UC Advanced - issue #25

Issue #25

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News, analysis, insights and more

EPOS IMPACT 1000

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2023

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COMMENT COMMENT

The UC Industry is More Important than Ever

When Chat GPT and Generative AI first came in, I must confess that I thought it was another flash in the pan. Having experienced the hype cycle of Blockchain and 5G in previous years, all the hallmarks were there. An interesting technology 4 specific use cases 4 , predictions about taking over the world 4 . With the benefit of hindsight, the difference is that none of the journalists covering Blockchain confessed to falling in love with it, and 5G never threatened to take my job. But a touch of scepticism is necessary in this industry. Nevertheless, we are a few years on, and it's safe to say that whether it’s with ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, or any other generative AI provider, we are stuck with this technology for the long haul. With that acceptance comes more scrutiny, though questions are being asked about the energy it takes to create ‘AI slop’, the efficacy of using artificial intelligence to summarise content that is behind a paywall, and the impact that this technology has on the human race. While most of those questions are above my pay grade, and I'd bet no one reading this would want to answer them, as it relates to the unified communications industry, AI may breathe new life and new opportunities into an industry that, let's

face it, has been pretty repetitive since the pandemic. The average organisation might be looking to Microsoft, Zoom, Salesforce, and any other provider that claims they can revolutionise business with agents. The fact of the matter is that the underlying network will have the biggest impact on whether the implementation of AI is a success. Agents will be required to search multiple data siloes for the specific answer to any question asked, no matter how badly it’s phrased. Research shows that this needs to be done within a second for the user to be satisfied, rising to four to six seconds for larger AI models. As we move past simple consumer-facing chatbots in the corners of webpages, and businesses adopt agents for people on both sides of the organisation, network speeds and reliability will be the most important consideration. That won’t be news to a lot of you, but the technology industry does have a habit of getting carried away with what could be done rather than how to get the best solution. As always, let me know what you think of the magazine! We’ll be back with another issue in July, just before a short break for summer! n

Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne Editor

Coming Soon

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EVENTS

UK – LONDON What? NiCE World London Where? Olympia in Kensington, London, W14 8UX. When? 1 to 2 July 2026. Register here. UK – SURREY What? Commsverse Where? Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge When? 24 to 25 June 2026. Buy tickets.

NETHERLANDS – AMSTERDAM What? CCW Europe Summit Where? Passenger Terminal, Amsterdam, Netherlands When? 5 to 7 October 2026. Register here.

USA – AUSTIN What? WebexOne Where? Austin, Texas, and Virtual When? 5 to 8 October 2026. Buy tickets.

UK – LONDON What? Contact Centre Expo Where? Excel London, E16 1XL When? 18 to 19 November 2026. Register here. UK- LONDON What? UCX, co-located with DTX Where? Excel, London, E16 1XL When? 14 to 15 October 2026. Register here.

CONTENTS

UCC News • Insights – p8 • Business News – p10 BT Wholesale Gavin Jones, Director,

BT Wholesale on driving revenue p14

Interview Chris Angus, VP of Sales EMEA, 8x8 p18 Product Review EPOS IMPACT 1000 p22 AV in Education Classroom challenges p24 Contact Centre RingCentral p30 D-Link Nuclias Unity p32 Girls Who Code p36 Events Peerless-AV Showcase 2026 p40 People p42

p18 p24

Chris Angus views contact centre AI as a natural evolution rather than a sudden disruption.

How is the AV industry addressing the challenges teachers face in the classroom?

After announcing a deeper partnership with Girls Who Code, Vonage are setting out to bridge the gender gap in the tech sector. p36

p32

Forty years since its inception in Taiwan, D-Link are providingthe Unity to help businesses thrive.

Advertising Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ucadvanced.com

Editorial Editor

Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ucadvanced.com

Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne elliot@ucadvanced.com

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1B 4DA

In conjunction with:

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INSIGHTS

Jabra: The Cost of Bad Meetings

New research from Jabra reveals that poor meeting design and unreliable technology have created global two-tier workplace businesses. More than half (51%) of UK workers confess they forget to involve remote participants during meetings, whilst 55% of remote attendees struggle to hear people in the room, and 48% report difficulty identifying who is speaking. Issues include

to recover from the confusion. With these issues compounding, the cost goes beyond a negative experience and becomes a profitability drain. Jabra’s research estimates the cost to UK businesses is a staggering £1,079 per employee in lost time based on disruption rates for meetings against national salary data. “We’ve treated bad meetings as an irritation, not a financial risk,” commented Holger Reisinger, Senior Vice President Jabra Enterprise Video Business Unit. “If your people are dreading meetings, you’re already paying the price – and it’s a clear signal that organisations need to completely rethink and re envision their meeting culture, supported by technology that lets everyone be clearly seen and heard.” The link to the report can be found here. n

jabra.com

meeting attendees left feeling “second-class”, talked over or left out during hybrid meetings, with most workers surveyed in the UK (86%) experiencing “meeting dread”. It is not only an inequality gap, but a purpose gap; globally, 66% of workers leave with unclear action items, while 59% need a follow-up meeting and generate additional work

