Wherever you stand on the great on-premises PBX versus cloud debate, no one can deny the impact the cloud has had on the UC industry.
For some, the concept of farming out provision and management of a business’s communications network to third party providers marks a watershed in the history of telecommunications. With no hardware servers to buy, or software to install and configure, or systems to wire, champions of the cloud hail it for offering an altogether more simple, cost effective, flexible and scalable approach to UC and telephony.
PBX hardware advocates, on the other hand, suggest that cloud services are unable to supply the depth and range of features a quality server can. They also raise questions over security and argue that ownership affords a higher level of control over your comms infrastructure.
As the debate rages on, some vendors are choosing to have a bob each way with their product portfolios, which of course makes sound commercial sense. One such is ShoreTel, which has developed its flagship Connect phone and UC platform to offer both an on premises and a hosted cloud option.
The Californian vendor claims that Connect CLOUD is unique in the market because it is the only complete end-to-end UCaaS solution available. It bases that on the fact that Connect CLOUD is not just a software platform licensed to service providers, who then host the system on behalf of end users. ShoreTel maintains control over service provision itself.
ShoreTel claims that, through Connect CLOUD, it can “replace separate telco, carrier and service providers,” offering customers “a single point of contact for your call plans, phones, installation and support.”
So, what does ‘end-to-end UCaaS’ offer to the customer that other services do not? We will try to unpick exactly that in this review, as well as look at the fey features and functions of the system.
Please bear in mind, the opinions expressed in this review are those of the author only. UC Today does not play any role in the promotion, marketing or sale of any particular brand or product.
What Can It Do?
ShoreTel Connect CLOUD is a fully hosted business communication service managed and provided directly through ShoreTel itself.
Through a subscription license, the customer buys access to ShoreTel’s virtual network, which is built out of virtualised versions of the Connect system products - ShoreTel ST voice switches, UC applications, core and distribution routers, account databases. Everything is hosted remotely by ShoreTel at its own operations centres, accessed via an IP connection.
Because the whole system is virtualised, and at its core is based on ShoreTel’s own considerable hardware resources, there is virtually no limit to the number of users you can plug into Connect CLOUD. It supports a number of ShoreTel desk phones from the IP400 and IP600 series, as well DECT sets and the BB 424 operator button box, which has a 96 line capacity. All of these are plugged straight into the LAN / WAN.
It provides a standard range of business class PBX and telephony functions such as call control, call routing, voicemail, automated attendant, system directory and conference calling. Subscriptions also include access to the Connect client, a browser interface which offers the following UC and user interaction features:
- A suite of collaboration tools including IM, audio, web and video conferencing, desktop sharing and point-to-point video.
- A softphone for turning PCs and laptops into a fully functioning IP phone.
- On-screen directory with presence and one-click buttons for launching IM, voice and video calls.
- Event scheduling and conference management.
- Conversation history.
- ICS and Microsoft Outlook calendar integration.
- Call monitoring and supervision.
- Centralised administration via a web browser.
A mobile client for iOS and Android also extends all call handling and UC features to mobile phones, so users really can use the network wherever they are. The mobile client provides automatic handover between desk phones and mobile, one-touch conference access and ‘dual persona’ separation between personal and business calls.
An optional contact centre suite can also be added to the license as an extra.
ShoreTel's Connect brand offers onsite, cloud, hybrid and mobile UC solutions.[/caption]
