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Unified Communications as a ServiceReviews and Ratings
What are Unified Communications as a Service?
Gartner defines unified communications as a service (UCaaS) as a multitenant, subscription-based service that is cloud-delivered. It provides business telephony features; public switched telephone network (PSTN) connectivity that enables inbound and/or outbound external calling; and collaboration features, such as messaging and meetings. UCaaS services can be consumed by end users with traditional handsets, desktop clients, web clients, meeting room systems and mobile apps. UCaaS is used by organizations to securely communicate and collaborate — both internally and externally. It includes telephony, messaging and meetings. UCaaS providers may offer variations of each of the three core modes of communication and also offer a range of cloud contact center functionalities, either self-developed or through integration/partnerships with cloud contact center specialists. Gartner’s definition of meetings for the UCaaS market mostly focuses on the capabilities for internal collaboration, work from home and external presentation meeting use cases. Other specialized use cases — such as webinar, remote support, distance learning and training — are often available from UCaaS offerings, but are not mandatory for inclusion in this research. These use cases are part of a separate market defined by Gartner (the meeting solutions market).
Messaging features: The following capabilities must be included, at a minimum:
1. The ability to enable users to exchange richly formatted instant messages (IMs) with emojis, images, file attachments and links in real time.
2. Support for personal messaging for 1:1 communication (also known as “chat”), as well as team messaging for groups using conversational user experiences.
3. Support for presence and status indicators that allows users to view the availability and status of other users and resources in their organizations.
Enterprise telephony features: This functionality must be supported through physical IP phones, physical analog phones; analog devices (e.g., fax machines and fire alarm panels); desktop apps; web apps; or mobile apps. It must include at least the following features:
1. Emergency calling services with notifications connectivity to the PSTN.
2. Survivability
3. Basic internal or external calling
4. Call forwarding
5. Call transfer
6. Shared-line call appearances
7. Voicemail
8. Call logging
9. Call recording
10. Encryption
11. Account codes
12. Hunt groups
13. Queues with announcements
14. Attendant consoles (for receptionists)
15. Delegation (for administrative assistants)
16. Auto attendants
17. Interactive voice responses (IVR) for self-service
18. Hot desking (used in shared workspaces)
Meeting functionality: These features must be accessible via desktop app, mobile app, web app or meeting room systems. They must include at least the following features:
1. Multiparty audio/video conferencing with content sharing (screen and application sharing)
2. In-meeting messaging
3. File sharing
4. Customizable layouts
5. Closed captioning
6. Meeting summaries
7. Recording
8. Virtual backgrounds
9. Breakout session support
10. Reactions and other social engagement features
Peer Lessons Learned for Unified Communications as a Service
Published June 2025
These lessons focus on reviewers' responses to questions about their experience with products in this market, specifically: “If you could start over, what would your organization do differently?” and “What one piece of advice would you give other prospective customers?”
Microsoft Teams is a collaboration software that integrates chat, video meetings, file storage and application integration to facilitate communication and teamwork. It supports real-time messaging, voice and video conferencing, and threaded conversations, enabling users to collaborate on projects and share files within team channels. The software allows integration with various third-party and Microsoft 365 applications, providing a centralized workspace for document management and workflow automation. Microsoft Teams is designed to support remote and distributed work environments, addressing business needs for secure communication, coordination, and productivity among organizations of varying sizes.
RingEX is a cloud-based communications software that integrates voice, video, messaging, and collaboration tools into a unified platform for businesses. The software offers features such as phone calls, video meetings, team messaging, and file sharing, accessible from desktop and mobile devices. It includes management capabilities like call routing, analytics, and administrative controls, supporting organizations in streamlining communication processes and enhancing team coordination. RingEX addresses the need for flexible, scalable, and secure communication solutions, enabling remote and distributed teams to connect and collaborate efficiently while centralizing communication management within a single platform.
Microsoft Skype for Business Online (Legacy) is a communication software that facilitates instant messaging, voice calls, video conferencing, and online meetings for organizations. The software integrates with other Microsoft Office applications to enable seamless collaboration among teams, allowing users to schedule meetings, share screens, and exchange files within a secure environment. Skype for Business Online streamlines communication workflows, supports presence information, and provides enterprise-grade management and security controls. This software addresses the need for remote and distributed workforce connectivity by offering tools for real-time interaction, reducing reliance on email, and enhancing productivity in business environments.