CX Horizons: The State of CX in 2026

The State of CX in 2026 report, released by the CX Network in association with Genesys, is worth a read. The report presents and analyses what is happening to the trends, challenges, investment priorities, strategic aims, and customer behaviours that drive CX (customer experience). Completed by 342 CX practitioners, service leaders, experience designers, analysts, and consultants, the report uses their insights to examine what agentic commerce means for practitioners and the key actions they must take to remain relevant; why consumers are meeting their own needs when it comes to quick and seamless CX; and how personal AI assistants could be undermining hard- won customer trust. Major sections include insights on the trends shaping CX to 2030, understanding

the customer of 2026, and the top challenges for CX in 2026. During CX Network’s annual research it was found that almost one quarter (21%) of

THE STATE OF CX IN 2026 The trends, challenges, spending plans, and customer behaviors driving CX in 2026 and beyond HORIZONS:

About

RESEARCH REPORT

Trends

Investments

CX Tech

Customers

INSIDE

Challenges & Aims

The factors elevating the importance of customer privacy and data security How to grow your customer base and drive more sales in an AI-powered trading environment Why discoverability is changing and how to harness AEO and GEO

practitioners said customer service interactions have increased by 11-20 percent in the last 12 months. A further 12% reported an increase of 21-40 percent. The main thrust of the report is that customer experience has entered the AI era, and organisations must adapt to a world where AI is increasingly influencing how customers discover, evaluate and buy products and services. The link to the report can be found here. n

Brought to you in association with

Conclusion

2026 | DISCLAIMER: The information in this piece does not constitute as legal advice and so should not be regarded as such.

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BUSINESS NEWS

ZoomMate Turns Employee Conversations into Completed Work

Zoom has introduced ZoomMate, a powerful "AI teammate" that goes beyond basic meeting summaries by actively transforming conversations into completed tasks. Integrating with major platforms such as Salesforce, Jira, Slack, ServiceNow, and Microsoft 365, ZoomMate automates post-meeting workflows, so employees no longer have to switch between

applications constantly. The assistant can autonomously search company systems, draft documents, update project records, and schedule meetings. ZoomMate is currently available to North American customers starting at US$20 per user per month, with a broader global rollout across EMEA and APAC planned for later this year. n

UK Consumers Need Signals of Trust A recent MaxContact report indicates that traditional cold calling is losing its effectiveness. Over 80% of UK consumers now require trust signals—such as branded caller IDs or pre-call text messages—before they will answer the phone. Driven by rising spam and scams, contact centres must pivot to pre- engagement strategies rather than simply dialling more numbers. The report also recommends that businesses rethink their success metrics, advising them to focus on generating meaningful connections rather than using total call avoidance as a benchmark. n

Pulse Found at 8x8 8×8 has launched 8×8 Pulse, a conversational intelligence solution currently in early availability. Unlike traditional intelligence tools that rely on bolted-on integrations, 8×8 Pulse is built on a native conversational data foundation so that intelligence lives directly where conversations occur. It captures daily business interactions—such as sales calls, support tickets, and internal chats – and contextualises them with telemetry and CRM data. Employees can use natural language to retrieve context- rich answers that trace back directly to the source conversations. By meeting users directly in their workflows (such as within Salesforce, Chrome, or via email digests), 8×8 Pulse eliminates integration lag and ensures vital customer insights are put to work. n

maxcontact.com

BUSINESS NEWS

Shure celebrates a decade of Microflex Advance line with new additions

Shure has introduced the MXA925 Ceiling Array Microphone, along with a powerful firmware update for the MXA901. The flagship MXA925 features built-in AI processing—including acoustic echo cancellation, denoiser, and deverb tools— to guarantee exceptional audio clarity in acoustically challenging meeting spaces.

