Skype for Business vs Cisco HCS: Head-to-Head

What do you get?By laying the specs of each solution out, we can get a clearer look at what sets them apart from each other.

As you can see, the two tools provide a dramatically different experience. They’re clearly geared to different audiences, with Skype for Business being a great choice for companies that want to help everyone collaborate, and Cisco aiming its solution at the larger, enterprise-level businesses looking for a more robust tool built around voice and video calling.

Unified Communications and Collaboration are a great way to keep your workforce connected, productive, and efficient on the move. But what you get out of it rests closely on the tools you select – and what’s right for one organization may not be such a good fit for another.

When it comes to communication tools, Skype for Business and Cisco HCS are both popular options that initially seem to offer similar features and functionality. But what really sets them apart? And which is right for your organization?

Skype for Business Cisco HCS

What you get IM, Presence & Group IM & Presence

Voicemail with voice to text Voicemail

Desktop/Application sharing Desktop/Application sharing

Transfer files in IM PSTN access

PSTN access Call control

Call control Mobility – Jabber

Mobility – Skype for Business Web conferencing

Audio and HD video to other Skype for Business users Voice and video as-a-service

Skype connectivity

Type of tool Collaboration & communication Communication/voice

No. of conference participants Up to 25 6-8

Integration with collaboration tools MS Office 365 MS Office 365 / Google

Apps for Work / Salesforce

Who is it for

Companies of all sizes. From small to midsize businesses that need to serve 50+ seats, right through to enterprises.

Midsize to Enterprise-level businesses serving 250+ seats.

The companies behind the toolsThere’s a lot that businesses looking to invest in a new a Unified Communications and Collaboration solution can learn from looking at the histories of the companies behind them.

Microsoft is a proven world leader in productivity software, and has been adding productivity-centric communications and collaboration capabilities to its suite since 2001 – and that looks set to continue into the future. If improving productivity is your goal, Skype for Business might be for you.

Cisco on the other hand is the world leader in IP networking for enterprises. It’s been adding network-centric voice and video capabilities to its suite since 1999, and is committed to constantly improving the value and strength of its networking products, making it the ideal choice for companies interested in a more technically robust voice and video solution.

So which is right for you?With the basics of both suites laid bare, it’s a bit simpler to see which might be the better choice for your business.

Consider Skype for Business if you:

• Need a scalable tool that can serve the needs of small businesses right up to enterprises

• Value integration with your productivity tools such as Microsoft Office programs

• Are interested in helping improve collaboration

• Want to give your team tools that they’re already familiar with

Consider Cisco HCS if you:

• Need a robust, enterprise-grade solution to serve a large number of users

• Value strong network integration highly

• Want a secure voice tool, built for business

• Value voice and video calling above collaboration

Whichever you choose, make the move with SprintAt Sprint, we understand how different everybody’s individual UC&C demands can be, and have a wealth of experience helping organizations get set up with the right tools for their team.

You can visit our website sprint.com/business to learn more now, but it would be great to talk and discuss what you want to get from UC&C. If you want some help finding the ideal solution for your business, you can talk to us live by calling 1-877-633-1102.

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