When it comes to deploying cloud telephony, enterprises have a lot to consider before fully migrating from on-premises to the cloud.
For starters, many enterprises have existing, complex PBX systems (and possibly a different one at each location), and might operate in regulated industries that require on-prem systems in order to meet security standards.
These businesses may also feel they need to leverage their current PSTN / PBX infrastructure due to being tied into long-term contracts, but still want to offer users modern tools like team messaging or HD video and pave a pathway to pure cloud UCaaS in the future.
Businesses also face significant cost challenges that can involve many locations and decision-makers. Phasing in cloud technology while still taking advantage of your on-premise PBX will help you modernize in a cost-effective & realistic way.
Enterprises have asked for a migration strategy that allows only a small group of users or branches to transition to the cloud. This would allow them to track, manage, and mitigate risks before committing to their entire organization.
That’s why we’re excited to announce RingCentral Cloud Connector, a hybrid PBX solution that allows you to continue taking full advantage of your existing on-premise PBX while partially moving to the cloud.
What is RingCentral Cloud Connector?
RingCentral Cloud Connector offers large enterprises the ability to migrate to the cloud in a phased approach through interconnecting your on-premise PBX with RingCentral MVP via SIP trunking.
RingCentral Cloud Connector enables seamless dialing between on-premises PBX and RingCentral MVP users—regardless of geographical location—as if they were on one unified platform. Businesses will save costs on international and internal dialing through free onNet calling.
This tiered approach allows you to migrate teams strategically—by departments, site location, or operation type—and test modern cloud features such as team messaging, digital whiteboarding, task management, unlimited cloud storage, annotations, HD video meetings, virtual backgrounds, AI-powered transcriptions, closed captions and more.
Build on existing PBX investments and enjoy enhanced collaboration tools. Run existing contracts out while shifting portions of your organization to the cloud.
Here’s why a hybrid PBX might make sense for your company:
Reduce migration risks
The biggest benefit to having a hybrid PBX model is that it makes it much easier to transition to cloud. It can be expensive and a little psychologically unsettling to make the jump to the cloud, especially if you think your phones work “just fine the way they are.”
Given those realities, it makes sense to have a new office, or new phones in an office, be IP phones, while still maintaining your existing infrastructure. Migrate to the cloud through a multi-year, phased approach vs. a rip and replace.
RingCentral Cloud Connector allows you to try RingCentral MVP with a small group of users/departments first and see how the cloud integrates with your existing technology stack.
Reap cloud benefits now
Today’s teams can work from anywhere—in-office, remote, and hybrid. But scaling an on-premise PBX to support this new work dynamic is either difficult or impossible.
With RingCentral Cloud Connector, IT teams can take full advantage of cloud capabilities immediately while maximizing their investments on their on-premises PBX systems. You get the best of both worlds.
Other benefits from RingCentral Cloud Connector include:
- Improved ROI and cost optimization on telecommunications spend. Save costs on global dialing and internal employee communications, and enjoy 15-20% savings (on average) for external dialing for users who migrate to the cloud.
- Easy scaling: Add global users and sites easily and quickly as you expand your global reach.
- Enhanced collaboration: Test our modern collaboration tools with a subset of users such as team messaging, digital whiteboarding, task management, unlimited cloud storage, picture annotations, HD video meetings, virtual backgrounds, AI-powered meeting transcriptions, closed captions, and more.
- Seamless user experience: While you migrate on your schedule, the hybrid PBX environment will allow a seamless user experience between on-premise PBX and cloud PBX users (for extension to extension dialing).
Why choose RingCentral for your hybrid PBX
We pride ourselves on being an award-winning leader in cloud telephony, and strongly believe that voice is a key pillar of all critical business communications. We go to great lengths to understand what our customers need—and innovate to solve those needs.
Here are several reasons to choose RingCentral for your hybrid PBX solution:
- Global reach: RingCentral Cloud Connector is available in over 50 countries, meeting your business growth as you expand.
- Analytics: Though competitors do provide some level of reporting and analysis, only RingCentral provides comprehensive and integrated analytics for both the IT professional and line-of-business user. From a single interface, both user types enjoy significantly more detail, flexibility, and customization. Most of RingCentral’s analytics are included in our most popular packages, whereas many of our competitors’ features are incomplete, disjointed, rigid, or can only be unlocked by paying additional fees.
- Voice integrations: RingCentral has deeper, broader, and higher quality voice integrations than all of our competitors. We provide deeper capabilities, which means you can access your softphone wherever you are—on your browser, in your favorite app—and your advanced calling, SMS, and fax features are embedded.
- Best of breed CCaaS and large enterprise migration experience: RingCentral offers the best of breed UCaaS and CCaaS all on one bill and on one network, with more experience supporting large, complex enterprise migrations than our competitors.
- Security Innovation: Trusted by top global brands, we’re the most reliable and secure cloud-based UCaaS provider. We are SOC 2, SOC 3, GDPR, and HIPAA compliant, and have received dozens of globally-recognized security certifications including UK Cyber Essentials Plus and HITRUST.
Ready to start the move?
Migrating to the cloud is a large commitment for organizations small and large. But with RingCentral, we’ll guide you and your business every step of the way. It’s part of our commitment to making your communications simpler and more productive.
Learn more about Cloud Connector and get the datasheet here. Check out these benefits of switching your on-prem PBX to the cloud.
Originally published Aug 29, 2022, updated Jun 26, 2023