It offers out-of-the-box deployment, ShureCloud management, and certification for Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Furthermore, the MXA901 firmware update introduces improved camera tracking and flexible coverage zones, enabling existing installations to adapt to diverse room designs without requiring new hardware. n

shure.com

Snom Expands Support for Channel Partners

Snom is enhancing its support for Gold and Silver channel partners by streamlining procurement processes and introducing a new digital Competence Centre. Partners can now access special discounts and bonuses directly through

their chosen distributors, resulting in faster processing, reduced administrative overhead, and more competitive pricing for end customers. To tackle the growing complexity of modern VoIP installations, the Competence Centre serves as a knowledge hub offering practical, scenario-based technical training. Available in multiple languages, these courses help partners securely implement IP desk phones, complex DECT infrastructures, and specialised data- compliant setups for the hospitality and healthcare sectors. n

snom.com

Q-SYS Launches RoomSuite Collaboration Bar and Scheduling Panel

using Q-SYS Reflect to funnel space usage and booking data directly into Microsoft environments to help optimise workplace planning. n

QSC has expanded its collaborative workplace portfolio by introducing the Windows-based Q-SYS RoomSuite Collaboration Bar and the Q-SYS Scheduling Panel. The Collaboration Bar features four 50MP cameras, a 16-element microphone array, and an integrated touchscreen, and also supports additional table microphones for customised room coverage. Furthermore, Q-SYS is now an official Microsoft Places Data Integration partner,

qsys.com

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BUSINESS NEWS

TD SYNNEX Invests in Microsoft Alliance Growth Team TD SYNNEX has established a dedicated Microsoft Alliance Growth team to help ambitious mid-market and SMB partners scale their Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) practices aggressively. The specialised unit provides customised business development, training, and technical assistance focused on Microsoft 365, Azure, and security solutions. Partners receive dedicated support from

uk.tdsynnex.com

customer license and usage data. This strategic investment aims to boost partner profitability, customer satisfaction and retention, aligning with Microsoft’s cloud objectives. n

business development managers and technical consultants to build bespoke growth plans. Furthermore, partners can access tools such as Channel Insights to analyse

Ricoh Asia Pacific Acquires Global Vision Multimedia Ricoh has expanded its workplace services portfolio by acquiring Global Vision Multimedia Group, an audiovisual and multimedia integration specialist in the Asia-Pacific region. Founded in 2016, Global Vision brings over 140 professionals to help Ricoh deliver seamless and scalable AV solutions to multinational and regional enterprises. This integration combines Global Vision’s regional expertise with Ricoh’s global scale, marking another step in Ricoh’s ongoing worldwide expansion following recent acquisitions in North America, EMEA and Latin America. n

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Hybrid adaptive ANC – not just noise cancellation, but complete mastery over the user’s surroundings. Creates a personal zone of focus wherever work takes them. Industry’s best voice pickup – sets the industry benchmark with EPOS AI™- driven noise cancellation, delivering the voice clearly and naturally in any working environment. Native Bluetooth ® - the new native Bluetooth ® variants are certified for Microsoft Teams and provides an easy way to connect.

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131

BT WHOLESALE

Inside the channel’s growth paradox

Gavin Jones, Director, Wholesale Partners, BT Wholesale, shares how partners can design smarter to drive revenue.

From shifting buying intentions to new customer demands, the channel landscape is evolving at a rapid pace. At the same time, continued economic pressures push channel partners to do more for less. However, underneath this challenging picture sits an interesting paradox: data usage is skyrocketing – with businesses and consumers streaming, collaborating, and relying on connectivity more than ever – but this is not yet translating to revenue growth for the channel. This gap signals a clear opportunity to rethink commercial models. By 2030, connectivity investments could unlock £179bn in additional economic value (2025–2030) and support 243,000 jobs each year. The question for channel partners is how to compete smarter and turn this rising demand into revenue. Broadband momentum: why FTTP is a safe bet At first glance, traditional connectivity

markets appear to be stagnating. Ethernet growth has slowed. However, upon closer look, a more positive picture emerges. Business spending on connectivity solutions is shifting, not disappearing, and data points to multiple pathways to growth for the channel. Ethernet access is increasingly evolving into more specialised, high-value use cases, while many organisations are adopting full fibre broadband alongside Ethernet, as FTTP rollout accelerates across the UK, including BT Group’s own £15bn investment. This positions FTTP-based broadband firmly at the centre of future networking solutions. FTTP connectivity offers the performance, scalability, and reliability organisations need to support cloud adoption, hybrid working, and modern communication. For partners, the key is positioning broadband not simply as a connection, but as the digital foundation that enables modern work. The growing UCaaS opportunity A similar transition is reshaping the communications market. Traditional voice calling continues to decline, but the spending behind it is not disappearing. Instead, it is moving into unified communications platforms that bring calling, messaging, video, and other collaboration solutions into a single environment. Microsoft Teams sits at the centre of this shift. Now used by 360 million

