Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager) vs. Lifesize Video Conferencing

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Call Manager is a unified call control center from Cisco that supports enterprise collaboration functions across the spectrum of IP telephony, video & web conferencing, and messaging. Features include call forwarding, call back, call transfer, ad hoc conferencing, and call park.N/A
Lifesize Video Conferencing
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Lifesize is a web conferencing platform focused on making video conferencing systems and video conferencing apps work well together, while still being easy-to-use. Their platform incorporates web conferencing software with meeting room devices and wireless screen sharing.
$12.95
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Pricing
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Enterprise
$12.95 per user/month
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Plus
$14.95 per user/month
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Standard
$16.95 per user/month
Call for pricing
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsMust contact sales team for pricingWith every plan, you get the collaboration features you use everyday, at no additional cost: • Unlimited video conferences • Downloadable desktop and mobile apps • Secure encryption set by default • Unlimited meeting duration • Free, browser-based web app • Two-way and group chat with popular chat integrations • Centralized, name-based directory • Online reporting and account management • Email and calendar scheduling
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Cloud PBX
Comparison of Cloud PBX features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
7.4
40 Ratings
10% below category average
Lifesize Video Conferencing
-
Ratings
Hosted PBX9.919 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-level Interactive Voice Response (IVR)5.929 Ratings00 Ratings
User templates8.238 Ratings00 Ratings
Call reports5.037 Ratings00 Ratings
Directory of employee names8.038 Ratings00 Ratings
Call Management
Comparison of Call Management features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
7.3
43 Ratings
14% below category average
Lifesize Video Conferencing
-
Ratings
Answering rules7.841 Ratings00 Ratings
Call recording5.526 Ratings00 Ratings
Call park8.037 Ratings00 Ratings
Call screening7.534 Ratings00 Ratings
Message alerts7.838 Ratings00 Ratings
VoIP system collaboration
Comparison of VoIP system collaboration features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
7.7
39 Ratings
7% below category average
Lifesize Video Conferencing
-
Ratings
Video conferencing9.329 Ratings00 Ratings
Audio conferencing8.839 Ratings00 Ratings
Video screen sharing6.115 Ratings00 Ratings
Instant messaging6.518 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile apps
Comparison of Mobile apps features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
8.7
23 Ratings
5% above category average
Lifesize Video Conferencing
-
Ratings
Mobile app for iOS8.423 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app for Android9.121 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
Comparison of Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
-
Ratings
Lifesize Video Conferencing
8.9
161 Ratings
10% above category average
High quality audio00 Ratings8.9161 Ratings
High quality video00 Ratings8.9159 Ratings
Low bandwidth requirements00 Ratings8.8151 Ratings
Screen Sharing
Comparison of Screen Sharing features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
-
Ratings
Lifesize Video Conferencing
8.9
156 Ratings
11% above category average
Desktop sharing00 Ratings8.9156 Ratings
Online Meetings / Events
Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
-
Ratings
Lifesize Video Conferencing
8.8
149 Ratings
6% above category average
Calendar integration00 Ratings8.8113 Ratings
Meeting initiation00 Ratings8.8142 Ratings
Record meetings / events00 Ratings8.8112 Ratings
Slideshows00 Ratings8.897 Ratings
Online Events Collaboration
Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
-
Ratings
Lifesize Video Conferencing
9.0
93 Ratings
6% above category average
Live chat00 Ratings9.092 Ratings
Q&A00 Ratings9.062 Ratings
Online Events Security
Comparison of Online Events Security features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
-
Ratings
Lifesize Video Conferencing
9.0
114 Ratings
7% above category average
Participant roles & permissions00 Ratings9.0114 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Small Businesses
CloudTalk
CloudTalk
Score 9.5 out of 10
ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
CloudTalk
CloudTalk
Score 9.5 out of 10
ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Business Edition 7000 (discontinued)
Cisco Business Edition 7000 (discontinued)
Score 9.0 out of 10
Google Meet
Google Meet
Score 8.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Likelihood to Recommend
9.2
(44 ratings)
8.0
(162 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(24 ratings)
Usability
8.7
(4 ratings)
8.4
(37 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(7 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(15 ratings)
Support Rating
8.0
(14 ratings)
7.0
(49 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(2 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(5 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.0
(136 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
7.7
(10 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
7.4
(10 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(18 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(6 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)Lifesize Video Conferencing
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
The Cisco Unified Communications Manager platform would be most suited for the below scenarios. 1. An organization with very restricted policies and compliance where can't move to cloud-based solutions for data security. They can install the CUCM on-premises. 2. An organization that is still on a legacy phone system could adopt CUCM to save costs and have better services.
