Dialpad has emerged as a leading provider of cloud-based VoIP phone services and unified communications tools for modern businesses. However, several capable competitors match or even exceed Dialpad’s offerings in certain areas while coming in at more affordable price points. For organizations seeking alternatives, providers like Nextiva, RingCentral, 8×8, and Ooma represent strong options to consider.
When comparing Dialpad to other top contenders in the space, differences arise in channel support, integration capabilities, customer support, and overall value. There are advantages to exploring providers beyond just Dialpad when evaluating cloud business phone solutions. Matching your specific communication needs and priorities with the right provider results in the best fit.
We’ve done the research to highlight top alternatives to Dialpad across several criteria, including features, pricing, and overall user experience. Read on for an in-depth look at the leading options for cloud VoIP services beyond Dialpad.
Comparing Dialpad to Top Alternatives
Dialpad competes in a crowded field of cloud communications platforms. Here’s an overview of how some of the top alternatives stack up to Dialpad in key categories:
Nextiva – Comprehensive features, superior uptime, excellent support. More expensive than Dialpad.
RingCentral – Industry leader with strong channel ecosystem. Comparable pricing to Dialpad.
8×8 – Leading video conferencing capabilities. Integrations not as robust.
Ooma – Low pricing but less advanced features. Better SMB fit.
Zoom – Primarily video-focused. Light on telephony features compared to Dialpad.
Google Voice – Free consumer product. Lacks advanced call center and UC tools.
When evaluating alternatives, businesses should analyze needs around price, features, flexibility, integrations, and future scalability. Prioritizing criteria can point to ideal alternatives to Dialpad.
In-Depth Review of Top Dialpad Alternatives
Here is a more detailed look at four of the strongest Dialpad competitors:
Nextiva
Nextiva earns excellent marks for reliability, with exceptional uptime and customer support response times under 30 seconds. The VoIP quality is outstanding, and Nextiva offers powerful UC tools like video conferencing, team chat, and screen sharing.
Integrations like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Office 365 help drive productivity. Nextiva packs robust capabilities into packages starting at $20 per month. For rock-solid reliability and polished UC features, Nextiva is a superb alternative to explore beyond Dialpad.
RingCentral
As a long-standing industry leader, RingCentral offers sophisticated telephony features coupled with wide CRM, helpdesk, and other business app integrations. The mobile apps are highly capable. RingCentral provides dynamic auto-attendant, visual voicemail, and other premium tools.
Pricing is quite similar to Dialpad, while channel support is superior. For larger organizations seeking a widely-adopted platform with extensive integrations, RingCentral is a compelling Dialpad alternative.
8×8
8×8 wins points for its superior video meeting solutions relative to Dialpad. The platform delivers HD video conferencing, screen sharing, and team chat out of the box. On the voice side, 8×8 offers callable AI bots and generous 90-day free trials.
But some users report unreliability with call quality at times. Integrations are also not on par with leaders like RingCentral and Nextiva. Still, 8×8 warrants consideration from video-first organizations.
Ooma
Ooma delivers surprisingly robust capabilities despite its budget-friendly pricing, which starts at just $20 monthly. The offering is targeted more at SMBs than large enterprises, with pared down admin controls. Mobile apps don’t match the polish of Dialpad’s.
But for basic voice services, Ooma gets the job done admirably. The pricing makes it attractive for smaller teams with tight budgets. Don’t expect lots of bells and whistles, but Ooma covers the fundamentals well.
Key Considerations for Choosing a Dialpad Alternative
When researching alternatives to Dialpad, keep the following purchase considerations in mind:
- How reliable and consistent is call quality based on user reviews?
- Does the provider offer channel partner support for your business model?
- What VoIP solutions does the provider natively integrate with?
- Does the platform scale smoothly to support your growth?
- Does the provider offer superior value in your desired feature areas?
- Can the provider fulfill your unique requirements around security, compliance, etc?
- Does the provider offer trial periods to test drive the service?
Evaluating competitors on these factors will surface the best fit alternative for your specific needs. No two businesses are identical, so taking the time to research beyond just Dialpad can pay dividends in landing on an optimal cloud communications solution.
Choose the Right Dialpad Alternative for Your Business
While Dialpad is a solid option, competitors like Nextiva, RingCentral, 8×8, and Ooma warrant consideration based on your business priorities around features, price, flexibility, and scalability. Define your must-have communication capabilities, then evaluate providers on how well they fulfill those needs. Test trials allow first-hand experience before committing. With the myriad excellent alternatives now available, businesses have an opportunity to select an ideal cloud phone solution by matching their requirements to the provider that delivers maximum value.
Introduction
As remote and hybrid work explodes, cloud business phone systems offer flexible solutions to unify communication and collaboration. RingCentral and 8×8 are leading options with robust features at affordable pricing. This head-to-head guide compares their plans, capabilities, ease of use, support and integrations to help select the best fit.
Pricing & Plans
Both providers structure tiers by user count, billed monthly or yearly with discounts:
RingCentral
RingCentral’s three core plans scale from basic calling to advanced unified comms needs:
MVP ($29.99/month per user)
Provides call management fundamentals like auto-receptionist, call forwarding and visual voicemail. Unlimited US/Canada calling bundles in too.
Advanced ($34.99/month per user)
Rings in video meetings, single sign-on, and shared lines for small team unity. Integrates with business apps like Office 365 and G-Suite.
Ultra ($49.99/month per user)
Top-tier collaboration abilities via executive desktop softphones, call analytics and AI-powered tools emerge at this tier. Salesforce integration also unlocks.
8×8
8×8 similarly offers three tiers by capabilities and price:
X2 ($25/month per user)
Includes unlimited international calling in 47 countries to seed global growth ambitions affordably from launch.
X4 ($45/month per user)
Four-way video meetings, 50+ integrations with apps like NetSuite and Hubspot, single sign-on and advanced analytics unlock here.
XC ($65/month per user)
The premium offering piles on executive desktop phones, salesforce integration and other enterprise features for maximizing ROI long-term.
General Features
Fundamental communication abilities align across both providers:
Video Conferencing
Host large online video meetings with screen sharing. Record sessions, create breakout rooms and leverage waiting rooms.
Unified Messaging
Never miss customer calls. Intelligently route them across devices, access voicemails in inboxes, enable call flip and forward calls remotely via desktop/mobile.
