Definition:
Unified communications is a method of communication that connects different systems for building up a digital workforce. The integration of the unified communications with the artificial intelligence is all set to change the way employees work in an organization.

Cisco and Unified Communications:
In the year 2018, Cisco already announced to expand the unified communication solutions by integrating it with the AI. It’s high range of unified communication products are:

1. Cloud calling
2. Call control
3. Collaboration management and licensing
4. Telephony extensions
5. Communication gateways
6. Unified communication applications
7. Cisco Webex calling
8. Cisco Network route director
9. Cisco unified mobility
10. Cisco Business Edition 7000
11. Cisco Business Edition 4000
12. Cisco Business Edition 6000
13. Cisco collaboration flex plan

Unified Communications Market Size:
The UC market size is expected to grow at a CAGR rate of 16.8% from the year 2019 to 2025 globally.

With the rapid digitization and growth of sales of the mobile phones, adopting unified communications has become an easy process. As per a report, the global sale of smartphones increases to around 401 million units in the Q4 2019 showing a positive growth trend for the unified communications.

The BYOD,bring your own device setting, at office is also one of the major contributors in this growth.

Benefits of Unified Communications:

• Cheaper: Every business wants to reduce the cost. Unified communications as a technology make the voice over IP technology for integrating on different communication platforms.  It has even helped to reduce the costs by almost 40%.
• Enabling a remote workforce: With the majority of the workforce preferring remote working, unified communications make it possible. The applications such as the Skype for business combines the video, instant messaging, and voice to provide rich experience.
• Providing better customer service: It helps to provide better customer service as even if you are not at your desk, unified communications help you to connect with your mobile device by the redirection from the fixed number. If also for some reason you are not able to answer the call, it will transfer to the next suitable person to take the call. You can also set the connection, if the call is not answered to connect directly to the sales manager.
• Flexibility: It provides enhanced flexibility as one can increase or decrease the number of channels as per the requirements.

Leading Companies in Providing Unified Communications:

The top companies which are leading in providing unified communication service are:

1. Microsoft
2. Huawei
3. ZTE
4. Oracle
5. Sangoma
6. Mitel
7. Sonus
8. Cisco
9. Avaya
10. Vonage

Conclusion:
Unified communications is here to stay making communication easier for the globally dispersed workforce. You should have an uninterrupted flow of communication between your employees, highly needed in the current scenario.
It will not only help to give better business results but also increase the productivity of your employee. So ,whether you are a big organization or small and mid-sized business, unified communication is going to soon become crucial in your communication process.