Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) FAQs

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is a cloud-based communication platform that integrates various communication and collaboration tools into a unified solution. It combines services such as voice, video conferencing, messaging, presence, and file sharing to streamline communication within an organization.  Evolve IP natively integrates it’s UCaaS solution I.e. Evolve IP’s Global Voice Cloud with both Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex. 

Evolve IP’s UCaaS integrates communication services into a single cloud-based platform, accessible through the internet. It utilizes VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to deliver voice and video calls, along with other collaborative tools, to users on a subscription-based model.  

Key features of Evolve IP’s UCaaS include: 

1.  voice calling 
2.  video calling 
3. instant messaging 
4. business SMS 
5.  call recording with AI 
6.  Presence 
7. audio and video conferencing 
8.  screen sharing 
9. file sharing 
10.  Mobility 
11.  CRM integrations with business applications 
12. web-management portal  
13. receptionist app 
14.  multi-level auto attendants and hunt groups 
15.  cloud fax 
16.  business continuity 
17.  cloud fax 
18.  omnichannel call center  
19.  centralized management.  
20. Click here to learn more about our key features. 

Benefits of UCaaS include increased productivity, cost savings, enhanced collaboration, flexibility for remote work, improved customer service, scalability, reduced maintenance efforts, and a more efficient communication infrastructure.  

Evolve IP’s UCaaS is suitable for businesses of all mid-size enterprises and various industries, including healthcare, finance, banking, insurance, manufacturing, retail, software technologies, professional services and more.  

If you are a decision maker looking for any one of the below, Evolve IP can help: 

• Need 100+ UCaaS seats 
• Use MS Teams or Cisco Webex and have voice/telephony needs 
• Seeking a truly UNIFIED collaboration and voice experience (vs. Third party bots and plug-ins) 
• have Integrated CONTACT CENTER needs 
• have Legacy PBX (ATAs, IVR) or hybrid requirements (non-collab users) 
• Seeking a single partner for O365, Webex and voice services
• Considering end-user computing alternatives (DaaS) 

Evolve IP’s UCaaS supports a wide range of communication channels, including voice calls, video calls, instant messaging, emails, SMS, audio and video conferencing, voicemail, fax, and collaboration through file sharing and screen sharing.  

Yes, our UCaaS provides integration capabilities with popular business applications such as Microsoft Teams and Webex enhancing workflow efficiency and productivity.

Our UCaaS solution is offered on a subscription-based pricing model, per user per month. We offer a Webex UCaaS solution and Microsoft Teams UCaaS solution. Our Microsoft Teams & Webex UCaaS solution starts at $5.57 per user per month. Click here to see a more in depth breakdown of our UCaaS offerings.  

 We currently do not have a free trial or demo available for UCaaS. 

We offer 24x7x365 support for our UCaaS customers. We provide tailored support and service from the first appointment to post implementation, at no additional cost. In early 2021, we recognized that the traditional telephony support structure required optimization to meet the nuanced needs of today’s remote/hybrid workforce. In 2022, Evolve IP completed transformation of its support organization from a traditional call center to PODs consisting of cross-functional technicians working together to serve a designated group of customers with a similar technology footprint. This unique approach enables Evolve IP to provide a truly high-touch and consultative experience to enable customers to fully optimize their communication, collaboration and compute investment. Now, Evolve IP’s services NPS score is 85% and same day resolution time is 70%. 

Yes, Evolve IP’s UCaaS is highly suitable for a remote workforce as it provides the necessary communication and collaboration tools accessible from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. Evolve IP supports hybrid users, meaning voice and non-voice users. Add screenshot from slide #121 on UCaaS Presentation 

Evolve IP provides HD Audio Calling, continuously monitoring and managing network performance to maintain optimal call quality. We optimize our networks and employ quality of service (QoS) measures to ensure high-quality voice and video calls.  

Microsoft Teams Direct Routing 
Cisco Webex 

Some of the common problems UCaaS can help solve are: 

• Unpredictable costs & hardware requirements 
• Must reduce total cost of ownership and maintain profits. 
• Minimize hardware, capex while increasing flexibility to scale. 
• Need to enable remote and mobile teams 
• Must support working from home  
  and hybrid models. 
• Need to be able to stay connected  
  in the field to stay on top of their job. 
• Too many applications & vendors to keep track of 
• People spend too much time looking for the tools they need. 
• Content scattered across multiple locations. 
• Low employee productivity and retention 
• Taking too long to get  
  things done. 
• Outdated tools lead to employee/new hire dissatisfaction. 

