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Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum

Inmarsat Conference Centre, 99 City Road, London EC1
Wednesday, 2nd July, 2008

The 100 IT decision makers who attended the Enterprise Unified Communications 2008 Forum on 2nd July, were full of praise in their feedback questionnaires for both the usefulness of the speaker's presentations, and the networking opportunities with Unified Communication vendors and their peers at the event. The popular opinion was that the forum had been "informative and well worth the time". They listened to presentations from senior representatives from BT Global Services, Kingston Communications, NetIQ, Ipanema Technologies and Inrich Consulting.

The delegates themselves were made up of IT and Network decision makers from Corporates and Government. Including representatives from BBC, Bedfordshire Police, Christchurch Borough Council, DHL Express, Haymarket Media, London Metropolitan University, Oxfam, Panasonic Europe, Paradise Property, Royal College of Physicians, Royal National Institute for the Blind, The Health Foundation, TRW Automotive and Water Aid, to mention a few.

This is what they had to say about the event:

"Good quality, some good depth and insights of value"
Head of IT & Systems, Water Aid

"Excellent - Lots of ideas!"
Technical Architect, RNIB

"Informative session given by experienced and knowledgeable contributors - Very useful for preparing future projects within my organization"
Information Manager, Christchurch Borough Council

"Well worth attending - it provided some good insights"
Head of Information &Communications Systems, Bedfordshire Police

"A worthwhile investment of my time"
Office Services Manager, Royal College of Physicians

photograph

Introduction
The aim of the forum
Key issues to be discussed
The forum format
Who should attend
Benefits of attending
Forum agenda
Speaking, Sponsoring & Exhibiting opportunities
Testimonials from previous IBA Forums
Forum partners
Forum venue
Delegate registration

Introduction

Unified Communications (UC) have been designed to allow people using different modes of communication, media, and devices to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time. All your tools for communicating brought together into a single, seamless interface.

In turn, users can become more mobile and more productive with greater access to new levels of feature functionality such as presence (which allow two parties to actually communicate with each other and not just an unattended device), from a diverse range of interfaces and devices, including phones, PCs, PDAs, and mobile phones, and can have consistent access to an array of new business communications applications and solutions such as voip, fax, video, email, voicemail, instant messaging, conferencing and presence from a single system.

and the benefits speak for themselves:

reduction in total cost of ownership for communications systems
reduction in telephone bills and operating costs
centralized management of core systems
greater operational efficiency and moves, adds and changes flexibility
more dynamic access to vital information in multiple formats
anytime, anywhere access to all communications
increased employee mobility, flexibility and productivity
more efficient support for remote and home workers

However, whilst Unified Communications is currently on the minds of many IT executives, choosing the right architecture isn't going to be easy. Virtually every supplier targeting the enterprise market with IP PBX, VoIP, web conferencing, instant messaging or video conferencing equipment offers elements of an enterprise-grade Unified Communications solution. IT Executives who are looking to discover if they can achieve real return on their investments from Unified Communications, will therefore find it increasingly difficult to get unbiased and clear information. This one-day forum plans to fill that need.

The aim of the forum

The Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum aims to give IT, Network and Telecoms Managers from end user organisations a thorough insight into the strategic and business issues relating to UC implementation and management, whilst at the same time providing a platform for networking with leading vendors of UC technology and solutions at the accompanying exhibition.

Key issues to be discussed

What exactly does Unified Communications mean and what are the real business benefits?
How does a UC system enable more effective communications?
Which are the most important tools of UC - Presence, VoIP, IM, Video, Conferencing, Collaboration Tools or others?
How to design and manage a framework for developing a UC implementation strategy to integrate these tools into current business processes?
What can be added to my present infrastructure to create a UC environment?
Which components of my current set-up will not be applicable to UC, and how should they be phased out?
What are the benefits of upgrading my entire communications system to UC?
What new tools are required and how should they be implemented?
How to balance financial, operational and risk factors to choose the right ones?
How to develop IT and operational capabilities to ensure reliability, security, interoperability and manageability
The technology is developing so fast - how can you avoid backing the wrong horse?
What should you be looking for from a potential UC supplier?
How are companies presently using UC technology?

The forum format

The Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum will consist of a one-day conference with a series of presentations from leading industry experts, vendors and analysts, together with actual end user case studies. There will also be a small exhibition where delegates will have access to a range of supplier companies during the conference refreshment and lunch breaks.

Who should attend?

The Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum will be of major importance to:

Managing Directors and CEOs
IT Directors and CIOs
IT Managers
Network Managers
Network Architects
Telecoms Directors/Managers
ICT Manager/Directors
IS Directors/Managers
Data Managers/Architects/Administrators
Voice Managers/Architects/Administrators
IS Directors/Managers
Technical Architects
Systems Managers/Administrators
Infrastructure Managers
Project Managers
Business Managers

From Corporates and Government. In addition to managers from other functional activities who wish to gain a greater understanding of Unified Communications.

(Please note attendance as a delegate at the Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum is free of charge to representatives of end user companies who pre-register for the event)

Delegates at past forums have included senior IT, Network, Systems and Telecoms decision makers from both the private and public sectors. Including Abbey, BAA, Barclays Bank, Bedfordshire Police, Belfast City Council, Bernard Mathews, B&Q, Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council, British Airways, British Tourist Authority, Buckingham Primary HealthCare Trust, CIBA Chemicals, Citibank, Co-op, Coors Brewers, Corporation of London, Department for Educations & Skills, DHL, Durham University, Eagle Global Logistics, EDF Energy, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Essex County Council, Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Trust, Goldsmiths College, Harlow District Council, HM Revenue & Customs, Huntingdon District Council, John Lewis, Lloyds TSB, Metropolitan Police, NHS, Northern Rock, North Somerset Council, North Yorkshire Police, Nottingham City Primary HealthCare Trust, Public Records Office, Rolls Royce, Royal Brompton & Harefield Trust, Royal Mail, Savills, Selfridges, Southampton University, Southern Water, Thames Valley Police, The Court Service, Tyne Metropolitan College, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Nottingham and Yorkshire Building Society.