Mobility & Status
Stay connected and updated on colleagues’ availability via mobile apps. Place and receive business calls via smartphone softphones using the business identity.
When evaluating secondary aspects like software capability, hardware ecosystems and third-party integrations, distinguishing strengths emerge.
RingCentral Shines In:
Next-gen Team Messaging
Flag messages for follow-up, assign tasks, like and comment on posts across devices to contextualize conversations.
Open API Architecture
Leads unified comms interoperability, with 200+ app integrations spanning CRMs, cloud storage services and productivity suites.
Premium Video
Produce broadcast-grade townhalls and webinars using RingCentral Video Pro to simulate multi-camera studios with director controls and interactive elements.
8×8 Wins in:
Global Scale
Leverage numbers and data centers in over 50 countries for international team unity. Local dial-in numbers ease global conferencing access too.
Bundled Minutes
Get unlimited calling inclusive of 47 countries to centralize global communication costs. Allocate cross-border minutes as needed too.
Conversation Intelligence
Gain actionable insights from conversations via real-time sentiment analysis, talk track adherence monitoring and contextual search capabilities.
Ease of Use
While both systems take training, 8×8 gets the edge for intuitive navigation:
RingCentral
The extensive configurability that enables precise customization for specialized needs comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve. Mastering advanced functionalities across the desktop and mobile apps takes time.
8×8
The thoughtfully organized admin console centralizes access to common settings for fast unified communication provisioning. The uncluttered and responsive web interface speeds mastery for admins and employees.
Customer Service
Expect attentive support with both big names. Unique assistance flavors cater to different preferences:
Administrative Managed Services
Alleviate IT burdens by outsourcing day-to-day management like adding/removing users, configuring phones and resolving issues to the provider’s dedicated success managers.
On-demand Specialists
Book remote sessions with product experts to handle must-finish tasks like complex software installations for new regional offices in a timely manner.
Global Infrastructure
8×8’s worldwide datacenters and support centers spanning North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Australia enable quick access to nearby technical teams for accelerated issue resolution.
Diagnostic Tools
RingCentral provides self-help resources like network assessment tests, system status dashboards and 24/7 online ticketing for convenient troubleshooting without waiting on hold.
Integrations
Both sync with popular business apps but niche strengths emerge for specific platforms:
RingCentral
Leads native integration breadth and depth for industry’s most popular CRM, trackers and cloud tools including Salesforce, Zendesk, Okta, and Box.
8×8
Shines for out-of-the-box integration with suites like Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle NetSuite and corporate SSO environments enabling consolidated navigation.
API Extensibility
Developers prefer RingCentral’s unrivaled access to underlying telephony infrastructure via extensive REST APIs compared to 8×8’s more limited developer options.
Embedded Experiences
Users wanting deep UC functionality without changing workflows will appreciate contextually embedding 8×8 video, voice and messaging across web apps.
Conclusion
In closing, growing enterprises wanting market-leading futureproof video meetings, mobility and BYOD support will see RingCentral as the superior choice today. However, cost-conscious companies aiming to enable distributed global workforces quickly with reasonably robust features can’t go wrong with 8×8 either. Determine must-have capabilities for current and future team scenarios before procuring demos tailored to your environment and scalability aims. Prioritizing critical pain points over nice-to-have features will realizing maximum value faster from your selected vendor.
Introduction
Business phone services have come a long way from traditional landlines. Today’s voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems offer flexible cloud-based calling tailored to companies’ needs. As the market matures, distinguishing between top contenders like Google Voice and Grasshopper poses challenges. This article compares their features, use cases, pricing, and support to guide your choice.
Google Voice
Google Voice, launched in 2009, provides an internet-powered phone number for calls, texts, voicemail, and fax services. It routes these through existing landline and mobile numbers without needing additional hardware. We’ll analyze key aspects:
Features
Key features that enable simple business communication include:
Call Forwarding
Google Voice forwards calls to linked US phone numbers regardless of device. Custom rules route calls differently per user or group.
SMS Capabilities
The service supports SMS texts enabling two-way business conversations. However, this only works in the US currently.
Voicemail Transcription
One popular feature automatically transcribes voicemails into text for quick remote access. Accuracy levels are reasonably high.
Spam Call Protection
Google Voice helps identify likely spam calls by showing warnings when the number is reported for spam by other users.
Custom Voicemail Greetings
Users can set customized voicemail greetings for different callers like customers, family or unknown numbers. Greetings help convey brand personality too.
Calendar and Meet Integrations
Other email and productivity integrations include syncing voicemail with Google Calendar events. Google Voice also enables joining Google Meet video meetings.
Pricing & Plans
The basic Google Voice service is free, aimed at consumers rather than extensive business use cases. Paid options focus on enterprise functionality:
Free Version
This works for limited business calling, with budget access to core phone system basics like call forwarding and voicemail transcripts.
Google Workspace Plans
For $20 per user/month with a Google Workspace subscription, the enhanced Google Voice for business tackles more complex calling needs with extra features like multi-level menus, automated attendants, self-service callbacks, etc. International availability also expands.
Use Cases
The free and freemium tiers suits startups and lean teams on tight budgets:
Solo Entrepreneurs
Google Voice meets solo founders and self-employed professionals’ basic communication necessities without significant overheads.
Small Business Economization
Frugal small companies can tap Google Voice for straightforward customer calling and voicemails without investing in expensive PBX hardware.
However, growing enterprises require advanced tools with more customization, integrations and reporting.
Customer Support
Support options lag dedicated business VoIP rivals:
Limited Contact Methods
Google Voice lacks 24/7 live customer service. Users rely on web tickets, community forums and online contact forms for delayed assistance.
Slower Response Times
With no response SLA, users face uncertain wait times for issue resolution. Simple concerns may take over a week.
Self-Service Reliance
The online help center and FAQ aim to resolve common queries without direct support contact. But complex product questions or technical troubleshooting often needs assistance.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper offers a full-featured cloud-based phone service enabling reliable communication. How do its capabilities compare?
Features
Grasshopper equips growing companies with:
Toll-Free & Vanity Numbers
Virtual 800 and local numbers establish professional branding and consumer trust in businesses. Memorable vanity numbers also aid recall.
