The exact tools that comprise UCaaS can vary between organizations. However, UCaaS is defined by two things:
1) As-a-Service: Unified Communications apps are hosted and delivered “as-a-service” by a cloud communication tools vendor.
2) User Experience: Unifying communications tools results in a streamlined user experience that provides a single user interface and a consistent experience across devices, including sending and receiving messages in multiple forms (voice, fax, text, instant message, email, video conferencing) through a single user app on multiple platforms--computer, tablet, or mobile device.
UCaaS is delivered through a service agreement with a Unified Communications vendor who will implement the necessary infrastructure and a Unified Communications platform. Adoption of UCaaS is soaring; Forbes projects that 80 percent of IT budgets will be dedicated to cloud apps and solutions within 15 months.