Confusion still surrounds the definition and benefits of unified communications, according to a recent Forrester report.

More than half of respondents to a survey, which questioned 2,187 US and European companies, also indicated that they were confused as to the value of unified communications.

While more than half of respondents are evaluating or piloting unified communications, just one in 10 have actually deployed the platforms.

"There has been a 21 per cent increase in unified communications pilots since 2007 but no increase in firms buying," said Forrester analyst and survey author Ellen Daley.

"A lot of people are talking about it, a lot more are tipping their toe in, but at the same time they are not sure about the value."

Daley explained that Forrester regularly fields inquiries from organisations asking what unified communications actually involves.

"Because they are not able to define it very clearly for themselves, and the supplier landscape is confusing, this translates to confusion about what it does for their company," she said.

The Forrester report revealed that mobility is considered a more pressing issue for enterprises in 2008.

Some 64 per cent of respondents listed mobility support for employees as a 'priority' and nearly one in five as a 'critical priority'.