Hi -
I've seen demos of both the Vertical Wave IP 2500 system and Cisco's UCCX system. I really liked the Vertical Wave IP 2500 system, but don't know what i'm missing compared to Cisco's UCCX. Can someone tell me the pros/cons to each system.
Thank you!
I could write a 100 page report on that topic. To start with I am a Vertical dealer so maybe biased. I would look at the licensing model. What is included in each model. Also look at the ongoing software subscription cost. Also compare the power and ease of use of Vertical Viewpoint with what ever Cisco is providing for their desktop software. Also with the Wave you can do both digital sets and IP sets. With cisco it is all IP
Licensing is a HUGE determining factor. In many cases, people think that they actually buy some systems, only to find a year that their software use licenses expired when they come to work on Monday and their phones no longer work.
This is why many of of us, as in Jim's prior post, question why a customer would insist upon the purchase of a system that they really will never own due to licensing. Traditional systems are quite alive and well; in current and future development; most with the option to evolve into a full VoIP configuration when desired. The best thing is that what you buy is what you get. Nobody can take it away if you don't keep paying to keep it working.
MThomas, be careful with your purchase. Long-term costs can come back to kill you if you don't ask a LOT of questions about software licensing. Unless your employees are scattered all over multiple locations (as in multiple cities, states, even countries), you just can't justify the expense of VoIP. It is 100% not necessary within a single building or even a building complex.
I think everyone for their feedback.
We are 5 sites total. We wanted features like call recording, mobile applications, system automated failover, and a call center application that can do data dips into our core database.
Each company proposed a slightly different solution. Vertical proposed IP phones at each site with no hardware thus no survivalability for the branches. Cisco proposed a small router at each site with some fail-over to pots lines. This would allow 4 digit dialing to still work.
Each had a different licensing model. Cisco wanted a license for every feature. Vertical wanted just a few types of licenses.
Every feature available is included with Vertical out of the box you just pay. Cisco wanted you to pay for each one.
How many phones at each branch office?
Sounds to me like Cisco is proposing five small servers networked together with each office having a pots gateway. Vertical is proposing one with ip phones at all the sites. The Vertical solution will have far fewer licensing requirements and will be more transparent from site to site. Some features of many voip systems do not function 2 levels deep. The Wave is really strong when it comes to UC and mobility applications.
Keep in mind, Cisco is a IT manufacturer, not a Communications Company. Voice is a add on for Cisco, not there primary concern except for licensing fees.
And you will pay.
Thumbs up to hitech's statement. This is the reason why M blocks and paging ports baffle some Cisco installers.
If i were in your shoes i would expand my search to include more systems / options as this is a fairly large purchase and there are lots more options than Cisco and Vertical.
Where are you and your branches all located??
I definitely share your sentiment Deltron - but there are telephone men who know their stuff and do the Cisco deal, incredibly rare as they might be. Looking back I wish I had said "garden variety" Cisco installer.
The Wave is still running on 2003 Server, will this be a problem with your network? Vertical is not in a hurry to migrate to a newer OS. They also require you stay current with SW in order to be supported. To upgrade an older 3.0 Wave, a total forklift of the system is required to upgrade, new cabinet(they made it bigger), new ISC(CPU). Makes me wonder when or if they migrate to 2008/2012 Server, what other hardware upgrades will be required. Keep an open mind and shop some other systems,Shoretel,Digium,Mitel,NEC. Vertical licensing will bite you too even though they're 'giving' you more features.
We sell an asteriks based open source product, I won't mention the name. It is price competitive, feature rich, in fact most features are in the system at purchase except for a full ACD package which is an add. The best thing about this product: NO LICENSING FEES. I can sell around Cisco and all of the others all day every day simply because the end user buys the system one time. Some might say its a loss of a revenue stream. I answer that by saying that my market is not on the enterprise level, so call it 50 phones and under. These customers do not have endless deep pockets to repurchase features that they already bought and continue to do that year in, year out. We have learned that we can charge more for IP maintenance contracts and service issues because we have become data integrators, not phone guys. If I am in a competitive bid situation, all I have to do is do a 5 year cost of ownership against a Cisco, Shoretel, ( I have yet to run into a Wave in my market) and we are home. Just my take on this. Not bashing the Wave in any sense.