what is unified communications

Unified Communications (UC) is a business and marketing concept that describes the integration of enterprise communication services such as instant messaging, presence information, voice, mobility features, and more. UC is an umbrella term for the integration of multiple enterprise communication tools into a single, streamlined interface, with the goal of improving user experience and productivity. UC automates and unifies human and device communications in a common context and experience, optimizing business processes and enhancing human communications by reducing latency, managing flows, and eliminating device and media dependencies. A UC system may include features such as messaging, voice and video calls, meetings, team collaboration, file sharing, and integrated apps. UC technology supports a users ability to switch seamlessly from one mode of communication to another within a single session, whether on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The increasing popularity of UC is part of a larger digital transformation and cloud migration underway across todays enterprises, and the COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated this shift, with many organizations relying heavily on UC technologies to enable remote work.