application / noun 1 a computer program designed to fulfil a particular purpose.
A converged voice and data network without applications is like a car engine without the bodywork of the car. The engine works, but it doesn’t take you anywhere. Adding the controls, the bodywork and the interior allows the engine to perform and be used as a means of transport. Applications have the same effect on a telephone system. They transform it from a call making and taking piece of equipment to a system which pumps information around the business, empowering users with the knowledge they need.
The range of telephony applications is endless and it’s only constrained by the human imagination. But in reality, there are some very basic applications which we all take for granted like voicemail and caller ID. The more advanced applications, although advanced doesn’t mean difficult, like unified communications and collaboration are rapidly growing as businesses look to become more flexible and more productive during the working day.
