Cloud telephony, in line... of sight!
In the family of unified communications solutions, we ask for telephony in the cloud!
It arrives in the context of the end of the traditional telephone network and analog telephone numbers within 5 years.
We're going to decipher the telecom language for you, and help you discover the future of corporate telephony.
Are you ready? Let's get started!
The time for change is now!
The end of an era
In November 2018, Orange (formerly France Telecom) will cease marketing the classic telephone subscriptions that go through the famous T socket.
However, they will remain operational until 2023, when the operator will completely cut off the classic PSTN (switched telephone reseau téléphonique commuté) and the PABX, or PBX, system using it (Private Automatic Branch eXchange).
As is already the case for many households, telephony will then pass through the box or an IP box.
In France, there are currently 36 million fixed lines, whatever their connection.
Within the next 5 years, at least 8 million of these lines will have to be upgraded to ADSL.
Farewell to the traditional copper telecom network, long live the Internet connection!
What's the alternative to the PABX or PBX?
The alternative is Internet telephony, or VoIP.
Also known as IP telephony or hosted telephony, this is a solution hosted on a server by a specialized operator, using a router and the Internet.
There are several possible systems:
- IPBX
- IP Centrex
- Virtual PBX
Glossary: VoIP, IPBX, Centrex IP, Virtual PBX
Discover the definition of IP telephony, VoIP, ToIP in our guide to business telephony.
IPBX (or PABX-IP) system definition
The translation is Internet Protocol Branch eXchange.
The company that uses it equips itself with a router connected to a broadband link, a switchboard and IP telephones (the so-called telephone infrastructure).
Unlike the old PABX system, which is due to disappear, the company can easily add and configure new lines from a computer interface.
The system is hosted on a dedicated server, but not necessarily in the cloud.
Definition of a Centrex IP system
This is an external switchboard, with an IPBX installation, but hosted by an operator who shares its telephone infrastructure, in cloud mode, between several customers. As the switchboard is external, the company only needs to purchase IP telephony stations.
It is for security reasons (problem of watertightness of data hosted on these shared servers) that certain solutions using the IPX system have been developed.s) that some Centrex-based solutions are evolving towards dedicated SaaS platforms (Software as a Service, in the cloud). Skype is one of them.
Centrex IP is ideal for small to medium-sized structures (VSEs, SMEs), as the number of connected workstations is limited to around twenty.
Virtualized IPBX (or Virtual PBX for Virtual Protocol Branch eXchange)
I promise, we'll stop later!
This is a private, 100% cloud-based external switchboard, a cross between an IPBX (dedicated server hosting) and a Centrex platform (no telephone infrastructure to manage). It's reputed to be more secure than Centrex IP, which routes all communications through a single point.
It's the system offered by many software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, because it enables personalized, value-added services: UcaaS (Unified Communications as a Service). Services include
- shared calendars,
- instant messaging,
- CRM integration,
- audio and video conferencing, etc.
Telephony in the cloud
The virtualized IPBX is the 100% cloud telephony system of the future. Let's take a closer look at the benefits of this new trend.
Mobility
Cloud telephony is particularly well-suited to multi-site and even international businesses:
- connection to telephony services from anywhere, 24/7, as long as there is Internet access,
- identical or compatible unified communications solutions anywhere in the world.
Cost savings
- pay-per-use or flat-rate billing,
- savings on communication costs (identical regardless of distance),
- easy installation, no maintenance costs.
Adaptability
- for all types and sizes of organization,
- in-house or roaming use,
- differentiation between business and personal life, from the same phone, for independent entrepreneurs,
- Keep your number when you're on the move (associated with a person, not a line).
Security
- data preservation through replication and backup systems,
- confidentiality, security (contractual): restricted operator access to identifiers, passwords, CRM.
Other benefits include
- bandwidth optimization,
- a multitude of additional services offered by SaaS software:
- document sharing,
- collaborative meetings,
- audio and video conferencing, etc,
- upgradeable applications.
Tip: The local network must be compatible with IP telephony. An audit is preferable before implementing hosted telephony.
The best SaaS cloud telephony solutions
Efficient business telephony is very important.
It impacts the work of your sales teams, your mobile teams, your customer relationship management and your internal communications, among other things.
It's essential, whether you're a self-employed entrepreneur, a multi-site business or an international group.
