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Why do I need upgrade guidance? Can’t I just delete/decommission Skype for Business?

In FAQ
September 23, 2021
1 Min Read
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Microsoft has now declared Teams as the new norm of telephony. After Skype for Business has retired, organizations are advised to migrate to Teams via a Migration process and plan. A Migration plan lets you organize your contacts and notify them earlier about how they would be migrated to teams. In addition to this, with a proper plan, you can upgrade in batches, and thus, all of the employees aren’t affected all at once. Simply deleting Skype for Business server will only remove all the contacts and meeting data from your skype and you wouldn’t be able to shift all of it in Teams.

MachCloud offers easy Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams migration with its Teams migration options and Direct Routing deployment. It offers Direct Routing, Cloud services, Microsoft 365 help, and services. MachCloud experts can help you get through all the migration loopholes from Skype for Business Server to Teams.

DID YOU FIND THIS INTERESTING? WHY NOT READ: “ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR EFFECTIVE MICROSOFT TEAMS MIGRATION“?

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Do Microsoft Teams use SIP?

In FAQ
June 19, 2020
1 Min Read
D

Microsoft Teams utilizes SIP for Direct Rouging. Different communication apps like Chat, Meetings, and Calling are all exposed through UX App Window. However, Teams require IP-based voice connections, so SIP would serve the purpose. Direct Routing requires SIP Trunks. One of the prerequisites for Teams Direct Routing is that the company must be equipped with a SIP Trunk through a Communications Service Provider. It acts as a telephony network provider for Direct Routing setup. If a new Provider is needed, the existing phone numbers can be ported to the new provider.

For expert guidance, talk to a MachCloud Expert for more information.

DID YOU FIND THIS INTERESTING? WHY NOT READ: “HOW MACHCLOUD SOLUTION FOR MICROSOFT TEAMS FACILITATES BUSINESSES WITH TEAMS DIRECT ROUTING“? 

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How to Get Started with Microsoft Teams?

In FAQ
June 8, 2020
1 Min Read
H

To get started with Microsoft Teams, it is recommended that you first focus on the early adopters instead of rolling out Teams organization-wide. For this, you must first create initially two to three Teams channels and roll out the services on to the early adopters. Now you can monitor their usage and feedback and estimate the usage for the entire organization. Next, you can start with the first workload for collaboration with telephony, chat, teams, channels & apps.

For SME’s Microsoft provides a company-wide template for communication and collaboration relevant to the whole company. There is an Executive Team template and a Departmental Team template that can be used after you create individual Teams.

DID YOU FIND THIS INTERESTING? WHY NOT READ: “How MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams facilitates businesses with Teams Direct Routing“? 

Have more questions? Speak to one of our Teams Direct Routing experts today to learn more about Microsoft Teams.

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Unleash the power of Microsoft Teams with an existing PBX telephone system

In Microsoft Teams
March 9, 2020
4 Min Read
U

Microsoft Teams is the next generation of collaboration tools for the modern workplace. When migrating to Microsoft Teams you do not want to sacrifice important PBX features. Until MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams, integrated support in Microsoft Teams for an existing PBX was not available such as retaining your existing phone number and dial by extension.

Introducing MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams, a fully automated service for calling in Microsoft Teams, while maintaining your existing PBX. MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams works in minutes without PBX migration or phone number porting.

MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams benefits

You should consider all Microsoft Teams limitations before migrating. There is no coexistence between Microsoft Teams and third party PBX. The only option you have is to fully migrate and accepting all limitations, or simply continue to use two separated platforms. The biggest advantage of MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams is that you can maintain your existing PBX and don’t have to compromise on functionality. You can continue to use your existing number plan with dial by extension. MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams also integrated fixed and mobile devices, allowing the caller to dial out using the company main phone number directly from the Microsoft Teams smartphone app. Another great feature is that when a Microsoft Teams user is unavailable the call can be forwarded to any group, extension or to the receptionist.

How does it work?

Microsoft Teams user is linked to an existing PBX extension for example 201. The username, password, and extension (201) of the user is entered in the self-service web portal. MachCloud’s geo-redundant platform ensures that the fixed device at the workplace is replaced by the Microsoft Teams user smartphone.

Teams Voice PBX Integrations - MachCloud

It is not required to migrate all PBX users simultaneously to Microsoft Teams. Users who are not ready simply continue to use the PBX system as before. Important to know is that MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams does not make any changes to the PBX configuration, SIP trunk or external telephone numbers.

Call function comparison of Microsoft Teams and MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams built-in PBX functions are limited and by far the most important reason why companies do not consider migrating. A short comparison:

Features and options

Microsoft Teams

MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams

Advanced PBX functions such as multi-level hunt groups

Not available

Available

Easy sign-in sign-out for hunt groups  

Not available

Available

Use of a single telephone number block

Not available

Available

Back-up routing, in case Microsoft Teams users are unavailable

Not available

Available

Easy migration without number porting or replacing SIP trunks

Not available

Available

Keep existing call routing plan and extensions in place

Not available

Available

Flexible number presentation when making calls

Not available

Available

What licenses are required?

