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Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)

Overview

What is Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)?

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…

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Recent Reviews
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

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  • Audio conferencing (39)
    8.8
    88%
  • User templates (38)
    8.2
    82%
  • Directory of employee names (38)
    8.1
    81%
  • Answering rules (41)
    7.8
    78%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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Unavailable

What is Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)?

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.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Alternatives Pricing

What is Broadvoice?

Broadvoice is a provider of hosted voice, UCaaS, CCaaS, and CX solutions for small and mid-market enterprises and BPOs. Broadvoice solutions offer enterprise-class features to simplify communications and streamline operations.

What is NetFortris?

NetFortris provides business phone systems using Polycom and Yealink IP phones. They offer three subscription-based pricing plans, all including unlimited VoIP and desktop phone options. Advanced plans include other features such as video collaboration, softphone, and on-demand recording.

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Features

Cloud PBX

A cloud PBX system is based on cloud computing technology where data is stored and transferred over the intenet without any need for on-site PBX equipment

7.5
Avg 8.2

Call Management

Customized phone system settings

7.4
Avg 8.4

VoIP system collaboration

Team collaboration via cloud phone system

7.8
Avg 8.3

Mobile apps

Apps are compatible with mobile devices.

8.8
Avg 8.3
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Product Details

What is Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)?

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.

Unified communications
Call Manager can consolidate communications infrastructures and enable individual users and teams to communicate within its interface. The solution features IP telephony, video, unified messaging, instant messaging, and networking. It also has various features to support mobile and remote workers.

Integrations
Cisco Unified (CM) supports industry communications standards, a range of gateways, and an ecosystem of third-party integrations and solutions plus partners.

Security
Cisco Unified (CM) supports the industry authentication, encryption, and communication protocols. It complies with industry certifications, and secures data and communications for customers in financial services, manufacturing, retail, and governments internationally.


Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager) Integrations

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager) Competitors

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager) Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

RingEX are common alternatives for Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager).

Reviewers rate Hosted PBX highest, with a score of 9.9.

The most common users of Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager) are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(170)

