Cisco Hosted Unified Communications Services vs. Sangoma Communications Platform

It is well suited for: Clients with call managers that want to continue using Cisco and want to minimize the new CAPEX. Clients that want to outsource the platform management and support. Clients that have a variation on the number of extensions. Although, Cisco HCS, is a solution that has a higher opex than the ones supported in ISP IP Centrex.

Incentivized

We can even use the switchboard option if we are completely online and not using the phone. We can transfer calls by using the online switchboard as well as see who is on the phone or not at that time.

Incentivized

• VoIP best practices
• UC and IM
• Centralized management and provisioning
• Reduced OPEX/CAPEX in the implementation
• Security and integration with other UC platforms using SIP (Except Lync)

Incentivized

• Allows us to forward phones internally or externally.
• Allows us to set up our favorite contacts to sync up on telephone screen for quick calls.

Incentivized

• Integration with contact center plaforms
• Integration with other UC platforms
• Lower the tennant size and clusters capacity
• Cisco's pressure to buy more and more licences, even not having a stale client pipeline (From the ISP point of view)

Incentivized

• I've installed quite a few of these systems for a number of customers, and I've found a number of times having access to the second Ethernet port on some of the larger systems, and the ability to do some sort of static routing, and firewall functionality. I would love to have the ability to connect one port to the carrier's cpe router, and the other port to the customer's network.
• I've worked with Voip products for a number of years, and various asterisk iterations. I'd like to see more access to the asterisk cli for troubleshooting, and/or potentially some sort of shell access.
• I'd like to see the Digum Switchvox phones have vpn functionality. It would be great to deploy a field office with a pre-provisioned phone that automatically connects back to the corporate network via a secure vpn tunnel from most internet connections. Currently we either use a softphone, manually program a Cisco phone that does have the capability, or deploy an semi expensive router that support a secure tunnel. It would be much easier to sell a customer on a remote office and a fancy Digium phone, if they didn't need the extra hardware.

I have not had to use Support yet, so I did not rate this. I have not had to reach out for anything.

Incentivized

Cisco HCS platform is to be seen as a centralized UC platforms, that can be scalable as an IP Centrex solution and as rich in functionalities as a Cisco CUCM. If you're looking for a solution and your main focus is IM & P functionalities rather than voice, Lync is a good solution. If your focus is voice and telephony, Cisco is a better solution

Incentivized

I've installed, and maintained a number of different phone systems over the last few years, including nationwide level Voip service providers relying entirely on custom built Asterisk systems, to SOHO systems connected to cloud level services. So far Digium Switchvox has been one of my favorites when it comes to ease of use, customer service, and over all reliability. While there are a few things I'd like to see done a little differently, updates are released frequently with fixes, and new features.

• Reduces the need to have a higher CAPEX in order to buy all the licenses at the start of the project.
• The licensing is perpetual, the only associated cost with the licenses are SWSS.
• Desktop sharing isn't a functionality.
• Cisco SMB series can be used only with the higher cost licensing (Foundation/Standard).

Incentivized

• Our in house system has allowed us to grow as our needs have grown. It takes no time to turn up a new phone and get a fresh employee taking calls, and saves us a call to an outside consultant every time we want to make a change to the phone system.
• Previously a receptionist's time would be utilized for directing incoming calls to their destinations, demanding the need for multiple staff member to handle call volumes. With Digium Switchvox we were able to implement a few Interactive Voice Response menus so callers could reach their intended destination without the need for human intervention, allowing us to better utilize the time of our employees.
• Thanks to installing our own system, and enjoying it so much, we were able to take that knowledge and return it back to the company selling, installing, and maintaining Digium Switchvox systems.