Cisco or Skype for Business? Do you have to choose?

Written by Seanna Baumgartner | Jan 11, 2017 4:32:00 PM

With CallTower Synergy you have more options to successfully implement your Unified Communications solutions.

Companies of all sizes are adding unified communications (UC) solutions to significantly boost productivity and efficiencies.

Cisco communications have been a stronghold in the business telephony for decades. Their solutions are synonymous with quality and security. Microsoft has entered into the unified communications and is a strong contender in the marketplace. According to analyst’s Cisco and Microsoft will dominate more than 55% of this market.

COMMUNICATE WITH SYNERGY
Many companies have invested a significant amount of resources into Cisco hardware and training. Today, some divisions within those companies are choosing to go with a Skype for Business solution. The biggest issue has been the ability for these two communication systems to work together to maximize collaboration within the company as a whole.

INTEGRATE SEAMLESSLY
With CallTower’s Synergy Solution, you can now seamlessly integrate Cisco technology with Skype for Business. CallTower has developed interoperability between the industry’s two leading solution providers, Cisco CallManager and Microsoft’s Skype for Business. Synergy delivers options by enabling business to utilize CallTower connected Cisco equipment and leverage CallTower Microsoft Skype for Business technology in harmony.

HOW CAN CALLTOWER DO THIS?
CallTower is unique in that they host both Cisco and Skype for Business communication systems. CallTower’s mission is to enable people to connect and get work done. Seeing the marketplace trends, CallTower’s development team did their magic and with Synergy, Cisco and Skype for Business can now talk to one another.

CISCO USERS are enabled to:

Look up the (Skype4B) employee in the phone directory
4 digit dialing to ring Skype4B user

SKYPE4B USERS are enabled to:

Look up employee in their Skype4B client and call them
Skype4B does not extension dial so they would dial by contact name

Cisco and Skype4B hybrid users are enabled to:

IM and presence can be added if you go Cisco phone with Skype4B
One number for both Cisco and Skype4B
Use of both Cisco and Skype4B – ex Cisco office phone and Skype4B for remote
Access to both platforms to make inbound/outbound phone calls

IT’S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
CallTower is the first to market with this hosted hybrid solution

Shared directories
Cross-platform dialing
Simultaneous ring (hybrid user only)

CAVEATS – PHASE I ROLL OUT

Both CallManager and S4B need to be hosted by CallTower
Does not replace Remote Call Control (RCC) - You cannot click on your S4B client and expect your Cisco phone to dial.
Incoming calls on each platform show as missed on the other platform
Cross platform Presence is not available in the roll out of phase I.
Cisco IM&P not available with Synergy

Ready to learn more about how to leverage Synergy in your business?

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