Gavin Jones Director, Wholesale Partners

btwholesale.com

Business spending on connectivity solutions is shifting, not disappearing...

people globally, it has become deeply embedded in the day-to-day operations of organisations of all sizes. For many businesses, virtual work environments have become the primary communications interface, rather than a simple add-on. This marks a transition for partners from selling standalone telephony to delivering integrated communications experiences. By embedding voice capabilities directly into collaboration offerings, partners can help customers interact easily, improving productivity and flexibility. Against this backdrop, the ongoing switchover away from legacy telephony infrastructure is not a disruption, but a necessary upgrade. It enables the market to fully transition towards a more integrated, higher-value communications ecosystem.

Hybrid and mobile-first working environments are now standard, and employees expect seamless connectivity...

capabilities that enhance communication and customer experiences – the demand for integrated mobile and collaboration services will only grow. Designing smarter to compete in a changing market Standing still is no longer an option for channel partners. Those pulling ahead are redesigning how solutions are built, sold, and delivered as consumption continues to rise and customers expect more in terms of resilience. As a result, differentiation increasingly comes through experience: value-added layers that solve real business challenges instead of competing on price alone. Similarly, the most successful propositions prioritise outcomes over individual technologies– helping customers work more productively, communicate more effectively, and operate more flexibly. Circumventing the channel’s growth paradox ultimately comes down to strategy. Despite a tough market, there are actionable steps partners can take to thrive. We’re already seeing where the market is heading. Fibre-based broadband is becoming the backbone of modern networking, collaboration platforms are redefining business communications, and mobile-first working is reshaping how employees connect and operate. Now, it’s time for partners to turn that rising demand into real commercial growth. n

Mobile-first collaboration: A formula for success Alongside fibre and unified

Circumventing the channel’s growth paradox ultimately comes down to strategy. Despite a tough market, there are actionable steps partners can take to thrive.

communications, mobile connectivity is emerging as another important growth area for the channel. The way people work has fundamentally changed. Hybrid and mobile-first working environments are now standard, and employees expect seamless connectivity across devices, locations, and applications. Businesses are also looking for simpler communication environments that support flexible working without adding operational complexity. While some might see new demands as challenges, this shift creates an opportunity to rethink how connectivity and collaboration are delivered together. The mobile market is projected to reach $81.74 billion by 2030. Combining mobile connectivity with the collaboration tools customers already rely on enables employees to stay connected wherever work happens. As remote work continues to evolve – increasingly supported by AI-driven

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A professionally produced, magazine-style channel podcast series focused on the Unified Comms and Convergence channel. Hosted by Jonny Rae, the show combines • Channel news and analysis • Executive interviews • Product deep-dives • Industry debate • Interactive quiz segments • MSP and Telco success stories The show is designed as a 30 minute structured program, divided into high-impact segments that also function as standalone social content. Positioning “Channel TV for the MSPs and CSPs.”

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INTERVIEW

Focusing on the Outcome

While CRM platforms continue to encroach on the Contact Centre, the newly appointed 8x8 Vice President of Sales EMEA is more interested in meeting customer goals.

Chris Angus, 8x8’s VP of Sales EMEA, views contact centre AI as a natural evolution rather than a sudden disruption. As CRM platforms increasingly encroach on the customer experience market, 8x8 stays competitive by focusing on an outcome-based approach. AI is utilised to streamline mundane tasks alongside human agents, not replace them. Ultimately, 8x8 provides a comprehensive “one-stop shop” integrating unified communications and contact centre capabilities, empowering businesses to effectively retain customers in a challenging economy.

INTERVIEW

It seems like every day there is a new prediction, piece of research, warning, innovation, or opinion about the subject of the day: Artificial Intelligence. Whether sincere or an attempt to stay relevant, it’s clearly so pervasive that I’m unable to start a feature without mentioning it! “I think we’re just in a natural evolution as opposed to a standout tech,” said Chris Angus, the newly appointed Vice President of Sales in EMEA at 8x8. “We’re not switching from Beta Max to Blu-ray.” Potentially the wisest words I’ve heard on the subject for some time from someone who has witnessed an entire digital transformation within the contact centre. “A Contact Centre fifteen years ago was purely voice, and it was a cost centre. Difficult for organisations to find the budget to invest in because it was just seen as an expense. “Now with the demand for customer experience being one of the main drivers, we’ve seen the multichannel, omnichannel with WhatsApp, SMS, email, chat, and bots to a degree. “Machine learning was really the first part of AI. Intelligent decision-making and call routing within the contact centre that, from a simple phone number, identify the best person to answer the call. That was the first kind of evolution of AI before we got to where we are today.”

