Aiming to meet the demand for enhanced mobility and collaboration solutions, Cisco has updated its Unified Communications (News - Alert) platform. Cisco Unified Communications (UC) Release 9.0 is meant to address a number of key challenges IT managers are faced with while trying to offer collaboration to employees in office and on the go.

Cisco (News - Alert) UC Release 9.0 key features include:

• Third-party endpoint support by way of a feature called Extend and Connect which works with Cisco Jabber — the company's cross-platform instant messaging, voice and video software — as well as any third-party phone. Cisco UC, working with a user's Jabber client, can route all voice traffic directly through any phone number, allowing any phone to become a full-featured enterprise device.
• Fixed mobile convergence support by way of a new systems interface which ties Cisco UC Manager with a user's mobile service provider. This provides desk-phone functionality to any mobile device, even standard feature phones, without the need for a data plan or a mobile client.
• Improvements in video quality, security and usability by way of better bandwidth management, support for additional video endpoints and next-generation "dial by e-mail."
• Enhanced customer collaboration via Packaged Contact Center Enterprise, an easy-installation, pre-engineered model of Cisco's enterprise contact center software.

Perhaps most importantly, Cisco UC Release 9.0 introduces licensing improvements, allowing businesses to purchase licenses based on four worker types: deskless (roaming) workers, desk-bound workers, occasionally mobile workers and road warriors. Furthermore, Cisco Unified Workspace Licensing Premium Edition adds mobility solutions to address the growing trend of mobile use in the workforce.

Cisco UC Release 9.0 is slated for release worldwide by the third quarter of 2012 while Extend and Connect, which requires Cisco Jabber 9.1, won't be available until Cisco Jabber 9.1 becomes available in the fourth quarter.

Cisco also recently teamed up with NextiraOne (News - Alert) to build the IT and telecoms network for the EMD School of Management in Marseille on the Euromediterrannee campus.

To find out more about David Tucker, Vice President and General Manager Small Business Business Unit (SBBU), and Cisco, visit the company at ITEXPO West 2012. To be held Oct. 2-5 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX, ITEXPO (News - Alert) is the world’s premier IP communications event. Tucker will be a keynote speaker at the event. For more information on ITEXPO West 2012 click here.