Webex Teams Calling

Calling in Webex Teams: A Proven Calling Platform That Brings Cloud Innovation to the Mid-Market and Large Enterprise

Today Cisco announced a new enterprise-class, native cloud solution – Webex Calling. It’s powered by bringing together the best of the proven Cisco BroadCloud platform as well as Cisco Webex. Therefore, this brings Cisco’s total business cloud calling users to over 29 million worldwide. By combining a full enterprise PBX feature set with the rich team collaboration capabilities of Webex Teams, Webex Calling delivers the complete, integrated collaboration experience business users need. It will be sold under the Cisco Collaboration Flex Plan by Cisco VAR channel partners. Availability begins in the U.S. on March 31, 2019 and will expand to more than 35 countries across North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, and Japan by the end of the year.

And on your mobile app, you can call someone from your Contact list and the calls remains in Webex Teams (your device's calling app isn't used). You can even look up your Outlook contacts (Windows), local address book (Mac), and local phone contacts (iPhone, iPad, and Android) from Webex Teams, so you can easily find your contacts and make a call.

Benefits of Webex Calling

Calling in Webex Teams can now be powered by Cisco Unified Communications Manager. It means you have a single app for common collaboration tasks – meetings, messaging, and calling. This new option provides a scalable and cost-effective approach to hybrid deployments of Unified Communications.
Use the Cisco Webex dialpad in Microsoft Teams to dial numbers or call SIP addresses. Access all the capability of your Cisco Calling platform from Microsoft Teams. The Webex Call application provides access to business-quality voice and video on your desktop using Webex.

We are already seeing a great fit in the market from our early partner engagements.

“The release of Webex Calling is timed perfectly with a phone refresh Presidio is doing for an important retail customer. The customer recognized immediately that they could configure, deploy, and manage over 2,500 handsets across 500 locations in nearly a plug-and-play fashion utilizing a lean IT team while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in telecom costs,” said Vinu Thomas, CTO of Presidio. “The flexibility of adding and removing phones, the access to the full suite of Webex’s collaboration offerings, and the ease of automatic updates and patching are just a few of the reasons Webex Calling is a tremendous opportunity for Cisco partners and their customers.”

Superior PBX Alternative

Mid-market and enterprise business leaders have been reluctant to move to the cloud, due to concerns about scalability, feature functionality, reliability, and security. That’s why we only see a current cloud calling market penetration estimate of 8% for businesses with 100+ users, while the cloud penetration for the under 100 user segment is more than 25%, based on market analyst estimates.

In addition, Webex Calling eliminates these former barriers and gives business leaders the freedom to replace their aging PBX infrastructure with a superior cloud PBX alternative. With cloud delivery from a series of geo-redundant data centers in seven countries, operated by experienced Tier 4 operators, Cisco is able to deliver a multi-tenant cloud service that is more reliable, scalable, and secure than any on-premises option. And with a cloud service that counts release cycles in weeks, rather than years, Webex Calling is always up to date, delivering a more intelligent user experience.

Complete Webex Calling Solution

Now Cisco can take users from their smartphone in their car, to the devices they use in their office, home, or meeting room with easy device handovers and rich business calling features at every step. With Webex Teams included, we’re making it simple to keep organizations connected and productive from wherever work gets done.

Here’s what you get with Webex Calling:

A proven, enterprise-class cloud PBX
Bundled with Webex Teams, for advanced collaboration
Optional Cisco multiplatform (MPP) IP phones, headsets, and video devices
Option to add Webex Meetings
Simplified packaged pricing
Investment protection through Cisco Collaboration Flex Plan purchasing
Sales and service support from a qualified Cisco VAR channel partner
Global availability expanding throughout 2019 to 35+ countries and 7 languages

Smooth Transition to the Cloud

In most cases, larger businesses need more time to transition over to the cloud. In some industries, like financial services, they may not ever move completely to the cloud. That makes the time and process in this transition zone a key gating factor for these business leaders.

