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Blog • • 4 minute read

Cloud Calling for Organizations with Cisco UCM

The time is right for organizations with on-premise calling to re-examine their strategy. Webex Calling offers a simple, efficient and compelling path forward.

In this blog

  1. Cloud-native calling
  2. Summary and next steps

For organizations still using on-premise Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UCM) systems, the transition to cloud-based calling solutions like Webex Calling offers a transformative opportunity. This blog explores the key advantages of Webex Calling, compares it to traditional UCM deployments, and highlights critical capabilities such as monitoring, troubleshooting, and compliance.

 Cloud-native calling

Webex Calling offers a scalable platform that adapts to changing business needs, supporting remote work and hybrid models. This flexibility is challenging to achieve with on-premise systems, which may require significant infrastructure changes. It also offers the best access to Cisco's AI technology.

 Migration pressures

  • Cloud-first IT strategies are becoming the norm, pushing organizations to reduce reliance on physical infrastructure.
  • Data center space constraints and operating costs are a hidden tax on premise deployments.
  • Technical debt from legacy deployments is increasingly unsustainable.
  • Hypervisor strategy shifts, driven by external vendors, are prompting organizations to re-evaluate the total cost of ownership of on-premises solutions.

 Platform simplicity

Compared to Cisco UCM, Webex Calling has native support for important features that once required complex, expensive add-ons:

  • Native E911 support with RedSky, for compliance with Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act
  • Native support for hybrid and remote work, without Expressway
  • Built-in paging through desktop endpoints
  • Built-in support for simple contact centers
  • Native call performance analytics through Webex Control Hub
  • Basic call recording for any user, with options to integrate other recording platforms

For administrators accustomed to Cisco UCM, Webex Calling eliminates the expense of on-premises hardware and software upgrade cycles. Virtually all certificate management is automated. All endpoints are under cloud firmware management with automatic updates, from the largest room devices to the simplest lobby/guest phone, and even headsets. 

 Cost efficiency

Transitioning to Webex Calling reduces many costs associated with on-premise systems.

  • Designed for "over the top" connectivity using inexpensive Internet transport. There are no Equinix transport costs for most customers, though dedicated connectivity is available for customers with special requirements.
  • No costs for server hardware, data center footprint or hosting.
  • Optionally, for many customers, no on-site PSTN gateways are needed.
  • For those considering a strategic shift away from on-premises hypervisors, Webex Calling offers an escape from hypervisor lock-in.
  • Portability of almost all supported on-premise endpoints, and a variety of new, lower-cost cloud-native desktop and wireless endpoints.

 Scalability and flexibility

Webex Calling can be deployed and scaled at speeds simply not available on-premise. Test and trial deployments are available online in minutes, and full production deployments can be set up in just a few days. This speed can't be matched by on-premises deployments that require hardware to be budgeted, procured and physically installed.

 Georedundancy and disaster recovery

With a natively georedundant architecture, Webex Calling provides high availability and disaster recovery. Hosted across multiple global data centers, it offers resilience that on-premise systems like Cisco UCM can only achieve at significant expense.

 Enhanced user experience

With a modern interface and intelligent capabilities, Webex Calling integrates seamlessly with business applications like Office 365 and Google Docs. Webex Calling also provides the best access to Cisco's AI technology, including the Webex AI Codec and Webex AI Assistant.

Webex Calling also offers fully seamless mobile experiences with Webex Go. Compared to Single Number Reachability on Cisco UCM, Webex Go offers better carrier and handset integration, a more reliable experience, and support for compliance requirements such as call recording.

 Summary and next steps

Webex Calling offers a compelling solution for organizations looking to modernize their communication infrastructure. Its feature set, cost efficiency and flexibility make it an excellent calling platform for organizations of any type. For organizations using Cisco UCM on-premise today, Webex Calling is a natural path forward.

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