Nextiva powers over a million users and billions of interactions annually with its customer experience platform. From one AI-powered customer experience hub, Nextiva Unified-CXM transforms how businesses engage with their customers with orchestrated customer journeys that help businesses acquire, retain, and grow customers.
Webex Suite is an all-in-one, collaboration suite built on a secure Webex Platform with artificial intelligence features built-in. With 8 individual workloads – Webex Suite brings together Meetings, Messaging, Calling, Webinar, Events, Polling, Whiteboarding and Video Messaging in one collaboration experience to maximize productivity and teamwork. With a variety of collaboration features, Webex Suite helps bridge the gap between office and remote workers, remove language barriers, and overcome time zone differences. Enjoy the flexibility to work from anywhere and to keep teams focused and engaged with unified, intuitive experiences and integrated AI across the entire suite. All workloads in the Webex Suite can be managed via the single-pane-of-glass administration portal, Control Hub. It also allows you to protect your teams’ data and privacy with enterprise-grade security built in from the ground up.
Skype for Business is a communication software that integrates instant messaging, voice calls, video conferencing, and online meetings for organizations. The software offers tools for scheduling and conducting virtual meetings, sharing presentations, and collaborating in real time through a unified interface. It supports integration with other productivity software, enabling users to connect from various devices and locations. Skype for Business is designed to facilitate internal and external business communication, streamline meeting management, and improve team collaboration while supporting security and compliance requirements in enterprise environments.
Vonage Business Communications is a cloud-based unified communications software designed to facilitate business communication and collaboration for organizations of various sizes. The software integrates voice, messaging, video, and conferencing capabilities to enable users to interact internally and externally from multiple devices, including desktops and mobile phones. Vonage Business Communications offers features such as VoIP calling, SMS messaging, call recording, team messaging, and integrations with customer relationship management and productivity applications. The software aims to address the challenge of scattered business communications by providing a single platform for managing calls, messages, meetings, and contacts. It is structured to enhance workflow efficiency and support remote and hybrid work models.
Zoom Phone is an AI-first cloud phone system that helps organizations simplify communication, reduce costs, and stay connected from anywhere. Designed for businesses of all sizes and industries, it combines enterprise-grade reliability, global reach, and intelligent features in one easy-to-use solution. With AI Companion, integrated calling, SMS, and voicemail, Zoom Phone enables teams to collaborate seamlessly and deliver faster, smarter customer experiences. Zoom Phone offers PSTN coverage in 49+ countries and territories and the flexibility to bring your own carrier. Built on Zoom’s secure, scalable architecture with available 99.999% uptime, Zoom Phone enables modern, resilient communication across devices, locations, and teams.
Dialpad Connect is a cloud-based communication software that provides voice calling, messaging, and video conferencing functionalities within a unified interface. The software includes features such as call routing, voicemail transcription, intelligent call analytics, and integrations with productivity tools. Dialpad Connect is designed to facilitate flexible communication for teams operating in different locations by supporting desktop and mobile devices. It offers real-time speech recognition and transcription capabilities, which can help streamline note-taking and follow-up actions. The software addresses business communication challenges by enabling seamless collaboration and centralizing communication management for distributed teams.
Cisco Unified Communications Manager is software that offers call control, session management, and voice over IP capabilities for enterprise-level communications. The software supports integration with a range of communication devices and applications, facilitating voice, video, messaging, and mobility features across organizations. It provides tools for managing scalability, security, and reliability in unified communications environments, supporting multiple endpoints and enabling centralized management of communications infrastructure. The software addresses business needs related to efficient connectivity and collaboration, offering features such as call routing, conference calling, voicemail, and device provisioning. It is designed to help organizations streamline their communication workflows and maintain secure, scalable networks for voice and video collaboration.
Lync 2013 is a communications software designed to facilitate instant messaging, audio and video calls, online meetings, and presence information within organizations. The software integrates with Microsoft Office applications, allowing users to initiate conversations directly from other tools. Lync 2013 supports conferencing features such as screen sharing, collaborative document editing, and virtual whiteboards. It provides administrators with controls over user permissions and policy enforcement to manage communication securely. The software aims to streamline internal collaboration and reduce reliance on separate communication platforms by consolidating various forms of enterprise communication into a single interface.
8x8 Work is a software that provides unified communications by integrating voice, video meetings, team messaging, and contact center capabilities within a single platform. It enables organizations to facilitate internal and external communication, enhancing collaboration among teams through features such as voicemail, screen sharing, file sharing, and presence indicators. The software supports calling, messaging, and video conferencing from desktop and mobile devices, helping businesses manage communication workflows and streamline employee interactions. 8x8 Work addresses the need for secure, centralized communications infrastructure that can scale with organizational requirements, aiming to improve operational efficiency by minimizing the complexity of managing multiple communication tools.
