Unified Communications and the Cloud Connecting The Globe: The New Vide-Pal

8/7/2012- Votacall Hosted VoIP & Cloud Based UC Solutions- Boston, Massachusetts- Remember when you were younger and you had a pen-pal located somewhere on the opposite side of the globe? Well those days are over, thanks to videoconferencing provided by Polycom and BroadSoft, high school students are able to communicate with other high schoolers around the globe without a pen and pencil. The new idea of a Video-pal is extreme, but imagine the things kids can learn by being face to face with a similar aged student of a completely opposite culture. For example, students in Tampa-Bay FL are being connected with Afghanistan high schoolers via Video. The students are able to learn the differences in each others lives; positives and negatives included. A Florida high schooler said she valued her family much more after learning an Afghanistan high schooler has to fear her dad or brother could be taken or killed at any moment. This new connection is made possible because of Unified Communications built off of Cloud technology. The possibilities are endless with this new technology of having services hosted on a cloud. Many companies have become profitable off of the Hosted VoIP and Unified Communication platforms, but they are not the only people that benefit. The customers save money and gain functionality because they are no longer using the old premise-based systems. I remember having to wait a month after you sent a post card to a pen-pal in order to hear a response. During this time, lots could change and for all i know the post card never was recieved. However, with video-pals the communication is face to face and instant, showing the students that they have this ability is encouraging for their futures. Not only giving them voice connections, seeing a friend face to face allows for a whole new relationship that can grow and bond way further than the simple pen-pal we were used too. We owe all the thanks to the Cloud and the ability to have services and features available to every region of the world. If companies like BroadSoft and Polycom continue to research and develop new features for Unified Communications, the opportunities for every generation is limitless and will continue to connect the world.