The short answer
Unified communications (UC) brings a business's calls, messaging, video meetings, voicemail and presence into one system that works the same on desk phones, computers, mobiles and the browser. Every employee has one business number and one identity, wherever they work.
When it is delivered from the cloud as a subscription, it is called UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service). That is how most businesses buy it today: no PBX hardware in the office, a monthly fee per user, and new features arriving as software updates.
What unified communications includes
- Business phone system (hosted PBX): extensions, ring groups, call transfer, call parking, hold music and an auto-attendant.
- Softphones: mobile and desktop apps that turn any device into an office extension.
- Webdialer: make and take calls from a browser tab, with nothing to install.
- Voicemail to email so messages are never missed.
- Instant messaging and presence to see who is available and chat instead of calling.
- Video meetings and screen sharing for internal and customer meetings.
- Business numbers: local, mobile and toll-free numbers, in the countries where you have customers.
- Admin portal and reports to add users, change call flows and see call activity.
How it works
A UC platform runs a phone system in a data centre or the cloud. Each user's apps and phones register to it over the internet using SIP. Calls between colleagues stay on the platform; calls to and from the outside world are carried through telecom operators to the mobile and landline networks.
Because every device registers to the same system, a call to your number can ring your desk phone, mobile app and browser at once. Pick it up wherever you are. Transfer it to a colleague in another city as easily as to the next desk.
UC vs UCaaS vs hosted PBX
| On-premise UC | UCaaS (cloud UC) | Hosted PBX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your own servers | Provider's cloud | Provider's cloud |
| What you get | Full UC suite | Full UC suite | Mainly the phone system |
| Upfront cost | High | None | None |
| Pricing | Licence plus maintenance | Per user per month | Per extension per month |
| Who maintains it | Your IT team | The provider | The provider |
In practice the lines blur: most hosted PBX services now include softphones and messaging, which is what a small business needs. Larger teams add video and integrations. For how UC compares with CPaaS and contact-centre platforms, see our CPaaS guide.
Business benefits
- Lower cost. No PBX hardware, no desk phone for every employee, cheaper long-distance and international calls, and one bill instead of several.
- One number, every location. Branches, home workers and travelling staff share one number plan and can transfer calls between each other.
- Fewer missed calls. Ring groups, call forwarding and voicemail to email mean customers reach someone.
- Faster collaboration. Presence and chat answer quick questions without a call; a chat can turn into a call or meeting in one click.
- Easy to scale. Add a user in minutes when you hire, remove them when they leave, open a new branch without a new phone system.
- Business continuity. If the office is closed, by weather, a power cut or a lockdown, calls simply follow people home.
Remote and hybrid work
UC is what makes hybrid work invisible to customers. A sales rep at home answers the business number on a laptop; a field engineer takes the transfer on a mobile app; a manager joins from a browser in a hotel. Nobody gives out a personal mobile number, and the company keeps the call history when people move on.
For remote teams, the essentials are a reliable mobile softphone with push notifications for incoming calls, a browser option for shared or locked-down computers, and good audio on home Wi-Fi and mobile data.
How to choose a UC platform
- Devices: desktop, mobile and browser, all included, not sold as add-ons.
- Call quality: ask how calls are routed to the phone network. Voxvalley carries calls through telecom operators only.
- Numbers: local numbers in the countries you serve, and the ability to port your existing numbers.
- Features that matter to you: ring groups, IVR, call recording, voicemail to email, CRM integration.
- Admin: a portal your office manager can use without calling support for every change.
- Support: email, chat and phone, with a clear escalation path.
- Contract: monthly terms and clear per-user pricing, with no hardware lock-in.
Selling UC under your own brand
ISPs, telecom operators, IT service companies and resellers can sell unified communications to their own business customers without building a platform. With a white-label UC platform:
- Your name, logo, colours and domain appear on the portal, apps and emails.
- You set your own per-customer pricing and bill in your currency.
- You onboard and manage customer accounts from your own partner console.
- The platform provider runs the hosting, operator routing, upgrades and round-the-clock support.
It is a recurring-revenue product that fits naturally alongside internet, IT support or managed services. Voxvalley's Unified Communications is available both on monthly rental and as a white-label platform; see white label and partners for how the partnership works.
Moving to UC in five steps
- 1. Map your call flows. Who answers which number, what happens after hours, which teams need ring groups.
- 2. Decide on numbers. Keep and port your existing numbers, add local numbers in new markets.
- 3. Choose devices per role. Mobile apps for field staff, desktop apps and headsets for office staff, browser for shared desks.
- 4. Pilot with one team. Test call quality on real office and home networks before moving everyone.
- 5. Switch over and train. Port the numbers, switch the call flows, and give staff a short walkthrough of the apps.
Voxvalley has been building voice and communication platforms since 2009 for businesses and service providers. Talk to our team about moving your business, or your customers, to unified communications.