Virtual Fax & Receptionist
Cloud fax technology securely sends and receives faxes without landline hardware. Customers can speak to a live remote receptionist too.
Smart Call Routing
Intelligent call flows route callers to correct departments or agents using mapped extensions, call groups, hold music and multi-level menus.
Ad-Hoc & Auto Call Recording
Users can manually or automatically record calls forImproving customer service, resolving disputes and training agents.
Business Application Integration
Grasshopper phone numbers sync across devices and third-party platforms like Office 365, G Suite, Zapier, and popular CRM software.
Pricing & Plans
Various pricing tiers cater from fledgling startups to large enterprises:
Solo Plan
$26/month provides one phone number with basic features like call forwarding, auto attendant and voicemail-to-email.
Partner Plan
$44/month for 3 users gets additional numbered extensions, call groups and transfer rules for easy collaboration.
Small Business Plan
$80/month allows unlimited extensions and call handling tools like smart IVRs to represent departments uniquely.
Use Cases
Common small business applications include:
Multiple Departments
Smart call flows, auto attendants and ring groups help companies professionally represent and route customers to relevant areas like sales, support or HR.
Robust Texting
Real phone numbers enabled for SMS and MMS messaging help small businesses text customers and colleagues seamlessly from their existing devices.
Premium Customer Service
Call recording, whisper messages to colleagues and virtual receptionists give startups enterprise-grade support capabilities affordably.
Reliable Cloud Platform
Built-in continuity solutions ensure small firms remain reachable despite internet outages or disasters, cementsing trust.
Customer Support
Grasshopper wins praise for attentive customer service:
Phone & Community Support
Phone, email and 24/7 community chat offer reliable channels for quick responses from knowledgeable representatives.
Intuitive Interface
The user-friendly admin console and desktop/mobile apps minimize learning curves for core calling tasks.
Conclusion
So when choosing business phone providers, smaller teams may get adequate features from Google Voice’s free or freemium tiers based on pure cost savings. However, growing startups needing to professionalize communication will find Grasshopper’s specialty plans and robust customer support provide long-term value on a trusted platform created specifically for entrepreneurs. Reach out to both providers for demos showcasing how easily their VoIP offerings can elevate your branding and efficiency at every business stage.
Introduction
Call blasting refers to the mass transmission of pre-recorded phone calls or messages to a large list of contacts simultaneously. It allows businesses and organizations to quickly disseminate important information to hundreds or thousands of recipients at once.
For companies, call blasting provides an efficient way to connect with customers, promote products and services, send reminders about appointments or payments, convey urgent notifications, and more. It eliminates the time and effort needed to place individual calls, making it more cost-effective than manual calling.
Call blasting also enables useful data collection – businesses can track metrics like call duration, geographic location of recipients, times of highest engagement, and more. These insights help enhance future calling campaigns.
Overall, responsible use of call blasting fuels stronger customer relationships, brand awareness, and sales revenue. However, illegal spam calling has caused negative perceptions around robocalling, putting the onus on businesses to use call blasting legally and transparently.
How Call Blasting Works
Delivering messages via call blasting involves a simple, automated process:
Step One: Creating a Contact List
The first step is pulling together a contact list in a CSV file. This should contain accurate customer phone numbers, preferably cell numbers, to achieve high engagement levels. Contacts must have consented to receiving calls/messages from the business through opt-in checkboxes or submissions.
Step Two: Recording the Message
Next, the pre-recorded voice message that recipients will hear is created. Businesses can choose to record a human voice message that sounds more authentic or use a text-to-speech generator to create robotic messages. In either case, brevity and clarity are vital.
Step Three: Uploading the Message
The voice message file gets uploaded into a call blasting software that allows sending simultaneous calls. Many customer relationship management (CRM) tools have built-in call blasting functions. There are also third-party voice broadcasting applications specifically for mass calling.
Step Four: Simultaneous Calling
At the scheduled campaign time, the software will automatically dial the contact list and play the pre-recorded message. Thousands of calls can be placed concurrently.
Step Five: Recipient Response
Recipients can listen to the entire message or hang up at any time. Some call blasting tools have interactive features so recipients can provide additional feedback through touch tone responses or verbally. The software tracks metrics like call duration for analysis.
When to Use Call Blasting
Call blasting has diverse applications for communicating vital information to large customer groups quickly:
Disseminating Information
General announcements about new products, policy/price changes, website updates, etc. Error notifications and recalls also fall under important info to push out broadly through call blasting.
Sending Reminders
Follow-up reminders about upcoming or missed appointments, deadlines for payments/paperwork, renewal notices, etc. can be dispatched to customers easily.
Urgent Notifications
Weather delays, delivery issues affecting multiple clients, system outages, and other time-sensitive notifications warrant quick call blasts.
Promoting Services/Products
Brief calls to advertise special deals, sales events, limited-time offers, new product launches, etc. enable businesses to tap into call blasting for promotion.
When Not to Use Call Blasting
While call blasting is extremely useful when deployed correctly, some inappropriate uses can backfire:
Legal Issues
Violating telecommunications and consumer protection laws with illegal spam calling carries hefty federal fines. Businesses must follow TCPA guidelines.
Unclear Messages
Overly wordy, confusing voice messages with vague calls-to-action frustrate customers and damage brands.
No CTA/Contact Details
Not including a strong CTA telling recipients what to do next or service phone numbers for follow-up questions reduces call effectiveness.
Best Practices for Call Blasting
Following best practices and guidelines ensures call blasting bolsters rather than harms customer relations:
Use Calling Software
Invest in voice broadcasting software with built-in compliance features, scheduling, custom reporting, etc. CRMs like Salesforce also have call blasting.
Personalize Messages
Merge customer names/other details into messages using phone number databases for a personalized feel. Segment contacts by preferences too.
Test Messages
Check the caller ID name displaying during test calls. Refine scripts for clarity. Confirm the number/department customers should contact post-call.
Monitor Metrics
See which messages earn greater engagement based on call duration, geographic trends, times of day, etc. Refine future calling campaigns accordingly.
Legal Considerations and Compliance
Federal and state regulations impose many constraints around call blasting to protect consumer rights and privacy. Key laws include:
FTC Regulations
The FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibits pre-recorded sales calls without written consent. All opt-in policies and calling practices must abide by FTC guidelines.
