At last we have paging functionality using our own IP Phones on our UC systems. Starting with CUCM 9.1, Cisco has entered into an OEM agreement with longime developer partner Singlewire to include their well known InformaCast product with every CUCM install. All orders of CUCM will come with the Cisco Paging Server software DVD which has the InformaCast product and documentation on it. The DVD has an ISO file with OVA for installing in a virtual environment plus all documentation. You can quickly see how when running UC on UCS or a Business Edition 6000, you can create bundled packages of specific UC apps (1 VM per app) on a single server that is a perfect fit for specific verticals. This is going to be extremely helpful when targetting K-12 applications as well as hospitality, manufacturing, transportation and higher ed opportunities.
The way it works is that basic paging features are now free with every CUCM product. Basic paging consists of the ability to send point-to-point or group live audio pages to/from Cisco IP Phones. There are an unlimited number of groups/zones to be configured and a maximum of 50 users per paging group. So all users of a system can participate in a variety of paging groups but without upgrading to advanced, 50 users at a time is available. Paging across sites is also supported with a properly configured multicast WAN network.
But we aren't just providing the basic functionality with UCM, all advanced features from InformaCast will also be delivered and optional. Since these features are new to many customers, there is a 60 day trial of the advanced features to show customers what they have available to them and to determine if it is a good fit in their environment. Many applications require the high level functionality like that listed below, and the ability to claim these as being available with every UCM order as a single vendor solution is extremely powerful. No other competitor will have a UC product shipping with all of the advanced emergency notification and security awareness features like Cisco UC now has.
The advanced features are what will be a great sales conversation starter to set your Cisco UC system apart from the rest. Included with this are features like:
- Pre-recorded/scheduled broadcasts (school bells/shift changes)
- Notification to Jabber IM
- Notification to Social Media
- Communication with mobile and remote users
- Triggered notification to/from other systems- M2M input/output (panic buttons, door locks, lights, etc.)
- Integration to existing overhead paging systems
- Text and Audio to Cisco IP Phones and other endpoints
- Broadcasts to IP Speakers
- 911/emergency call monitoring/alerting/recording
- Weather Alerting with CAP
- Dynamically-triggered emergency conference calls
- And more..
When trying to close a new UC deal, leveraging Cisco’s new paging and notification features can change the sales conversation to something that no one can match for a standard shipping, on-box solution. We can set the new standard that for all applications, mass awareness and security notification features are required with any UC solution. We will be able to respond to RFP’s where no other manufacturer can meet the single vendor/product requirement for voice and emergency notification together.
Many customers will be satisfied with paging through Cisco IP Phones but those looking for higher level security and awareness features, advanced notification is highly recommended. Those licenses can be obtained in 2 ways:
*Perpetual licenses from SolutionsPlus on Global Price List (SP-INFORMCST-2500=, SP-INFORMACST-1K=,SP-INFORMACST-250=)
*Annual Subscription liceses directly from Singlewire- sales@singlewire.com. Quoting Tool: http://www.singlewire.com/quote_gen/quote_form.php
For more info: support@singlewire.com and http://www.singlewire.com/ic-learn.html
