ed services add functionality to telephone systems. Unified Communications (UC) combines voicemail, e-mail, instant messaging, audio and desktop video conferencing in a single mailbox. Contact centers manage large numbers of incoming and outgoing telephone calls, texts, and e-mail messages. Voice response units (VRUs) enable callers to enter and access computer information. UC applications are available on IP-wired phones as well as mobile devices. Integrating Conferencing, Instant Messaging, and E-Mail through UC Unified Communications systems provide the capability to retrieve e-mail and voicemail messages from a single device such as a PC or a touch-tone telephone. Additionally, they contain presence indicators that show the availability of people in their group. UC systems enable people who travel to have the convenience of checking only one source for messages and sharing information with others via audio and video conferencing. Retrieving messages from PCs, tablets, and smartphones also affords users the ability to prioritize messages and listen to the most important ones first. It eliminates the need to hear all voicemail messages before getting to the critical ones. On many Unified Communications systems, when users access messages from a touch-tone phone, text-to- speech software converts e-mail to speech for callers and reads their e-mail messages to them. Employees access messages through e-mail software on their PCs or remotely on their mobile devices. IP PBX providers that supply UC systems provide customers single-source www.TechnicalPDF.com support for their phone and messaging systems. Examples of Unified Communications systems are: 8x8, RingCentral, Mitel, and Vocalocity. Desktop Video Conferencing Many UC packages and IP PBXs include desktop video and audio conferencing capabilities. See Figure 2-10 for an example of video conferencing on a personal computer. These require software clients on each personal computer and a server with the software. The conferencing software can be either in the co