One of the most important advantages we see with Webex Calling is the flexibility it offers for customers looking to transition to the cloud in phases, rather than all at once. Cisco customers now have the freedom to move any site, or group of users to the cloud, while maintaining a common network dial plan and directory access for users across all cloud and on-premises PBX sites.

Powerful Channels

Webex Calling will be sold primarily by Cisco value-added reseller partners (VARs) that are trusted by enterprises worldwide. So now mid-market and enterprise customers can get the performance, reliability, and security of a Cisco cloud calling solution from the Cisco channel partner they prefer, or are currently doing business with.

Webex VAR Partners

Early excitement and momentum with our VAR partners is building. Here’s what Joe Berger, Practice Director, Collaboration and End User Computing for World Wide Technology had to say. “As the UCaaS market continues to mature, we’re excited to have Webex Calling in our portfolio. The Cisco BroadCloud powered solution now gives us more options for those customers who are looking to move their collaboration workloads to the cloud . . . backed by the enterprise requirements that many businesses already expect from Cisco. When combined with Webex Meetings and Webex Teams, this truly becomes a next generation collaboration platform.”

We now have 19 U.S.-based partners already signed up to introduce Webex Calling to their business customers. Talk to one of these Cisco partners about Webex Calling:

Watch for the latest on Webex Calling and other Cisco cloud calling and collaboration news here, over the coming months.

For a complete recap of the Cisco Cognitive Collaboration announcement, read the following articles:

If you’re in the situation where you’re using Microsoft Teams meetings at home but have Cisco video conferencing devices in the office, you’re probably looking for a way to make these work together.

In this post, we run through all your options for Microsoft Teams integration with Cisco video conferencing.

Jump to:

Cisco Webex Meetings for Microsoft Teams

You can use the Cisco Webex Meetings app to schedule, start, or join a Cisco Webex meeting or Webex Personal Room right from within Microsoft Teams.

All you need to do is install the Cisco Webex Meetings app into Microsoft Teams. If you don’t have admin access, you’ll need to ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to add this for you.

Once you have the app, you will get a Webex tab in Microsoft Teams.

Once installed, you can view your upcoming meetings and join straight from the list.

You can also join meeting rooms or start a new meeting with a recent contact - all without leaving Teams.

When a meeting is about to start, you can even get a Webex notification in Teams.

This integration is great for getting the most of virtual meetings when you’re working away from the office.

How to join a Microsoft Teams meeting from a Cisco device

If you’re phasing out legacy Cisco equipment because you now use Teams, the process probably isn’t big bang.

If you’re migrating users and rooms from one platform to another, there will be an overlap period where both are in play.

At this point, it’s important to ensure your new Microsoft 365 software integrates with your existing Cisco equipment.

The below endpoints can't join Teams meetings without native cloud video interop to bridge the connection.

OneMeeting provides just that.

Once installed, here’s how you can join a Microsoft Teams meeting from Cisco devices:

Using the Cisco DX80 with Microsoft Teams

To use Microsoft Teams on Cisco room kit like the DX80, follow these instructions:

Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
Join the Teams meeting

Using the Cisco SX10 with Microsoft Teams

To use Microsoft Teams on Cisco room kit like the SX10, follow these instructions:

Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
Join the Teams meeting

Joining Microsoft Teams meetings from any Cisco device

In fact, for OneMeeting customers, joining a Teams meeting from any Cisco devices is as simple as the two examples above.

Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
Join the Teams meeting

Can Webex Teams communicate with Microsoft Teams?

The Webex portfolio used to be split to include Webex Teams and Webex Meetings. Cisco has now combined the two apps to make a single Webex app for both meetings and messaging.

Webex users who choose to stay in Webex for their messaging will likely be using Webex Teams instead of Webex Meetings.

If you’re a Teams user and you need to communicate with a colleague or external contact in Webex, you have a few options.

Microsoft Teams and Webex message interop

If you have one department that uses Webex and another who uses Microsoft Teams, you can enable message interop between the two platforms.

This means you can send messages from Webex to Microsoft Teams.

All you need to do is install Mio in the background to get this set up.

For example, if your sales team uses Webex because they always used Webex Meetings in the past, they can now chat with your customer service team who use Microsoft Teams.

