To test for the best cloud phone systems we searched for a range of popular options as well as took recommendations from people we know who use cloud phone systems regularly. We then tried each platform to see how user-friendly each was, as well as determine what range of tools and advanced options were available. Pricing also came into account when determining our best list.
New Jersey, N.J., July 11, 2022 The Unified Communication and Collaboration Market research report provides all the information related to the industry. It gives the outlook of the market by giving authentic data to its client which helps to make essential decisions. It gives an overview of the market which includes its definition, applications and developments, and manufacturing technology. This Unified Communication and Collaboration market research report tracks all the accurate developments and innovations in the market. It gives the data regarding the obstacles while establishing the business and guides to overcome the upcoming challenges and obstacles.
Unified communications and collaboration (UCC) describes the combination of communications and collaboration technologies. Until recently, enterprise collaboration vendors were fairly distinct from those for enterprise communications, with software companies like Microsoft and IBM dominating the former and telephony and networking vendors comprising the latter. However, this distinction has become blurred because Microsoft and IBM offer voice and telephony features and vendors like Cisco have moved into the collaboration market.
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Competitive landscape:
This Unified Communication and Collaboration research report throws light on the major market players thriving in the market; it tracks their business strategies, financial status, and upcoming products.
Some of the Top companies Influencing this Market include:Avaya, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, 88, Aastra Technologies, Huawei, BroadSoft, Damovo, Dell, Genesys, HPE, Juniper Networks, Logitech International, Orange, Polycom, Verizon,
Market Scenario:
Firstly, this Unified Communication and Collaboration research report introduces the market by providing an overview which includes definition, applications, product launches, developments, challenges, and regions. The market is forecasted to reveal strong development by driven consumption in various markets. An analysis of the current market designs and other basic characteristics is provided in the Unified Communication and Collaboration report.
Regional Coverage:
The region-wise coverage of the market is mentioned in the report, mainly focusing on the regions:
- North America
- South America
- Asia and Pacific region
- Middle East and Africa
- Europe
Segmentation Analysis of the market
The market is segmented on the basis of the type, product, end users, raw materials, etc. the segmentation helps to deliver a precise explanation of the market
Market Segmentation: By Type
Collaboration
Telephone
Unified Messaging
Conferencing
Services and Tools
Market Segmentation: By Application
Enterprise Collaboration
Enterprise Telephony
Contact Center
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An assessment of the market attractiveness with regard to the competition that new players and products are likely to present to older ones has been provided in the publication. The research report also mentions the innovations, new developments, marketing strategies, branding techniques, and products of the key participants present in the global Unified Communication and Collaboration market. To present a clear vision of the market the competitive landscape has been thoroughly analyzed utilizing the value chain analysis. The opportunities and threats present in the future for the key market players have also been emphasized in the publication.
This report aims to provide:
- A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the current trends, dynamics, and estimations from 2022 to 2029.
- The analysis tools such as SWOT analysis, and Porter’s five force analysis are utilized which explain the potency of the buyers and suppliers to make profit-oriented decisions and strengthen their business.
- The in-depth analysis of the market segmentation helps to identify the prevailing market opportunities.
- In the end, this Unified Communication and Collaboration report helps to save you time and money by delivering unbiased information under one roof.
Table of Contents
Global Unified Communication and Collaboration Market Research Report 2022 – 2029
Chapter 1 Unified Communication and Collaboration Market Overview
Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry
Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers
Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region
Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions
Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type
Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application
Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis
Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers
Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders
Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis
Chapter 12 Global Unified Communication and Collaboration Market Forecast
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Is Avaya a good phone system?
4. Overall, I supply this rating. In comparison with our other business phone services providers, Avaya's platform, capabilities, and level of sophistication are unrivaled. outstanding customer service, choosing this product is simple.
Did Ring Central buy Avaya?
Avaya will not be acquired; instead, it will form a strategic partnership with RingCentral to launch a new unified communications as a service (UCaaS) offering. UCaaS solutions provided by RingCentral will be provided exclusively through Avaya under the terms of the contract, which involves RingCentral contributing $500 million to the deal.
How much does an Avaya license cost?
About 20% of a new license, the Global List Price for Standard Upgrade is $42/user and Enterprise Upgrade is $58/user. There is now an easier way to upgrade your Call Center Elite. In Avaya, there was once a choice of six options.
How much is Avaya phone?
This item Avaya 9608 IP PhoneAvaya 9508 Digital Phone - 700504842Price$7800$12190Sold ByPBS SuppliesTelliaItem Dimensions1 x 1 x 1 inches1.97 x 1.97 x 1.97 inchesItem Weight2.65 lbs7.05 ounces
Is Avaya any good?
4. Overall, I supply this rating. When compared to most of our other business phone providers, Avaya provides systems, capabilities, and a level of sophistication that are unrivaled. outstanding customer service, choosing this product is simple.
What is Avaya Softphone?
With the Avaya softphone, you don't need a physical phone on your desk. You use it on your PC, not a phone line. Your computer's microphone and speakers are used for making & receiving calls. Computers must be physically connected to the Internet in order to use it.
Is Avaya a PBX phone system?
In your office you are probably familiar with the traditional business telephone systems such as PBXs that Avaya offers to its partners. This is an excellent option for smaller organizations looking for basic features such as voice mail and dial tone. However, the limited integration with computer networks makes them less useful for large organizations.
What is Avaya IP Office?
IP Office from Avaya is the best communications tool for any small or medium business, whether you have 10, 100 or 1000 employees, are just starting up or have several offices; you can easily tailor IPO to your goals and reduce administrative overhead.
What type of phone system is Avaya?
IP Office phone systems from Avaya allow your employees to manage all their communication needs on any device -- laptop, smartphone, office phone, or home phone -- whether they are connected via wired, wireless, or broadband.
Can I use Avaya phone at home?
The Avaya Collaboration Unit can convert any TV or video display into a video room as soon as you connect it to Avaya Spaces. Setup is easy, use is easy, and it's cheap to run.
What is an Avaya phone?
An encyclopedia article from Wikipedia. Phone model 1140E, manufactured by Avaya. In telecommunications, Avaya IP Phone 1140E is an ISP client from the 1100-series. UNISTIM or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) are the two protocols that can be used with the phone.
What kind of phone system is Avaya?
leading provider of cloud-based business communications tools that offer multiple services to meet the needs of small and medium-sized companies alike. The company's two main platforms, Avaya IX Workplace and Avaya Cloud Office, offer a number of tools for collaboration, call management, and mobile management.
How does the Avaya phone system work?
Avaya communication products: how do they communication products work for you? Avaya employs a converged network that integrates data and voice, and their IP technology connects your system to the internet. As a result, you can expand without having to add more cables or phone lines while still having a complete business communication system.
Who owns Avaya phone systems?
The private equity firms TPG Capital and Silver Lake Partners acquired Avaya for $8 billion in October 2007. Two billion dollars.
Does Avaya own RingCentral?
RingCentral recently announced that it will be Avaya's exclusive UCaaS provider.
Who acquired RingCentral?
Cisco has acquired the enterprise software company Dashbase, in a move that will enhance its AppDynamics analytics. While RingCentral closed the video deal today, Cisco revealed its acquisition of Dashbase.
What is the cost of Avaya?
| Was: | $79.00 Details |
| Price: | $72.60 |
| You Save: | $6.40 (8%) |
Does Avaya provide phone service?
