Unified Communications Alternatives for Small Business

Unified communications technologies and solutions have made a mark on enterprise IT organizations and big business, bringing email, voicemail, presence, and even video conferencing to a single interface. These solutions that enhance collaboration and productivity are continuing to trickle down from the big business enterprise to the small and medium business (SMB) as those companies seek the benefits of unified communications functionality as well. And technology vendors, from the giants to the alternative start ups, recognize that targeting small business can turn into a lucrative opportunity as well. Some vendors are putting together all-in-one solutions from their own offerings (or through alliances with technology partners), and others are simply offering a piece of the overall unified communications puzzle. Here are some of the major players in the small business and midsized business unified communications market, as well as some other rising stars you may not have heard of, yet.