You can use message interop internally for both direct messaging and working in channels.

Microsoft Teams and Webex external federation

If you need to message from Microsoft Teams to an external contact - like a contractor or partner - you can do this by installing a universal channel.

You’ll need to be a Microsoft admin - or get your Microsoft admin to authorise the app - so you can install the universal channels app in the background.

Once installed, you create a new channel in Microsoft Teams and send a link to your external contact who uses Webex.

Once they join, you’ve created a channel across platform for you both to collaborate in.

Webex Calling in Microsoft Teams

Cisco Webex also provides a calling platform since its acquisition of BroadSoft in 2018.

While adding a calling platform to Cisco’s portfolio, it also means any BroadSoft customers who want to use Microsoft Teams must integrate the two.

If you want to use Webex Calling from Microsoft Teams, you need to download the Webex call app for Microsoft Teams.

Once installed, when your users start an external call from Microsoft Teams, it will use the Webex calling platform.

To start this process:

Check all users who need this integration are verified in the Webex Control Hub
Make sure they are registered to Cisco Webex Calling or in your Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM)
Install the Webex app for each user you need to use Webex Calling
Update phone numbers for users in the Azure Active Directory (AD)
If you don’t already, change your permission policies to allow third-party apps
Then, in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center, click Teams Apps then Manage Apps
Search for Webex Call and change to Allow

Next time your users log in, they will be using the Webex Calling platform even when they start an external call from Microsoft Teams.

While this sounds great on the surface, it does open up a new window when you dial.

If you’ve moved to Microsoft Teams to have all your communications in one place, this is a little beside the point.

Meetings between Webex and Microsoft Teams

To facilitate meetings between Webex users and Microsoft Teams users, OneMeeting provides a one-touch join experience regardless of the platform you’re using.

When you configure OneMeeting in the background, meeting participants on either Webex or Microsoft Teams can join the same meeting using a unique URL.

When you click the meeting URL, you can join from whichever meeting app you prefer - Webex or Microsoft Teams.

Joining Webex meetings from Microsoft Teams in the office

OneMeeting works for both remote meetings and in-person meetings. You don’t even have to change video devices. OneMeeting allows you to join any meeting from any device.

Picture the scene:

You’ve rolled out virtual meeting rooms to your users so they could all work from home during the pandemic.
You already had video conferencing equipment installed in your meeting rooms and boardrooms.
Because you needed the quickest solution to work from home, your virtual meeting rooms and existing video conferencing system in your office aren’t the same.
People are starting to use the office again but your video platforms don’t work with each other.

If your scenario is something like this, you’re not alone.

Sandwiched between the millions of Microsoft Teams users are millions of users with other video conferencing services.

In your company, this could be hundreds or thousands. Even if it’s a handful, it’s an issue you shouldn’t have to deal with.

And with OneMeeting, you don’t need to.

Video interoperability

OneMeeting uses Pexip’s video interoperability service to connect your legacy kit in the office with Microsoft Teams at home.

By connecting your video platforms together, you create one-click join experience for your meeting participants.

Pexip apps and APIs creates a bridge between any SIP or H323 video conferencing system and the Microsoft cloud.

Webex Teams Calling Download

Taking Pexip apps one step further, OneMeeting is unique in that it takes the Microsoft Teams Cloud Video Interop (CVI) and makes your experience Microsoft Teams first.

In addition, you benefit from OneMeeting providing:

A vendor-agnostic approach
Full customisation of the native Microsoft Teams meeting invitation
Full customisation and branding of the OneMeeting service from your video conferencing rooms
Reporting via PowerBI

This means your users get a consistent experience regardless of the meeting room they join from. Less switching between meeting apps means happier users, less administration, and a slicker experience.

Cisco Webex Teams Calling

OneMeeting enables users to share and collaborate from any in-room video conferencing system, as well as from their desktop or smartphone.

Once installed, you remove the scheduling conflicts, awkward user experiences, and integration issues.

Webex Teams Calling App

You can view the OneMeeting technical documentation here.