Converged Communication Systems and the Converged Global Services Team assist small-to-medium-sized businesses and large corporations with national phone system support and telephone or data equipment maintenance.
Is Avaya doing well?
During Avaya's Q3 2020 earnings call this week, the unified communications giant revealed it beat its own sales records in the software, cloud, and subscription markets. In the third quarter of 2013, 89 percent of Avaya's revenue was generated by its software and services.
How much does a VoIP phone system cost?
Depending on the number of extensions, VoIP phone systems can cost anything from $99.50 to $400.00. Typically, monthly fees for maintenance, service, and other things range from $20 to $30 per extension.
Who is going to buy Avaya?
The private equity firms TPG Capital and Silver Lake Partners acquired Avaya for $8 billion in October 2007. Two billion dollars. According to court records, Avaya filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 19, 2017. It was re-listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as AVYA on December 15, 2017.
What is Avaya cloud office by RingCentral?
RingCentral, the provider of Avaya Cloud Office by Avaya, is a comprehensive UCaaS solution. Various kits are available, including a kit designed specifically for the Education sector. Whether your employees are in the office or on the road, RingCentral's Avaya Cloud Office delivers the telephony and collaboration capabilities they need.
Did Avaya get bought out?
The US$8. Avaya Inc. is being acquired for $2 billion. A telecom analyst suggests that the company could shift its focus toward offering more software-based integrated services.
Is Avaya space free?
Get 60 days free of charge when you create an online classroom with Avaya Spaces. Offering an always on, easily scalable online classroom, Avaya Spaces can be used by everyone. Now you can try our free 60-day trial.
What is Avaya support?
Avaya / Customer service (866) 282-9248
Sundry Photography
Overview
The once high-flying telecommunications company Avaya (NYSE:AVYA) appears to be in trouble once again. The Silicon Valley company, which spun off from Lucent Technologies in 2000, filed for bankruptcy in 2016 after being unable to serve its debt. A year later, the company emerged from debt restructuring after slashing its debt load by nearly $3 billion.
Fast forward, the company listed on the New York Stock Exchange just 12 months after filing for bankruptcy. Now, the company which competes with heavy-weights including Microsoft (MSFT) and Cisco (CSCO) by offering unified communications and collaboration, has dropped over 90% year-over-year as rising interest rates put pressure on Avaya's high debt load and increases the risk of bankruptcy. Nevertheless, Avaya is working relentlessly on restructuring its business model toward a recurring Cloud-based model, which is growing at a tremendous rate. More importantly, at current levels, shares are priced for a bankruptcy scenario, although Avaya has minimum liquidity to serve debt for at least 2 more years, regardless of having to raise more debt in the future. Therefore, Avaya currently represents an enormous asymmetrical opportunity, with a favorable risk/reward profile. The downside is capped at 100% in the case of bankruptcy, while shares could easily multiply many times in the case of a successful business transition and positive free cash flow generation.
Q2 Earnings
Avaya shares are down over 60% since reporting its Q2 earnings, despite demonstrating a successful and accelerating transition towards its Cloud business. Overall, Avaya posted revenues of $716 million for the quarter, down by 2% on a constant currency basis, missing estimates by roughly 3%. The company reported earnings per share of $0.53, compared to estimates of $0.61 per share. However, this was expected as an outcome of the company's accelerated success in moving to a recurring revenue model which is resulting in higher working capital requirements.
Here, OneCloud ARR was $750 million, up 21% sequentially and 118% year-over-year. As part of OneCloud, CAPS (Cloud, Alliance, Partner and Subscription) was 54% of revenue, up from 40% a year ago. Overall recurring revenue was 69% of revenue, up from 66% last year. Adjusted EBITDA was $145 million, 20% of revenue, while cash from operations was $(2) million, an improvement from Q2 2021, when cash from operations was $(24) million. Overall, Avaya posted $1 million net loss and Non-GAPP Net Income of $51 million.
Avaya IR
We drove record growth for Avaya OneCloud ARR with a $130 million quarter over quarter increase and an over $400 million year over year increase, to $750 million. The path to hit the $1 billion ARR mark by the end of calendar year 2022 is well paved. We are successfully repositioning the company from our historic one-time revenue model to a recurring one, in fact 75% of our new bookings were Avaya OneCloud. Our strategy is clearly taking hold faster than we anticipated leading to a significant and fundamental shift in our business. - Jim Chrico, CEO Avaya
The company ended the quarter with $2.3 billion in remaining performance obligations and added over 1400 new customers. Over 95% of OneCloud ARR came from customers generating $100,000 or more, demonstrating a highly diversified client base. For the full year, Avaya expects revenue between $2.8-$2.85 billion and OneCloud ARR in the range of $940 million to $960 million. GAAP-Operating Income is expected to be between $80 million to $100 million with adjusted EBITDA in the range of $580 million to $600 million, representing a 21% margin.
Business Transition
Avaya Investor Presentation
After exiting bankruptcy and listing on the New York Stock Exchange, CEO Jim Chirico noted that the IPO would free up to $300 million to spend on R&D to drive future growth. However, he also noted that Avaya has to act differently by investing in the future of the cloud era. By doing so, it introduced its OneCloud product in 2020, talking up the company's vision for artificial intelligence, IoT, and blockchain through which the company hopes to make a mark. Recently, it launched its public cloud offering outside of the US, bringing its Pure Cloud product to Europe.
What Is Avaya OneCloud?
Avaya IR
As Avaya is shifting its business model from a perpetual revenue model to a subscription business, it's transforming from a legacy hardware business to a software as a service vendor. This transformation is built upon its experience platform Avaya OneCloud which incorporates three main segments including Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), Unified Communications as a service (UCaaS) and Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) or Anything as a service (XaaS) to deliver cloud architecture.
Through these segments, Avaya offers a unified communications platform that brings voice, video and data together into a single, unified platform. It allows businesses to scale up or down their UCaaS and CCaaS solutions as needed through a Pay-As-You-Go Model, similar to AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud (GOOG) (GOOGL). Since, pay-as-you-go models are extremely powerful for both companies and customers, they require a certain scale to be profitable and might initially drag on profitability as seen with Avaya in past quarters. Furthermore, Avaya has partnered with leading cloud platforms including Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud and IBM (IBM) to offer organizations more flexibility in increasing their productivity and customer engagement trough additional scale.
Our strategic partnership with Microsoft is an important milestone in our continued transformation to a cloud business model. The global scale of Microsoft helps ensure that our joint customers rapidly deploy Avaya OneCloud solutions in any cloud environment of their choice with speed, agility and cost competitiveness. This represents a tremendous opportunity for customers to accelerate their journey to the cloud, and a tremendous opportunity for Avaya to expand our go-to-market reach through the co-selling efforts we have identified with our trusted partner -David Austin, Senior Vice President Avaya.
Within just under two years, Avaya has grown its OneCloud subscription platform from just $35 million to $750 million in ARR and expects to hit the $1 billion mark in early 2023. It expects to hit $2 billion by 2024, which would be roughly 70% of its current total revenue. In the past, bears have noted that the stellar growth in subscription revenue has come from simply flipping the install base from perpetual to subscription, which means the growth trajectory could soon come to an end.
