AT&T Inc. : Connect and Collaborate from the Cloud: AT&T Launches New Cloud-Based Unified Communications Services

, , * is bringing the benefits of Unified Communications to businesses of all sizes as a simple, reliable, carrier-grade service. AT&T Unified Communications Services helps organizations control costs and eliminate unpredictable expenditures.

gives customers the ability to unify their communications - conveniently delivered over the highly-secure and reliable . As with AT&T's other cloud solutions, which are embedded directly into the AT&T managed network, AT&T UC Services is accessible from almost any device, enabling employees to collaborate and communicate in real-time regardless of location.  It is designed to meet the needs of today's mobile workers by:

• Providing the ability to work virtually anytime, anywhere, on virtually any device - including seamlessly transferring sessions between PC and compatible
• Facilitating the capability to transition from one communication method to another - for example, seamlessly switching from an IM chat to a phone call to a web or video conference

Improving reachability by displaying rich presence indicators of an individual's status and allowing a single number to call multiple devices, AT&T UC Services is comprised of two major components:  AT&T Unified Communications CentralSM (UC Central) and AT&T Unified Communications Voice (UC Voice):

• AT&T UC Central integrates multiple communications and collaboration tools such as IM/chat, email, VoIP calling, web/audio and video conferencing, voicemail, unified messaging and mobility with presence, behind a single user interface designed for both PC and mobile usage. 
• AT&T UC Voice provides high quality IP Telephony (IPT) from the AT&T and can be used both as a stand-alone service or integrated with AT&T UC Central.  There is no need to buy new PBXs and software licenses, or renew maintenance contracts.  AT&T UC Voice leverages the Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) platform as the core of this service.

"With AT&T Unified Communications Services individuals have full access to all of their communications tools at the tips of their fingers," said Shawn Conroy, Vice President of Voice, Collaboration and . "Not only can this service leverage an organization's existing investments to improve business collaboration, it also provides an easy transition from where a customer is today to where they want to be tomorrow without incurring significant capital expenses. AT&T is breaking new ground by providing customers with simple, affordable access to carrier-grade UC functionality."

event January 26, 2012 to showcase the capabilities of this new Unified Communications as a service solution. For more information and to register please click the link above.