Webex Calling
Enterprise telephony with hunt groups, call queues, operator console, compliance recording, and analog device support — built natively, not approximated.
UCaaS Modernization
Best-of-Breed Communications Built Around How Enterprise Teams Actually Work
Purpose-built enterprise telephony with Cisco Webex Calling plus team collaboration with Slack — integrated but not compromised.
Unlike single-vendor UC suites that force compromises across every function, this architecture delivers enterprise-grade calling features alongside the collaboration platform your teams prefer.
Cisco Webex Calling for telephony depth, Slack for collaboration excellence — integrated without compromise.
Purpose-Built Architecture
Enterprise telephony and team collaboration — each optimized for what it does best
Single-vendor UC suites make compromises across every function they serve. Our approach is different: best-of-breed platforms that excel in their specific domain, integrated to work seamlessly together.
The Single-Vendor Compromise
Unified Communications platforms promise one app, one license, one vendor — but deliver compromises across every function they attempt to serve.
Telephony features become bolt-ons to collaboration platforms
Voice quality suffers from architecture optimized for messaging
Collaboration experience constrained by calling platform limitations
Enterprise calling features approximated rather than built natively
Best-of-Breed Integration
Cisco Webex Calling for purpose-built enterprise telephony, Slack for team collaboration excellence — integrated through native Webex-Slack connectivity.
Slack Integration
Click-to-call, call status, and voicemail management within Slack — unified workflow without context switching or feature compromise.
Deployment Process
Six-phase implementation from assessment through legacy platform decommission.
1
UC Assessment & Design
Document current environment and design Webex Calling configuration plus Slack workspace architecture.
2
Network Readiness & QoS
Assess and implement network changes for voice quality before platform deployment.
3
Platform Configuration & Migration
Configure Webex Calling and Slack, execute user migration in phases, decommission legacy systems.
Key Capabilities
Comprehensive UC modernization from design through deployment.
Webex Calling Configuration
Organization structure, dial plan design, calling features, PSTN connectivity, and device provisioning.
Slack Enterprise Setup
Workspace governance, SSO integration, compliance configuration, and Webex integration.
Legacy Platform Migration
CUCM, Avaya, or Mitel migration with dial plan translation, device compatibility, and phased cutover.
Outcomes
- Enterprise telephony with native calling features and voice quality
- Team collaboration on preferred platform without compromise
- Integrated workflow through Webex-Slack connectivity
- Legacy on-premises infrastructure decommissioned
- Network validated for voice quality before and after migration
Ideal Fit
- Organizations migrating from CUCM, Avaya, or Mitel to cloud
- Teams already using Slack who want to preserve collaboration workflow
- Environments requiring enterprise telephony features beyond Teams Phone
- Organizations with Salesforce CRM wanting Slack integration value
Platform Comparison
When to choose best-of-breed over single-vendor UC suites
Different UC architectures serve different organizational needs and technical requirements.
Recommended
Webex Calling + Slack
Best-of-Breed
Purpose-built telephony and collaboration platforms integrated for unified workflow.
Best Fit
Organizations requiring enterprise calling features with team collaboration excellence.
Tradeoffs
Two platforms to manage instead of one, requires integration configuration.
IVI Recommendation
Recommended for enterprises with complex telephony requirements and teams who prefer Slack.
Microsoft Teams
Single-Vendor Suite
Collaboration platform with calling features added — one app, one license, one vendor.
Best Fit
Organizations deeply embedded in Microsoft 365 with light telephony requirements.
Tradeoffs
Limited enterprise calling features, voice quality constraints from collaboration-first architecture.
IVI Recommendation
Consider if already committed to Microsoft ecosystem with simple calling needs.
Legacy On-Premises
Traditional UC
CUCM, Avaya, or Mitel platforms with full feature control but infrastructure overhead.
Best Fit
Organizations with specific compliance or integration requirements that cloud platforms cannot meet.