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 44)
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Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Variety of sip registrations
  • Possibility of using h323 sip and mgsp gateways
  • Easy of use
  • User friendly interface
  • We have to press "find" button after every menu)))
  • Installation process can be more simple instead of being very old fashioned
  • CDR must be improved.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • For call routing, dividing the different departments through Device pools.
  • Calling controls through CSS and Partitions.
  • Provisioning through Super copy.
  • Easy integration with the other third party components.
  • Simplified procedure for the bulk provisioning.
  • Easy grouping of endpoints.
  • List of items 500/1000 instead of max limit of 250.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Reseller
  • Dynamic routing
  • Scalability
  • High Availability
  • Easy administration
  • Consolidated integration with networking equipment and other platforms
  • Classic Telephony features not implemented or done differently/indirectly
  • Licensing schemes changed several times through the years, not being so transparently transfered between versions
RAJESH VENGILOT | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
  • Smooth IP based calling on LAN / WAN
  • Integration with other Cisco UC components to provide enhanced features
  • Jabber registration for ease for calling from mobile devices
  • Does not have good reporting functinality. Most of the reports are pretty raw
  • CUCM still have many open bugs which needs to be fixed
  • Some of the configuration could be very complex and tough to implement
  • User guides could be made more user friendly and intuituve
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Integrated well with other Cisco platforms
  • Recent code versions have better compatibility with third-party solutions
  • Biggest bottleneck with most of Cisco's hardware-based collaboration platforms is code management
  • If Cisco can figure out the number of bugs that constantly keep appearing for these platforms, it could face lesser challenges competing with challengers
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Customizability - The program allows for a lot of specific features and ways to use the program.
  • Traditional - The system is a very traditional phone system, with everything you would expect and need from an enterprise phone system.
  • Expandable - The system allows from a small amount of users to a large amount, with no upper limit.
  • Remote working - CUCM really struggles when it comes to remote work. In order to access the system remotely, a VPN or DirectAccess must be used.
  • Extreme complexity - While CUCM does have more settings for flexibility, this also means there's more chances to mess up a setting and render a phone or line unusable, and there's much, much more to know about the system.
  • No cloud solution - CUCM requires on site servers. Currently, Cisco does not have a cloud solution for their call manager.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • 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.
  • As with most Cisco products, they come with a higher price point than some of their competitors.
  • Due to the level of granularity that it provides, there is a somewhat steep learning curve to administrators who are new to the platform.
  • Navigation within the application can be difficult/cumbersome at time because there are so many different areas. I think perhaps a more simplified GUI would be an improvement.
Leonardo Gonzalez | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Device failover and fallback. Because all devices ( IP phones, gateways, trunks, etc.) are distributed across all active servers, they are able to register with other active servers in case the current becomes unavailable. In this way, you can reduce the impact of any server becoming unavailable.
  • Virtualization. Call Manager appliance can run under virtualized environments.
  • Several features such as Survivable Remote Site Telephony makes Call Manager the best IP telephony solution in the market.
  • Wide quantity and variety of end-user devices, including the most newest and modern ones in the market that can fit any budget and need.
  • Call Manager is intended to be integrated with the newest collaboration tools like Webex and Jabber for call processing purposes.
  • Great customer support services from the Vendor. The Technical Assistance Center is fantastic, experienced engineers are ready to help quickly out with any request.
  • 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.
Benjamín Marrón Rojas | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Unified administration of all your telephony devices
  • Integration with third-party devices and applications
  • Integration with voicemail, instant messaging and contact center
  • Support of all Cisco IP phones and third-party SIP devices.
  • Good troubleshooting tools for voice calls
  • The interface is a little bit old. They need to update the look of the web page.
  • There are a lot of menus--it should be better organized.
  • When updating a device package you have to reboot.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Extremely broad industry support and resources available
  • Scales up well, and the new licensing is much more straightforward than before
  • Cisco has changed their CUCM licensing model four times since we started using it
  • With all of the power and features, it can be overwhelming to new users
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Powerful feature set out of the box.
  • Mature platform and vast support direct from Cisco and from the community.
  • Integrations available to many APIs, other platforms.
  • We would like to have rules based call routing.
  • We would like to see licensing easier to manager.
  • A unified GUI will help with the multiple software packages.
Juan Ignacio Zappacosta | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • It is a secure solution. There are no severity 5s vulnerabilities associated with this solution.
  • The quality of the sound is excellent. There are very few solutions with such good quality in terms of latency, quality and delay/response.
  • It is highly scalable and easy to use.
  • It should have a free or beta version.
  • More than 199 should be allowed to attend the meetings.
  • During the meetings, the users should read the reasons why they are facing issues (connectivity issues, network, latency, poor quality/only sound, etc).
October 03, 2019

Cisco Call Manager

Lee Weers | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Voicemail to email
  • Jabber provides some great flexibility
  • There are a lot of options
  • Can be easier to configure
  • Conflict between single number reach and jabber answering a call on a mobile device
  • Video integration
  • Implementing public trusted certificates.
Jane Updegraff | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 3 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • CUCM provides excellent call quality
  • CUCM gives visibility into call handling and call records
  • CUCM allows us to control everything about our voice communications
  • CUCM is overly complex and requires a very capable engineer to maintain it. Similarly, implementing anything new requires a great deal of specialized knowledge of CUCM.
  • CUCM is difficult to troubleshoot because of it's complexity.
  • CUCM is expensive licensing and they nickel and dime you with a plethora of tiny little license charges for every little feature. They have the most convoluted licensing models, ever, for their CU products in general.
Brian Munn | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • The first strength is this is a VoIP system allowing voice to travel across a data IP network. This makes cabling for phones very easy as the phone will utilize the same network cable that your PC would. This also means less infrastructure to support voice. No need for large PBX systems and closets that hide cabling nightmares.
  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager is a very flexible product. It can be custom configured to best suit your business needs and locations. It can be used as a single tenant or multi tenant system. Each site or office location can be configured separately from others for greater control.
  • Cisco offers a wide range of phone models for various needs and supports many third party SIP phones. There are also multiple ways to integrate with legacy systems during a system migration or when integrating a new company or office.
  • Licensing can be difficult to understand. Cisco has changed licensing models multiple times over the years and determining what modes is best suited for your company can be difficult.
  • Systems backups need some work. If you are in a multi server geographically separated environment backups can be a problem. All servers are included in a backup session and if servers are across a WAN connection all that data is being pulled across the WAN. I would like to see cloud backup or multi location backup options.
  • When phones move between sites/subnets it would be nice to have a feature that could automatically move the phone configuration from one device pool to another so that location specific options are set for the moved phone.
September 25, 2019

