What is UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service)?

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What is Unified Communications?

Before answering the question “What is UCaaS?”It’s important to first have an understanding of what UC, or Unified Communications, involves.

A Unified Communications (UC) system is a VoIP phone system that integrates, or unifies, a spectrum of communication technologies and methods into a single platform.

Most businesses communicate in a number of different ways, like voice, video, IM, email, etc. A UC system brings them all together to work seamlessly in one solution.

The Difference Between UC and UCaaS

Now that UC is at the top of mind, explaining Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is very simple. UC and UCaaS essentially offer all the same features, such as voice and telephony, real-time messaging, presence, and video and audio conferencing. It’s almost entirely the same with a few important differences. UCaaS is a deployment method for delivering UC to organizations via the Cloud. Unlike traditional on-premise UC systems, UCaaS acts like a subscription service with reduced or no upfront costs. Due to the inexpensive and cloud-based nature of UCaaS, it makes it an exceptional option for a wide range of enterprises, large and small. According to Gartner, UCaaS is a cloud-based unified communications model that should support the following six communication services:

Enterprise telephony
Meetings (audio/video/web conferencing)
Unified messaging
Instant messaging and presence (personal and team)
Mobility
Communications-enabled business processes

Explore Switchvox Cloud to learn more about UCaas with Sangoma

Benefits of UCaaS

OpEx Model

Software Always Up-to-Date

Little or No IT Staff Needed

Scalability

Easy Access

Guaranteed Support

UCaaS Saves Money – OpEx model

Because UCaaS is based on a subscription model, deploying a UCaaS solution requires little to no capital expenses. Purchasing an on-premise system requires hardware and the physical space for storing it. However, a UCaaS solution is stored offsite at the provider’s data center, freeing up your capital and storage. Additionally, many UCaaS providers offer IP phone rental programs that allow you to add the cost of phones to your monthly bill, which enables you to deploy a new phone system with zero upfront costs.

UCaaS Saves Time – Software Always Up-to-Date

Since UCaaS software is maintained by the provider, this ensures businesses always have the latest features available to solve their communications challenges.

It also means that system administrators don’t have to worry about lengthy updates. Instead, a UCaaS provider will upgrade the system themselves with no work needed form the administrators.

UCaaS for Small Businesses – Little or No IT Staff Needed

With UCaaS solutions being deployed in the Cloud, there is no physical hardware to maintain, and the software is managed by the provider. This means the day-to-day phone system maintenance is no longer a burden to organizations.

Now, small businesses can enjoy advanced UC features that were once reserved for larger companies with more resources. And, larger companies can allocate their technical staff to other projects without the need to focus on their communications platform.

Businesses Don’t Outgrow UCaaS – Scalability

UCaaS solutions offer the unique advantage of being extremely scalable because you can easily add or remove users quickly.

With on-premise systems, you must plan in advance how much your business will grow and purchase the servers to match this assumption. Then, if you reach the limit of your current hardware, you must spend more capital to upgrade. However, with a UCaaS solution, you can simply add or remove users as needed.

Use UCaaS Anywhere – Easy Access

UCaaS solutions are deployed via the Cloud, making their user and admin portals accessible via the Internet. By having a web-based interface, UCaaS solutions are easy to access from anywhere.

Additionally, most UCaaS solutions have mobile applications, allowing users to make and receive calls on their cellphone as if they are using their office phone. These mobile applications also give remote workers access to much of the same features available on an office phone, providing them true freedom to work from anywhere.

Who Maintains UCaaS? – Guaranteed Support

With UCaaS solutions being a monthly subscription, they are backed by included support. Because the technology itself doesn’t live at your place of business, the provider is responsible for maintaining the system.

If there’s an issue, all you usually have to do is report it to the provider’s technical support and they’ll take it from there.

Determine if your network is ready for a UCaaS solution with our free VoIP Network Test.

Future of Business Communication Technology

The business world is fast-paced and driven largely by innovation in the area of technology. If you fall behind on what is fueling that innovation, you’ll find your business struggling to keep up with the competition. The engine that is moving business communication technology forward in 2021 and beyond is UCaaS. Getting on board with UCaaS not only can benefit your enterprise in the present climate, but will keep you ahead of the technological curve in years to come. The need for this kind of flexible software was put to the test in the recent pandemic, and we’ve seen that those who had the resources to send employees home to work while remaining productive had the most success. As the saying goes, we hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. The COVID 19 pandemic has aided in likely changing the business landscape for good, so it’s crucial for business owners and employees alike to have the peace of mind that there is a system in place that will be supportive to their company no matter where you are working from. Even in the most uncertain of times, we can be sure that UCaaS is here to stay.

How Can Sangoma Help?

Now that you can answer, “What is UCaaS?”, we invite you to learn more about the advantages of UCaaS, the UCaaS Value Proposition, and how Sangoma has helped provide Unified Communications Phone Systems for smart, modern businesses.

Sangoma Ranked In Top 5 In Omdia's UC as a Service (UCaaS) Scorecard

Sangoma ranks amongst the top 5 UCaaS providers in North America in the annual Omdia UC as a Service (UCaaS) Scorecard. Omdia, a global technology research consulting firm, derives its research from Informa Tech brands and the acquired IHS Markit technology research portfolio.

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