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Lifesize
Lifesize Video Conferencing is a real-time meeting and video conferencing solution that works simply and immediately with features that fit our needs. I recommend it because it is professional, easy to configure, with maximum security, and where collaboration and teamwork are essential. possible, increasing workflow and productivity, to increase communication and efficiency in projects, it offers positive results and a pleasant experience for all.
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Pros
Cisco
  • This solution is extremely stable and has been running in our environment for several years without (unscheduled) downtime.
  • The ability to have voicemails automatically sent as an email message is extremely helpful in helping us to keep in touch while away from the desk.
  • The Call Manager provides us very granular settings to route our calls as we want.
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Lifesize
  • The touchpad makes it extremely easy to join or start conference calls with a single pushbutton.
  • The Lifesize solution is affordable and has been extremely reliable for our video conference calls.
  • Camera quality is great and provides clear video for our organization.
  • The pan/tilt/zoom features are very helpful to focus in on specific people or items during a training or demonstration.
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Cons
Cisco
  • Administration web page is little bit hard to understand at the beginning specially if you are not familiar with naming convention and GU Interfaces.
  • Call Detail Record interface is fine but would be desirable to include more options that fit organization needs in terms of reporting purposes.
  • Self Care Portal interface could be more useful to the end user if it includes options to manage some features without administrators involving.
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Lifesize
  • Lack of features or options to integrate with other solutions
  • Audio was just ok. If it was a meeting with more than 3-4 people, it seemed it was too much
  • I had a hard time with support. They were not very responsive and felt like an up-hill battle at times.
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Likelihood to Renew
Cisco
We have been using this product for 20+ years and will continue too. This is a great product and new features are always coming out.
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Lifesize
Other than the HIPAA compliance, we have no compelling reason to retain LifeSize when we can already pay for similar services included with our UCaaS service. Our UCaaS vendor, Fuze, includes video conferencing with the VoIP services via single, integrated client software package. Additional limitations include minimal implementation assistance, training service, training materials and assistance driving internal adoption. Issues with slow speed for desktop sharing and audio quality make the technical aspects of Lifesize inferior to competitors.
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Usability
Cisco
Although it's very easy to use, once you understand the concepts of IP telephony, as I said before, I think Cisco could have improved the management interface of the platform, adding modern technologies and the design language of the other platforms like DNA Center, etc. This interface hasn't had a substantial improvement for about 10 years
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Lifesize
Overall experience with Lifesize Video Conferencing has been great. While it serves it's basic purpose of allowing smooth video/audio meetings of people located at different places with option of screen sharing/chatting/ recording, what add to it's pros are it's accessibility from various platforms, flexibility to switch to a listen only mode in case of network issues and ease of operation.
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Reliability and Availability
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Lifesize
Since we are an educational institution we not only have scheduled classes which must be available, but we have staff members in a variety of areas ranging from recruiting and admissions to advancement and the President's office who need to connect with students, alumni and other interest groups, often at odd hours. I have not, since using Lifesize had anyone complain of not being able to connect
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Performance
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Lifesize
Lifesize is an amazing platform for VC. However, it is a costly solution for any scaling startup. However, implementation and user acceptability was fairly easy and worth the additional spend. Quality has always been on point and support has always taken care of us. Our account manager also ensured a seamless transition process for Google Hangouts. Will go with this solution again at any other organization.