To start using MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams the following Microsoft licenses are required:

Direct Routing connection

 MachCloud Direct Routing Connector, you can choose any Microsoft license:

For instance: Microsoft Office 365 E1, Microsoft Business Basic, etc.

Microsoft Teams User

MachCloud User license for Microsoft Teams. You can choose out of these Microsoft licenses:

  • Office 365 E1  + Phone System
  • Office 365 E3  + Phone System
  • Office 365 E5  (Phone System included)
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic + Business Voice (without calling plan)
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard + Business Voice (without calling plan)
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium + Business Voice (without calling plan)
  • Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 + Business Voice (without calling plan)
  • Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5  (Business Voice included)

What does it cost?

  • MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams licensing cost is calculated per user per month. Contact your service provider or MachCloud for more information and pricing.
  • Direct Routing between Microsoft tenant and MachCloud requires one Microsoft user license (take any license you want) and one MachCloud Direct Routing Connector license.
  • The connection between Microsoft Teams User and MachCloud Telephony network requires one MachCloud User license for Microsoft Teams.
  • Microsoft requires each Teams user to have a Phone System addon (Office 365) license or Business Voice addon (Microsoft 365) license.
  • MachCloud partner will be responsible for charging the end-user (customer). A detailed report of existing accounts will be available in the self-service web portal.
  • The existing calling plan and PBX remain unchanged. MachCloud calling plan or cloud PBX is optional and not included.
  • Prices do not include sales tax (vat) where applicable.

What are the prerequisites?

  • Extension numbers can be 2, 3, 4 or 5 digits long, with the exception of 100-199.
  • The Microsoft Teams user can only make and receive calls. All other functions are provided by the existing PBX system.
  • After successfully registering and purchasing MachCloud Solution for Microsoft Teams licenses you will have access to the self-service web portal for configuring Microsoft Teams call settings.
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Five key issues with standby duty service using Digital Business Communication System

In Digital Communications, Unified Communications
February 6, 2020
4 Min Read
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Meet Ted, the CEO of a reputed enterprise. Ted has always been enthusiastic for a progressive Digital business communication system for his workplace communication. Ted believes, the success to his business is to expand business presence. This requires, more staff availability and the employees being available even in their off time. Well, that’s a tough demand.

Tim, the IT manager, has a solution: Standby duty service based on call forwarding.

It is no surprise that communication is a solution that connects people to people. Call forwarding now plays a major role in assuring staff availability, empowers employees to work on the go and expands business presence. When digital business communication solutions became the norm in business community, a lot of concepts from old business communication had to be mapped into the modern digital communications. One of them is “Standby duty service” which gets its implementation through Call forwarding.

Standby duty service

If employees take turns to be reachable by telephone outside office hours in the event of incidents, emergencies or other calamities, this is called a standby duty. An employee can have a standby duty during the day, at night or during a weekend. During a standby duty service, an employee can be called and asked to perform work. In the past a beeper or pager was used to call employees, but nowadays it is the employee’s mobile phone that is the primary workplace communication device. And sometimes things go wrong.

1.      The empty battery

Despite all the care, it may happen that a cell phone or workplace communication device has no range, busy or has an empty battery. If a telephone call for an employee is diverted to a mobile device, the call almost always ends in a standard voicemail service. This is undesirable in the event of an emergency. That is why Digital business communication systems the MachCloud-CloudPBX has the option in the standby duty service to play the message to the employee like: “Press a key to accept the call”. If the employee does not press a key, the call will be forwarded to a fallback number or central reception post. This prevents voicemail from getting in the way.

2.      A mobile app replaces manual transfer schedules

If the call forwarded to employees is managed by a person, a mistake can occur. An employee is sick or on leave. A much better option is to let employees sign up in the call routing plan themselves. The most user-friendly way is that of a mobile app, because people can operate it anytime and anywhere. When setting up a standby duty service, we ensure that someone is always registered in the forwarding schedule. This prevents an employee from logging off without another employee being registered. A change of the guard can only be activated by the new employee in the app by activating a virtual switch.

3.      Multiple standby duty services

Larger organizations often require multiple standby duty services. By assigning a separate number to each standby duty service and setting up a separate forward diagram to the mobile numbers of employees, optimal availability is ensured.

ALSO READ:

How MachCloud can help you in avoiding internal telephone usage cost?

4.      Often overlooked: What if things go wrong?

In the end, accessibility remains human work. Even though everything is arranged optimally, it is possible that a call for an emergency is not answered. That is why we emphasize that a backstop or is always included in the forwarding scheme. If a telephone call is not answered in the event of an emergency, it is better to play a message with a message about an alternative contact method, than a scenario where the caller is on hold endlessly. Call forwarding must therefore always include an end point with, for example, a message about how to act if the call isn’t answered.

5.      Fair share?

A standby duty is often necessary. But the hours often do not count as paid hours. It is important that employees know that the working hours are allocated to different colleagues according in a fair manner. This prevents employees having the perception, they account for more hours than colleagues. Insight into answering time is important as well. In the event of an emergency, it must be possible to review answering time. That is why reports and call details related to workplace communication can be made available. The MachCloud-CloudPBX supports all these functions.

