Business communication makes leap to next generation

Avaya was one company to launch such a solution with the Avaya Flare. This system uses a number of techniques to put people effectively face to face, while still being potentially thousands of miles apart. Unified communications is a growing industry and as internet speeds and bandwidths increase, the effectiveness of these solutions is improving as well. "Our new product launch right now at GITEX is around next generation voice and video collaboration. So we are going towards the collaboration of different modes of communication," says Roger El Tawil, managing director, Gulf & Pakistan, Avaya.

"That is voice, video chat, social networking, brining all that together through an interface which is called Avaya Flare. That gives everything on a single application, your own communication space, where you can drag and drop between third party and in house technology to collaborate and communicate."

Integrating technologies for easy access

This system looks to bring several different aspects of communication into one place rather than introduce new technologies onto the market. One product which is looking to add something new to the meeting industry comes from Smart Technologies and from first impressions is merely a digital whiteboard.

"We are utilising our whiteboard solutions, which come in different sizes. They are fully integrated with a projector. They use Smart Meeting Pro Premium comes with a piece of software called Bridge It which allows boards to be connected and used together. The solution allows you to write, save and distribute, so I can be in my meeting and be sitting here in Dubai using this board, and share real time the content with the US or the UK through their board," Aaron Fright, regional director of Smart Technologies explains.

Unified communications eliminating need for travel

The system essentially links up two meetings in two entirely separate destinations, as if they were both in the same room, a feature of all unified communications solutions. It is one which appears to be driving demand. "I think the market for more intelligent type meetings is an opportunity for us. We do see a huge opportunity moving forward, especially with some vertical markets, petrochemicals, telecommunications, where some key decision making has to happen and you have to collaborate with multiple people across the organisation. I think companies are trying to become more efficient and productive with smarter ways of thinking so we think we have a very robust and innovative solution for that," says Fright.

"I can view different screens, share information and I can take information from the whiteboard which could be in the US and make some alterations and work through the meeting without sending people on planes all the way round the world and save on the travel costs. It's all fully compatible and can be integrated with any other office applications," he adds.

Aside from connecting people, the other major factor for systems such as these is usability, something El Tawil is keen to stress: "Our device gives you ease of use. A lot of technology is not easy to use, it might be OK in the IT department but take it to the secretary and they won't be able to use it."