Webex Calling has a Strong Start in 2020

Webex Calling Delivers Innovative Options for Enterprise Cloud Migration

Last November, at Partner Summit, Cisco shared with our global partner community the latest innovations across the Webex platform, including the game changing Webex Edge technology that makes it easier than ever for customers to take advantage of cloud innovation today, regardless of their cloud migration timeline. The feedback from the market has been incredible: customers of all sizes have started deploying the full Webex collaboration suite, including Webex Calling, to transform their business communications. We’ve knocked down the barriers to digital transformation and our customers, partners, and analyst community has taken notice.

Innovation moves fast here at Cisco. Over the past few months we’ve kept our foot on the gas with  Webex Calling,  as we continue to deliver  on our promise to you, to provide a robust, reliable,  and secure cloud calling solution, to complete the Webex  single collaboration platform advantage. 

With a  rock-solid foundation in place, we’re excited to share the following Webex Calling updates: 

A truly single app experience for all workloads – calling, messaging, meetings,  and team collaboration – with Webex Teams
Enterprise dial plan enhancements that align the calling experience between on-premises systems and Webex Calling cloud users within an enterprise 
Cisco  Webex Control Hub improvements  that simplify  user management and provisioning experiences 
Global market  expansion  of Webex Calling  and  the  Cloud Connected PSTN (CCP) program  
Regional media capabilities are coming soon

So, What Does This Mean for Our Customers and Partners?

Customers Get What They Want – a Single App Experience with Webex

Webex Teams users can use the native PSTN calling capabilities of Webex Calling from their desktop and mobile devices. This  is a crucial step  forward  in  providing  a  single, modular app experience  with Webex, as it eliminates the need for a separate calling soft-client. It’s imperative that we provide customers a personalized collaboration experience that reduces friction and context switching while providing easy information flow between collaboration and business process.  One simple and intuitive app delivers a complete business calling and collaboration solution across desktop and mobile.

*Figure 1- Webex Calling users can now extend native PSTN calling capabilities to Webex Teams, eliminating the need for a separate calling soft-client.*

Investment Protection as Customers Migrate to the Cloud Without Business Disruption

Our new single calling architecture, Webex Edge for Calling, enables customers to take advantage of cloud innovation today while preserving their existing Cisco or 3rd party on-premises PBXs by connecting them to the Webex Calling global backbone. The response to this revolutionary technology has been incredible. We’ve heard your demands and are accelerating delivery of even more capability throughout 2020. Today, customers can standardize their enterprise dialing patterns with a cloud-based dial plan, so they get a consistent dialing experience across the enterprise. 

Streamline User Management and Provisioning with Webex Control Hub

New UX enhancements within Webex Control Hub further simplify user management and provisioning processes for Webex Calling. These enhancements extend across the full collaboration suite, providing a cloud based, single point of administration for calling, meetings, team collaboration, and devices. — *Figure 2- UX enhancements within Webex Control Hub further simplify user management and provisioning processes for Webex Calling*

New UX enhancements within Webex Control Hub further simplify user management and provisioning processes for Webex Calling. These extend across the full collaboration suite, providing a cloud based, intuitive, single point of administration for calling, messaging, meetings, team collaboration, and devices, including headsets. In addition, administrators now have access to simplified device on-boarding options, including bulk load tools and activation code-based onboarding, that allow for rapid deployment of devices across a site, or enterprise. To learn more visit  What’s New in Cisco Webex Control Hub 

Market Expansion

We’re continuing our global expansion of Webex Calling, bringing the single platform advantage to new markets around the world. Most recently, we have secured regional availability in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia and now serve 61 countries across the globe. 

In addition to these new markets, our Cloud Connected PSTN (CCP) option with Webex Calling is now globally available. Customers can choose from the growing list of CCP providers and connect their PSTN services directly to the Webex Calling cloud, providing a cloud native, complete business calling solution. Visit Webex Calling Global Availability  to view the full geographic availability of Webex Calling. 

Regional Media Coming Soon

I’m also delighted to share that regional media capabilities are coming in the 1st half of CY20, for Webex Calling customers with locations in remote regions that use local gateways for PSTN. Regional media will offer improved voice quality and reduced latency for these multinational Webex Calling users, by keeping their media traffic localized. 

Stay tuned for updates, as we continue innovating across the Webex platform. We will be introducing new ways your Webex room systems and devices can take advantage of Webex Calling and the single platform advantage.  