2. Converged Conferencing: The Time is Now
Lou Guercia
President, CEO
WebDialogs, Inc.

3. Emergence of Convergence
AUDIO
VIDEO IM
PRESENCE
WEB

4. Emergence of Convergence
AUDIO
VIDEO
WEB IM
PRESENCE

5. Emergence of Convergence

6. Evolution
1.0
Here’s the way things have evolved: Increased competition combined with declining prices and deregulation means more customer choices and consequently telecom providers are experiencing the high costs of churn, requiring them to rely on their brand to carry them. As minutes are dropping to almost nothing, providers are pushed to create applications, which ultimately benefits the customer. As we have evolved from 1.0 – 1.5 – 2.0, consumers have enjoyed greater choice, greater integration and higher productivity. The providers are pushing each other, driving innovation and making unified/converged conferencing a reality.
1.0 and what happened before that?
•1.0 was all about PSTN conferencing (75% NA) with best of breed point services for web & video OR a premise solution..”jack of all trades, master of none”
•Minimal integration and contextual usage
•Start up apps separately vs Sub 1.0 – face to face, airplanes
Today we’re talking about 2.0 world a world where CSP’s , equipment makers and others offer new collaborative services that help people work together
•But first, what is. a natural extension of how people work
•Before 1.0 there was planes, trains and automobiles
•1.0 telecom voice, includes point solutions around the voice (traditional conferencing). Much of outside NAm still in sub 1.0
Some would say, minutes have dropped to almost nothing, but applications are where the money is. But the challenge to us is how do carriers and applications services work together?

7. Evolution
1.5
1.0
Used to have to go to several providers, have several apps open to create one conferencing and collaboration environment.

8. Evolution
2.0
1.5
1.0
Now single provider can deliver seamless customer experience and offer a multimedia minute/converged communications. As a buyer this is beneficial as it creates a powerful integrated productivity enhancing environment accessible anywhere, anytime.

9. Application Software Vendors CONVERGED/CONTEXTUAL
A New Market
Communication
Equipment
Providers
(IP/PBX, Audio
& Video)
Application Software Vendors
IM Vendors/ Portals
Mobility Devices
Conferencing
Service
CONVERGED/CONTEXTUAL
COMMUNICATIONS

10. Evolving to Meet the Need
Operator assisted
Standalone services with premium pricing
Telephone based
Limited usage and service providers
Automated
Self-service with commodity pricing
Telephone and PC based
Integrated provisioning/billing
Substantial usage and service providers

11. Evolving to Meet the Need
Collaborative Services
Multimedia (IM/Audio/Web/Video)
Converged and contextual
Ubiquitous usage & interoperable providers
Portals, CSP’s, Telcos, Premise based solutions
Combination of free and fee based services
Network based

12. Contextual Conferencing
Example going into a SP or a business, using an IM capability to escalate from chat, to phone to web. Illustrate the 2.0 concept

13. Intelligent End Points & Soft Clients
The ultimate goal stated by all telecommunications companies is to leverage a unique IP backbone to provide unified communications services combining conferencing, presence, messaging over fixed and mobile networks wherever the customer is.
Soft clients are an onramp to making unified communications a reality and a true natural extension of workflow.
Softphone of today vs tomorrow
Soft clients can also play in the mobile world (run on Windows Mobile, etc…) users will increase with WiFi enabled phones and city wide wifi networks

14. Converged Conferencing Now
The multimedia minute, through integration,
makes any business process real-time
Tools and technology exist today
Increase productivity, save time and money
Leverage what is already in place
Deploy quickly and easily
Seamless escalation
From IM/presence to voice, video and web
Everyday use growing
Behavioral shift v. technological shift
Technology is available today and providers recognize need to help people get work done by leveraging their technology. State that while tools and technology exist today the market is still growing, penetration outside N. Am still low and that every day use is still a challenge. Implementing a technological shift is easier than a behavioral shift.

15. Q&A
Thank You