TCPA Guidelines
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) bans calls/texts sent using auto-dialers or pre-recorded voices without “prior express written consent.” Substantial non-compliance fines apply.
Customer Consent
Businesses must retain proof of opt-in consent across communication channels. Consent forms should use simple language clearly allowing informational or promotional calls.
Staying abreast of the latest TCPA case law developments is also vital for legal compliance. Support from telecom attorneys helps too.
Conclusion
When executed lawfully and conscientiously, call blasting gives companies a powerful communication channel for critical brand messaging and customer engagement. Blast calling eliminates laborious manual calling and provides helpful feedback through detailed reports too. However, businesses must invest time into honing brief, compelling call scripts focused on end goals for recipients. Overall though, embracing call blasting thoughtfully yet aggressively where appropriate gives brands an excellent opportunity to drive results.
I. Introduction
Elastic SIP trunking represents an innovative new approach to voice connectivity, delivering key benefits of flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. But what exactly is elastic SIP trunking, and why has it emerged as an appealing alternative for modern businesses?
What is Elastic SIP Trunking?
Elastic SIP trunking provides cloud-based phone connectivity using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standards. Unlike legacy analog or digital phone circuits, elastic SIP trunks transmit calls as data packets over the internet or a private IP network. This allows near limitless scalability, with call capacity dynamically adjusting based on real-time needs.
Benefits of Elastic SIP Trunking
Elastic SIP trunking offers several key advantages over traditional telephony solutions:
- Flexibility – Call capacity scales seamlessly up or down based on usage needs, without overpaying for excess capacity.
- Cost Savings – Pay only for the minutes/channels used rather than fixed-cost phone lines. Significantly reduces monthly costs.
- Disaster Recovery – Cloud-based nature provides inbuilt business continuity capabilities.
- Productivity – Unified communications and mobility features enhance productivity.
- Reliability – Leverages multiple underlying carriers for enhanced uptime and call quality.
- Simplicity – Easy to deploy with minimal hardware requirements. Simplifies telephony management.
This combination of flexibility, affordability, resilience, mobility, reliability, and ease of use makes elastic SIP trunking an appealing option for organizations of all sizes.
II. Setting Up Elastic SIP Trunking
Deploying elastic SIP trunking is straightforward, but requires some key components and configuration steps for a successful rollout.
Requirements for Elastic SIP Trunking
Here are the core requirements to support elastic SIP trunking:
- Cloud Telephony Provider – A service provider delivering virtual cloud-hosted PBX and SIP trunking capabilities.
- Internet Connection – High-speed low-latency broadband internet connectivity.
- SIP-Compatible PBX – Existing on-premises PBX system or cloud-hosted PBX supporting SIP trunk integration.
- Session Border Controller (SBC) – An SBC normalize SIP signaling between endpoints. Can be hardware-based or cloud-delivered.
Steps to Set Up Elastic SIP Trunking
With the proper elements in place, here are the implementation steps:
- Select and order cloud telephony service from a provider like RingCentral, Nextiva, 8×8, Ooma, or others.
- Configure existing PBX to work with SIP trunks provided by the cloud telephony service.
- Connect PBX to service provider’s network via internet, MPLS link, or private circuit like Metro Ethernet.
- Deploy SBC to mediate between PBX and cloud telephony provider’s SIP trunk.
- Configure firewalls, NAT, and other network elements to allow SIP signaling and RTP media.
- Test outbound and inbound calling to validate the implementation.
- Port existing phone numbers and roll out new virtual phone numbers as needed.
- Train users on new desktop and mobile clients, as well as advanced features.
Following these steps will result in a flexible cloud-based phone system ready to meet your organization’s changing needs.
Elastic SIP Trunking Configuration Guides
Leading cloud communications providers offer detailed configuration documentation to assist with setup and administration:
- RingCentral: “SIP Trunk Configuration Guide”
- Ooma: “Configuring SIP Trunking”
- Nextiva: “Connecting to Nextiva SIP Trunking”
- 8×8: “SIP Trunking Configuration Service”
These resources provide administrator guides, PBX-specific configuration instructions, network diagrams, and expert implementation support.
III. Using Elastic SIP Trunking
Once deployed, elastic SIP trunking dramatically simplifies call management while providing new capabilities.
Making Calls over the Internet or Landlines
Elastic SIP trunks can transmit calls over public internet or private links like MPLS. For reliability, calls are simultaneously sent over multiple diverse connections. Landline calling is also commonly included, providing fallback PSTN connectivity through the cloud PBX provider.
Pay-Per-Minute or Channel Pricing
Elastic SIP trunking uses a pay-as-you-go model based on consumption rather than fixed-cost phone lines. Organizations are billed per minute of usage or per channel capacity. This aligns costs directly with changing business requirements.
Cloud-Based Nature
The underlying PBX infrastructure and phone numbers are hosted in the cloud rather than on-premises systems. This provides built-in continuity and geographic flexibility. Workers can use desk phones and softphones wherever internet access is available.
IV. Conclusion
Elastic SIP trunking delivers scalable, agile voice connectivity through the cloud. Organizations only pay for capacity needed at any given time, rather than overprovisioning costly dedicated circuits. The flexible usage-based pricing, robust continuity, enhanced features, and mobile capabilities of elastic SIP trunking provide tremendous value for growing enterprises. Partnering with a reliable cloud communications provider simplifies deployment and management. For future-proof voice connectivity, elastic SIP trunking is the clear solution.
Introduction
Breakout rooms represent a powerful feature within Cisco Webex enabling meeting hosts to split participants into smaller separate sessions. These virtual “rooms” operate concurrently, facilitating simultaneous small group discussions or activities within a larger meeting context.
Intelligently leveraging Webex breakout rooms helps drive more engaging and collaborative experiences during meetings, training events, workshops, and other virtual gatherings.
How to Use Webex Breakout Rooms
Here are key capabilities for creating and managing breakout rooms in Webex:
Creating Breakout Rooms
In a Webex meeting or webinar, hosts with organizer privileges can create breakout rooms and assign participants. In the breakout rooms menu, specify the number of rooms needed and options like automatically distributing attendees.
Preassigning Attendees
For more control, hosts can manually distribute participants across breakout rooms by dragging and dropping names. Preassignments are recommended for recurring team meetings.