Do you need advice when setting up a standby duty service in your Digital business communication system? Contact us via www.machcloud.com.

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5 Ways a VoIP system can reduce your business phone bill | A Digital communications strategy

In VOIP
November 22, 2019
3 Min Read
5

The old adage “Communication is the key” still holds true especially for cloud businesses. A decent digital business communication infrastructure (like VoIP system or SIP Trunking solution) is indeed the backbone of any cloud business in which operations are carried out within the cloud space. Gone are the days when a traditional business phone system was setup and maintained amongst heavy clutters of wiring, digital communication in the cloud is the trend of today.

Amongst so many options, a smart choice of digital communications strategy is a VoIP. Let’s have a look why.

  • Lessened hardware costs

With VoIP, you don’t have to boil the ocean.  With a decent provider and a digital communications strategy, you get the power of a modern business communication with less investment costs and minimal maintenance cost which eventually brings down the costs you spend on your communications within the business. There are some VoIP providers who offer free hardware and others charge a little fee initially, it is still a lot better than the traditional business phone systems.

  • Pocket-friendly phone calls

Not only the infrastructure, but the phone calls also don’t burden your budget. Providers offer decent digital communications strategy and bundle deals for your cloud business which eventually save you big bucks on your budget. Monthly subscriptions are there that you may or may not continue the next month, depending upon your business needs. Furthermore, if you have international clients, you’d need to make frequent calls abroad; you only have to pay for what you use.

  • Scalability in cheap rates

Either you wish to scale up or down your cloud business, a digital communications system can adapt to your business scalability. No need to add more clutter and cost to the office business phone lines. All you have to do is add users in the cloud and utilize the power of scalability in the VoIP system.

  • Stay up-to-date always

With a VoIP system right in place, the updation of the system and infrastructure is the responsibility of the Provider so you don’t have to deal with out-dated systems anytime. The provider is there to roll in the new changes whenever they are available.

  • Save time

Providers know the importance of your time. When you are mostly busy with technicalities of a traditional phone line, theirs is less chance you’d be able to focus on your business tasks for the day. Providers take you out of that and let you focus on your cloud business operations to save you time and money.

ALSO READ Basics of VoIP Plans that can benefit your cloud business

MachCloud – Industry’s best Digital Communications Provider

At MachCloud, there is something for everyone. It is a robust digital communications platform offering SIP Trunking, Cloud PBX, and Reselling of Office 365 services.  MachCloud offers free calls mixing different technologies and makes the customers save more costs on their communications expenditure. Experts at MachCloud know the importance of your time and take the burden off from your IT team regarding communication infrastructure management.

Get started with MachCloud and deploy the right tools for your business that take your business to success.

 

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How MachCloud can help you in avoiding internal telephone usage cost?

In Unified Communications
May 15, 2019
3 Min Read
H

With more and more businesses opting for Unified Communication Solutions, companies can benefit from cost optimization. Call accounting is a process which captures, records and keeps track on telephone usage events within the origination. Cost optimization is very necessary for businesses and therefore, companies implement cost optimization software’s and adopt them to make sure their digital business communication costs are streamlined.

How are internal telephone usage costs discovered?

Telephone Usage cost

With effective call optimization solutions in place, quite recently companies have realized that there are irregular internal telephone usage costs that are caused by using different vendors. In essence, keeping two vendors give you benefits of both types of solutions like PBX and Microsoft Teams. This gives rise to internal costs and the costs outweigh the benefits. Let’s make it clear: 

Harry and Alice both work in different branches of the same company that has opted IP Telephony networks. Harry has adopted PBX at one branch and Alice has adopted calling via Microsoft Teams. Over a period of time, when the company performs call accounting, it is made visible that due to differences in vendors (Cloud PBX and Microsoft Teams) there is an increase in internal telephone usage costs.

The solution to internal telephone usage cost

 

Internal Telephone Usage cost with machcloud

Like every problem has a solution, the problem of increase of Internal telephone usage costs also has a reliable solution: MachCloud Unified Business Communication Solutions.  With a MachCloud SIP solution in place, employees can make use of different telecom technology causing no extra internal costs to the company. That said, with a MachCloud layer in place, Harry can keep using PBX via SIP trunking and perform all the necessary business communication with Alice who is using calling via Microsoft Teams through SIP trunking and there are “absolutely no” internal telephone usage charges. This is by far the biggest benefit of MachCloud from all other SIP trunking providers and UCaaS providers in the market.

 

MachCloud: Ultimate UC solution for a progressive business

MachCloud not only provides solutions for internal telephone usage costs, it is a complete Service Management and solution delivery platform. It also provides services that facilitate Resellers in all aspects like enabling them with profitable margins, no costs for becoming a partner to resell Office 365 services, better client management and best-in-line technical support that is there for you 24/7. MachCloud is indeed your gateway to a successful digital business communication service that adds more value to your business, cuts costs on telephone usage and increase the flow of revenue for your business keeping you content with your business proceedings and making you explore new areas of making revenue.

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