Avaya IR
However, Avaya's subscription model is growing exponentially as seen in its sequential quarter-to-quarter growth. Before Q2 2022, its highest sequential growth was $105 million from Q3 21' to Q4 21'. This quarter OneCloud grew by a staggering $130 million, demonstrating a steep exponential curve. If it was true that the growth really only came from switching existing seats to its subscription model, the growth curve would already be flattening, considering that $750 million would come close to 50% of its current total revenues. Moreover, as noted before, Avaya added over 1400 new customer last quarter alone, meaning it's still growing its existing seats.
Avaya IR
Even if OneCloud would stop growing at $2 billion in ARR, I would not be too concerned as switching existing customers to a subscription-based model would result in higher long-term margins due to lower fixed costs. For instance, Adobe (ADBE) transitioned its business model to a subscription-based service in 2012, by releasing its Creative Cloud. Within years of launch it hit over $4 billion in ARR and is has now grown to over $10 billion. As a result of significantly lower fixed costs, Adobe's net profit margins swelled from just 5% in 2014 to nearly 40% in 2021. It is unrealistic to assume Avaya will achieve anywhere near those profit margins in the future, simply due to its heavy indebtedness, but it is certainly the right strategy to increase free cash flow over the long-term.
Asymmetrical Risk/Reward Valuation
What's most intriguing about Avaya as an investment opportunity is not the fact that the business is transforming towards a software subscription model, but rather just about how cheap shares are trading at the moment. At its current market cap of around $160 million, Avaya is priced for immediate bankruptcy, although this is simply not the case. When subtracting all liabilities (including its debt) from Avaya's Assets, its current shareholder's equity stands at $563M. This translates to a book value of less than 0.3; in other words, Avaya's book value per share should be at least $5-$6, based on its assets alone, regardless of its transitioning core business.
Certainly, Avaya's current free cash flow appears frightening considering its heavy indebtedness. However, Avaya still has around $320 million in Cash & Equivalents on hand and just secured $600 million in new financing which will significantly increase its short term liquidity (more on that later). Currently, Avaya's total interest expenses amount to $214 million per year. Thus, even at the current cash burn rate, Avaya has the required liquidity to serve its interest expenses for at least two more years. However, its cash burn will likely Strengthen as a result of its subscription business reaching scale. However, the market is currently pricing in a doomsday scenario.
Avaya's current situation may draw some similarities to GameStop's (GME) short squeeze in early 2021. While the situation was different due to GameStop's heavy short interest and positive free cash flow generation, they do also share striking similarities. For one, GameStop was also a struggling company that failed to adjust its business model, which caused revenues and profits to drop. Second, the company was restructuring its business to stay competitive, by shifting its business towards digital sales. Third, GameStop also had heavy indebtedness and bears warned from potential bankruptcy. Finally, GameStop also appeared severely undervalued based on its past valuation metrics. For instance, the company traded at a book value of less than 1x and less than its annual free cash flow. It also traded at just 0.06 times Sales, compared to its long-time average of 0.25-0.35x. In comparison, Avaya traded at 0.6x Price to Sales one year ago and now trades at only 0.05 times Price to Sales. In comparison, this is the same as Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), a struggling retailer with just half of Avaya's gross margins.
Avaya Investor Presentation
Chirico and his team sound like they've learned from previous mistakes, but the proof of that will be in the company's balance sheets in the years ahead. What looks interesting is the fact that Avaya increases its R&D spend compared to last year, despite being in a troublesome financial situation. It also barely cut back on S&G expenses, which makes sense considering it's trying to grow its subscription business by winning new logos. As OneCloud reaches a certain scale, it is plausible to expect S&G expenses to drop slightly, say roughly 10%. Without the $108 million in annual interest expenses, Avaya would actually be profitable as shown by its Operating Income of $22 million. If Avaya cuts $50 million in S&G expenses, its annual cash burn would narrow significantly. However, the fact that Avaya has actual increased expenses, points to high management optimism regarding its available liquidity.
Avaya Bonds (Morningstar)
Now, the company has just priced $600 million in aggregate principal amount of new Senior Secured Term Loans, all due in 2027. These funds will provide fresh liquidity to fund June 2023 maturities, which are all triple C rated, which means they fall in the category junk bonds.
Colorado Financial Management
Avaya's credit rating remained unaffected by its upsized financing, but downgraded Avaya's senior secured first-lien issue ratings to BB- from BB as Avaya is 'experiencing near-term effects on revenue and cash generation due to a faster-than expected shift to a cloud/subscription-based model'. However, while the near-term impacts of the shift to subscription pressure the credit profile, Fitch 'views the momentum in subscription, cloud-based offerings, and OneCloud's annual recurring revenues (ARR) as a longer term positive, provided the company successfully navigates the transition.' (Fitch Ratings)
We are pleased with the successful execution of this financing. This funding supports and accelerates our business model transformation and addresses our convertible notes maturing in June of next year - Kieran McGrath, Chief Financial Officer, Avaya.
Avaya Debt Structure (Avaya IR)
So overall, the vast majority of Avaya's debt doesn't come due until 2028 and its 2023 triple C bonds have been refinanced. Its 2028 bonds are triple B rated, yet Avaya trades like its bonds are CC or even DDD rated and are already in default.
Conclusion
Avaya is a speculative bet - there is no arguing about that. However, with higher risk and volatility comes higher potential reward. For a speculative bet, the risk/reward profile appears attractive. And sure, the principles also works the other way around, meaning the chances for a loss are much higher than on average. Certainly, the same can be said about every 'penny stock' out there with enormous potential upside. The difference is, however, that Avaya is an established IT provider with thousands of employees, customers and a proven business model that is transitioning quickly towards a more sustainable and competitive one.
At current prices, Investors have the opportunity buying into shares trading at a >150% discount in book value. The stock trades at levels as Chapter 11 is imminent and inevitable. The truth is, however, that Avaya has just successfully refinanced its soon-maturing debt and has until 2028 to repay its remaining debt. At the same time, management is expecting OneCloud to reach $2 Billion in ARR, which should soon reflect in improving cash flows. Even if the company was to default on its debt, competitors such as Twilio (TWLO), RingCentral (RNG), Cisco, or even Microsoft would likely agree to pay more than $160 million for Avaya's existing communication infrastructure, and large customer base to expand competitive advantages.
Regardless of that, Avaya is still a speculative bet and I would personally not allocate more than 1%-5% of my portfolio in a position, so that in case of bankruptcy the overall portfolio would not suffer too much. Another strategy could be using call options, for instance through Out of the Money (OTM) options to take advantage of the high upside potential, without risking too much capital.
New Jersey, N.J., June 17, 2022 The Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Market research report provides all the information related to the industry. It gives the outlook of the market by giving authentic data to its client which helps to make essential decisions. It gives an overview of the market which includes its definition, applications and developments, and manufacturing technology. This Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) market research report tracks all the accurate developments and innovations in the market. It gives the data regarding the obstacles while establishing the business and guides to overcome the upcoming challenges and obstacles.
Unified Communications (UC), also known as Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC), combines essential communications, audio, video, and collaboration technologies to bring people together in virtual and on-premises meeting and workspaces. Enterprises have increased their deployment of UCC tools and services, ensuring business continuity and secure communications during the pandemic, which has resulted in significant market acceleration in the UCC space.
Get the PDF sample Copy (Including FULL TOC, Graphs, and Tables) of this report @:
https://www.a2zmarketresearch.com/sample-request/574430
Competitive landscape:
This Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) research report throws light on the major market players thriving in the market; it tracks their business strategies, financial status, and upcoming products.
