Unified Communication & Collaboration remains a dream of the future

Holistic communication solutions that combine voice, email, chat, video and collaboration are seen as the model of the future in strategy and marketing. In reality, however, most companies work with separate systems. IP telephony, whether in the cloud or locally, usually runs separately from email and collaboration tools, while chat platforms are rarely integrated. For many companies, the aspiration of a standardized platform remains a goal, not a reality.

Market analyses show a high level of interest: The European market for Unified Communication & Collaboration (UCC) is estimated at 49 billion US dollars, with 18% annual growth until 2030. Over 65% of companies in Western Europe use cloud-based tools to some extent, but only just under half are pursuing a mobile-first strategy. In the majority of cases, systems that can only be used on mobile devices remain in place - without any real integration of voice, video, chat and email.

Underestimated stumbling blocks

One reason is the high complexity of implementation. A central platform requires far-reaching interventions in existing structures, consolidation of systems, training, process adjustments and clarification of compliance and data protection issues. In Europe in particular, the GDPR makes it difficult to integrate sensitive voice and video data. The effort involved is enormous, and the efficiency gains often only become apparent in the long term.

The costs are also a deterrent. Licenses, ongoing fees, training programs and adjustments to the IT landscape make UC platforms expensive. Many companies therefore prefer to rely on specialized systems. Studies also show that modern IP telephony platforms enable savings of up to 30-40 percent compared to traditional telephone systems. A strong voice solution can therefore be cost-efficient and future-proof without the complexity of complete UCC environments.

In addition, specialized tools such as Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace, Slack, Teams or Zoom have long been established. Switching to a monolithic platform would often create duplicate structures and additional costs without noticeably improving the quality of communication. Especially in the area of voice, companies value the stability and reliability of specialized IP solutions over complex integration attempts.

IP voice solutions for modern communication

Language remains at the heart of business communication anyway. It enables precision, a personal approach and fast responses. Modern IP telephones offer HD audio, integration into existing IT systems, remote support and compatibility with common platforms - in other words, precisely the functions that are crucial for efficient processes. For many companies, a strong IP telephony infrastructure provides more practical benefits than a fully integrated UCC solution. In practice, this is demonstrated by telephones with integrated Wi-Fi or as robust DECT end devices. The German manufacturer Snom refers here to its Snom D865 model, for example. Such devices not only offer reliable telephony, but can also be integrated into systems for alerting, localization or AI transcription. Especially in environments such as production, logistics or healthcare, their stability and high voice quality ensure clear communication - even for AI-supported applications.

Although many IT managers see UCC as a long-term vision, they are currently relying on proven modular architectures. The combination of IP telephony, collaboration tools and email systems is the more pragmatic solution for most companies. This means that UCC will remain more of a pipe dream in 2025, while modern IP voice solutions are already making a decisive contribution to clear, reliable and efficient communication today.

Source: Snom Technology GmbH