Glenn Powell, Chief Executive of CMA, said “with the irresistible rise of IP communications, the time has finally arrived when voice, video and data will converge for companies large and small, wherever they are in the country. This has spawned the concept of Unified Communications within the enterprise, whereby all forms of information interchange will be inextricably linked, no matter what device is used, no matter where it is used”. He went on to link the advent of Next Generation Networks (NGN’s) and Fixed to Mobile Convergence (FMC) “four-plays” now being deployed by service providers, with the accelerated adoption of Unified Communications. “These technology waves go hand in hand, so it made sense for the CMA to form a SIG focussed on Unified Communications, as we have for ‘Network Services’ and ‘Mobility’.”
Phil Sayer, Chairman of CMA, said “our members are keenly aware of the importance of Unified Communications to their organisations. They have lobbied us for a SIG to address their concerns about this fast developing sector of the industry. We are glad to have co-opted the services of Maren Bennette to lead the new SIG and champion the user in this area.”
Maren Bennette is the founder and managing director of CQC Consult, a consultancy providing IP communications sales & marketing services to manufacturers, distributors, resellers and training companies active in the converging voice & data networking market. With over 30 years in the networking industry, has a wealth of sales & marketing experience. Most recently he worked with Cisco Systems for over 10 years in a variety of roles including IP Communications business development, sales management and country management (for Ireland).
Maren Bennette stated that he is delighted to have been appointed as the leader of the new Unified Communications SIG. He went to add “it is a real honour for me to have been chosen as I have been fascinated by the developments in business communications from the early days when voice started to be carried across data networks, through the ‘IP dial tone era” of the early 2000’s to this time, when the golden age of converged voice, video and data applications is just starting”.