User Roles
The host maintains override abilities like returning all participants to the main room. Co-hosts can be assigned to breakout rooms to help facilitate smaller groups. Attendees have standard participation abilities.
Audio and Video
Breakout rooms maintain full video and audio capabilities for natural discussions. Participants can view and interact with others assigned to the same breakout.
Overall, Webex breakout rooms provide intuitive management of virtual small group sessions before, during, and after a meeting.
Best Practices for Breakout Sessions
Some tips for maximizing the value of Webex breakout rooms include:
Drive Engagement
Rotate participants across different breakouts and discussion topics to increase engagement. Breaking into smaller groups inherently gets more people involved.
Encourage Collaboration
Frame questions that provoke deeper information sharing and joint problem solving. Breakouts enable teammates to interact and align more actively.
Clarify Roles
Ensure hosts, co-hosts, and attendees understand their abilities in breakout rooms for smooth operation. Provide room topics and goals beforehand.
Monitor Activity
Hosts and co-hosts should check in on breakout room progress and give time warnings. They can proactively address any issues observed.
Report Back
Reconvene participants to share breakout room takeaways, insights, and open questions with the larger group for integrated understanding.
Properly facilitated breakout rooms in Webex provide engaging team experiences and conversations at scale.
Controlling Webex Breakout Sessions
Hosts have extensive controls to customize breakout room usage:
Create and Assign Rooms
Hosts can subdivide a meeting into any number of breakout rooms and either auto-distribute participants or manually assign individuals.
Manage Rooms
During a session, hosts can open or close rooms, extend time, alert rooms to wrap up, or end breakouts and gather everyone back to main room.
Monitor Activity
Hosts can visit different breakout rooms to check in on progress, assist with issues, or participate in discussions. Entry/exit is discreet.
Record Breakouts
Hosts can record individual breakout rooms separately for later reference just like recording the main room. This also captures room chats.
Astute breakout room management empowers hosts to maintain oversight of all parallel groups for a coordinated experience.
Using Breakout Rooms in Webex Training
In addition to standard meetings, breakout rooms integrate natively into the Webex Training platform for educational events:
Create Collaborative Activities
Instructors can split classes into breakout rooms for teambased learning activities, discussions, workshops, and other interactive assignments.
Facilitate Smaller Groups
Breakouts allow trainers to create coachlike sessions for personalized mentoring, question answering, and skill building in smaller groups.
Monitor Teamwork
Trainers can rotate between breakout rooms to gain insight into learners’ grasp of content and provide guidance on collaborative assignments.
Increase Engagement
Breakout rooms provide trainees more opportunity to actively participate versus passive listening to lectures. This results in richer educational experiences.
For corporate training, university courses, workshops, and other learning environments, Webex breakout rooms enable trainers to build impactful interactive and social learning directly into curriculums at scale.
Conclusion
As remote collaboration increases, Webex breakout rooms provide an invaluable tool for facilitating smaller team interactions while still accommodating larger audiences. The flexibility to customize virtual small group discussions, brainstorms, and work sessions ensures attendees remain actively engaged in the meeting process.
Whether improving remote trainings, workshops, or companywide meetings, Webex breakout rooms mimic real-world breakout dynamics in an intuitive interface. Organizations that creatively leverage breakouts and best practices will realize greater meeting effectiveness, productivity, and participant satisfaction.
Introduction
Web conferencing has become a fundamental workplace collaboration tool, enabling teams to meet, present, and share information regardless of location. Webex and GoToMeeting represent two leading solutions for cloud video conferencing needs.
Both platforms offer key capabilities like screen sharing, recording, messaging, and mobile support. However, they also differ across factors such as features, user experience, integrations, and pricing models.
Comparing Webex vs GoToMeeting in depth showcases their respective strengths to help identify which solution may better fit an organization and use case.
Similarities Between Webex and GoToMeeting
Webex and GoToMeeting share foundational features typical of premium web conferencing solutions:
Video Conferencing With Screen Sharing
Both platforms enable running video calls with multiple participants while broadcasting a presenter’s screen. This facilitates webinars, virtual training, and visual collaboration.
Recording and Playback
Meetings can be recorded and accessed or shared later on-demand. This allows recap and reuse of meeting content.
Messaging and File Sharing
In-meeting chat allows private and group messages between attendees. Participants can also share documents or presentations within the platform interface.
Mobile Apps and Desktop Support
Dedicated mobile apps from Webex and GoToMeeting let users join meetings on iOS or Android devices. Both also run natively on Windows/macOS for desktop support.
Third-Party Integrations
Popular productivity platforms like Slack, Outlook, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Teams integrate with both solutions for simplified scheduling and launching.
In terms of core meeting capabilities, Webex and GoToMeeting offer comparable experiences leveraging modern conferencing technology. Where they differentiate is in secondary features, pricing, and overall usage.
Differences in Features
Digging deeper, Webex and GoToMeeting exhibit some key differences in their ancillary features and functionality:
Webex Offers More Robust Features
Cisco Webex provides more sophisticated web conferencing tools suited for large enterprises conducting complex meetings. Webex can support over 1000 meeting participants with advanced security and compliance controls. Features like real-time translation, enhanced analytics, polling, and whiteboarding enable highly interactive sessions. The platform also allows administrators extensive customization options.
GoToMeeting Display Sharing
One advanced GoToMeeting capability not matched by Webex is screen sharing with remote mouse/keyboard control. Presenters can grant meeting attendees access to remotely control the presenter’s display. This enables interactive demos, technical support, design collaborations, and more.
File Sharing and Attachments
Webex enables presenters to upload materials like slide decks, documents, videos, and other files. These attachments can be viewed directly within the meeting and downloaded or saved by participants. GoToMeeting currently lacks native attachment support.
Differences in Pricing
Pricing is another area where Webex and GoToMeeting take divergent approaches:
Free Plan
Cisco Webex offers a full-featured free version supporting unlimited meetings for up to 100 participants. It delivers core conferencing without restrictions. GoToMeeting does not have a free tier, only offering a 14-day trial.
Per User vs Per Host
Webex pricing is per user per month, allowing organizations to equip their entire team. GoToMeeting charges per host per month, with attendee seats costing extra. This makes GoToMeeting more expensive for larger teams.