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Support Rating
Cisco
CUCM is supported by most third-party vendors for related products, so it makes finding solutions to specific needs easy. Also Cisco TAC is very knowledgeable, and we have never run into a problem they have not been able to resolve. Usually they are resolved without the need to escalate tickers either.
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Lifesize
Support has been decent throughout our use of Lifesize Video Conferencing. There were times we needed to make changes, customizations and additions to the application which took a little longer than expected. Overall the support team for Lifesize was very responsive to our requests. When we experienced issues with the application they were resolved to our expectations.
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In-Person Training
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Lifesize
Sensus was really helpful in the initial setup and training of our technical Support Team. Sensus gave us training on site so that it would be our own equipment that was set up. Then the in house tech team took over to train other users who would be using the system. When needed the Sensus and Lifesize tech support were really helpful in trouble shooting or guiding us through any difficulty.
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Online Training
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Lifesize
I gave this rating because Lifesize's website offers multiple quality videos that shows you exactly how the software works. The videos are divided into different categories which makes searching for a video fairly simple! If for some reason you have a question not answered in one of the how-tos you can always contact support. Excellent product, excellent service!
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Implementation Rating
Cisco
This was the first phone system we implemented that could span multiple locations. We were very satisfied once fully implemented
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Lifesize
Great for companies that need to accomplish multiple things at once while at different places. From our experience, broadcasting news is most favorable considering the level of excellence you get with the product plus the affordability. It can be used both privately amongst employees, or shared publicly through covering events
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Alternatives Considered
Cisco
We have been a Cisco based shop and have looked at other cloud voice options such as MS Teams pbx, and others, but ultimately, the features, endpoints, and reliability of Cisco has been the common factor in staying with them as our voice provider. Their integrations, room systems, and hybrid design allows for us to be flexible and keep a high up time vs reliance on 100% cloud.
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Lifesize
When compared to Zoom, one of the massive benefits that Lifesize brings is total peace of mind with security. Call encryption is part of the core in Lifesize and not an optional feature as in Zoom. I don't know about you, but every conversation can contain private and confidential information, so protecting me, my team, and my customers is totally covered with Lifesize! When compared with other providers, the quality of the video and lip sync on Lifesize is simply flawless. With the ability to deliver a call at 4k ultra high definition at 60 frames per second, the platform is simply awesome! Zoom is only 720p and the data share is only 5 frames per second. Zoom is simply substandard when compared to Lifesize. We often speak with clients who are using Teams or Skype for Business, but when you compare the video and audio quality with that achieved by Lifesize, they simply do not match up. If you want excellent quality video and ultra-sharp audio, then Lifesize is the only way to go!
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Scalability
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Lifesize
With LifeSize Cloud, it's very easy to simply add another Icon to your system and join it to your cloud. You can easily and instantly create meetings and add users both in your organization and out without any difficulty. The cooperation between the Icons and cloud users running on their laptops makes it easy to scale this out to your entire company, including joint venture without difficulty.
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Return on Investment
Cisco
  • Communication and collaboration - Our offices are able to communicate both internally and externally due to this system.
  • Down time - Struggles with CUCM has caused a lot of down time due to the instability of the system.
  • High Costs - the cost of both the license and the maintenance was much higher than other systems.
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Lifesize
  • Training users on how to use the software is quick and easy.
  • Calling abroad saves a good chunk of money for both the end user and company.
  • Does save on travel as remote users are able to have a similar experience as the people attending the meetings and no need to travel to the other locations for meetings.
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ScreenShots

Lifesize Video Conferencing Screenshots

Screenshot of Lifesize Web App directoryScreenshot of Lifesize Web App screen sharing and five-way callScreenshot of Lifesize Desktop App home screenScreenshot of Lifesize Desktop App group video call with moderator controlsScreenshot of Lifesize Record & Share personal video libraryScreenshot of Lifesize Record & Share personal video library - video feed