You probably know at this point that UCaaS has the potential to save your business a lot of money. Connecting your communication tools on the cloud reduces the demand for multiple bills from different providers. The cloud also means that you don’t have to worry as much about pesky on-premises installations and maintenance.  

However, that doesn’t mean that UCaaS doesn’t have various fees that you need to consider. Since your budget is likely to play a significant role in any digital transformation strategy you approach, it’s important to know what your UCaaS prices will look like.  

Let’s take a look at the factors that affect the cost of Unified Communications 

The Common Costs of a UCaaS Strategy 

The first thing you should know is UCaaS is a lot more affordable than on-premises UC. An on-premises deployment comes with extra upfront charges to consider, like trunks, PRIs, and the various provisioning and maintenance costs that come with your devices.  

The up-front and long-term costs of UCaaS aren’t as significant.  

If you’re accessing your communication systems over the cloud, these are some of the elements that may influence how much you pay: 

  • Licenses: You’ll buy licenses for each of your users to access the communication tools of your UCaaS vendor. You may invest in different levels of licensing depending on the unique needs of different employees. Make sure you consider the costs of power users, as well as the standard seat licenses you’re going to need for each employee
  • Connectivity: The cloud is at the heart of your UCaaS environment, and you’ll need a strong internet connection to access it. Consider the expenses of your internet connection, but also any backup connections, gateways, or PSTN connections you need too
  • Devices: Desk phones are one of the most common hardware devices to consider when building your UCaaS budget. However, in the modern age of hybrid work, you may need to look at things like room systems, webcams, and microphones too  
  • Software solutions: Aside from your UCaaS functionality, you may also need to access additional software that integrates with your UC. This might include workforce management tools, solutions for recording and reporting or analytics services 
  • Other charges: You need to address charges for things like DID numbers, 911 services, and similar quotes. Remember that the best way to get a complete view of your costs is to see an actual bill from your service provider. If you’re using things like direct routing to connect to Microsoft Teams, you’ll need to check the cost of the connection to
  • Extra aaS offerings: Some companies are beginning to offer additional aaS solutions alongside UCaaS, like contact centre as a service, or CPaaS. It may be cheaper to get everything at once

Other Elements that Affect Your Costs 

The biggest factors impacting your UCaaS costs will usually be the number of employees you need to support, and the number of phone lines you need. You’ll also pay more for advanced features, such as compliant call recording systems, and tools that allow you to intelligently route calls to the right person. However, there are some other additional fees that can add to your UCaaS bill too.  

For instance, if you’re implementing a new UCaaS solution, then there may be some cost involved in training your staff, and ensuring you have the right resources in place to onboard new team members. If your UCaaS solution comes with specialist features and integrations, then there may be configuration charges to think about, and other maintenance or service costs in the long-term. Some UCaaS providers can also offer services that help to track your quality of service or ensure that you’re never going to miss out on an essential call.  

If you’re moving into the cloud and a VoIP landscape, make sure that there aren’t additional costs involved in migrating your technology into the cloud. If your system requires you to store significant amounts of information and call recordings, you may also need to pay for storage in the cloud.  

When assessing how much you’re going to spend with each vendor, it’s worth keeping the “added extras” in mind alongside traditional expenses, including: 

  • Ongoing maintenance, support, and service 
  • Migration into the cloud and integration with existing services 
  • The cost of replacing any on-premises devices 
  • Costs for customising your UCaaS experience 
  • Training and provisioning for new employees 

Although coming to terms with the costs of UCaaS can be complicated, the good news is that you’ll often find the savings can far outweigh the expenses. Switching to UCaaS saves you from extra maintenance for equipment, increased call costs for international conversations, and so much more.  

 

 



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