Annual Billing Discounts
GoToMeeting incentivizes annual contracts by discounting longer-term prepayment. Webex pricing does not change for annual billing. For short-term use, Webex costs less upfront.
Organizations that intend to use conferencing frequently and across their workforce may find Webex’s unlimited user model more cost-effective than GoToMeeting’s per host and attendee fees.
User Experience Comparison
In addition to features and pricing, the overall user experience on Webex and GoToMeeting differs:
Webex “Meeting Space” Concept
Webex introduces the idea of persistent virtual “spaces” for collaborators to hold repeat meetups. This provides more continuity versus one-off conference rooms. However, some may find the model less intuitive.
GoToMeeting Ease of Use
Users report GoToMeeting offers slightly more user-friendly and intuitive meeting controls versus Webex. Joining meetings and navigating functions may be simpler for beginners.
For organizations focused on minimizing conferencing ramp-up time, GoToMeeting could have an edge. However, for tech-savvy teams, Webex likely poses minimal barriers with appropriate training and onboarding.
Application Integration
Interoperability with other workplace apps is another separation point:
Webex Integration Capabilities
The Webex platform exposes robust APIs and deep integration capabilities for embedding within enterprise apps and workflows. This makes Webex easier to connect with complementary tools for unified experiences.
GoToMeeting More Standalone
While GoToMeeting integrates with common productivity suites like Office 365 and G Suite, its partner API ecosystem is not as extensive as Webex’s. This may limit blending GoToMeeting within wider organizational stacks.
For companies wanting tight video conferencing assimilation into internal tools, Webex is stronger in enabling custom integrations. GoToMeeting adoption relies more on its inherent capabilities.
Mobile Experience
The platforms also differ in mobile optimization:
GoToMeeting Mobile Friendly
Users report GoToMeeting’s mobile apps provide excellent conferencing experiences. The layouts and controls translate well to smaller screens. This enhances portability and convenience.
Webex Mobile Limitations
Some users find Webex’s mobile interfaces less intuitive and more difficult to navigate versus GoToMeeting, especially when sharing screens or content. This reduces spontaneity of launching mobile meetings.
For organizations reliant on frequent mobile conferencing, GoToMeeting has an edge in device support. However, mobile usage remains viable on both platforms.
Conclusion and Recommendations
In summary, Webex leads GoToMeeting when it comes to deeper feature sets, native integrations, and lower pricing for larger organizations. But GoToMeeting counters with advantages in mobile experience and beginner usability.
For larger enterprises needing scalability, customization, and ecosystem alignment, Cisco Webex becomes the natural choice. The platform enables sophisticated conferencing workflows.
Smaller teams prioritizing simplicity and mobile convenience may prefer GoToMeeting. Its focus stays on core meeting facilitation rather than advanced enhancements.
Organizations should weigh their current and future requirements to determine the best solution. But with their core strengths, both Webex and GoToMeeting present viable options applicable to many conferencing use cases and workstyles.
Introduction
Remote call forwarding is a phone system feature that allows users to forward incoming calls from their office or home phone line to a different phone number at a remote location. It enables calls to ring at an alternate number rather than the user’s primary phone.
Remote call forwarding provides flexibility for users to receive business or personal calls when traveling, working remotely, or using a temporary phone line. Users can maintain continuous availability via a consistent phone number without missing important calls.
How to Activate Remote Call Forwarding
Users can activate remote call forwarding by contacting their phone carrier and requesting to enable the feature on their account. Here are the steps for two top US providers:
Comcast Business
- Log in to the Comcast Business online account portal and navigate to Settings > Phone > Call Manager.
- Select “Add New” under the Call Forwarding section.
- Enter the 10-digit phone number to forward calls to under “Forward To.”
- Set when to forward calls under “When.” Options include Always, Only When Busy, and Only When There Is No Answer.
- Click “Apply” to activate the new call forwarding rule.
Verizon
- Log in to My Verizon and select Account > Phone Features.
- Under the Phones tab, click Manage Features next to the appropriate number.
- Select Call Forwarding and choose Remote Access Call Forwarding.
- Enter the 10-digit phone number to forward calls to.
- Select when to forward calls: Always, When Busy, or When Unanswered.
- Click Continue to activate remote call forwarding.
Users should see remote call forwarding take effect shortly after completing provider steps. Make a test call to confirm activation.
Alternatives to Remote Call Forwarding
While remote call forwarding is a commonly used feature, providers also offer some alternatives:
Caller Redirect
Caller redirect automatically forwards calls without having to first activate the feature. Users simply set the forwarding number they want calls sent to by default via their phone provider account settings.
Remote Access to Call Forwarding
Rather than completely enabling call forwarding remotely, users can opt to log in to their provider account and toggle call forwarding on or off as needed. This allows more selective control versus automatic continuous forwarding.
Both options provide additional flexibility beyond standard remote call forwarding. Users can choose the most convenient method based on their usage patterns.
How to Cancel Remote Call Forwarding
To disable remote call forwarding, users must contact their phone provider to remove the feature from their account. Here are the steps for Verizon:
- Log in to My Verizon and select Manage Features for the appropriate phone line.
- Under Call Forwarding, choose Remote Access Call Forwarding.
- Select Turn Off to disable the feature and stop forwarding calls.
- Confirm turning off call forwarding in the prompted verification box.
Once disabled, incoming calls will once again ring at the user’s primary phone number rather than forwarding. Users should test to confirm cancellation after following provider steps. Most providers offer similar quick account toggles to turn call forwarding rules on or off.
How to Modify Remote Call Forwarding Without Internet Service
If users need to update their call forwarding configuration but lack reliable internet access, they can contact the provider’s customer service department directly via phone.
Common use cases include:
- Needing to switch the forwarding number due to a change in temporary location.
- Disabling forwarding after completing a business trip or remote work stint.
- Troubleshooting issues with existing call forwarding setup.
Most provider agents can toggle call forwarding settings during a call to immediately address users’ needs, even without internet connectivity. However, direct customer support interactions typically incur extra fees outside bundled allowances.
How to Forward Calls Only When Busy or on Another Line
Rather than forwarding calls indefinitely, users can configure rules to forward calls conditionally only when:
- The phone line is busy with another call already in progress.