Here's our selection of the latest SaaS solutions.
Aircall
Aircall is a "collaborative softphone" that generates value for the company, whatever the number of employees or call volume. The solution integrates with all your business software.
Key benefits :
- access to numbers (including special numbers) in over 60 countries,
- call processing via mobile application or desktop,
- rapid set-up of your call center,
- accessible, intuitive interface,
- choice of a range of telephone numbers for your employees,
- add or delete numbers with a single click,
- analysis dashboard for inbound and outbound calls,
- connection with your CRM (some twenty native integrations with the most popular CRM and helpdesk tools [Slack, Hubspot, Salesforce Sales Cloud, etc.],
- application programming interface [API] enabling you to use Aircall with any other online solution.
▷ from €30/month/user
▷ all companies
Dialfire
Dialfire is a cloud-based call center software that supports small to large-scale campaigns, offering call prioritization, predictive dialing and interface personalization.
Key benefits :
- import your contacts with a simple copy/paste operation,
- duplicate management,
- choice of call number visibility: masked, single number, or number per campaign,
- configuration of a back-up team to manage the flow of incoming calls at peak times,
- unlimited personalized fields on customer files,
- management of several call campaigns in parallel,
- integration with tools such as Pipedrive, Google Suite, Zoho CRM, etc,
- ability to share campaign tasks with another call center, with limited access rights,
- generation of predefined reports accessible in real time.
▷ pay-per-use billing, with no monthly subscription fees
▷ all businesses
Ottspott
Ottspott enables scalable, modular usage, from simple enterprise telephony to an advanced call center management tool, via Slack or Gsuite.
Key benefits :
- choose a phone number in 60 countries,
- portability of your existing numbers,
- one-click invitation of users and assignment of call handling to one or more numbers,
- definition of office hours and call processing flows,
- interactive voice server,
- personalized greetings,
- automated integration with your CRM and support tools [Slack, Gmail, Hubspot, etc.], no data entry required,
- performance analysis with statistical dashboards.
▷ from €20/month/user, minimum 2 users
▷ from autoentrepreneur to SME
PureCloud
PureCloud is an all-in-one contact center [voice, chat, e-mail, social networks] in the cloud. More than just telephony, it centralizes and simplifies multi-channel exchanges for seamless customer relations.
Key benefits :
- intuitive, customizable interface,
- interactive voice response [IVR],
- possibility of connecting to an existing telephony system [PBX, etc.],
- omnichannel routing: recognition of your customer and automatic redirection to the best support,
- dashboard with real-time indicators and customer relations history,
- quality management, performance monitoring,
- CRM integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, Oracle Siebel, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, etc,
- presence in over 100 countries,
- value for money.
▷ from €15.99/month/user
▷ from SMEs to large groups
RingOver
With RingOver, everything happens in the cloud, and its ability to evolve towards more widely unified communication is very interesting.
Key benefits :
- send and receive SMS, chat, fax and voice messages,
- set operating times,
- interactive voice switchboard,
- integration with a CRM system,
- real-time monitoring,
- automatic call history,
- dedicated smartphone application for mobility,
- scalable options: conference, SIP account, additional number or premium number,
- plug-and-play integrations with Salesforce, Zoho, Pipedrive, Zendesk, Zapier and Hubspot.
▷ from €25/month/user
▷ all companies
Spoka
Spoka is a new telephony solution for small businesses from three major telecom, IT and network players: Arkadin, NTT and Cisco.
Key benefits :
- almost immediate installation and use,
- unlimited local calls,
- choice of a single telephone number,
- automatic replies and transfers,
- live user status,
- quality and clarity of communication: clear and uninterrupted,
- mobile application available on any terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.),
- modular, flexible solution with no commitment: the telephone package (Spoka Talk) can be upgraded to a unified communications solution (Spoka Connect) in just one click,
- interoperability with Gmail, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Twitter, Salesforce, Outlook, Microsoft Office 365.
▷ from €10/month/user
▷ VSEs and SMEs with fewer than 100 employees
A new era: telephony in the cloud
Telephony remains one of the most widely used communication channels.
In an increasingly collaborative and mobile working environment, it needs to keep pace with the times.
Thanks to cloud telephony, other tools have been integrated to meet new business needs: video, collaboration, chat, etc., which reinforce communication systems.
This is what we call unified communication.
Article translated from French