Some of the Top companies Influencing this Market include:Avaya, Mitel, Microsoft, Cisco, NEC, ALE, Huawei, Unify, RingCentral, BT, West, Orange, Verizon, Google, Nextiva, Star2Star, Vonage
Market Scenario:
Firstly, this Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) research report introduces the market by providing an overview which includes definition, applications, product launches, developments, challenges, and regions. The market is forecasted to reveal strong development by driven consumption in various markets. An analysis of the current market designs and other basic characteristics is provided in the Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) report.
Regional Coverage:
The region-wise coverage of the market is mentioned in the report, mainly focusing on the regions:
- North America
- South America
- Asia and Pacific region
- Middle East and Africa
- Europe
Segmentation Analysis of the market
The market is segmented on the basis of the type, product, end users, raw materials, etc. the segmentation helps to deliver a precise explanation of the market
Market Segmentation: By Type
On-premise
Cloud
Market Segmentation: By Application
IT
Telecom
BFSI
Public Sector
Retail
Others
For Any Query or Customization: https://a2zmarketresearch.com/ask-for-customization/574430
An assessment of the market attractiveness with regard to the competition that new players and products are likely to present to older ones has been provided in the publication. The research report also mentions the innovations, new developments, marketing strategies, branding techniques, and products of the key participants present in the global Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) market. To present a clear vision of the market the competitive landscape has been thoroughly analyzed utilizing the value chain analysis. The opportunities and threats present in the future for the key market players have also been emphasized in the publication.
This report aims to provide:
- A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the current trends, dynamics, and estimations from 2022 to 2029.
- The analysis tools such as SWOT analysis, and Porter’s five force analysis are utilized which explain the potency of the buyers and suppliers to make profit-oriented decisions and strengthen their business.
- The in-depth analysis of the market segmentation helps to identify the prevailing market opportunities.
- In the end, this Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) report helps to save you time and money by delivering unbiased information under one roof.
Table of Contents
Global Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Market Research Report 2022 – 2029
Chapter 1 Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Market Overview
Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry
Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers
Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region
Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions
Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type
Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application
Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis
Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers
Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders
Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis
Chapter 12 Global Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Market Forecast
Buy Exclusive Report @: https://www.a2zmarketresearch.com/checkout
Contact Us:
Roger Smith
1887 WHITNEY MESA DR HENDERSON, NV 89014
+1 775 237 4147
Corporate voice and telephony services have transformed from traditional public-switched telephone networks (PSTNs) and private branch exchanges (PBXs) to voice over IP (VoIP) and IP PBXs, often combined with digital fax, videoconferencing, instant messaging and mobile communications. That means VoIP and telephony certifications now focus on digital communications, along with a good mix of IP networking protocols and methods to support such traffic and to maintain service quality.
In this article, we feature five solid VoIP and telephony certifications from Avaya, Certification Partners, Cisco, Digium (Asterisk) and Microsoft. Unified communications cover a lot of voice and telephony ground, and it adds video and other solutions to the lineup as well.
Salary is a significant consideration when deciding whether to pursue a VoIP and telephony certification. SimplyHired lists $106,149 as the average salary for a VoIP engineer, although Glassdoor‘s average for a VoIP engineer is noticeably lower at $83,772. Still, a salary just under $85,000 is a worthwhile goal in the industry, with a good growth path into more senior positions readily attainable.
To help determine our top five VoIP and telephony certifications, we performed an informal job board survey. That data indicates the number of job posts in which our featured certifications were mentioned on one specific day. The data should supply you an idea of the relative popularity of each certification. [Interested in Business Phone Systems? Check out our top picks.]
Job Board Search Results (in alphabetical order, by certification)
|
Certification |
Total |
||||
|
ACIS (Avaya) |
142 |
172 |
57 |
94 |
468 |
|
CCNP: Collaboration (Cisco) |
489 |
567 |
348 |
309 |
1,713 |
|
CTP (Certification Partners) |
64 |
25 |
101 |
167 |
357 |
|
dCAP (Asterisk) |
14 |
14 |
18 |
3 |
49 |
|
MCSE: Productivity (Microsoft) |
252 |
294 |
136 |
137 |
819 |
ACIS: Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist
Avaya is one of the leading solution providers of business communications and collaboration systems. As a spinoff of Lucent Technologies, itself an offspring of Bell Labs, Avaya’s roots are firmly planted in telephony. Certification solution tracks are currently offered in two concentrations: sales and sdesign, and services.
The Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist (ACIS) certification falls into the Services track and recognizes an individual’s ability to install, deploy, test and troubleshoot Avaya products at a beginning to intermediate skill level. Several credentials are available for the ACIS certification:
- Avaya IP Office Contact Center
- Avaya CallPilot
- Avaya Communication Server 1000 for Avaya Aura
- Avaya Aura Contact Center
- Avaya Aura Contact Center CCT and Multimedia
- Avaya Aura Call Center Elite – New
Candidates interested in the Sales and Design solution track should check out the Avaya Certified Design Specialist (ACDS), Avaya Professional Design Specialist (APDS) and the Avaya Professional Sales Specialist (APSS) certifications.
Note: Some Avaya credentials are available only to Avaya partners and associates, while others are open to all takers. See the Avaya Professional Credential Program Overview for details. Individuals not affiliated with a specific organization can create a “non-relationship” account on the Avaya Learning site to purchase a certification exam.
For most topics, Avaya recommends candidates have two years of experience in relevant technologies plus one more year implementing the core product. Each ACIS certification remains valid for two years.
ACIS facts and figures
|
Certification Name |
Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist (ACIS) |
|
Prerequisites & Required Courses |
Training recommended. Candidates should check the certification page for individual solution track for details. Training costs vary by solution track, but candidates can expect to pay $1,400 to $3,500 per course. Some tracks recommend multiple courses. |
|
Number of Exams |
One or more exams per credential. |
|
Cost per Exam |
Most exams are $125. Exams administered by Pearson VUE or online through the Avaya Learning Center. |
|
URL |
https://www.avaya-learning.com/lms/#/credentials/credential-program (Services Credentials category) |
|
Self-Study Materials |
Avaya Learning Partners offer training for each exam; costs range from $1,400 to $3,500 per course. |
CCNP Collaboration: Cisco Certified Network Professional Collaboration
Cisco remains one of the world’s dominant IP telephony players. Its Collaboration certifications are available at associate, professional and expert levels, where our top-five pick is the mid-level Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
The Collaboration certification portfolio is geared toward network professionals and network engineers who work with voice and video, particularly Cisco Collaboration solutions. Targeted skills include configuring and implementing Cisco Collaboration solutions, planning and designing video network collaborations, and maintaining implemented solutions.
Candidates are required to pass four exams to earn the CCNP Collaboration credential. Training is optional but recommended. Candidates can expect to pay about $3,800 for live classroom or virtual courses.
Recertification is required every three years for CCNPs. To maintain this credential, holders must pass any current 642-XXX or 300-XXX professional-level exam, any CCIE written exam, any CCDE written or practical exam, or the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and board review.