Microsoft 365 is a software suite that provides a range of productivity and collaboration tools, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email, calendaring, and cloud storage. The software integrates applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneDrive, enabling users to create, edit, and share documents across devices. It supports real-time collaboration, communication, and file management for individuals and teams. Microsoft 365 offers security features, device management capabilities, and compliance tools to address business requirements and protect organizational data. The software is designed to facilitate workplace efficiency and streamline workflows by centralizing essential business applications.
Google Workspace is a software suite that provides cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools for businesses and organizations. It includes applications such as email, calendar, document editing, spreadsheets, presentations, video conferencing, and file storage. The software enables real-time collaboration and communication among users and offers administrative features for security, access control, and user management. Google Workspace integrates with various third-party applications and provides tools for task organization, scheduling, and workflow automation. The software is designed to help teams manage projects, share information, and streamline daily business operations through a unified interface accessible across devices.
Zoom Workplace is a software designed to facilitate collaboration and communication among distributed teams within organizations. It integrates video conferencing, team chat, mail, calendar, and scheduling tools to support workflows and streamline daily operations. The software enables users to conduct virtual meetings, send messages, manage schedules, and share files within the same platform. Zoom Workplace aims to improve productivity by centralizing access to essential workplace tools and reducing reliance on multiple separate applications. It offers features such as meeting recording, breakout rooms, whiteboarding, and calendar integration to support various business needs, including remote work, project coordination, and internal communication.
Tata Communications GlobalRapide is a software that provides unified communications and collaboration solutions for businesses. It is designed to integrate various communication tools, including voice calling, video conferencing, messaging, and virtual meetings, into a single platform. The software supports collaboration across distributed teams by offering features such as central management, secure connectivity, monitoring, and analytics. It enables organizations to streamline enterprise communication processes, optimize operational efficiency, and support remote work environments. GlobalRapide addresses business requirements for secure, scalable, and centralized communications management while minimizing complexity and supporting digital transformation initiatives.
GoTo Connect is a software that integrates cloud-based unified communication and collaboration tools, combining voice, video, messaging, and meeting capabilities in a single platform. It facilitates business communication by offering features such as VoIP calling, virtual meetings, messaging, and contact center functionalities. The software supports remote work and unified communications, enabling organizations to connect teams, manage calls, and streamline workflows. With capabilities such as call routing, voicemail, conferencing, and screen sharing, GoTo Connect aims to address needs related to internal and external communications, helping businesses manage employee and customer interactions efficiently through its centralized interface.
MiVoice Business is software designed to provide unified communications and collaboration capabilities for organizations of varying sizes. It supports features such as voice calling, conferencing, messaging, automated attendant, mobility options, and contact center integration. The software facilitates communication across desk phones, mobile devices, and softphones, and offers administration tools for system configuration and user management. MiVoice Business aims to address common business communication challenges by streamlining internal and external collaboration, supporting flexible work environments, and enabling efficient call handling and routing within organizations.
Wildix is a sales-oriented unified communications platform for businesses needing to serve customers faster across multiple channels, do more with fewer resources, and empower mobile-first teams while maintaining security and efficiency.
Sold through channel partners to over one million users globally, it unifies internal and external communications, bringing voice, video, messaging, screen sharing, collaboration and AI into one secure solution, accessible from desktop and mobile apps.
The solution supports AI-powered insights, agentic automation and advanced analytics that help automate admin tasks, route inquiries intelligently and deliver smarter service.
Wildix also offers optional hardware, SIP and a contact center solution with intelligent call distribution, omnichannel support (voice, chat, email, video), supervisor wallboards, real-time monitoring and historical reporting.
With open APIs and 200+ integrations, Wildix connects seamlessly with CRMs, ERPs and other business tools.
Avaya Aura Communication Manager is a software designed for unified communications and telephony control within organizations. The software offers features including call routing, voice messaging, conferencing, and support for a range of devices and communication protocols. It enables integration with contact centers, mobile workforce solutions, and enterprise business applications. The software facilitates secure and reliable voice and video communication, scalable session and trunk management, and centralized administration. By improving connectivity and collaboration across multiple locations, it addresses challenges related to communication management in distributed or complex enterprise environments.