Gartner defines communications platform as a service (CPaaS) as a cloud-based platform used by developers, the IT team and other nontechnical business roles to build an array of communications-related capabilities using APIs, SDKs, documentation and no-code/low-code visual builders. The CPaaS tools facilitate access to multiple communications channels spanning voice, SMS, email, messaging apps, video and conversational capabilities, along with security. The purpose of CPaaS is to enable enterprises to improve communications workflows by providing simplified access to multiple communications capabilities. CPaaS enables enterprises to shorten time to market for new products and services, personalize communications, and orchestrate customer journeys across multiple channels. It delivers digital engagement and operationalizes customer experience, while also driving business efficiencies at scale with digital service delivery. It’s modular/composable in design and can expand from initial single-use cases to many others as additional business units learn of its value. CPaaS capabilities can also be consumed in a wholesale model, powering third-party cloud vendor offerings such as contact center, CRM, multichannel marketing and ERP. There are also wholesale use cases in which CPaaS providers wholesale to each other and telcos.
The corporate telephony market is evolving from a focus on innovation in proprietary hardware to use of commodity hardware and standards-based software. While most telephony solutions are Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled or IP-PBX solutions, the associated endpoints are a mix of time division multiplexing (TDM) and IP. Corporate telephony platforms focus on high-availability, scalable solutions, which support Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), desktop and soft phone functionality, and the ability to integrate with enterprise IT applications while delivering toll-grade voice quality.
The data center and cloud networking vendors covered in this market provide hardware and/or software solutions to deliver connectivity primarily within enterprise data centers. This includes data center core/spine switches, access switches (top of rack [ToR], leaf), virtual switching, Ethernet fabrics, network operating systems (NOSs) and network overlays, and the requisite management, automation and orchestration of those components.
Gartner defines the enterprise wired and wireless LAN infrastructure market as wired and wireless networking hardware and the related network software. Related components of the solution include enterprise switches, access points and the requisite tools to secure, manage, test and optimize the network infrastructure that provides connectivity for users, devices and applications that may reside on the network or on other networks. Enterprises in all vertical markets use enterprise wired and wireless networks to connect and transport data for fixed and end-user devices to applications that may be local or remote to the physical end user. In addition to physical connectivity, these solutions provide the following capabilities in diverse markets, including the ability to: 1. Discover, identify, secure, manage and segment Internet of Things (IoT)/operational technology (OT) devices 2. Support, test and maintain network infrastructure components 3. Provide a resilience infrastructure 4. Secure the network infrastructure 5. Provide scalability and flexibility for management and control plane communication processes 6. Provide no-touch/low-touch Day 2 environment
All unified communications (UC) solutions are intended principally to improve user productivity and enhance business processes that relate to communications and collaboration. Gartner defines UC solutions — equipment, software and services — as offerings that facilitate the use of multiple enterprise communications methods to achieve those aims. UC solutions integrate communications channels (media), networks and systems, as well as IT business applications, and, in some cases, consumer applications and devices. UC offers the ability to significantly improve how individuals, groups and companies interact and perform. The UC solutions that enterprises deploy range from stand-alone suites from single vendors, to integrated applications and platforms from multiple vendors. UC is often deployed to extend and add functionality to established communications investments.
Gartner defines unified communications as a service (UCaaS) as a multitenant, subscription-based service. It is cloud-delivered, and it provides business telephony features; external, public switched telephone network (PSTN) connectivity that enables inbound or outbound calling; and collaboration features, such as messaging and meetings. UCaaS services can be consumed by end users with traditional handsets, desktop clients, meeting room systems and mobile apps. Gartner’s definition of meetings for the UCaaS market focuses on the capabilities for internal collaboration, work from home and external presentation meeting use cases only. Other specialized use cases — such as webinar, remote support, distance learning and training — are often available from UCaaS offerings, but are not mandatory for this research. These use cases are part of a separate market defined by Gartner (meeting solutions).