WebRTC is a transformative technology that puts the application and ease of use centre stage, a development that is redefining UC and collaboration, enabling greater integration between comms platforms and levelling the playing field for new leaders to emerge. Small wonder WebRTC is tipped as the next big industry game-changer.
WebRTC is fuelling the trend towards open, universally accessible web-based collaboration, and the new technology has implications for all those operating within the UC ecosystem, according to Rob Pickering (pictured), Managing Director, IP Cortex. He believes that WebRTC will bring changes to the comms industry that are more profound than the move to SIP. In preparation for the expected transformation, IP Cortex has invested in advancing the technology and publicly demonstrated its first WebRTC PSTN interoperability through its software in 2012.
However, progress of the formal WebRTC standard through industry bodies has not been so timely, but we are on the cusp of standardisation, noted Pickering. "Browser support in one or two of the most important browsers is beginning to stabilise," he said. "The next major release of our VoIPCortex software will therefore deliver on our effort to enable full WebRTC-based features."
For end users this means video chat, screen sharing and peer-to-peer file transfer within a browser-based Open Communication Manager (OCM), with no plugins or downloads required. Users can also choose to enable the OCM soft phone module so that they can place and receive calls directly in-browser without being tied to a desk or desktop soft phone. "Software developers who have customised their applications to interact with VoIPCortex via our API can enable calls directly into their web-based applications just by adding a couple of lines of Javascript to their existing code in many cases," explained Pickering.
Most notably, WebRTC offers an opportunity to move away from limited internally-focused systems, or problematic web-based collaboration using technically brittle plugins. "Modern organisations excel by enabling easy and rich communication with customers and suppliers, along with the more flexible deployment of resources," commented Pickering. "This means that collaboration tools can no longer stop at an organisational boundary. They must be intuitive for all users."
As applications become just as important as the PBX behind them, resellers will need to be open to new ways of piecing together solutions that will fall outside of the traditional UC remit. "Creating and selling solutions in this way will either require investment in development resource in-house, or the formation of strategic partnerships with external application developers," added Pickering.
SME resellers will mostly be selecting the best of new generic packaged web-based communication and collaboration services that will emerge. Enterprise, integrator and developer partners will be helping their end customers add value to the experience by incorporating open building blocks from companies like IP Cortex into their internal workflows and end user web presence. "They will play an important role in identifying and articulating changing end user requirements, challenging what's possible and carving out a competitive advantage as a result," added Pickering.
WebRTC is on the cusp of changing the way people interact with one another on the web. It offers the most potential in contact centres, but it is also a game-changer for UC and collaboration, agrees Andy Litherland, Head of EU Channels, Avaya. "Ease of use means it is bound to have an impact on business communications and collaboration," he said. "WebRTC will ultimately result in more UC capabilities embedded into other applications. Instead of voice and video being applications themselves, they will become more of a feature. Organisations will therefore look to consume UC in a different way and both resellers and vendors will need to accommodate this shift."
WebRTC forms part of Avaya's overall approach to future communications. The vendor's strategy is to embrace WebRTC and its R&D teams at Avaya Labs are already integrating the technology into existing suites of software in the contact centre and UC space. "Once WebRTC becomes commonplace businesses will want security, recording and compliance for their WebRTC-enabled voice and UC functionality," stated Litherland. "They will be looking for entire packages and this will play to Avaya's strengths as we already offer this functionality and will have it integrated into our WebRTC-enabled solutions."
Employees and consumers are now familiar and comfortable with online video calls. If online video or chat was seamlessly embedded into applications people would use it even more, believes Litherland. "In the near future you might be shopping for clothes online when you get a prompt asking if you'd like to hold a live video chat with a fashion consultant," he noted. "WebRTC makes it easy for businesses to add voice or video to any website or application. For businesses it offers a whole new level of customer and employee engagement."
Employees will soon be using applications that leverage WebRTC when connected to the corporate network in the same way that they access applications via the network today. "CIOs and IT managers should be thinking about the impact of WebRTC on their business, and in particular their network," advised Litherland. "Working with vendor partners, resellers are in a perfect position to start that discussion, providing valuable advice and consultancy."
3CX is a forerunner in the adoption of WebRTC. The company first used the technology in its web conferencing solution, 3CX WebMeeting, launched in August. "We will be extending our use of WebRTC in 3CX Phone System 12.5 which will be launched shortly," said Nick Galea, CEO and founder, 3CX. "This latest version will offer click-to-call and video calling by providing each user with their own WebRTC call link. As inbound calls via the click-to-call function are effectively free, businesses can significantly reduce, or remove, the cost of operating expensive 0800 number calls which can add up for a contact centre."
That WebRTC is a game-changer for UC is becoming universally recognised. "The use of WebRTC has started to take off and we are already seeing how the new technology will disrupt the market," added Galea. "WebRTC has essentially transformed the web browser into a communications platform, levelling the playing field and thereby removing the dominance of any one operating system or device type. Because WebRTC is browser-based it will bring to an end issues of interoperability and compatibility. By removing the need for a client WebRTC will also push expensive proprietary UC vendors from the market. Those providers that cannot adapt will not survive the surge in opposing technology."
WebRTC goes beyond VoIP and web conferencing and moves towards ultra-personalised real-time customer interaction for brands. It's a huge business opportunity with far reaching implications that can impact everything from customer service and engagement to sales and conversions. "Businesses that embrace WebRTC will see commercial benefits and gain a competitive advantage, not least better customer engagement, boosted sales, improved communication and reduced call costs" added Galea. "At last, we are getting towards unified communications for all."
WebRTC technology works well on low network speeds like 3G, meaning good quality voice and video communications are possible. In terms of businesses, the fact that WebRTC is Open Source means there is no one owner who will be receiving royalties from the sale, potentially pushing the cost of development of the technology lower than in previous platforms. "This, alongside the in-built security of WebRTC, will assist in speeding up the adoption of BYOD policies," stated Robert Keenan, Head of Portfolio Management at Unify. "We will see companies embrace new ways to work with greater gusto, empowering the remote worker and enabling a completely flexible and modern business."
Ease of use is another WebRTC plus-point. And the challenges associated with supporting a range of operating systems no longer apply as WebRTC is platform agnostic. It is currently fully supported on Mac machines, which is something that the industry has struggled with until now. "WebRTC enables innovative and agile companies to gain significant market share," added Keenan. "This will shake-up the entire market and we will see new communications leaders emerge."
The largest benefit for resellers will be around the reliability of its deployment as WebRTC overcomes many of the challenges resellers have struggled with for years. "UC adoption regularly involves complicated installations with a large numbers of drivers, something that can easily lead to integration issues," commented Keenan. "WebRTC removes this difficulty."
Unify has embraced WebRTC and its recently released Unify Circuit - a next generation communications tool that brings together voice, video, file sharing and messaging - is based on the technology. This means that regardless of device, Circuit users are able to communicate and collaborate wherever they are. "WebRTC and Circuit enables employees to work in new ways and has the potential to revolutionise office life," commented Keenan. "We believe that technology should be constructed around what people want - this is what WebRTC delivers."