Things to Consider Regarding Moving Voice to the Cloud

By Peter Bernstein, Senior Editor

It is hard to escape a conclusion these days that when it comes to enterprise use of computing and communications, the skies look like they are going to be cloudy not just all day but around the clock and around the world. 

That said, when it comes to putting next generation Voice over IP (VoIP) in the cloud, enterprises of all sizes have some critical decisions to make. After all, for many organizations their current phone system seems to work. It is why industry observers have estimated that the installed base of premises-based PBXs and Key Systems, despite the desirability of going all IP and taking advantage of things like SIP and unified communications and the cost savings of the cloud, has never been older than right now. 

Given how fast the world is changing and the need to have IP-based multi-channel interactions capabilities along with real-time collaboration capabilities, there is an increased urgency in making a move to upgrade that installed base. With so many options available for consideration, the questions arise as to what customers need to be thinking about now that there is strong recognition that the status quo is not an alternative.

Should investment be made in replacing the current system with a premises-based IP PBX (News - Alert)? Should there be a graceful migration using SIP as a foundation to bring the legacy system into the IP world?  Or, as increasingly many organizations are opting to do, should voice/VoIP be hosted in the cloud?

As noted, the cloud approach is a very attractive alternative. However, once the decision is made to investigate the cloud for voice as a path forward, there remain plenty of additional questions that need to be asked and answered. Hosted VoIP business phone solutions are attractive because they can in fact unify communications, reduce IT overhead, and lower monthly costs. However deciding if a cloud-based solution is right for your business, selecting the best deployment option for your needs and choosing a vendor can be complex.

With this in mind, you are invited to participate in an insightful webinar, What to Look For When Moving Voice to the Cloud, that I will be moderating on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 2:00 PM EDT / 11:00 AM PDT. Featuring Blair Pleasant (News - Alert), President & Principal Analyst of COMMfusion LLC and co-founder of UC Strategies, along with Jeff Valentine, Fonality CMO, this webinar will highlight the potential advantages of hosted VoIP and how to decide if cloud voice is right for you.
 

Topics to be addressed include: 

• How a hosted VoIP system can unify your business communication
• What to look for when evaluating a cloud solution for your business phones
• Where to find resources that will help you make the right choices for your phone system.

If you are already in consideration mode for moving to VoIP via a hosted solution, or are earlier in the process of evaluating alternatives, the webinar can provide you the insights you need along with the opportunity of interacting with the subject matter experts.  

(source: http://www.tmcnet.com/webinar/topics/articles/372577-things-consider-regarding-moving-voice-the-cloud.htm)