $6.2bn Vonage acquisition
Acquisition of IP communications provider expands Ericsson’s presence in wireless enterprise and broadens its global offerings, creating a global network and communication platform for open innovation Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Nov 2021
Ensuring hybrid work works in the new normal
The hybrid business is becoming a reality, but how can firms ensure a positive employee experience and learn how to identify and manage risks? Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Nov 2021
Flexible working hours the key for increased productivity
With flexible working shifting from being a privilege to a necessity, company leaders must ensure their workers have a high-quality network service, efficient resources, hardware and cloud services, says Whit Andrews, distinguished research vice-president at Gartner Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2021
Klaxoon enters US and launches next-gen meetings workshop platform for hybrid work
French teamwork and smart work technology provider unveils its next-generation workshop platform and expands in the US with CEO and key executives Continue Reading
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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
09 Nov 2021
No device upgrade for most UK workers during pandemic
Research finds that most workers are still using equipment issued before lockdowns, raising fears of a productivity gap as staff work from home Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2021
More than four-fifths of firms expect to keep hybrid work environment
While business leaders are comfortable with and believe there are many benefits to hybrid work, most organisations are unprepared to deliver a seamless experience in a hybrid workplace, where the need for end-to-end data visibility and actionable insights intensifies Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2021
Fibre lights up BT half-yearly results
BT has revealed a tough first six months of the financial year, but also claimed Fibre First build programme roll-out continues to accelerate, reaching record levels in second quarter Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2021
Windstream Enterprise and BlueJeans up the ante in collaboration
Managed communications service provider makes additions to unified comms offerings to enable effective and scalable collaboration while Verizon-owned company announces support for Microsoft Direct Guest Join Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2021
Digital connectivity investment could unlock 500,000 jobs, £70bn of GDP growth by 2026
First Digital Connectivity Index from recently merged fixed and mobile operator shows that UK is currently ranked eighth among developed countries for digital connectivity Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2021
India’s tech workforce braces for hybrid work
A Nasscom study reveals that India’s tech workers and their employers are planning to return to offices thrice a week, paving the way for hybrid work Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2021
City of Edinburgh Council signs up CGI to implement smart city plans
Five-year contract to support Scottish capital’s transformation into a smart city includes data insights, processes and tools to achieve transformational change and deliver high-quality services to citizens Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2021
Cisco supports hybrid workforce augmented reality meeting solutions
IT giant evolves collaboration suite to combine Webex meeting functionality with real-time, photorealistic holographic experience Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2021
Microsoft’s latest results focus on combating inflation
With prices set to rise, CEO Satya Nadella used the Q1 2022 earnings call to discuss the deflationary effect of digitisation Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2021
Chancellor sets aside £2.1bn to fund NHS IT modernisation
Improving efficiency, reducing waiting times and expanding tests and scans are among the key targets for £5.9bn of extra NHS funding Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2021
Flexible a fixture as technology critical to hybrid working future
Survey shows knowledge workers in leading economies believe that having an office space will be considered an employee benefit, rather than a mandatory way of working Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2021
Virgin Media takes full-fibre to west Berkshire, launches Wi-Fi 6 hubs
Full-fibre contract between network provider and local authority aims to connect west Berkshire schools and public buildings to next-generation digital infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Batelco brings collaboration to Bahrain operations
Aiming to deliver evolved teamwork capabilities to its customers to accelerate Bahrain’s transition to the digital workplace, digital communications solutions provider adopts new collaboration technology Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Nuuday finds new voice to deliver cognitive customer universe
Upstart Danish telco deploys communications-as-a-service technology and virtual assistant to restructure business, gain differentiation and extend to new touchpoints in highly competitive local market Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Arc spans network ecosystem in Oman
Integrated networking services provider invests in Nokia technology to offer added connectivity options for enterprise customers in key Middle East location Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Avaya builds up AI experience to boost collaboration
New communications and collaboration ecosystem launched to enable customers to achieve better business outcomes in the experience economy and the new hybrid working mode Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2021
Generation Novel hybrid workers bring new demands and risks
Aruba survey warns business leaders that they must strike a balance between flexibility and security to address risky behaviours and evolving expectations of today’s tech-savvy workforce Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2021
FCA warns over future hybrid working security risks
Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority issued fresh guidance to regulated organisations on keeping hybrid workers safe and secure Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2021
Talent sits everywhere with hybrid work powered by mobile and artificial intelligence
Cisco’s Hybrid work index reveals insights on people’s preferences, habits and technology usage in the era of hybrid work Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2021
Need for work equity and total meeting equality in world of hybrid work
Research into the evolution of the workplace in the wake of Covid shows hybrid workers embracing anytime working as office culture ‘changes for ever’, but concerns over discrimination, career progression and noise weigh on employees’ minds Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2021
Telstra connects direct to Microsoft Azure and Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams
Australia-based global carrier enhances connectivity to Microsoft cloud services and provides an integrated calling experience via flagship collaboration service Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2021
How Zoom is growing its APAC business
Zoom is driving its growth in Asia-Pacific by embedding business processes into video communications, supporting the hybrid workplace and expanding its headcount in the region Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2021
NTT strengthens Microsoft alliance to support shift to hybrid working
Technology and business solutions provider enriches enterprise telephony and connectivity with IT giant’s Operator Connect for Teams to assist users’ support for the new normal or working Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2021
UK pivot to hybrid tech could add £76bn to GDP
Study shows rise in hybrid working could boost GDP by £48bn annually as part-time workers increase hours and investment in hybrid technologies could add nearly £80bn over next four years Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2021
Employers worry about remote work productivity, but fail to invest in tech solutions
Research warns employers to continue valuing in-person collaboration and to balance between safeguarding culture and a sense of team experienced though office-based working, with the virtues of hybrid working that is now essential in the new normal Continue Reading