- The call rings but is not answered after a set number of rings.
Here are the steps to set up conditional call forwarding on a Verizon line:
- Access Call Forwarding settings via My Verizon.
- Choose “Only When Busy” or “Only When Unanswered” under options.
- Enter the forwarding number to send calls to when those conditions occur.
- Set the number of rings before considering unanswered calls should forward.
With these rules, calls will forward dynamically based on real-time line status rather than blindly sending all calls. Users can better manage forwarding only when critical.
Conclusion
In summary, remote call forwarding gives users enhanced mobility, flexibility, and availability by routing calls to alternate numbers when away from their primary phone line. Both residential and business customers can benefit from uninterrupted call access while traveling or using temporary numbers.
With providers like Comcast and Verizon offering straightforward tools to manage forwarding settings, users can easily activate caller redirect when needed and disable it upon return. Beyond basic forwarding, advanced rules help users optimize how and when to apply call redirection.
As remote work and business travel expand, solutions like remote call forwarding facilitate productivity by keeping users seamlessly reachable regardless of location. With proper configuration suited to usage patterns, providers make it simple to leverage robust call management features that maximize convenience and connectivity.
Introduction
Telehealth video conferencing enables patients to access healthcare services remotely through video and audio connectivity. Patients connect with doctors or specialists via video call rather than visiting facilities in-person.
Video consultations are growing rapidly in healthcare, driven by technology improvements and the COVID-19 pandemic’s social distancing needs. Telehealth video confers multiple benefits, including improved access, more time-efficient care, and lower costs. However, providers must ensure high-quality user experiences and manage technical challenges.
Benefits of Telehealth Video Conferencing
Implementing telehealth video consultations offers significant advantages:
Time-Efficiency and Streamlined Delivery
- Virtual visits save patients travel time compared to in-clinic appointments. Appointments can start promptly as patients join from home.
- Doctors save time moving between patients by connecting with them continuously through video. Some administrative tasks also transition online.
- Video streamlines consultations, referrals, and specialist coordination without patients relocating to multiple sites.
Remote Access to Healthcare
- Video consultations enable patients in remote or underserved areas to conveniently access quality healthcare. Geographic barriers no longer limit care.
- Homebound patients including the elderly, chronically ill, or disabled can receive regular care without leaving their residence.
- Patients who have moved away can continue care with existing providers using video rather than finding new local doctors.
Improved Patient Care and Monitoring
- Regular video check-ins allow earlier interventions as doctors observe patients’ conditions in real-time through video. Small changes in health or behavior can be caught sooner.
- Remote patient monitoring programs use devices to capture health metrics that doctors review in video consultations. This enables closer monitoring.
- Post-discharge follow-ups via video provide smoother transitions and help prevent complications or readmissions.
Cost Savings
- Eliminating facility visits and travel time reduces costs for both patients and providers. Video consults also enable shorter yet more frequent interactions.
- Shifting care to outpatient video settings avoids higher costs of emergency or inpatient services. Ongoing monitoring helps prevent acute episodes requiring hospitalization.
- Providers optimize staffing and resources by consolidating in-person and video patients onto shared schedules.
Key Aspects to Consider in Video Consultations
Deploying telehealth video confers several technical, operational, and regulatory considerations:
Technical Requirements and Troubleshooting
- Sufficient internet bandwidth, computer processing, and audiovisual capabilities are required for both patients and providers.
- Testing connectivity, equipment, and video settings ahead of visits minimizes technical delays. Troubleshooting support should be available.
- Platforms should be highly reliable and secure to prevent privacy or safety risks from interruptions.
Integration with Existing Platforms and Systems
- Telehealth platforms should integrate smoothly with hospital IT systems, EMRs, scheduling, and billing. Data from video visits should be capturable in health records.
- Workflows should facilitate clinicians conducting a mix of in-person and virtual consultations across their patient panel.
- Platforms should be device agnostic and accessible across desktops, mobile devices, and telehealth stations to maximize access.
Regulatory Compliance and Pricing
- Confirm video consultations comply with regulations like HIPAA as well as malpractice insurance requirements. Follow informed consent, privacy, and prescribing policies.
- Reimbursement rates, coverage requirements, and service codes vary across private and government insurance programs. Verify telehealth policies.
- Organizations must decide appropriate pricing models considering costs, competitors, service mix, subsidies, and target populations.
Quality of Service and User Experience
- Sufficient training, user support, and simple interfaces are required for clinicians and patients to use telehealth seamlessly.
- Surveys, ratings, and usage metrics should be tracked to identify opportunities to optimize video workflows and increase user satisfaction.
Challenges and Solutions in Telehealth Video Conferencing
Despite its advantages, telehealth video conferencing also poses some implementation challenges:
Disparities in Patient Hardware, Internet, and Tech Ability
- Socioeconomic barriers can limit hardware ownership and broadband access for disadvantaged populations. Programs can provide video kits and internet hotspots.
- Training and user guides should accommodate diverse technical skill levels. Tech support assists patients needing extra help.
- Hardware and internet requirements should be modest to maximize accessibility. Data plans can ease mobile costs.
Troubleshooting Hardware and Software Issues
- Having an IT help desk optimizes technical support for patients and clinicians managing device or platform problems.
- Proactive system monitoring and maintenance helps identify problems before they disrupt visits. Analytics identify recurring technical bottlenecks.
- Resources should outline hardware specifications and ideal telehealth spaces to minimize connectivity or setup issues.
Ensuring Compliance and Managing Reimbursement
- Detailed documentation around telehealth workflows, data security, consent, prescribing, andmore ensures continued compliance as regulations evolve.
- Insurance verification and submission processes must be clearly defined to secure proper reimbursement and avoid penalties for non-compliance.
Examples of Successful Implementations
- Home Telehealth for Chronic Conditions – Programs like the VA Home Telehealth Program reduced complications through ongoing video monitoring of chronic disease patients at home. Patients took vital signs, answered symptom questions, and reviewed results with nurses during video check-ins several times per week. The program cut hospitalizations by over 50%.
- Mental Health Services – Providers like Doctor on Demand and Amwell deliver mental health counseling and psychiatry visits via video. Appointments bridge gaps between in-person therapy while making care more accessible. Video also enables subtle observation of factors like mood, affect, hygiene, and environment.
