With businesses increasingly prioritizing collaborative work, legacy systems can no longer support the demands of modern-day workplaces. The limitations of traditional hardware and software hinder collaboration and communication between teams, leading to inefficiencies and delays in decision-making.
In response to these challenges, cloud services are emerging as harbingers of a dynamic and proactive work environment. Cloud communications effectively solve these problems and offer greater flexibility, scalability, and collaboration capabilities to businesses.
However, other than the obvious benefits of cloud communications, there are several socio-economic factors pushing organizations to move their business communication to the cloud.
The most urgent of these was the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world was under lockdown, the digital doors were wide open. During this period, Unified Communications saw rapid adoption, enabling remote conferencing and collaboration for teams working from home.
Another critical driver behind enterprises embracing modern communication solutions is the news of the UK ISDN Switch Off. This news is a pressing matter for businesses as many have yet to lay out cloud migration plans.
Let’s take a closer look at how these factors are pushing organizations to embrace cloud communications.
Increase of Remote-First Workplaces
A survey from March 2020 reported a third of the US population were already working remotely. However, the numbers jumped soon with the world closing down due to the pandemic.
As of 2023, more than 40% of workers remain in remote or hybrid work arrangements, even as offices reopened.
This paradigm shift required an upgrade to cloud systems, with cloud communication of specific interest as the modern workforce needed information on the go, and legacy systems couldn’t meet those demands.
Crowded Marketplace
Remote workers aren’t the only people demanding cloud communication. Traditional communication systems follow the same siloed architecture that modern business practices are trying to resolve in the first place.
There is an absolute lack of transparency in need of addressing. In the end, the bulky infrastructure, along with outdated systems, could cost companies uncountable man-hours.
Employees have grown to expect communications to stay productive and relevant. In a way, this pushes companies to make the switch on priority.
Growing Business Demands
Businesses today need seamless business collaboration and integration at all times. However, on collaborative projects, communication through traditional means often becomes troublesome.
Moreover, as business demands grow, capacity limitations of a traditional, on-premise solution become an issue.
Cloud communications present a flexible, cost-effective way to scale by eliminating infrastructure and maintenance costs. With cloud solutions, you only require to pay for what you use.
With the cloud, managers also get closer control over communication channels and monitoring options while staying secure.
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The UK Switch-Off of Traditional Telephony
There’s no bigger proof of the paradigm shift than the news of the UK “switching off” the ISDN and PSTN. As a move that will push laggards in cloud adoption, copper wirings will no longer be functional by 2025.
Instead, businesses will have to move to cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), which facilitates centralizing all your communications to one device and network. This service includes phone calls, video conferencing, instant messaging, conference calls, and file sharing.
Thanks to the nationwide roll-out of high-speed internet and competent VoIPs, UK businesses are able to make the switch.
As this happens in the UK, 3 million active users must migrate to a fiber-based plan. However, we cannot overlook the fact that no new copper lines have been laid by BT since 2014, indicating that many companies are perhaps already on the cloud.
Still, only 15% of SMEs and 20% of large businesses have definitive plans for cloud migration.
Future Proof Your Communications With Unified Cloud Communications
Whether it is the remote-first work environment urging you to make the leap, or the demands of modern-day professionals, rest assured that you will find a better experience with the right cloud partner.
The ISDN switch off in the UK is just another phase in the era of Unified Cloud Communications.
With UCaaS, it is easier to work, create, and collaborate as everyone is on the same page. It makes sure that all relevant parties stay productive, collaborate effectively, and have access to all the information they might need at their fingertips.
Cloud Communications support dynamic and proactive work environments. Adoption of this technology will simplify and enable faster work and attract modern-day professionals and partners to your business.
Take the next step to embrace UCaaS and stay on top of the latest available resources for your modern-day workforce.
Yorktel offers industry-cited advice to any business in need of UCaaS. With nearly 4 decades of experience, we provide expert support in cloud communication. Contact us today to book a consultation.