CCNP collaboration facts and figures
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Certification Name |
Cisco Certified Network Professional Collaboration (CCNP Collaboration) |
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Prerequisites & Required Courses |
A valid CCNA Collaboration certification or any Cisco CCIE or CCDE certification. Training recommended but not required. |
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Number of Exams |
Four exams: |
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Cost per Exam |
$300 per exam, $1,200 total. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
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URL |
|
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Self-Study Materials |
Cisco maintains links to the course syllabus, study groups, test prep materials, practice exams and more on the Cisco Learning Network Collaboration (CCNP) web page. test pages also contain links to instructor-led training and e-learning opportunities. Numerous collaboration publications are available through Cisco Press. |
CTP: Certification Partners Convergence Technologies Professional
The vendor-neutral CTP certification was developed by Certification Partners and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). It’s also endorsed by industry leaders such as Cisco, Avaya, Mitel, Toshiba and Vertical. Many of these leaders either accept the CTP as a stepping stone or prerequisite to their credential programs or recommend the CTP for training and preparation. Certification Partners maintains a complete list of endorsements from telecommunication leaders.
The CTP requires the successful completion of one test that focuses on methods, concepts and best practices in the following areas:
- Data and internet protocol (IP) networking for convergent networks
- Voice and telephony services, functions, and technologies
- Convergence technologies
Certification Partners also offers the Convergent Network Technologies (CCNT) certification, which aims at professionals who sell and support convergence services, as well as the CIW certifications in networking and security, web technologies and design and development. Candidates interested in working in the field of convergence who do not yet possess the requisite experience are advised to first obtain the CCNT credential and then gain the required experience.
Certification Partners does not require recertification to maintain the CTP.
CTP facts and figures
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Certification Name |
Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP) |
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Prerequisites & Required Courses |
CCNT recommended or a minimum of 18 to 24 months of experience in all three knowledge domain areas: Data and Internet Protocol Networking for Convergent Networks; Voice and Telephony Services, Functions and Technologies; and Convergence Technologies. |
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Number of Exams |
One exam: TT0-201 (administered through CTC Online), 65 questions, 90 minutes, 75 percent required to pass. |
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Cost per Exam |
$225 |
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URL |
http://www.ctpcertified.com/certification |
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Self-Study Materials |
CTP training is recommended; five-day instructor-led training, $3,395 (includes study guides and test voucher). CTP training products are available from the CTP store (student courseware $199). |
dCAP: Digium Certified Asterisk Professional
Since its humble beginnings as an open source project in 1999, Asterisk has grown exponentially and become a well-recognized and respected framework for communication and conference servers, VoIP gateways and IP PBX systems. Asterisk can be found in more than 170 countries, powering more than 2 million servers worldwide. Per Digium (which maintains Asterisk in conjunction with the Asterisk community), Asterisk runs in most of the Fortune 1000 companies.
With such widespread popularity, it’s only natural that professionals with Asterisk skills are in demand. To meet industry needs, Digium offers several training courses (Asterisk Essentials, Fast Start and Advanced), as well as the Digium Certified Asterisk Professional (dCAP) and Digium Certified Asterisk Administrator (dCAA) certifications.
The dCAP targets experienced Asterisk professionals. Candidates are expected to possess real-world experience (typically a minimum of three to 24 months), in-depth knowledge of Linux (basic administration, manipulating files and modifying configuration files) and Asterisk experience (installation, Asterisk dial plan format and syntax, use of basic CLI commands and registration of VoIP devices). Other recommended skills include basic programming and scripting languages (Perl, Bash, C and/or C++, for example) and an understanding of VoIP protocols.
Candidates must pass a two-part exam, which consists of a written test and a practical lab test (in which you configure a PBX), to earn the credential. While there are no prerequisites, the Asterisk Advanced training course is highly recommended before attempting the exam.
Although the Digium website doesn’t specify recertification requirements, dCAP certification is granted for a “specific released, stable version of Asterisk.”
dCAP Facts and Figures
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Certification Name |
Digium Certified Asterisk Professional (dCAP) |
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Prerequisites & Required Courses |
None required. Asterisk Advanced training course highly recommended, along with 3 to 24 months of real-world experience, working knowledge of setting up and maintaining an Asterisk server, and familiarity with Asterisk sample configuration files. (Training costs approximately $2,650.) |
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Number of Exams |
Two exams (115-question written exam, plus a practical lab exam). |
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Cost per Exam |
$510. Prices may vary by geography. |
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URL |
|
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Self-Study Materials |
Training courses available. Recommended reading: Asterisk: The Definitive Guide, 4th edition, by Russell Bryant, Leif Madsen and Jim Van Meggelen. O’Reilly Media: May 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1-4493-3242-6 ($46.99 for eBook, $54.99 for print version). |
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert): Productivity
Microsoft rolled out several new MCSE certifications in 2016, including the MCSE: Productivity. Although this certification is geared toward enterprise-grade hybrid and cloud solutions for Microsoft Office, it allows candidates to specialize in any of several Microsoft technologies, including Skype for Business.
To obtain the MCSE: Productivity credential, candidates must first obtain the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification. Then, they must pass an elective test from an approved list. Currently, there are eight different exams to choose from. In addition, Microsoft recommends at least three years of experience.
The MCSE: Productivity credential doesn’t expire. However, credential holders are encouraged to re-earn the certification each year by passing another elective exam. Doing so indicates your desire to stay current on technologies and broaden your skillset, and you’ll post another entry to your certification transcript.
MSCE Productivity facts and figures
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Certification Name |
MCSE: Productivity |
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Prerequisites & Required Courses |
MCSA: Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification. |
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Number of Exams |
Candidates must pass one of the following exams: |
|
Cost per Exam |
$165 per exam. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
|
URL |
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcse-productivity-certification.aspx |
|
Self-Study Materials |
Microsoft Learning provides links to training, practice exams by third-party vendors (including MeasureUp), case studies, test study groups and more. Links to community support forums and other resources are listed on each test web page. Microsoft also offers various training options through its Microsoft Official Courses On-Demand (MOC On-Demand) program. |
Beyond the top five: More VoIP and telephony certifications
The SIP School, a part of Vocale Ltd. in the U.K., offers a range of affordable, vendor-neutral VoIP and SIP certifications, including the SIP School VVoIP Professional (SSVVP). The SSVVP was on our top five list for the last few years but was replaced by the MCSE: Productivity in 2018, owing mainly to interest from employers.
The ZyXEL Certified Network Professional – VoIP (ZCNP VoIP) is another good certification, which is vendor-specific and therefore geared toward networking professionals who support ZyXEL products.
3CX offers a certification program for professionals who deploy, manage and support 3CX IP PBX systems. The 3CX credentials are offered in three tiers: basic, intermediate and advanced.
Lots of community colleges and universities offer network VoIP and telephony courses or certificate programs as well, such as Florida Community College, College of DuPage and Riverland Community College.
The former employee used an administrator account to generate and sell software licences. According to the indictment, €87 million’s worth was stolen.
The former employee and two partners are on trial in Oklahoma. The FBI conducted the investigation. The judge has yet to decide, but the evidence is overwhelming.
Brad Pearce was a long-term employee at one of Avaya’s US customer service departments. The former employee used his administrator account to generate tens of millions of euros in software licences. Pearce sold the licences to several resellers. His wife, Dusti Pearce, helped with accounting and money laundering. Jason Hines, owner of a resale company, was the largest client. The three face a hefty prison sentence.
Abuse
Avaya develops communication software for enterprises, call centers and SMEs. Avaya IP Office is a popular phone system among small and medium-sized companies. Customers can expand the basic product with licences. Whenever you need an extra telephone line or voicemail box, you call an authorized reseller and buy a licence code. At least, that’s the intended way.
