Cisco enhances comms package

Cisco has boosted its unified comms tools in order to improve remote and mobile services

Cisco has announced enhancements to its Unified Communications voice, video and data package that aim to improve mobile and contact-centre communications for firms.

Enterprises that need to develop their own communications applications will benefit from the Unified Applications Environment (UAE), said Cisco spokesman Steve Frost. “UAE is a drag-and-drop, easy-to-use rapid application development [RAD] tool for comms apps, such as IP phone XML applications, which traditionally have been outside the scope of many firms.”

Customers using Cisco’s video conferencing systems could also benefit from the vendor’s new Unified Videoconferencing Manager, which allows firms to schedule calls and manage endpoints and video infrastructure, and also integrates with web scheduling and Microsoft Outlook to provide better control. Frost also pointed out that Cisco’s integrated web, audio and video collaboration system, Unified MeetingPlace 4.5, also now integrates with Lotus Notes 7.1. Enhancements to Cisco Unified Operations Manager 2.0 and Cisco Unified Service Monitor 2.0 also provide additional tools for simplifying communications system management, the company said.

Cisco also announced Unified Customer Voice Portal 4.0, which Frost said is basically an adjunct to Cisco’s IP contact centre system and provides self-service features with advanced speech recognition functions, made by one of Cisco’s partners. Frost said the open Media Routing Control Protocol (MRCP) allows third-party voice recognition applications to work with Cisco’s Customer Voice Portal.

Cisco’s new Unified Call Connector (UCC) is aimed at firms with between 500 and 1,000 users. “UCC works with Outlook and Internet Explorer to provide firms with a presence capability, similar to our Cisco Personal Communicator enterprise product, and it integrates with Call Manager Express,” Frost said.

Another product being improved is Cisco MeetingPlace Express. The audio and web conferencing system will soon offer video as well, while its capacity will increase to 250 concurrent users.

Finally, Cisco has unveiled an easy-to-use IP phone called the 7931G, which Frost said “is aimed at companies that don’t need the advanced features like the colour touch-screen functions”.