- Rural Telehealth Services – In rural regions, community hospitals leverage telehealth to bring medical, behavioral health, and specialty services on-screen rather than requiring patients to travel great distances. Partnerships with urban health systems facilitate consults with distant specialists. This also keeps care dollars within local communities.
Conclusion
Telehealth video conferencing expands access and convenience in healthcare services while providing cost benefits. However, smooth technical execution and user-friendly experiences are essential for sustaining utilization.
Looking ahead, advancing connectivity, wearables, decentralization, AI diagnosis, and VR/AR environments will shape video’s ongoing evolution in healthcare. Telehealth is projected to play an ever-increasing role in bridging gaps, enhancing monitoring, enabling expert collaboration, and ultimately improving patient outcomes. Providers who leverage the capabilities of emerging video technologies while prioritizing user-centric design are poised to deliver the healthcare of the future, today.
Introduction
SIP trunking represents a modern business phone system technology that transports voice calls over IP data networks rather than conventional PSTN lines. SIP trunks enable enterprises to unify voice, video, and data onto a single network.
AT&T offers robust SIP trunking solutions that seamlessly connect an organization’s on-premise IP PBX system to AT&T’s global VoIP and PSTN networks. This facilitates affordable voice calling integrated into wider data infrastructure.
AT&T SIP Trunking Overview
AT&T IP Flexible Reach serves as the carrier’s flagship SIP trunking product. It allows customers to utilize their existing PBX systems while taking advantage of AT&T’s IP voice network.
Key benefits promoted by AT&T include:
- Global reach to 190+ countries for PSTN calling
- Scalability to support evolving business needs
- Cost savings compared to conventional trunks
- Enhanced reliability via AT&T network failover
- Strong SLAs for performance and uptime
AT&T SIP trunks fully support wideband audio for superior voice quality along with modern PBX features. The solution integrates securely into a company’s LAN/WAN environment.
How AT&T SIP Trunking Works
AT&T SIP trunks connect an on-premise IP PBX to AT&T’s network infrastructure. Rather than purchasing PRI trunks, the SIP protocol is used for calls over IP.
The customer’s existing PBX system connects via a session border controller (SBC) that serves as the interface point bridging the LAN and AT&T networks. The SBC manages VoIP security, interoperability, and QoS.
AT&T provides customers with SBC solutions from leading vendors like Cisco, Oracle, and AudioCodes. This ensures seamless integration with SIP trunks.
When users make outbound calls, the IP PBX routes them via the SBC and dedicated SIP trunks to AT&T’s backbone. Inbound calls traverse the same path in reverse. AT&T’s network bridges VoIP and PSTN segments to enable global reach.
Cost-Efficiency and Flexibility
Migrating to SIP trunking provides significant cost and efficiency advantages compared to conventional PRI trunks:
- Lower per-line costs with SIP’s usage model compared to fixed PRI circuits.
- Ability to efficiently scale up/down trunk capacity to align with changing business needs. Adding SIP lines is fast and low-cost.
- Convergence of voice, video, and data over IP. No need to manage separate networks.
- Native integration of advanced UC features across sites and devices.
- Reduced hardware needs rely on software capabilities of SIP vs dedicated PRI gear.
AT&T SIP trunks deliver these benefits to help optimize spending and enable business agility.
Standout Features
AT&T augments core SIP trunking with premium capabilities:
HD Voice – SIP trunks transmit wideband audio for superior call clarity exceeding conventional phone calls.
UC Integration – Native integration with unified communications platforms enables mobility, collaboration, and productivity features.
Global Reach – AT&T’s voice network spans reach to 190+ countries to cost-effectively enable international calling.
Network Resiliency – SIP traffic instantly reroutes to AT&T’s geo-redundant PSTN network if IP connectivity fails. This prevents outages.
PSTN Fallback – Calls route over AT&T’s PSTN if the Internet isn’t available. This guarantees reliability.
Management Portal – Web-based portal assists with trunk management, monitoring usage, and generating reports.
These features optimize SIP trunking functionality, availability, and calling cost-efficiency.
Configuration and Administration
Deploying AT&T SIP trunks involves:
- Connecting AT&T IP Flexible Reach Service
An AT&T technician works with the customer to connect AT&T’s IP service to the premise via Ethernet handoff. AT&T provides CPE to tailor performance as needed.
- Configuring On-Premise SBC
The customer’s IT team configures the on-premise SBC appliance to register trunks, manage SIP traffic, and bridge networks. AT&T provides configuration guides.
- Linking IP Flexible Reach with IP PBX
AT&T helps connect SIP trunk groups from service to the business IP PBX. The customer manages PBX configuration for call routing, DID numbers, UC services, and more based on their system.
- Monitoring and Management
AT&T’s web portal allows managing the service, tracking usage, setting thresholds, and generating reports. AT&T also monitors the service proactively for optimization.
Application Notes
Here are the steps to configure AT&T SIP trunks between an Avaya IP PBX and AT&T IP Flexible Reach service:
- Procure AT&T IP Flexible Reach
Order the SIP trunking service from AT&T sales. Define required DIDs and expected capacity.
- Implement On-Premise SBC
Deploy a certified vendor SBC like the Avaya Aura Session Border Controller. Configure security, SIP protocol settings, and SIP trunk interface.
- Configure Avaya IP PBX
Create a SIP entity linking the SBC trunk group in Avaya Communication Manager. Assign DID numbers and dialing rules.
- Test End-to-End Calling
Validate outbound and inbound PSTN calls succeed via the SIP trunks. Optimize configurations as needed.
- Train Admins
Review management portal usage with IT admins. Monitor service quality and usage trends.
Following this process delivers a robust production SIP trunking environment. AT&T’s team can provide ongoing optimization and troubleshooting assistance.
Conclusion
AT&T provides enterprise-grade SIP trunking solutions to augment existing customer PBX investments with VoIP capabilities. Integrating SIP trunk infrastructure with AT&T’s global networks enables organizations to cost-effectively scale calling capacity while benefiting from IP voice networking.
With excellent service capabilities, reliability, and customer support, AT&T SIP trunks represent a compelling option for the many businesses relying on legacy Avaya, Cisco, ShoreTel, and other PBX systems. SIP trunking with AT&T provides a strategic pathway to modernize communication infrastructure.