Like many things linked to technology, the communications landscape is constantly evolving. Once upon a time, the major modes of communication were generally bundled into a state institution. The “PTT” generally provided postal, telegraph, and telephone services. In North America, the private monopoly Bell Systems provided telecoms. US government agencies covered other modes. Now we are in the era of UC, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS and more. Life is getting confusing.
Communications service options available to businesses are more flexible and feature-rich than ever. However, selecting services can be a challenge.
UC takes telephony further. We have experienced a transition from plain-old-telephone-systems (POTS) to voice over IP (VoIP). Now that the journey is largely complete, we can see that voice is simply an application in the IP world. Unified Communications will continue to evolve. Essentially, it aims to integrate enterprise communication services such as instant messaging, presence information, voice, audio/web conferencing, and desktop sharing. UC is not necessarily a single product. It can be a set of products unified via a consistent user interface and user experience.
UC as a Service
It is possible for a business to select a range of communication tools and build their own unifying interface. Alternatively, they can license an application suite and host that within their own secure IT environment. However, many IT departments are warming to the “as a service” concept. As a result, UCaaS providers are experiencing impressive growth.
And then there is CPaaS
Communications Platform as a Service, CPaaS, is another emerging model which differs from UCaaS, yet shares many features. CPaaS provides many of the same communication tools that UCaaS does but offers these as building blocks. The blocks support integration into a business’s core applications through APIs. So while a UC interface sits alongside primary applications, CPaaS can put communications tools into primary applications. Both solutions are cloud-based communication models. Both deliver flexibility and cost benefits. CPaaS may have a bit more of a DIY feel to it.
And when you put it in the Contact Center …
As cloud services have grown to support the SaaS revolution, the contact center has also migrated to the cloud. Contact Center as a Service, CCaaS, solutions can enable businesses to build contact center capabilities with a gradual ramp of agents and without costly capital investment in infrastructure. At the heart of CCaaS is the desire to communicate with a customer. Not surprisingly, the communication technologies found in UCaaS and CPaaS offerings overlap significantly with CCaaS. CCaaS uniquely has inclusion or integration with Customer Relationship Management technologies.
UC, UCaaS, CPaaS, and CCaaS – it is about talking
Whatever the label, communications technology has changed, and will continue to change. Although today’s solution-set provides for multiple modes of communication, voice conversation continues to dominate. Technology is supporting businesses as they have conversations that help them grow.
The technology change is impressive, but ultimately it is about talking, and talking is made easier with a high-quality audio channel. Telecoms specialists and audiophiles think in terms of “listener effort” while contact centers consider “customer effort”. High-quality audio provides for a comfortable, and therefore a productive, conversation. Poor quality audio can frustrate users and have a damaging impact. Providers who focus on quality will excel and will lead to further advances in the way we interact.
About us
Spearline is a technology company that proactively tests toll, toll-free and premium-rate numbers for audio quality and connectivity globally. We support business sectors, such as contact centers, conferencing services, and other applications, in successfully connecting with their customers. To learn more about the benefits of our platform, 
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