Chris Angus VP of Sales EMEA

8x8.com

Merging Experience Where we are today seems to be one of the most agile sectors in the technology market. While the CEOs of other businesses are enamoured of the potential of artificial intelligence and the exhausted CTOs try to grasp how they are going to fulfil their wishes, the contact centre has already embraced artificial intelligence to the extent that a lot of us no longer mind speaking to a robot. Largely past the challenge of Artificial Intelligence, the contact centre is now extending its reach into the service customers receive, even when there isn’t a problem. A challenge that 8x8 is mitigating by providing solutions based on outcomes rather than what the customer think they want. “The customer experience market is converging,” said Angus. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen more of the traditional CRM vendors in the same opportunities that we would have been for as a UC and CC provider. “Ultimately, the way businesses are run today is via a platform. As a customer experience platform, it allows us to completely delineate between UC, CC, CPaaS, AI, and approach things from an outcomes perspective.”

Now with the demand for customer experience being one of the main drivers, we've seen the multichannel, omnichannel with WhatsApp, SMS, email, chat, and bots to a degree.

CONTINUED

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INTERVIEW

CONTINUED

Angus added that the first question 8x8 asks is “What are you trying to achieve?” before working out how to generate the solution. He also added that, from a market perspective, we’re going to see many more, in his words, “strategic alignments”. “It’s going to get super competitive. Every other day, there’s a new AI organisation specialising in a particular area of work that companies like 8x8 have to compete with on a regular basis. “If we look at market trends, that’s not a surprise. Salesforce has attacked the AI agent, but we’re not entirely sure how successful it’s been. Depending on which report you will read, it’s great; others will tell you that they still need physical agents. “That’s the way it’s going to go. We’re going to get far more digital virtual agents than we will human agents, but alongside a human as opposed to in place of them.” Human After All The idea that artificial intelligence is going to push humans out of the contact centre was one that Angus was sure to

put down. “We’re not going to do away with the human inside the contact centre or inside the organisation. “The AI agent needs to be someone that can take away the heavy lifting, someone that can remove mundane tasks, and ultimately needs to solve a real problem, not just a bot for bot sake. “But we’re not seeing huge amounts of downturn in physical agents in our customers today. That doesn’t mean it won’t get there eventually, depending on how advanced the technology becomes and how much it costs. “That’s something which we’ll probably yet to see. But we’re certainly seeing more and more customers wanting to streamline complex but mundane tasks with Authentic AI.”

That's the way it's going to go. We're going to get far more digital virtual agents than we will human agents, but alongside a human as opposed to in place of them.

Meeting Customers While the work continues on a

completely automated contact centre, the customer experience is treated as one of the most important parts of the communication stack. Skipping past the usual statistics about

INTERVIEW

leaving things on the table? “Irrespective of how we describe it, whether it’s CX, CRM, or UC or CC, ultimately there’s so much pressure now on attracting new customers in the consumer market and then retaining them that businesses have to find ways to stay ahead.” One Stop Shop While the contact centre is having a moment in the sun, Angus was keen to emphasise that 8x8 can pull together a package that covers all bases. “Voice isn’t going away,” said Angus. “We find our biggest

..ultimately there's so much pressure now on attracting new customers in the consumer market and then retaining them that businesses have to find ways to stay ahead.

strength is that we have that one-stop shop where you can buy the AI agents, look at core routing for the contact centre with machine learning and analytics, but also plug in the HR and finance teams who just want a dial tone.

the cost of customer acquisition vs the cost of retaining customers, Angus said that the pervasive strategy at the moment is “meeting customers where they want to be met.” “What we need to look at is where the consumer feels comfortable and how we make it as easy as possible for them to communicate in that method without

“There’s still a high demand for unified communications. One of the largest deals we did last quarter was fundamentally UC-based, and I think that will continue. “The value for us as a company is what we can build around UC.” n

Comment from the Editor

Going into this interview, I was expecting the usual spiel about how AI is a transformative technology and how 8x8 is a leader in the space, or at least attempting to be. What transpired was a refreshing perspective that, in reality, the AI agents that are sold to most businesses have already been successfully rolled out in the contact centre. It’s clear that the customer experience is the focus of businesses the world over. Against a tough economic backdrop, to put it lightly, the prevailing sentiment is that maintaining customer numbers is the only way to guarantee survival for another year.

