SYDNEY,AUSTRALIA: Nortel has saved around $12 million in the last one year as a result of implementing Unified Communications (UC) in the organization.

"UC helped us save around $12 million last year," said Steven Bandrawczak, chief information officer of Nortel. "Our UC strategy is centered around preserving the platform and the investments already made. It is an integral part of our business strategy."

The implementation has helped the Canada-based telecom major in quick decision-making. UC has also enabled its partners do business more efficient and effectively.

"We believe that our savings from UC will increase by around 20 per cent by next year," Bandrawczak said.

UC, basically, lets the user access all the devices from a single device. For instance, a user can use his laptop to make a call to his colleague. The company believes that the technology will go a long way in helping the enterprises trying to take the full advantage of hyperconnectivity.

"Hyperconnectivity basically means all the devices which can be connected and will gain by being connected will be connected," Bandrawczak explained.

Recently, the company also released a research paper on `Hyperconnectivity', which it commissioned to IDC. Around 2,400 people were interviewed from 17 countries and for the survey and it came out that around 16 per cent of respondents were hyperconnected and 36 per cent were `increasingly connected'.

Hyperconnectivity, however, demands increased bandwidth capability and increase infrastructure spend. Hyperconnectivity will predictably put increased pressure on the bandwidth and to take full advantage of this concept, the enterprises need to be focused on increasing the capability of the existing infrastructure.

On the role of technology in the current bearish environment, Bandrawczak said, "Enterprises are looking at technology to improving efficiency and productivity. There is certainly more pressure on IT to add value. Our goals have also increased and the capital spending is more focused. There is also a need to accelerate the ongoing projects."

Nortel is also making a commitment towards Green IT and has implemented a number of strategies and technologies in the organization to reduce the carbon emission.

"We are committed to Green IT in our products and services as well as internally. We are looking at reducing the number of servers, mostly 40 per cent are utilized and 60 per cent are ideal. We are also looking at maximizing the efficiency of data centers. As an organization, we also encourage our workforce to telework, use videoconferencing and thus reduce the usage of fuel," Bandrawczak added.

(Nortel hosted the correspondent in Australia)