There are several methods of acquiring software products outside of authorized resellers. Ten years back, it wasn’t uncommon for software boxes to fall out of trucks. Nowadays, no provider is crazy enough to work with CD-ROMs, but that doesn’t mean the black market disappeared. A data breach at a reseller can yield codes. Fraudsters feed the market as well, as exemplified by Brad Pearce.
Pearce’s administrator account provided access to the accounts of former employees. Pearce covered his tracks by hacking into the accounts. Codes were created on various accounts to avoid detection, which Pearce managed for years. The details of the lawsuit are private, making it difficult to determine the exact time that Avaya tracked the racket down.
Security policy raises questions
According to prosecutors, the defendants had an impact on the global market. Licence codes were sold far below retail price, reducing the demand for authorized codes. Prosecutors allege that the fraudsters made millions. The money was spent on gold blocks, among other things.
The lawsuit raises questions about Avaya’s security policies. It’s hard to believe that a customer service account provided access to software licenses, let alone the accounts of former employees.
Avaya is not the only victim. It’s impossible for resellers to compete with rock-bottom prices. Their revenues were affected. Avaya has yet to respond to the lawsuit.
The best cloud phone systems make it simple and easy to run a software-based PBX phone system in the cloud at a fraction of the cost of a hardware alternative.
The advantage of this is that it allows even small businesses access to phone features normally only affordable for enterprises, and work not just with the office phone system (opens in new tab) but also with employee smartphones (opens in new tab).
As cloud-based phone systems run through software and use VoIP for calls and communications, they can offer a cheaper service while delivering a richer range of additional features, such as software integrations and analytics.
Even better is that cloud phone systems only require you to pay for what you use, rather than having to invest in expensive on-premises hardware. This means that even small businesses can now access full-featured VoIP services (opens in new tab) for the office and even the home, which include features previously only enterprise companies could afford to build.
The outcome of all this is that a small business now have access to cloud-based phone services that can provide a wide range of advanced features, from Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) (opens in new tab) - for managing calls, messaging, and video conferencing (opens in new tab) - to cloud-based Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) (opens in new tab) services, all running on the same platform.
Overall, the digital transformation of the telecoms industry has vastly improved the range and accessibility of phone services for business. Here we'll feature the best cloud phone systems.
We've also featured the best VoIP service for home.
RingCentral MVP, formerly known as RingCentral Office, provides a cloud-based communications and collaboration platform for businesses of all sizes. The solution includes all PBX administration functions, Android and iOS apps and unlimited calling.
There is a comprehensive set of features included as standard, including call logging, monitoring, recording, and online faxing. It also offers HD voice and audio conferencing through mobile devices, as well as team collaboration through screen sharing and HD video for both tasks as well as video conferencing.
There are also options for expanding more advanced features such as UCaaS, CCaaS, and CPaaS (opens in new tab) to cover all aspects of communications. There's also a developer platform available to ensure that your service offers all of the features and connections you might ever imagine you need. And yet, all of these are available at a price affordable for small businesses.
RingCentral MVP offers several pricing tiers. All plans include unlimited phone calls, unlimited business SMS and mobile apps. They also offer unlimited video and audio meetings with screen sharing on both the desktop and mobile apps. However, the number of screen-sharing users is limited by the package you choose.
For enterprise business, subscribers can request a demo and a quote by filling out a form on the website.
Read our full RingCentral Office review.
Ooma Office is a cloud-based phone service that presents itself as a big business phone experience to small businesses, and is priced very well in this respect.
Ooma Office gives you all the core features you would expect, plus some more advanced functions like a virtual receptionist that allows for calls to be automatically directed to the right department.
Subscribers also benefit from hold and transfer music, and Ooma provides mobile apps for iOS and Android, so you can set up capabilities such as call forwarding, enabling calls to be sent from your desk phone to your mobile when you’re out and about. That said, some of the online feedback about the mobile apps isn’t great, so bear that in mind.
Generally speaking, though, Ooma gives you a lot of functionality for a relatively modest outlay. There’s no fuss – you get all the features with that one subscription plan – and what’s more the system is easy to set up and get going with.
Naturally, you don’t get everything compared to the feature-sets of the more costly rivals out there, and the most notable missing piece of the puzzle is a lack of CRM software (opens in new tab) integrations.
Read our full Ooma Office review.
GoToConnect represents the merger of LogMeIn's Jive VoIP platform and their GoTo conferencing platform into a single service offering that provides a comprehensive range of options.
General features include custom call routing, team-based call distribution, as well as time-based and geolocation routing to ensure that calls are picked up fast. Screen sharing and personal meeting rooms are a standard part of the package, and users can easily join in with a single click rather than wait around or have to generate a PIN.
What's even better is that rather than have differently priced plan levels with an increasing range of unlocked features, GoToConnect has a single pricing system based on the number of users. This could be especially welcome to small and medium-sized businesses who can enjoy all of the same features as an enterprise would, but without having to pay extra for the privilege.
Altogether, GoToConnect advertises itself as a unified communications and collaboration (opens in new tab) platform, that will surely work well for a lot of business set ups.
Read our full GoToConnect review.
Aircall is another cloud-hosted phone solution, which can be set up with just a few clicks. This then provides your business with a complete communications center for calls, video, and messaging from the web, desktop, or mobile.
Aircall also includes a wide range of CRM, helpdesk, and productivity (opens in new tab) functions, to help Strengthen how your sales and support teams handle calls, not least in terms of transferring them as well as approaching customers. And, as expected, there's an analytics suite to help gauge efficiency and track KPIs in workflows and look for ways to Strengthen them.
Because of this, Aircall also provides a large number of integrations, such as for SalesForce, Zendesk, Hubspot, Zoho, Freshdesk, and Slack. However, note that a minimum of three users is required to operate this service.
Overall, Aircall provides excellent functionality with a low cost cloud phone system that's easy to use and accessible for small businesses as well as enterprises.
Read our full Aircall review.
Dialpad has built its phone service for the cloud from the ground up, which means you avoid the issues that legacy providers have traditionally suffered from when trying to backward engineer their services.
Dialpad provides all the features you'd expect from a business phone system, such as voice, video, and messaging options, which can run from your existing devices using soft phone apps, and there are also options for automation, web conferencing, and an AI-powered call center platform.
Dialpad also advertises its Voice Intelligence feature, which uses AI to support human users through a combination of speech recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and real-time coaching. This allows transcripts and analytics to be automatically for all calls, making it easier to better learn and understand your business workflows and customer experiences (opens in new tab).
Overall, Dialpad offers a full-service cloud PBX platform for business users. Set up takes only a few minutes, and there's a 14-day free trial available.
Read our full Dialpad review.
8x8 offers a feature-packed bundle that means even with the most basic plan, you still have a comprehensive set of services as you'd expect with a full-blown business PBX system.
There's a comprehensive range of features in the starter 8x8 Express plan, which offers basic functionality for small businesses and start-ups, including all aspects of call handling, auto-attendant, as well as audio and video conferencing with screen sharing supported. Team messaging and SMS is also included, as is voicemail services which includes voicemail transcriptions. Integrations include Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
The X2 plan adds Single Sign On (SSO) (opens in new tab), along with integrations for Okta, call recordings, and unlimited fax. After that, the X Series X4 plan adds an operator switchboard, analytics, and call quality reporting, as well as extending unlimited calling from 14 to 47 countries. There are more advanced X6 and X8 plans aimed at enterprise use.
Read our full 8x8 X Series review.
Avaya OneCloud is the latest unified communications offering from Avaya, succeeding the previously successful IP Office platform and expanding its current Avaya IX Workplace and Contact Center range.