It is no surprise, therefore, that CRM platforms are now encroaching on the contact centre. Customer data is essentially priceless when it is made available to the agents who are providing support. Yet 8x8 seems unfazed by this development, knowing that they have the end-to-end solution that can connect the business before it begins its CX revolution. That way, they can focus on delivering outcomes. n

ucadvanced.com

PRODUCT REVIEW

Built for the Age of AI: The EPOS IMPACT 1000 Makes Every Word Count In this day and age, getting the clarity right matters more than it ever has. Whether you are on a multi-person call or speaking quietly in a busy open-plan office, being understood the first time saves everyone the friction of repeating themselves.

That is exactly where the EPOS IMPACT 1000 makes its case. EPOS quotes a word accuracy rate higher than 99 out of 100, and across a few days of back-to- back meetings, that figure showed. My voice came through clean and naturally, even with the usual office noise carrying on around me. That accuracy matters more than just for person on the other end of the line. In a world where more of our conversations are automatically recorded and transcribed, every extra word captured correctly counts. Cleaner input means more reliable AI meeting transcriptions, fewer garbled action points, and noticeably better results when prompting tools such as Microsoft Copilot and other AI assistants by voice. Underpinning it all are EPOS BrainAdapt™ technologies, which keep listening fatigue at bay throughout the day. The IMPACT 1000

may be a product refresh but it feels like it’s a refresh with a purpose.

Flexible Connectivity for a Dongle-Free Future Connectivity is where the redesign makes its biggest change. Every variant now offers Native Bluetooth® and is certified for Microsoft Teams, giving a genuine dongle-free option. Triple connectivity links the headset to up to three devices at once and it remembers up to eight previously paired devices. For those who prefer a hardware link, an array of new options are available including a USB-C, BTD 900c dongle and adaptor which unlocks extras such as Dictation Mode, Auto Pause and Usage Mode. The IMPACT 1000 is currently certified for Microsoft Teams Open Office, Zoom, Google Meet and Webex by Cisco. Furthermore, a planned future software release that will support Microsoft Teams and Zoom over native Bluetooth will be providing professionals with an option of more flexibility and seamless integration, than ever before, via dongle-free communication.

The IMPACT 1000 is currently certified for Microsoft Teams Open Office, Zoom,

Google Meet and Webex by Cisco.

AI-Powered Voice Pickup and Professional Audio Performance The standout achievement is voice pickup. Built around EPOS AI™, the microphone system uses machine learning to scan the environment 32,000 times per second, isolating the user’s natural voice while proactively suppressing noise. EPOS quantifies the outcome in a way few rivals will: a word accuracy rate higher than 99 out of 100, capturing 99.5 of every 100 words correctly. The result is natural, full- bodied speech, free of the compression and robotic artefacts common in lesser models. As voice is increasingly used to brief AI assistants and trigger automated tasks, clean input is essential. BrainAdapt™ and Hybrid Adaptive ANC: Mastering Your Environment With listening fatigue becoming a real issue, the IMPACT 1000 is grounded in their BrainAdapt™ technology. It pairs advanced noise reduction with industry- leading microphone technology to lower the cognitive load of prolonged

communication, making it easier to hear what matters and stay focused through back-to-back meetings without the listening fatigue that quietly erodes concentration. Working in conjunction with this is the headset’s hybrid adaptive ANC. It reacts instantly to changes in background noise, adjusting to the ideal level of reduction and creating a personal zone of focus whatever your work environment.

Hybrid Adaptive ANC

Effortless Power and Sustainable Design The charging stand makes charging fast and simple with wireless charging in around 2.5 hours, or via USB-C cable in roughly 1.5 hours. A 10-minute quick charge returns up to 90 minutes of use. EPOS has matched this with plastic-free, FSC-certified packaging and a carry pouch made from grey RPET felt of recycled bottles. n

Comment from our Reviewer

The real story of this update is focus. EPOS has realigned the IMPACT 1000 range from ten variants down to five, turning it into a smaller, focused and far easier portfolio to choose from and to offer out. Nothing essential has been lost in the process; each remaining

