Communications Halo Around

Until recently, cloud-based product was the domain of storage providers, backup facilities, and online software giants like Google. Writing documents and sharing pictures in the cloud has been de rigueur for quite a while, but what about communication-centric services? Lately, several innovative companies have introduced telephony and data solutions online, increasing the potential for overseas revenues in the process.

Before the Internet came along, the cloud was a completely undeveloped concept. If you worked in cloud-based conditions, you were either an airline pilot or a cocktail maker. Now, however, you can connect to your team via an online workspace, share files with the click of a button, and contribute to projects in real time, all thanks to the cloud.

Essentially, cloud software is a data portal: you enter your information, log into your profile, and start accessing information, which is stored at an off-site location. The difference between cloud-based solutions like Google Docs and a communications program is the way in which the two services use off-site data storage.

Communication programs use the cloud as a virtual connection hub. Instead of downloading software, users simply log onto the communications site and access the services they need to use on the spot. These programs offer clear advantages, both from a user standpoint and from a provider standpoint.

From a user perspective, communicating via the cloud means a simple, quick connection. Customers don't have to allocate hard-drive space to downloaded software. In turn, their system processors don't have to expend resources they'd usually apply to local programs. Instead, intricate software-related and switching processes take place at a third-party site, and the results are made available to online users.

The possibilities for online communication are endless. Numerous companies now offer online fax services that let you can create and send faxes in the cloud rather than buying a dedicated fax machine. Telephony is another major part of the cloud communication scenery. Skype, one of the earliest Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) contenders, is now the market leader. In 2012, Skype-to-Skype calls grew by 44 percent over the previous year, reaching an annual total of 167 billion minutes.

Cloud-based communication providers have become a hot acquisition, too. Texas-based telecommunication company GENBAND, for example, recently acquired Fring, an Israeli mobile app. Since its foundation in 2006, Fring has attracted between $30 and $40 million in venture capital. GENBAND plans to use the app, which enables video, text, and voice calling for its users, to compete with other online communication ventures like WhatsApp and Skype. To make the deal even sweeter, the purchase includes Fring's 40 million registered users.

Messaging, VoIP, and video solutions hosted in the cloud help consumers and businesses stay in touch with one another no matter where they are. Online apps remain accessible in multiple locations and usable on a wide range of devices including cellphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. In all, the cloud is a resourceful, cost-efficient alternative to expensive and complex on-site equipment.

(Photo courtesy of KROMKRATHOG / Freedigitalphotos.net)