The service aims to create a truly scaleable solution using whichever cloud solution you're most comfortable with. For small and medium-sized businesses that are happy to rely on third-party suppliers, Avaya OneCloud can easily run through a public cloud, meaning that you receive continuous service and don't have to concern yourself with software upgrades or IT buy-ins.
Of course, Avaya OneCloud is more than just calls, and as a unified communications solution it means integrating all communications channels into a single system.
While the product name may have changed, Avaya have a solid track record in their expanded VoIP and UC service provisions, and the sheer scalability of the OneCloud solution has to be attractive, especially for enterprises.
Read our full Avaya Onecloud review.
Grasshopper offers a comprehensive cloud phone service platform for small businesses across North America.
The solution needs no hardware and is easy to setup. It is a virtual phone system. All calls are answered by an automated phone assistant, which then forwards them to the relevant person or department. Users can create a unique vanity 800 number upon registration. Grasshopper integrates with Skype, LiveChat, Google Voice, Zapier and Bitium.
Grasshopper has an app for both Android and iOS. Users will be able to receive calls through their business line from the app. The cheapest plan includes 1 number and 3 extensions. Additional plans offer additional numbers and extensions.
All plans offer business texting, online fax (opens in new tab), call forwarding, custom greetings, Wi-Fi calls, desktop, mobile apps and unlimited minutes.
Read our full Grasshopper review.
How we tested the best cloud phone system
Which cloud phone system is best for you?
When deciding which of the best cloud phone systems to use, first consider what actual needs you have. For example, someone simply wanting to talk to a handful of people on a casual basis may find a cheaper option is the most cost-effective while providing all of the necessary tools that would be required. However, if you're planning to use a cloud phone system for professional or business purposes, especially with a large number of people and on a regular basis, then you will probably want to look to the higher-end options for the more advanced tools that are included.
The best business phone service makes it simple and easy to manage a cost-effective and software-based business phone system .
Business phone services have changed radically over the past decade. VoIP services (opens in new tab) have now replaced the desk covered with a bank of phones.
The result is that employees can use their mobile devices on the go, using nothing more than an app to join with the corporation's network, whether for chat, conferencing, or even to manage online fax services (opens in new tab).
Set up is usually easy and very simple, as it requires little more than signing up to a digital service and then accessing it once paid for. While there may be some small configuration settings that need to be done, this can take only a few minutes. Once completed you now have a full service phone system that can scale up to as many employees as you need to cover.
Different services tiers are commonly offered, with cheaper plans offering essential features, with more expensive plans offering additional features if required.
Costs are usually based on a user basis rather than business turn-over, and though many phone service companies offer clear and flat-rate pricing, some providers will seek to provide a personalized quote instead which can often cost more while allowing for extra options not normally available.
Here then are the best business phone services, with our main choices featured, with additional options to consider following.
We've also featured the best IP phones.
RingCentral MVP promotes itself as an all-in-one solution for all business sizes, with a unified communications (opens in new tab) strategy that means plenty of integration options, from Google to Microsoft, Oracle to Amazon, and Zendesk to Salesforce.
The most basic tier offers call management and phone system administration, as well as phone rental options for conference phones and even desks.
However, it's the pricing tiers above this where RingCentral MVP really comes into its own with a comprehensive set of features that should be integral to any modern phone service.
RingCentral also provides Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) (opens in new tab) as well as Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) (opens in new tab), meaning that it can provide the enterprise experience for even small businesses.
On top of this, RingCentral can also deliver a Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) (opens in new tab), which means access to a developer network which allows you to use APIs to truly customize and integrate your phone system with other software you use.
Overall, though, which the cheaper plan probably delivers enough to satisfy the smallest businesses, it will be mid-sized and larger that will probably get the most from the incredible wealth of features that RingCentral MVP can provide.
Read our full RingCentral Office review.
Ooma Office is a business phone service which aims to deliver a big business phone experience to small businesses. Ooma might not have all the features found with rival services, but it presents itself as a solution for smaller firms with tighter budgets, and is positioned very well in this respect.
However, don’t get the idea that this is a barebones business phone service offering – in fact Ooma Office gives you all the core features you would expect, plus some more advanced functions like a virtual receptionist that allows for calls to be automatically directed to the right department.
Subscribers also benefit from hold and transfer music, and Ooma provides mobile apps for iOS and Android, so you can set up capabilities such as call forwarding, enabling calls to be sent from your desk phone to your mobile when you’re out and about. That said, some of the online feedback about the mobile apps isn’t great, so bear that in mind.
Generally speaking, though, Ooma gives you a lot of functionality for a relatively modest outlay, with the exception of CRM integrations.
Read our full Ooma Office review.
Aircall is another cloud-hosted business phone service solution, which can be set up with just a few clicks. This then provides your business with a complete communications center solution for calls, video, and messaging from the web, desktop, or mobile.
Aircall is also very easy to set up, and includes a wide range of CRM (opens in new tab), helpdesk (opens in new tab), and productivity (opens in new tab) functions to both support your phone service, as well as Strengthen how your sales and support teams handle calls, not least in terms of transferring them as well as approaching customers. And, as expected, there's an analytics suite to help gauge efficiency and track KPIs in workflows and look for ways to Strengthen them.
Because Aircall looks beyond providing just a business phone system and instead toward unified communications and CRM, it can provide better support for sales and support teams. There are also a large number of integrations available, not least for SalesForce, Zendesk, Hubspot, Zoho, Freshdesk, and Slack.
Read our full Aircall review.
Dialpad is especially known for its video and audio-conferencing software, Uberconference. Dialpad Talk is their VoIP system.
The basic tier offers single sign-on which is missing from a lot of other providers. The basic plan includes integrations such as Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) and Microsoft 365.
The pricing structure for Dialpad makes it much more accessible for businesses of any size, which is welcome as other providers favor enterprises over small businesses. Users can also try the service with a 14-day free trial. The annual subscriptions offer discounted monthly rates making it even more cost efficient.
Pricing is a lot more small business-friendly than some of the above, with even the most basic plan including toll free numbers, unlimited calling in US/Canada, call forwarding, call controls, HD video calling, call waiting, voicemail greeting, unlimited, SMS, MMS, group texting US and Canada.
Read our full Dialpad review.
Mitel offers a cloud-based business VoIP phone system in the form of MiCloud Connect, which aims to provide a comprehensive voice, collaboration, and contact center solution for business.
The platform itself operates using Google Cloud, which means that it satisfies HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance, Key benefits include the Mitel hosted PBX phone systems which can run on mobile devices on the go, plug and play service functionality, as well as a simple interface that allows for one-click management of systems.
MiCloud Connect also includes audio and video conferencing (opens in new tab), web sharing, VPN (opens in new tab), group chat, contact center, and includes a number of integration options.
The basic pricing tier includes PBX, conferencing, and collaboration tools. The next level up adds call recording and integration features on top. Note that advertised pricing is for 50-100 users and that a smaller number of users will likely be charged at a higher rate.
However, for those with teams you can mix and match different plan types for different users, therefore ensuring you're only paying for the level of service required from each for greater cost efficiency.
Read our full MiCloud Connect review.
8x8 offers a cloud-based platform that provides different service tiers for providing calls, conferencing, collaboration, and a call center.