Verdict: A high-performing, future-ready flagship that raises the benchmark for voice clarity, adaptive noise control and AI-ready productivity. The headset to beat for serious modern work. Smart details that make the IMPACT 1000 feel built for the future of work. 👂 360-degree busy light on both earcups to show when you’re on a call. 👂 Boom-arm call control: lift to mute or answer, with 270° rotation for either side. 👂 Wearing detection to accept, mute and pause media automatically. 👂 Wireless charging stand with a 10-minute quick charge for up to 90 minutes.

variant earns its place, sharpened for an era in which the clarity of your voice determines how well both people and AI tools understand you. For UC professionals and organisations building AI into their workflows, it offers a valuable combination of measurable microphone precision, genuine environmental control and fatigue-reducing design.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Staying on Subject

How is the AV industry addressing the challenges teachers face in the classroom?

Modern educators face the growing challenge of shorter student attention spans, which increasingly demands highly engaging teaching methods. To adapt successfully, modern classroom audiovisual technology has shifted from fixed presentation tools toward flexible, interactive digital ecosystems. Devices like interactive displays and tablets empower students to participate in lessons and grant teachers greater mobility in the classroom. Although funding remains a significant hurdle, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and immersive reality will continue transforming classrooms, provided they serve fundamental pedagogical needs first.

AV IN EDUCATION

It must be challenging to be a teacher at the moment. As an outsider looking in, the impression that you get is that the youngest of us are unable to concentrate, obsessed with their phones, and only interested in the latest TikTok trends. I'm sure a lot of that impression is rubbish, or at least exaggerated. Still, once you've got them to put their phone away and pay attention, the person at the front of the class has a job to prepare these kids for an employment market that will almost certainly be unrecognisable by the time they put together their first CV. That's not a challenge for the teachers to worry about for now. Their focus will naturally be on the lessons they compile in a world that seems to have accepted that long attention spans are a thing of the past. According to research by Gloria Mark, PhD, at the University of California, it takes, on average, 47 seconds for someone to switch tasks. But while there is no conclusive evidence that younger people specifically are finding it harder to concentrate for long periods, Mark’s research raises a worrying generalisation that educators need to combat. “Shorter attention spans are a reality for students, but AV technology can help when it’s used thoughtfully,” said Mandi Jackson, Education Director, Computeam. “Over the last decade, classroom AV technology has shifted from simple presentation tools to platforms for interaction and inclusion. Where projectors were once the dominant tool, we’re now seeing a growing emphasis on interactive displays, integrated audio and seamless connectivity – all designed to support more engaging, collaborative teaching. “Breaking lessons into varied, interactive segments, using multimedia purposefully and removing technical friction all help teachers maintain focus and momentum.” Bringing an interactive element to the

CONTINUED classroom is a key point, making sure that students take an active role in the learning process rather than maintain the same Victorian-style teaching of looking at one person at the front of the class. “Over the last decade, classroom audio-visual technology has shifted from fixed, front-of-room hardware to more flexible digital ecosystems,” said Richard Anderton, Head of Education at Sync. “Where AV once largely meant projecting content from one device to one screen, schools now need technology that supports collaboration, mobility and different teaching styles. “At Sync, we’ve seen more schools move towards Apple-led environments, where iPad, Mac and Apple TV work together seamlessly to make lessons more fluid, interactive and adaptable. “The change is not just about sharper screens or better sound. It is about giving teachers the freedom to move around the classroom, share content quickly and make learning more inclusive for all.” Investing in the Future The education ed-tech market seems to be unanimous in the view that AV technologies can only be beneficial to the education of young people. You'd find the same opinion from a lot of teachers out there, too. However, giving them access to these technologies requires money. Research from Epson shows that over three-quarters of teachers across Europe say immersive technologies are rarely or never used in their schools, and 57% of teachers in the UK would like their schools to increase the use of immersive learning or introduce it in the first place! While we would be hard-pressed to find a school without some form of AV technology in the classroom, whether it is good enough is a different debate altogether. “Projectors and interactive whiteboards played an important

Contributors

Gloria Mark PhD

gloriamark.com

Mandi Jackson

computeam.co.uk

Richard Anderton

wearesync.co.uk

Graeme Davidson

epson.eu

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large displays and remote control via an app, teachers can become free within the classroom”. Not a Competition Whilst the debate of projection against panels will rumble on, the point about ensuring the lesson sinks in with the pupils has to be the priority when deciding what to go for. Jackson said that the conversation around Ed Tech shouldn’t be about replacing what’s already there. She would rather the technologies be used together. “Projectors and interactive whiteboards both still have a place. Projectors can work well in larger spaces or where budgets are tight, but interactive whiteboards enable far richer participation. “They allow teachers and pupils to engage directly with content, adapt lessons in real time and cater to different learning styles. It’s less about one technology replacing another, and more about choosing the right tool for the right teaching context.” “Technology works best when it helps teachers vary the pace and format of a lesson,” added Anderton. “Shorter attention spans do not mean pupils cannot engage deeply, but they do respond well to lessons that feel active, visual and responsive. “AV can support that by allowing teachers to move quickly between video, live annotation, pupil work, quizzes and discussion.

