The move delivers an 'enterprise-grade' cloud-based PBX phone system for companies and was one of several announcements at this week's Cisco BroadSoft Connections event. Credit: Cisco Cisco has added cloud calling to its Webex Teams messaging app – something the company called a “significant step” in the integration of BroadSoft’s technology stack following the completion of this year’s $1.9 billion acquisition. The combination is designed to provide an “enterprise-grade” cloud-based PBX [private branch exchange] phone system in addition to existing message and document sharing features. “For users, it simplifies things,” said Zeus Kerravala,founder and principal analyst at ZK Research.“BroadCloud Calling gives businessesthe benefits of a PBX without having to actually deploy one.” The addition of calling to Webex Teams’ content sharing and messaging capabilities makes it a “single UC [unified communications] application, which was theoriginal vision of UC,” said Kerravala. Earlier this year, Cisco merged its two collaboration platforms – Webex and Spark – into a single platform: Webex Teams. At the time, IDC research director Wayne Kurtzman described the rebranding as “not just marketing. It is a fundamental shift to include calling, meetings, video, collaboration and their in-room devices under what they perceive is their most well-known brand, Webex,” he said. At the Cisco BroadSoft Connections event in Florida on Tuesday,Cisco also unveiled a new calling app that integrates with Microsoft Outlook and enterprise directories. The Cisco Calling App lets users make voice and video calls from mobile devices and desktops running iOS, Android, Windows or MacOS. Huddle room hardware and software Cisco also unveiled new devices aimed at improving the “huddle” space meeting experience – citing research that claims there are more than 25 million such meeting rooms in offices around the world. The Webex Room Kit Mini video conferencing device is targeted at smaller meeting rooms, adding to the existing range of Webex Room Kit products. The device “wakes up” when it detects users entering the meeting room and adapts video to ensure all participants are visible on-screen. Meanwhile, the 55-in. Webex Board digital whiteboard received a software update, with browser access, sticky notes and “pinch and zoom” interactions. For larger rooms, Cisco also launched an 85-in. version of the screen. Finally, the company touted Webex Share, a wireless screen-sharing device that turns any TV or screen into a presentation device, connecting with Webex Meetings and Webex Teams. Kerravala said that meeting room hardware can often be expensive and hard to deploy, thus limiting the technology to medium and larger rooms. Devices aimed at smaller rooms should help widen the reach of video-conferencing tools. “There are literally tens of millions of huddle roomsand open spaces where there might be a TV or other display, but nothingelse,” he said. “The Room Kit Mini and WebEx Share makes it dead easy to turn anydisplay into a smart collaboration space.” Related content news analysis Apple earnings: About that iPhone 'slump' in China Based on information from Thursday's earnings report, it seems that data pointing to an iPhone slump in China were over-baked. By Jonny Evans May 03, 2024 9 mins iMac iPhone Apple news Microsoft begins to phase out ‘classic’ Teams Microsoft is encouraging Teams customers to move to the new, faster version of the collaboration app; the older version will be switched off next year. By Matthew Finnegan May 03, 2024 3 mins Microsoft Teams Collaboration Software Productivity Software news analysis Apple confirms it will open up the iPad in Europe this fall The latest efforts to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act mean developers can offer to side load apps to both iPhones and iPads in the EU. Apple has also taken steps to improve what it offers to smaller and non-commercial developers in the By Jonny Evans May 02, 2024 6 mins iPad Apple Mobile Apps news Udacity offers laid-off US workers free access to its courses for 30 days Sign-ups will be available over the next 30 days By Lucas Mearian May 02, 2024 4 mins Technology Industry IT Jobs IT Skills Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe