Losing touch with a long-time friend is difficult. You spend time together almost daily, learning strengths and weaknesses, tendencies and possibilities. You call them by a pet name, give them some friendly ribbing on occasion when their flaws are exposed.

There were all those trade shows we'd attend together, although you were always on the other side of the booth discussing benefits and features. There were all those articles we collaborated on over the years, helping readers understand what made you tick and why they should listen to you.

Of course, you could pontificate on occasion, bombastic about your capabilities. You had that gift of gab. But sometimes it was just plain blarney, the rantings of a carnival barker intent on verbally bamboozling those who did not understand your loquaciousness. Despite your occasional sermons, however, you usually came through when it mattered, delivering on your promises, saving me a dollar or two, and making our conversations enjoyable. Ken Anderberg

Now, you have been replaced. Not that you are gone, just that your place in my world has been minimized since we first met. There is someone else who now has my attention, and you are just part of the conversation. So, while I do not say goodbye, for you are still in my life, I do recognize that a friend with more possibilities has usurped your importance.

My friend of eight years-voice over IP (aka, VoIP)-is now taking a back seat to the next big thing in voice communications-unified communications. Two years ago, Cisco's John Chambers touted the coming of unified communications as the next great enterprise communications revolution. Today, finally, unified communications (UC) has replaced voice over IP in the jargon of telephony vendors.

In fact, VoIP has become just one function within the unified communications universe, alongside other messaging options-instant messaging, video, e-mail, voice mail, short message services and presence. And judging by the recent VoiceCon show in Orlando, UC is about to take off, as Chambers predicted, in enterprise networks.

But do not despair just yet, VoIP, because research shows that most enterprises have yet to embrace you fully but intend to do so over the next few years. You still have friends out there, and those who would like to get to know you better. That UC trend might be real, but there are miles to go before even your presence is fully intertwined in enterprise voice networks.

Surely, you will have to share the attention with UC with many of your future friends, but I understand UC works well with others, so the partnership should not be too much of a strain. It's just that the conversations may start referring to you as one of many other acquantainces.

From my standpoint, though, you will always hold a place dear to my heart-and to my ears.

kanderberg@comnews.com