The cost savings, increased functionality, improved productivity and mobility offered by VoIP is fast making it a business priority. But what are key factors to consider when evaluating and choosing a VoIP provider, and how can you be sure that the vendor you select will be flexible enough to meet the growing needs of your company?

Whilst many enterprises have seen both cost and operational benefits in the deployment of VoIP, it is the further migration to unified communications that promises true business transformation. But, with so many VoIP implementations running into difficulties, management tools and management operations also need to be unified through each stage of the project. This session discusses how to ensure availability and performance of key network, system and application services on the road from VoIP to unified communications.

VoIP is not limited to the fixed space and is equally at home in wireless networks. This session looks at best practice, practical illustrations and case studies to show how VoIP can be exploited to provide extended reach and mobility allowing your company to get more out of its IP telephony investments

13,000 HP employees worldwide work exclusively from home offices. In 2007 HP's teleworking program saved almost 2.5 million round trip commutes, saving approximately 65 million miles of road travel and almost 28,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This presentation will look at the implementation of flexible working practices within HP both in the UK and worldwide. It will examine the challenges which were encountered from both a technological and cultural perspective, look at the tools which HP employees use to communicate with each other, and explore the benefits that have accrued to the organisation.

Whilst many enterprises have seen both cost and operational benefits in the deployment of VoIP, it is the further migration to unified communications that promises true business transformation. But, with so many VoIP implementations running into difficulties, management tools and management operations also need to be unified through each stage of the project. This session discusses how to ensure availability and performance of key network, system and application services on the road from VoIP to unified communications.

Today’s dynamic business climate sees organisations embracing communications technology as a tool for differentiation and improved business agility. Using references to best practice, practical illustrations and case studies, this session looks at how to create a collaborative business across diverse environments with unified communications

Using communications technology for competitive advantage is key to the real time enterprise. This session discusses how enterprises can use a software powered VOIP foundation to integrate into applications, enhance collaboration and mobile working via streamlined communication while maintaining operational control.

With open standards-based SIP, businesses can drive greater cost-efficiencies in the deployment of enterprise communications, and help improve productivity among an increasingly-mobile workforce. This session discusses the evolving role of SIP in unified communications solutions

Organisations are increasingly challenged with juggling environmental obligations and forthcoming regulations, with the pressures of running an efficient, cost effective and competitive business. This session will look at the key environmental issues and how a Unified Communications strategy can work in harmony with the green agenda, rather than in conflict.

Teleworkers have to make maximum use of the communication tools available to keep in touch with people, whether that’s their employer, their client or their colleagues. Aside from work requirements they are also social human beings and need mechanisms that substitute or compensate for all the informal communication that goes on between co-located colleagues. This session will consider communications from the individual human perspective and will incorporate examples from both the public and private sector. It will provide a background against which to evaluate the various technology options for ensuring that teleworkers and remote workers are integrated with, and able to contribute to, the overall objectives and culture of their organisation.

Workforce mobility is an essential component of today’s enterprise. Seamless and integrated solutions for workforce mobility allows organisations to extend the reach of their communications network, improve customer service and enhance overall team effectiveness. Peter Neville will be talking about how mobile solutions available today on the BlackBerry platform can help your business, whatever the size of your organisation, and how they can be seamlessly integrated into your business processes and systems.

Calls for a work/life balance are being made as workers are spending an increasing amount of time at work. Senior management, while resistant to this idea, are slowly realising that in order to retain and recruit staff, they must begin to provide alternatives. However, before adopting homeworking, it is critical to understand both the challenges and opportunities homeworking present. This session explores homeworking and demonstrates that supporting home workers doesn't have to be a burden for the IT manager.

With the business workforce becoming increasingly mobile, employees need to have access to enterprise applications and communication tools wherever their workspace is located. Hear about the latest innovations in mobile Unified communications technology and customers who have achieved real business results.

This session will provide valuable insight into how Hosted IP Telephony and Mobile VoIP has been used to deploy simple, scalable and secure remote solutions for teleworkers both in the UK and abroad. In these scenarios combining Hosted IP Telephony with Mobile VoIP ensures the teleworker is simply seen as an extension of your main system with features such as Call Recording, Call Reporting and Unified Messaging available as standard to users whether they are located in small remote offices, home based workers or even teleworkers constantly on the move.

With the growing choice and maturity of mobile computing and communications platforms; flexible and home working has become ever-more achievable for an increasing percentage of the working population. However, whilst much emphasis is places on designing and implementing the requisite technical infrastructure and devices, the considerations related to end-user training and support are equally important but often over-looked. And yet, without the correct application of these new technologies and applications within the targeted user communities, the anticipated productivity and efficiency savings will not be realised. Consequently, output may actually suffer if employees fail to make changes to their working practices and their approach to team working.

In this presentation, a&o will outline their “working without boundaries” vision, and the key considerations for enterprises embarking on mobile working and/or unified communications projects. We will highlight the importance of taking an “end-to-end” approach to the provision of the ICT infrastructure as well as the associated IT service management processes. We will also present an overview of our cost-effective service offerings, which are designed to provide superior service levels for mobile workers – locally, nationally and internationally.

Continued mobilisation of the work force has consistently thrown new challenges at Enterprise Managers. How to deliver features transparently? How to Control Rising Mobile Costs? How do I manage my mobile users? Every now and then a new technology appears that has a lasting effect on the way people work - e-mail and the internet being two prime examples. Fixed mobile Convergence has been seen by many as having the same potential to change the way we communicate; this presentation looks at the key deliverables of FMC and the role the technology will play in communications of the future.

With the rise in teleworking, organisations are seeking ways to implementing VOIP for remote user in a secure and reliable way. Microsoft’s Office Communications Server integrates IM, Presence, Conferencing and Voice all of which the remote user can access. This talk looks at the security issues in providing Voice and focuses on key security aspects.

Calls for a work/life balance are being made as workers are spending an increasing amount of time at work. Senior management, while resistant to this idea, are slowly realising that in order to retain and recruit staff, they must begin to provide alternatives. However, before adopting homeworking, it is critical to understand both the challenges and opportunities homeworking present. This session explores homeworking and demonstrates that supporting home workers doesn't have to be a burden for the IT manager.