Click here to learn more. 

• Provides a long-term voice strategy with 99.999% network uptime 
• Reduces costs by consolidating multiple communications and collaboration solutions 
• Simplifies operations to enable IT to do more with less 
• Improve user experience, mobility, and productivity with natively integrated UCaaS, CCaaS and Collaboration platforms (such as Microsoft Teams/ Webex) 
• Ability to easily scale and manage users and locations 
• Support for unique profiles 
• Security and compliance 
• 99.999% Uptime and reliability 
• Optimization of resources and applications 
• Improved support and service delivery 

Yes, Evolve IP supports Teams and non-Teams users. 

Microsoft calling plans provide zero support, limited PBX features and a low network uptime. Choosing Evolve IP would mean 24x7x365 support and service (at no additional cost), better network uptime and advanced features such as Receptionist app, compliant Call Recording, business SMS, and much more. 

 

Yes, we offer Cloud Fax. We partner with Pangea to deliver a secure and scalable faxing solution. Evolve IP’s 100% cloud based solution allows you to: 

• Send and receive faxes electronically to and from anywhere in the world 
• Exchange faxes in the format of your choice (.pdf, .doc, etc.)  
• Secure encrypted transmission  
• Send concurrent faxes with no added delay 
• Support toll-free and international faxing  

Yes, we offer Call Recording with Voice AI. With Evolve IP’s AI-enriched call recording platform, businesses can record 100% of calls, chats and videos, replay recordings and reveal crucial insights from any and every conversation, all in a simplified, automated and compliant manner. Click here to learn more. 

Yes, we offer SMS. Evolve IP differentiates itself from other providers by offering business SMS integrated directly into Microsoft Teams. This enables users to take advantage of the speed and convenience of business SMS messaging texting while providing the oversight and security required by enterprise businesses. Click here to learn more about our SMS features. 

Choosing between Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and Cisco Webex for UCaaS depends on your specific business needs and requirements. Both platforms offer a comprehensive suite of unified communications and collaboration (UCC) features, but they have different strengths and weaknesses.  

• If your organization uses Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams for collaboration, then Evolve IP’s Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is the way to go. But if your organization is a Cisco shop, then Evolve Anywhere with Cisco Webex is the right way to go.  
• Microsoft Teams Direct Routing offers a tight integration with Microsoft Office 365 and a large ecosystem of certified devices where as Cisco Webex is not as tightly integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and has a smaller ecosystem of certified devices. 
• When considering between these 2 solutions, it is important to consider your organizations size, your existing IT infrastructure, user preferences, and budge 

Enterprise Voice Features

Yes, we do. Enterprises headquartered in North America, looking to deploy and manage Microsoft Teams-based services around the world, can leverage Evolve IP’s hosted PBX solutions. Whether you are a business looking for two-way calling capabilities for your international users, or a customer looking to deploy Microsoft Teams Voice throughout your organization, Evolve IP can deliver Teams enabled voice services and collaboration features to your remote offices and users around the world. To learn more about our international support click here. 

Yes, unlike other vendors, Evolve IP supports existing SIP handsets with Teams. To learn more, click here. 

Microsoft has developed a Call Quality Dashboard that provides layers of information in relation to call quality.  

 

Yes, we do. 

There are four ways to deploy Microsoft Teams with Voice:

 

The deployment process goes through the following steps highlighted in the table below. Click here to learn more.  

 

 

Our TCO Calculator is designed to assist in projecting the Total Cost of implementing and supporting a Direct Routing deployment. The TCO model incorporates 3 primary expense categories: Physical Hardware and Software Expenses, Operational Expenses & Personnel Costs. Click here to download the TCO Calculator. 

 In the unlikely event that Microsoft Teams is unreachable, businesses can continue to make and receive calls by leveraging Evolve IP’s voice continuity capabilities and 24x7 support. Click here to learn more. 

Yes, UCaaS solutions often offer customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the platform to their unique communication and collaboration requirements, including branding, feature selection, and integration preferences.