Tradeoffs
Hardware refresh cycles, maintenance costs, limited mobility and remote work support.
IVI Recommendation
Migrate to cloud unless specific technical requirements prevent it.
Why IVI
Engineering depth for enterprise UC modernization
Cisco UC Migration Expertise
Deep experience migrating CUCM, Avaya, and Mitel environments to Webex Calling.
Migration Tools
Cisco-designed migration utilities for dial plan translation and device compatibility mapping.
Phased Cutover
Maintain legacy systems during migration with rollback capability until each phase validates.
Device Compatibility
Most Cisco 8800/7800 series phones compatible with firmware update — minimize hardware replacement.
Enterprise Slack Configuration
Governance, compliance, and integration design for enterprise Slack deployment.
Governance Design
Channel structure, naming conventions, guest access policy, and data retention configuration.
Compliance Integration
eDiscovery export, compliance recording integration, and retention policy management.
SSO Integration
Single Sign-On with your identity provider and integration approval workflow.
Related Resources
Related Resources
Review related solution pages, supporting materials, and additional resources that help explain where this solution fits and how it can be applied.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Webex Calling + Slack deployment.
We're a Cisco shop running CUCM on-premises. What does migration to Webex Calling look like?
Webex Calling migration from CUCM uses Cisco-designed migration tools for dial plan translation and device compatibility mapping. Most Cisco 8800 and 7800 series phones are compatible with Webex Calling registration after firmware update — you typically don't need to replace handsets. We execute migration in phases by location or user group, maintaining CUCM for unmigrated users until each phase validates completely.
We use Avaya for calling and Microsoft Teams for messaging. Can we migrate just the calling side to Webex?
Yes, Webex Calling and Slack are independently deployable. If Teams adoption is strong and you want to preserve it for messaging while migrating telephony to a purpose-built platform, we can design Webex Calling deployment that integrates with Teams through the Webex integration for Microsoft Teams. Alternatively, we can deploy the full Webex Calling + Slack architecture if you're ready to migrate both functions.
We have analog phones and fax lines that we need to preserve. Can Webex Calling handle that?
Yes, Webex Calling supports analog telephone adapter (ATA) devices that connect legacy analog phones and fax machines to the platform. We inventory your analog endpoints during assessment and design ATA deployment for each location with analog requirements. This preserves existing analog investments while enabling cloud UC migration.
Our team is already on Slack and loves it. Will migrating calling to Webex disrupt that workflow?
It strengthens it. The Webex + Slack integration adds calling capability within the Slack interface — your team can place calls, see call status, and manage voicemail directly from Slack. The collaboration workflow they already use gains calling functionality without requiring them to learn a new application or change their daily workflow patterns.
How does voice quality compare between Webex Calling and Teams Phone?
Webex Calling runs on Cisco's global network infrastructure with calling architecture designed specifically for voice quality. SIP trunking, codec negotiation, and QoS design are managed by Cisco's 25 years of enterprise voice experience. Teams Phone delivers voice through collaboration platform architecture optimized for messaging and meetings, which can impact voice quality under network stress conditions.
What PSTN connectivity options does Webex Calling support?
Webex Calling supports three PSTN connectivity models: Cisco Cloud Connected PSTN for full Cisco management, Operator Connect partnerships for retaining carrier relationships, and Local Gateway (CUBE) for organizations with existing SIP trunks. We design PSTN connectivity based on your current contracts, geographic requirements, and cost optimization goals.
Can we maintain our existing phone numbers during migration?
Yes, phone number portability is supported across all PSTN connectivity options. We coordinate number porting with your current carrier and the chosen PSTN provider to ensure continuity. For complex dial plans or large number blocks, we design the porting sequence to minimize business disruption during cutover.
What ongoing support do you provide after deployment?
We support the platform through our Aegis co-managed services capability for ongoing monitoring, incident response, and configuration management. We also provide professional services for platform optimization, capability expansion, and integration with new business applications as your requirements evolve.