Benefits of attending

Opportunity to gain knowledge and insight from industry leaders
Make informed decisions about incorporating Unified Communications technology and solutions into your business strategy
Discover how to achieve real return on investment from Unified Communications
Relaxed but focussed atmosphere to explore new ideas and technologies with industry experts and peers away from the distraction of the office.

Forum agenda

Enterprise Unified Communications 2008 Forum
2nd July 2008, Inmarsat Conference Centre, London EC1

09:00	Registration, refreshments and networking in the exhibition area
09:30	Chairman's Introduction - Matt Winckless, Director, Winckless Consulting
09:35	Unified Communications in practice Our view of Office Communications Server (OCS) and why we use it What are the benefits of OCS? UC in practice The corporate roll of Unified Communications Mark Osborne, Senior Technology Consultant and Clive Petty, Business Development Manager, Kingston Communications
10:05	Unified Communications: Innovation and Integration What is Unified Communications all about? What are the drivers to implement and the subsequent benefits of implementing? What it means to communications/collaboration/business process etc as a whole. What factors you should consider when thinking about UC in your organisation. Mark Summerson, Head of Sales and Business Development Microsoft Alliance, BT
10:35	How to ensure a high quality of Unified Communications Service through Pro-Active Management Understanding key pain points in a Unified Communications environment How to avoid these pitfalls Explanation of different methods of monitoring Unified Communications How to reduce skills, tools and time required for troubleshooting Ensuring that Service Level Agreements are met Martin Anwyll, Product Line Specialist, VoIP Solutions (EMEA), NetIQ UK Ltd
11:05	Refreshment break and networking in the exhibition area
11:35	Managing UC - is it more demanding than any other application? UC isn't just one application The need for understanding and visibility Different treatments for different traffic The advantages of global policies and local control John Dixon, Senior Technical Consultant, Ipanema
12:05	What to look for in a Unified Communications supplier - the pros and cons With so many suppliers of Unified Communications, and so many offerings in the markets, how do you tell them apart and choose a provider best suited to deliver your requirements? This session will provide practical information if you are looking for a new supplier or just reaffirming that you have the right supplier already: The preparation you should complete before looking to select a supplier Getting the best out of a tender process Effective approaches to evaluating supplier proposals Key items when evaluating the supplier capabilities Key risks to consider for all of the above! Richard Tucker, inrich Consulting
12:35	Buffet lunch and networking break in the exhibition area
13:35	Wideband Voice - Finally, a compelling application for Unified Communications? Why has the industry only been striving to match the quality of traditional telephony in unified communications systems? What if we could increase quality beyond the traditional norm? What are the potential applications of newer and higher quality communications? What are the barriers? What's possible today? Matt Winckless, Director, Winckless Consulting
14:05	Moderated Panel Discussion with Forum Speakers and Delegate Q&A This session will give attendees the opportunity to ask questions of our panel of Unified Communications experts. Delegates are encouraged to submit questions before the session for discussion in this section of the programme. However, questions can still be taken from the floor at any stage during this session.
15:00	Close of Forum

Speaking, Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities

If you would like to increase your profile at this event please contact Ashley Oulton at IBA Forum on +44 (0) 20 7993 8338 or email ashley@ibaforum.co.uk

Testimonials from our recent IP VPN and VoIP Forums

"The forum was very interesting and worthwhile and I can think of nothing that could have been done better"
Assistant Director Computer Services, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

"Worthwhile. Worth taking a day out of the office to hear from many different companies in one day and one place "
Network Manager, Legal & General

"Very useful and relevant subject with some very good presentations"
Infrastructure Development Manager, Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Trust

"Very useful, provided good quality of information on the current position with the technology"
Head of Network Services, Lloyds TSB

"A very useful day I would recommend to colleagues and am keen to attend next year or other seminars on other subjects"
Project Manager, Huntingdonshire District Council

"Very interesting points and classifications on VoIP, and liked the fact that I could see the speakers products on display in the delegate's lounge"
Telecommunications Manager, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust

"The forum was very beneficial for me. It was very informative and the exhibitors very helpful"
Infrastructure Manager, Barclaycard International

Forum Partners

Forum venue

Inmarsat Conference Centre
99 City Road
London EC1Y 1AX

The Inmarsat Conference Centre is conveniently situated in the heart of the City and benefits from excellent transportation options. It is situated right next to Old Street rail and underground station, including the Northern Line, City Branch and British Rail (leave by exit 3 to reach the building). It is also close to Moorgate underground station and Liverpool Street, which has connections to the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Central lines.

The area is also well served by buses and taxi cabs and is just 20 minutes from London City Airport. The nearest NCP car parks are located at: Finsbury Park Square (24hrs Mon-Fri; Sat until 5pm), Paul Street (7am-7pm Mon-Fri) and Tabernacle Street (7am-7.30pm Mon-Fri.)

A very good location map may be found on the Inmarsat website at:
www.inmarsat.com

Delegate registration

Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum, Wednesday, 2nd July 2008
Inmarsat Conference Centre, 99 City Road, London, EC1

Please note attendance as a delegate at the Enterprise Unified Communications (UC) 2008 Forum is free of charge to representatives of end user companies who pre-register for the event. As IBA Forum events are normally oversubscribed we recommend that you register today!

Contact

For further information on the above event please email ashley@ibaforum.co.uk or tele +44 (0) 20 7993 8338

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