Unified Communications Interoperability Forum
Encyclopedia
The Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCIF) is a non-profit alliance between communications technology vendors. It was announced on May 19, 2010, with the vision to maximize the interoperability of UC based on existing standards. Founding members of UCIF were HP, Microsoft
, Polycom
, Logitech
/ LifeSize Communications, and Juniper Networks
.
(chat), presence information
, Telephony (including IP telephony), video conferencing, call control
and speech recognition with non real-time communication services such as unified messaging
(integrated voicemail
, e-mail
, SMS
and fax
). UC is not a single product, but a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
UC also refers to a trend to offer business process integration, i.e. to simplify and integrate all forms of communications in view to optimize business process
es and reduce the response time, manage flows and eliminate device and media dependencies.
, Logitech
/ LifeSize
Communications, Microsoft
, and Polycom
. Other members are Acme Packet
, Aspect, AudioCodes
, Broadcom
, BroadSoft, Brocade Communications Systems
, ClearOne, Jabra
, Plantronics
, RADVISION, Siemens Enterprise Communications
, and Teliris
. At launch, news outlets drew attention to the absence of Cisco
and Avaya
from the member list, though UCIF has invited them to join as early members.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Polycom
Polycom
Polycom is a multinational corporation with approximately 3,200 employees worldwide and an annual revenue of approximately $1.2 billion in 2010. The company manufactures and sells telepresence and voice communications solutions.-Company History 1990:...
, Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...
/ LifeSize Communications, and Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks is an information technology and computer networking products multinational company, founded in 1996. It is head quartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. The company designs and sells high-performance Internet Protocol network products and services...
.
Unified Communications Definition
Unified communications (UC) is the integration of real-time communication services such as instant messagingInstant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
(chat), presence information
Presence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
, Telephony (including IP telephony), video conferencing, call control
Call control
In telephony, call control refers to the software within a telephone switch that supplies its central function. Call control decodes addressing information and routes telephone calls from one end point to another. It also creates the features that can be used to adapt standard switch operation to...
and speech recognition with non real-time communication services such as unified messaging
Unified messaging
Unified Messaging is the integration of different electronic messaging and communications media technologies into a single interface, accessible from a variety of different devices....
(integrated voicemail
Voicemail
Voicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone...
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
and fax
Fax
Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
). UC is not a single product, but a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
UC also refers to a trend to offer business process integration, i.e. to simplify and integrate all forms of communications in view to optimize business process
Business process
A business process or business method is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service or product for a particular customer or customers...
es and reduce the response time, manage flows and eliminate device and media dependencies.
Members
The original founding members were HP, Juniper NetworksJuniper Networks
Juniper Networks is an information technology and computer networking products multinational company, founded in 1996. It is head quartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. The company designs and sells high-performance Internet Protocol network products and services...
, Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...
/ LifeSize
LifeSize
LifeSize, a division of Logitech, is a video and audio communications company that provides high definition video conferencing endpoints and accessories, infrastructure products and a cloud-based video collaboration platform. LifeSize's worldwide headquarters is located in Austin, Texas...
Communications, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, and Polycom
Polycom
Polycom is a multinational corporation with approximately 3,200 employees worldwide and an annual revenue of approximately $1.2 billion in 2010. The company manufactures and sells telepresence and voice communications solutions.-Company History 1990:...
. Other members are Acme Packet
Acme Packet
Acme Packet is a company based in Bedford, Massachusetts which produces and markets Session Border Controllers , multiservice security gateways and session routing proxies . It is a public company incorporated in Delaware...
, Aspect, AudioCodes
AudioCodes
AudioCodes Ltd. designs, develops, and sells products for voice, data, and video over IP networks. The company is an early pioneer of the VoIP industry having shipped VoIP solutions as early as 1995.-Company history:...
, Broadcom
Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company in the wireless and broadband communication business. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, USA. Broadcom was founded by a professor-student pair Henry Samueli and Henry T. Nicholas III from the University of California, Los...
, BroadSoft, Brocade Communications Systems
Brocade Communications Systems
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. , based in Silicon Valley , is a vendor of storage area network hardware and software. The company also designs, manufactures, and sells networking products and management applications for local, metro, and wide area networks...
, ClearOne, Jabra
Jabra
Jabra develops, manufactures and markets wireless and corded headsets for mobile phone users, contact centres and office-based users. It is owned by . The Jabra subsidiary is based in Nashua, New Hampshire.-History:...
, Plantronics
Plantronics
Plantronics is an electronics company producing audio communications equipment for business and consumers. Its' products provide unified communications, mobile use, gaming and music...
, RADVISION, Siemens Enterprise Communications
Siemens Enterprise Communications
Siemens Enterprise Communications is a joint venture between the American private equity firm The Gores Group and German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG.The joint venture was announced on July 29, 2008, and was launched on October 1, 2008...
, and Teliris
Teliris
Teliris is a privately-owned telepresence and videoconferencing company headquartered in New York and London that designs and sells video collaboration products and services. Teliris currently has deployments in over 50 countries...
. At launch, news outlets drew attention to the absence of Cisco
Cisco
Cisco may refer to:Companies:*Cisco Systems, a computer networking company* Certis CISCO, corporatised entity of the former Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation in Singapore...
and Avaya
Avaya
Avaya Inc. is a privately held computer networking, information technology and telecommunications company that is a global provider of business communications systems. The international head quarters is in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States...
from the member list, though UCIF has invited them to join as early members.
See also
- Unified CommunicationsUnified communicationsUnified communications is the integration of real-time communication services such as instant messaging , presence information, telephony , video conferencing, data sharing , call control and speech recognition with non-real-time communication services such as unified...
- TelepresenceTelepresenceTelepresence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via telerobotics, at a place other than their true location....
- Unified messagingUnified messagingUnified Messaging is the integration of different electronic messaging and communications media technologies into a single interface, accessible from a variety of different devices....
- List of unified communications companies