For the enterprise, unified communications is the next step in creating a more efficient, 'always on' business environment.

It means migrating from traditional communications to convergence, and finally unified communications, the tech ideal that takes collaboration to the next level.

Speaking at a CIO Magazine breakfast in Sydney Wednesday, Nortel CTO Phil Edholm, will provide a step by step introduction on how to create a 'virtual enterprise'.

Recognizing that an effective, long-term communications strategy is a CIO priority, Edholm will talk about the value of this new concept and how it will impact business.

"Unified communications reduces the time it takes to make decisions by integrating all messaging; about 90 percent of the time it takes to make a decision is wasted time with people waiting for responses from voicemails and e-mails that are sitting in queues," he said.