Cisco IP Phone

Amanda Carpenter | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Good for sharing phones. Has the ability to log into a phone to get voicemails and receive calls. Then another person can use the same phone later.
  • Like the connection to Jabber on the computer. Great for when you are at a computer but not by the actual phone.
  • The voicemail settings are great. I love that I can set my vacation voicemail to expire at a certain date and time, so I don't have to remember to change my voicemail back when I return.
  • One thing I have trouble with is changing my name for the standard greeting. I changed it for internal calls, but I couldn't get it to change overall.
  • I think for the future a touchscreen would be nice.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Multiple calls coming in at the same time to different locations.
  • System is easily customizable. We can make the system operate differently from one location to the other.
  • The system is robust and the hunt groups are able to be set up ad hoc which is great.
  • The online interface has not been updated for a couple of years. This could be worthwhile.
  • Ability to log in to the system via mobile devices and access and update as required.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • The solution is probably one of the most robust IT solutions we have today. Although it works 24/7, it never required a reset "just because it needs to free memory" for example. In our deployment, the servers never went down due to a bug or software/hardware problem. We only reboot when we need to update or install some software fix.
  • Compared to other platforms on the market, Cisco Unified Communications Manager is the most complete and flexible one. You can manage not only Cisco endpoints but 3rd party too. Also, you can run on bare metal appliances or even in virtualized environments, which gives you more freedom of choice. Considering the amount of model of endpoints available, you can have several options for any use case, from the simplest no display desk phone to a wireless, LCD display, full-featured phone. That also gives you the freedom to select what works best in each environment.
  • If you consider both statements above, you'll see that Cisco Unified Communications Manager as the best ROI on the market. As an example, I can say that we're running instances (both hardware and software) of CUCM for the last 5 years. That's a huge advantage if you compare how short the lifecycle of digital platforms are these days. No upgrades, no parts replacement, no support tickets, no TAC calls, nothing.
  • Although once you learn how to use the management interface you can do things easily, the look and feel of the management interface has been the same for several years. It's not as modern as the other Cisco platforms and doesn't follow the latest design language we see in other systems. Seems like it got stuck in the past.
  • In our architecture, we use the same CUCM servers for both local and remote deployment because Cisco doesn't offer a version for branch offices that is small enough to fit both in our infrastructure and budget. I know they offer CUCM Express, which is a simpler and more affordable version, but it's not the same as the CUCM. You can't use it as a node for a distributed architecture. It only runs as a standalone system. From a management perspective, it takes a little more to support those kinds of mixed environments.
  • For large deployments, when you need to replace thousands of analog desk phones for new IP Phones, as our company did in the past, it can be very expensive. That's why it took several years until we reached a point where we could afford to replace more than half of our desk phones at once. The investment needed had to be substantial and sometimes it's not easy to justify that kind of investment if you're only updating the technology. As a manufacturing company, I can tell you that for the person who uses the phone on the floor, it doesn't matter if the phone is analog or IP. It must work and that's it. Although Cisco offers some affordable models, they're limited.
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