Category Archives: VoIP

Feb 26 2012

Join us at Enterprise Connect 2012!


Wireless, video, Unified Communications, voice, SIP Trunking, the Cloud…all of these topics and more make up the focus for Enterprise Connect 2012, the leading conference and exposition on enterprise communications and collaboration.

We will show you how communications and collaboration tools for the enterprise have become software infrastructure and are enabling the enterprise user community to utilize web, mobile, and tablet technologies to easily collaborate with their peers, partners and customers.

As a Diamond Sponsor NEC will launch some of its greatest innovations at this event and we welcome you to come and join us at the show.

Use the code “speaker40″ to gain a free Expo Plus Pass to this event!

So, join us March 26-29, 2012, at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, FL., Booth 609 – you can’t miss us at the main entrance!
Mar 23 2011

NEC Sphere Joins Make-a-Difference Drive

As you are no doubt aware, northeastern Japan was hit by a massive earthquake and subsequent Tsunami on March 11, having caused devastating damages and many victims in the region. NEC group companies together with NEC’s Workers Union inside Japan are calling upon colleagues across NEC to raise funds for those affected as part of the NEC Make-a-Difference Drive.

You can join us in this effort my selecting our web site and contributing, whether you work for NEC or not.  All proceeds are directed to the Japan Red Cross to specifically benefit this cause.  Thank you in advance for helping our friends in Japan!

CLICK ON THE PICTURE BELOW TO MAKE A DONATION…

Mar 10 2011

Notable Quotes & Keypoints – NEC UC&C

As I do several more follow up interviews with analysts this week about our announcements and demos at last weeks EC2011 it is interesting to take note of the overall impressions from the marketplace to date.

As a reference point, let’s remember back to the 2010 Gartner UC Magic Quadrant – where NEC first introduced our architectural approach and vision to the Gartner team. For the first time in many years it moved the  dot for NEC north and east significantly towards the infamous “Leaders Quadrant”.  A notable barometer reading for our strategy.

As many of us work very hard at NEC on execution of this product strategy it is also great to see many people make comments (either in blogs, tweets, or verbally at the EC2011 show) that suggest our execution is on track.  Of course, we always want it faster – but what people saw at the show was very real and very live!

Here are some of my favorite and most notable quotes from our news:

“You guys have been busy.” – Zeus Kerravala, Yankee Group

“Wow, this is your Flare. I mean that in a good way” – Sheila McGee-Smith (independent analyst)

“NEC finally unleashes Sphericall – a very strategic UC solution for the company.  watch it grow.” – tweeted by Dave Michels, Pin Drop Soup.

“The virtualization, device-neutral, and business-use centric nature of your approach was quite refreshing to me in light of some of the more conceptual and tech-centric announcements at Enterprise Connect. This software platform also shows great maturity in the face of the NEC Univerge hardware roots, so it’s always impressive to see such a shift.” – post-show email comment from Hyoun Park, Aberdeen Group

“NEC is brave,” Brent Kelly, Wainhouse Research, referring to our decision to run the NEC Booth from our Chicago data center (cloud).

“I thought it was TweetDeck,” Blair Pleasant, CommFusion / UC Strategies, upon seeing the RIA UC client for the first time.

Listed as most revolutionary and industry impacting news at EnterpriseConnect by Dave Michels in nojitter post (see chart attached).

“It’s a powerful migration story,” Marty Parker, UniComm Consulting / UC Strategies

“RIA Client has a pretty compelling visual user experience: quick and smooth access to rich UC capabilities,” tweeted Alaa Sayeed, Analyst at Frost & Sullivan

Current Analysis Intelligence Report Ratings:

Perspective = 4/5 stars – “Positive on NEC new product architecture…”

Vendor Importance = 5/5 stars – “Very high to NEC..”

Market Impact = 3/5 stars – “Moderate because timing is expected later in 2011” (we’ll be there in no time Brian!)

Thanks Dave Michels – of course we think you are right and we like being “in the green”! :-)

Aug 9 2009

Transformation is a SLOW process…

Years ago the industry, well at least a few people in the industry, agreed that communications would become software and be part of the business applications architecture (aka IT Architecture, SOA, Etc.). It really is amazing to see so many people fight it – yes, it seems like they are fighting it. As if it won’t happen. Considering that the first Voice over IP technology hit the streets in the mid 90′s its amazing to see so much traditional PBX technology still sold today (regarless of the decline). Guess what — over the last 15 years there were plenty of vendor naysayers suggesting that digital communications was the most reliable and IP was a risky investment. What the hell were they thinking? The same is happening with the idea that communications are simple software applications that can be downloaded, installed, configured, and operated with a broader range of talent and not with extreme telecom specialists. Is it because its so hard to grasp? Is it because it’s not really going to happen? I don’t think so — this is all about people. So why are people so slow to grasp hold of this concept and get on board. Come ‘on – this is the prevailing culture of communications so why the slow process of assimilation? None of the above. I think it becomes personal: if the ability to comprehend this change, to envision how your career benefits from it, or if it is just a lot of change and learning that you’d rather not deal with at this point then the conclusion is the same: I don’t want the change! Lastly, do you think if new entrants like Cisco were not in the market it would have transitioned to IP just as fast? Take any current market share analysis, delete the Cisco share, redo the math, and then ask, “If it were not for certain new entrants pusing the curve would the traditional vendors have changed as fast, or perhaps at all?” BTW, consider this from several years ago: http://tv.sys-con.com/node/235703