Unified Messaging is an indistinct term that can refer to the typical definition[1] of simple inclusion of incoming faxes and voice-mail in one's email inbox, all the way to dictating a message into a cell phone and the intelligent delivery of that message to the intended recipient in a variety of possible formats like text email, fax, or voice recording. Because of the nebulous definition of UM, it was number one on the 1998 Wired Magazine "Hype List".[2]
It is, nevertheless on it's way to us as a test at least.
My primary goal is the less inclusive defination of the term. Put in peasant terms, I want to be able to have my voicemails in my email so I don't have to go through the process of dealing with two different systems, phone and email, for my work related messages. I like the idea, and I'm hoping enough of my internal customer base will as well to make it a hit.
That said, a few things about Unified Messaging using our existing systems (NorTel KSU's and Call-pilot) deserve mention.
- Our NorTel Call-pilots, which host our voicemail boxes, are capable of providing voice mail to email with a reasonably priced add-on.
- Unlike the BCM's (Business Communication Managers) the call pilot version won't hook directly to our exchange server, rather they present as seperate mail boxes through each Outlook client.
- That means that it will be limited to the users home workstation, be unable to put voicemails in the general inbox, and require deployment on a site by site basis.
- To avoid (3) I could go with replacing the callpilots and KSU's with BCM's but won't... because I'm a cheap bastard unwilling to spent several thousand dollars per site just to avoid having to push a bunch of buttons on my phone.
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