Abstract
Report Focus
This report focuses on demand for unified messaging and related technologies
in the North American market. The research conducted for this report, as well
as the report itself, are focused on the needs of vendors, investors and
others who are interested in participating in the unified messaging market in
some fashion, whether as providers of the underlying technology, security
systems that are focused on protecting a unified messaging infrastructure,
archiving systems or other systems. The information presented in this report
is designed to help these organizations to make informed decisions about the
future opportunities available in this market.
The research was conducted, and this report was written, from an objective
viewpoint, not with any predisposition for or against unified messaging.
Because multiple vendors were involved in funding this report, no particular
vendor' s viewpoint had an influence on shaping the research focus, although
early subscribers to the report were given the opportunity to provide input to
the questions fielded to the survey audience.
Key Findings and Trends Discussed in this Report
Unified Messaging Adoption to Increase
The overwhelming majority of organizations have yet to deploy unified
messaging, but that' s likely to change in the next year when adoption rates
are expected to jump and increase rapidly by 2010.
Unified Messaging Leads to Productivity Gains
More than three-quarters of organizations indicate that users would see some
productivity benefits from unified messaging. The greatest percentage thought
that IT staff would see some productivity benefits, followed by senior non-IT
managers and then by typical end users.
IT and Telecom Departments Merge
With the convergence of data and voice there has been a similar consolidation
in the organization. Nearly two-thirds of the organizations surveyed for this
report indicated that IT would manage a unified messaging deployment. One in
eight organizations indicated that the email or telecom group would be
responsible.
Consolidation Has Already Started
A significant plurality of organizations looking at unified messaging has
consolidated their telecom and IT departments to reduce their operating
expenditures. Typically, telecom becomes a department within IT. This suggests
that unified messaging vendors coming from a telecom background must
understand whether their targeted prospect comes from the telecom or the IT
side. Only then they will they be able to tailor their messaging appropriately.
Decreased Messaging Costs
Most respondents believe that unified messaging will decrease messaging costs,
while more than one-quarter of respondents indicate that it will increase
these costs.
Linux and Windows Server as Messaging Platforms
While Microsoft continues to dominate the vast majority of messaging
platforms, that is starting to change. Linux has gained significant momentum
since last year.
View Cart