For small businesses, the cheapest tier available is the 8x8 Express, which is available with a 30-day free trial. There are a lot of basic but essential features present, and this level of plan could be a great way for a very small business or start-up to try out the phone service without much outlay.
After that tier plans offer unlimited calling to fourteen countries, mobile apps, team messaging, HD video conferencing with screen sharing, call recording, transcripted voicemails, analytics, Single Sign On (SSO), as well as integration with Salesforce, Zendesk, and NetSuite.
More expensive tiers for large businesses and enterprises add unlimited calling to more countries, supervisor analytics, call quality reporting, and an operator switchboard.
Compared to other providers 8x8 can work out as an especially cost-effective phone service for small businesses.
Read our full 8x8 X Series review.
Phone.com aims to be an affordable business VoIP service for small businesses, and with base plan that is cheaper than most competitors. The trade-off is that the plan offers limited voice minutes and text message volumes that may not be adequate for most business use.
On the bright side, even on this bare plan there are premium features included, such as voicemail to email, call blocking and call queuing. It is also indicated that the service is HIPAA compliant to meet the standards of privacy for healthcare-related businesses.
Perhaps the more realistic options for most businesses are the more expensive options which increase the limits on phone minutes and texts.
What Phone.com does really well is make full-featured cloud-based business phone services really accessible to the smallest of businesses, so whether you're a one-person LLC or sole trading you can still access features normally available only to enterprises.
Read our full Phone.com review.
Whether you're looking for a more traditional PBX phone system or a VoIP phone system, there are a lot of different providers out there. Which one is best for you will depend on your own needs and business size. While we've featured five providers above, there are a huge number of alternatives. Here we'll take a quicker look at another five.
Avaya (opens in new tab) is another of the big names in unified communications, and along with Mitel has established itself as a leading specialist player for business telecommunications. Even so, the Avaya OneCloud caters for the full range of business sizes, from small to enterprise, so don't be put off thinking big names means big costs. Cloud-based VoIP is already an established offering from Avaya, with many different options available to suit your business.
FluentStream (opens in new tab) is another cloud-based VoIP provider that offers a multi-faceted UCaaS platform and a good number of integrations. There's a decent list of features even for the basic plan ($20 per month), with increasing levels of service options up to contact center level. As expected, mobile use is treated as standard rather than an option, with apps available for Android and iOS.
Skype (opens in new tab) is possibly an option easily overlooked, but had already established itself as a leading provider of VoIP even before it was purchased by Microsoft. Now it offers all the cloud and Office integrations you'd expect from the powerhouse parent company. So long as you're happy to keep your calls online and use mobile phones or tablets for calls and conferencing, this could be the cheapest option of all the ones listed here.
Spitfire (opens in new tab) is an impressive VoIP provider without being a standout. The fact the company owns and maintains its own SIP trunking infrastructure is a huge plus, as is their porting agreement with major telecommunications providers in the UK. And international porting makes it possible to communicate seamlessly with customers and clients from across the world.
How we tested the best business phone service
To test for the best business phone service we searched for a range of popular options as well as took recommendations from people we know who run their own business phone service. We then tried each platform to see how user-friendly each was, as well as determine what range of tools and advanced options were available. Pricing also came into account when determining our best list.
Which business phone service is best for you?
When deciding which of the best business phone services to use, first consider what actual needs you have. For example, someone simply wanting to talk to a handful of people on a casual basis may find a cheaper option is the most cost-effective while providing all of the necessary tools that would be required. However, if you're planning to use a business phone service for professional or business purposes, especially with a large number of people and on a regular basis, then you will probably want to look to the higher-end options for the more advanced tools that are included.
Clemson University, Kingsborough Community College, and Nicholls State University are among the Customers Benefiting from Avaya Cloud-Based Communications and Collaboration Solutions
RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C., June 15, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avaya (NYSE: AVYA), a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, is reimagining digital campus learning with the Avaya OneCloud™ Experience Platform. Avaya offers significant advantages for higher education where it’s more important than ever to attract and retain students given increased competition and slowing admission growth.
According to a 2021 Aragon Research report1 authored by lead analyst Jim Lundy, a communications-enabled digital campus involves creating seamless communications and collaboration allowing both voice and video-based calls; enables meetings with users and rooms; and an overall shift from email to messages delivered in real time or team collaboration. Lundy also indicated a student’s digital experience with a university begins before ever setting foot on campus, when a prospective student decides to apply with the educational institution.
Clemson University, Kingsborough Community College, and Nicholls State University are among the educational institutions using the Avaya OneCloud platform with its industry-leading technology of CCaaS, UCaaS, CPaaS, and Workstream Collaboration providing one solution. This composable solution enhances the digital learning experience these educational institutions provide while keeping students and faculty connected and safe. Through this unique platform approach, Avaya transforms the cloud from a service to an experience — one that not only reduces cost, time, and effort but also provides the toolset required to compete in the experience economy.
"With digital campus learning, the need to communicate faster to multiple audiences in a variety of ways has become more important now than ever," said Simon Harrison, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Avaya. "The Avaya OneCloud platform enables educational institutions with modern unified communications and collaboration offerings to transform their digital learning experience while engaging their students, faculty, administration, and alumni."
In a technology study by Ellucian, 97 percent of students surveyed indicated technology outside of the classroom was just as important as inside the classroom. Additionally, 87 percent of students responded that the university’s technology competency was an important factor for them when deciding upon a school to attend.
Clemson University is one of the leading public research institutions in the U.S. experiencing the benefits from Avaya OneCloud collaboration capabilities. Built on the Avaya Spaces platform, its Spaces Learning solution combines asynchronous digital learning (allowing students to view coursework at any time) with synchronous video conferencing and collaboration tools (where students are required to login and participate at a specific time) to create a virtual classroom. Through Avaya OneCloud, a Clemson professor of Bioinformatics was able to deliver students and faculty a total experience−memorable experiences with an interconnection between customer and employee experiences.
At Kingsborough Community College, a City University of NY school, improving student experiences was paramount. Management made it a top priority by forming a task force. Avaya deployed an AI Chatbot solution built on the Avaya OneCloud Experience Platform that is available 24x7 to respond to inquiries and deliver valuable information. It also includes full reporting and analytics, which is changing the way they are serving and communicating with current and prospective students, parents, and constituents.
Avaya offered Nicholls State a free trial of Avaya Cloud Office® by RingCentral and it turned into a full implementation after the Louisiana-based University used the solution to transition to remote work during the pandemic. The comprehensive cloud phone system and collaboration tool offers seamless call, chat, meeting, and collaboration capabilities, all in one app. The ease of installation and use proved to be key value-added benefits of using the solution. Not only did Nicholls State see drastic improvements in productivity and user experience, but they also achieved estimated annual cost savings of $60,000.
1Aragon Research study commissioned by Avaya. "The 2021 Digital Campus: Cloud Communications as the Catalyst to Learning Innovation" by Jim Lundy, February 22, 2021.
Additional Resources
About Avaya
Businesses are built by the experiences they provide, and everyday millions of those experiences are delivered by Avaya Holdings Corp. (NYSE: AVYA). Avaya is shaping what's next for the future of work, with innovation and partnerships that deliver game-changing business benefits. Our cloud communications solutions and multi-cloud application ecosystem power personalized, intelligent, and effortless customer and employee experiences to help achieve strategic ambitions and desired outcomes. Together, we are committed to help grow your business by delivering Experiences that Matter. Learn more at http://www.avaya.com.
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Source: Avaya Newsroom
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