Cisco Webex Calling: An Essentials Guide

Many organizations are finding the correct balance for them between remote and hybrid workplaces. Research data from Metrigy and Gartner cited by Cisco found that 78% of office employees have long-term mandatory or optional work from home (WFH) arrangements, and over three-quarters of IT telephony investment in 2020 was in cloud-based services. It predicts that by 2024, 43% of businesses will have adopted cloud-based calling. 

Webex Calling is Cisco’s enterprise-grade cloud calling and team collaboration platform offered on a subscription basis to growing businesses worldwide. Hosted by Cisco, sold on a SaaS subscription model, and supported by Cisco-certified partners, Cisco Webex Calling provides a reliable, scalable, secure cloud-based PBX service to businesses of all sizes, from SMB to enterprise. 

Cisco’s portfolio of Webex services is world-renowned for providing feature-rich digital communications solutions for businesses of all sizes. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and cloud voice calling services provide an affordable, flexible platform for mobile, meeting rooms, and the lineup of Cisco Webex Calling phones is unparalleled. 

What is Webex Calling? 

Webex Calling is a cloud-based PBX system – a secure, reliable calling, messaging, and video communications solution. It offers centralized administration and supports connections through IP phones, mobile devices, and the Webex app on desktop or laptop computers. 

Although on the surface it might seem that Webex Calling is strictly a voice-over-IP calling solution, it also offers many other features and benefits, including

• 1:1 and group voice and HD video conference meetings
• Real-time instant messaging (chat) 
• Collaborative screen and document sharing and whiteboards
• Built-in security
• Polls and Q&A
• Transcription and video recording

The Webex App for mobile and desktop devices provides an intuitive, engaging communications interface. It enables users to initiate and manage calls with their colleagues, partners, and clients. 

The Benefits of Webex Cloud Calling

Unlike many VoIP and video calling platforms in the marketplace, Webex Calling lets users decide whether they want to connect from their mobile device, laptop, or Webex calling devices like an IP phone or the new Webex Desk Hub. 

For any company, managing private branch exchange (PBX) hardware is costly and inefficient. Webex Calling is cost-effective and enables users to connect with their partners, colleagues, and clients on their device of choice. It provides an enhanced mobile experience by enabling users to control their business communications. 

Your team members can make themselves available for calls, messages, and video meetings when it is convenient. At the end of the business day, or during in-person meetings, users can simply route their phone calls to voicemail, and let their colleagues know they are temporarily offline. Let your users stay connected to your business during the working day from where ever your business takes them, but disconnect during personal time or after hours. 

The administrative portal provides comprehensive activity reporting, including how long users are available to take calls during the business day. It also measures how many calls they made, answered, and missed.  

Webex Calling is highly flexible and can be integrated with many business and productivity apps, including

• Microsoft 365, including Office, Teams, Dynamics, OneDrive, and SharePoint
• Google Workplace
• Salesforce 
• Trello, Service Now, and Jira

When employees of hybrid workplaces have occasion to go into the office, many businesses have eliminated designated seating and adopted hotdesks and hotelling workstations. The Webex Desk Hub makes it easy to join conference calls and meetings when working this way. They can easily connect their mobile devices to an internet-connected base and connect to scheduled meetings with a single touch. 

Webex Calling Features

Key features of Webex Calling include:

• Call display, forwarding, and waiting
• Anonymous call blocking
• HD video to make conversations more engaging
• Office Anywhere – routing extension calls to designated mobile or desk phones
• Sequential or simultaneous ringing for alternating call distribution (ACD) queues
• Do Not Disturb
• Ambient noise-blocking – Filter out office chatter, sirens, music, or other environmental noise pollution

Many businesses have made migrating to cloud calling a key milestone in their digital transformation journey. Cisco Webex enables these companies to gradually shift to Webex Calling by adding additional users and upgrading their service tier.  

Cisco Webex Calling Plans 

Webex partners like Yorktel offer a range of tiered subscription options, including Starter, Business, and Enterprise. Webex Calling pricing depends on factors like: 

• The number of participants and hosts  
• How much cloud recording storage is required
• Support service levels
• Maximum meeting length limitations

These subscription plans are very affordable, especially compared to the costs associated with PBX hardware and traditional landline desk phones and infrastructure. Webex Calling is significantly more secure and feature-rich than many competitive solutions in the VoIP and UCaaS marketplace. 

Getting Started With Cisco Webex Calling 

Investing in Cisco Webex Calling training, consulting and managed services from a Webex partner like Yorktel can: 

• Ensure you deploy the right mix of services and devices to meet your needs
• Help administrators leverage Webex analytics to understand user adoption and usage patterns
• Shorten the learning curve for users
• Provide guidance and best practices advice beyond the Cisco Webex Calling Deployment Guide 

Webex offers many online documentation resources and videos, however, investing in personalized consulting and training is often the best way to add context to the core administrative and user guides, leading to a more succesful deployment, increased user adoption and overall increase in productivity.

Yorktel has helped many businesses to select the Cisco Webex Calling services, devices and deployment options that best suit their requirements. Contact us to discuss your unique communication and collaboration needs.