Using modern, bright projectors with large displays and remote control via an app, teachers can become free within the classroom.

role in digitising classrooms, making lessons more visual and allowing teachers to annotate, demonstrate and explain concepts more clearly,” said Anderton. “However, they are often built around a teacher-led model, with most interaction happening at the front of the room. Schools are now looking for tools, such as an iPad, that allow pupils to contribute more actively. “That means moving towards systems where work can be shared from multiple devices, discussions can happen in real time, and pupils are part of the lesson rather than simply watching it.” According to the research from Epson, 85% of teachers want more “freedom to roam” around the classroom while teaching, and 71% believing greater teacher mobility would improve student engagement. “Not only are flat-panel touchscreen displays smaller and less engaging, but they’re also holding some students back,” said Graeme Davidson at Epson Europe. “Using modern, bright projectors with

AV IN EDUCATION

Looking ahead, emerging technologies such as AI‑enhanced AV, immersive AR and VR, and hybrid‑first

classroom design will continue to shape education.

“The key is reducing friction and providing a more engaging, flexible lesson plan for teachers. If the technology is easy to use, teachers can focus on teaching, questioning and adapting the lesson, rather than managing equipment.” Immersive Learning If the order of the day is for more engaging lessons, then artificial intelligence surely provides a great opportunity to help teachers in the classroom. On top of the ability to create almost anything from a small prompt, Anderton said that AI will also help figure out what is working and what isn’t. “AI, immersive content and classroom analytics are all likely to shape the next phase of education technology. AI has clear potential to support planning, feedback and personalised learning,

while immersive tools can help pupils explore complex topics in more visual and memorable ways. “Devices such as MacBook Neo represent a shift towards more accessible Apple technology for education, giving schools an affordable way to engage with the same premium device ecosystem used across higher education and the workplace. While the technology may be becoming more accessible, Jackson warned that educators need to maintain a focus on education. “Looking ahead, emerging technologies such as AI‑enhanced AV, immersive AR and VR, and hybrid‑first classroom design will continue to shape education. “The real challenge – and opportunity – for school leaders is ensuring technology serves pedagogy, not the other way around.” n

Apple MacBook Neo

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Calling All Doctors Gary Adams, Head of Digital Operations at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust, talked us through its recent digital transformation.

Q What prompted the shift toward rethinking your contact centre and digital capabilities at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust? GA: At the beginning of 2024, we were told that the lease on the building that housed our Care Coordination Hub was ending. That gave us just three months to find a new home and a replacement for the legacy telephony system that was tied to that location. The Hub is a vital frontline service that patients call into, so this wasn’t just a matter of moving desks. Rather than treat it as just a logistical problem, we viewed it as an opportunity to modernise and improve how we support patient care more broadly.

Q What were your key requirements and thought process when selecting a new contact centre solution? GA: Ultimately, we needed something flexible and cost-effective that could be deployed on an incredibly tight timeline. My goal was to improve operational efficiency without disrupting patient services, a complete non-negotiable for us. In a publicly funded organisation, value for money is always a key driver, and we wanted to make sure that any investment supported front-line care directly. RingCentral’s RingCX stood out because it met all our requirements, and we were also reassured by industry analyst evaluations showing it was a market leader. Having worked with several major IVR and contact centre providers before, RingCX was the only one that gave me confidence that we could meet our deadlines and still deliver long-term value. Q Were there any disruptions to patient services during the transition, and if so, how did you manage this? GA: Amazingly, no. Everything was going so smoothly that I worried something had to go wrong at some point, but it never did. The transition was seamless, and services continued without disruption. We had 100 users relying on the system as their primary way of communicating with patients, and we couldn’t afford any downtime. Everything was accounted for, and services continued without interruption. From day one, staff were able to work from any location, whether a Trust site

Gary Adams, Head of Digital Operations

We had 100 users relying on the system as their primary way of communicating with patients, and we couldn’t

afford any downtime.

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