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Migrating your telephony to the cloud: the six key steps

15. March 2018 Published by Raphael Doerr

As the person responsible for telephony, you are probably not looking for one specific telephone for your company – you want a solution that will ensure your employees are able to make and take their calls. It doesn’t matter whether this happens in the cloud or internally. Or does it? Just think about it. This is the perfect time to switch to the cloud, especially now that ISDN is close to the end and support for that solution will soon disappear. Does the cloud meet your requirements? And how does a move like that work? We’ll show you the key steps involved in cloud migration.

1. Analyze your situation

You want to make well-founded decisions? Then it’s crucial to have a detailed layout of your situation. Start with an analysis of your practical business needs. How are workplaces currently organized? Do your employees have their own desks or does their workplace change daily? Next, consider your existing network. Is the local network (LAN) ready for Voice over IP (VoIP)? Are the cables suitable for gigabit transfer speeds? What bandwidths are available at your company? And does the network offer adequate switches? Don’t forget to make a list of the telephony software licenses you currently own.

2. Think about the future

After analyzing your situation, it’s time to take a closer look at your company’s plans for growth in the future. Will the number of employees remain the same, will you hire new colleagues, or are job cuts expected? All of this will influence the choice of telephone system. The cloud can help you with upsizing or downsizing. You pay per user, which ensures that your telephone costs are transparent.

3. Think about security

A key element in your evaluation concerns rules and regulations. Some companies (especially those in the public sector) are subject to strict regulations when it comes to data storage. This is also an important aspect to consider in relation to telephony. It’s possible, for example, to set up a cloud telephone system where certain calls (such as those held internally) do not take place in the cloud. In addition, telephone traffic in the cloud allows for the use of encryption, meaning that calls are always secure.

4. Invest in customized guidance

Based on your comprehensive analysis, a professional sales partner can give you careful advice on the right choice for your company. Costs will be a key factor here because – even if you are convinced of the benefits of cloud telephony – you will not immediately benefit from a switch to the cloud if you have just invested heavily in a PBX system. And even if your hardware is outdated and has to be replaced, it is possible that you will experience a slight delay in the return on your investment. Take analog telephones, for instance, which need a special adapter when switching to the cloud. You might even be advised to invest in an internal PBX system or to migrate only part of your business to the cloud. The result is a hybrid environment.

5. Choose auto-provisioning

There’s no need to worry when it comes to implementation. Cloud solutions are ready for use immediately: Just plug in the cables and your employees can start using the system. Many devices, or at least all devices from Gigaset Communications GmbH, support auto-provisioning. This makes it very easy to connect them to a number of platforms, including Broadsoft, NFON, TeamFON, Deutsche Telefon, Wirecloud and Kwebbl and to download both the provider’s and the user-specific parameters. This means that many Internet providers based on these platforms are compatible on the same level.

6. Don’t worry about management

Managing the solution is also simple. As the person responsible for the telephone or IT, you will normally attend a two-day training session from the sales partner that will fully suffice. You will learn all about day-to-day management – from connecting the telephony devices to the cloud network, to creating conference rooms – and how to configure the necessary parameters. You will therefore be able to easily create the solution for telephony that best suits your specific situation.
Switching to the cloud can be beneficial for your company. But it’s important to find out if this solution is the right match for your company and to define a precise migration process. Only then will your company truly be fit for the future.