Are you ready to migrate from an on-premises phone system to a cloud solution? Or are you unhappy with your current Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform and want to switch providers?
Given how many players are active in the UCaaS marketplace and how rapidly the landscape shifts in terms of the best solutions and suppliers, finding the right fit for your business can be stressful, especially when you factor in your specific goals and compliance and integration needs.
A Gartner survey found that 73 percent of tech buyers already had high levels of regret before they implemented the new solution. Imagine how choosing the wrong UCaaS platform will impact your staff. You’ll need to spend additional time and money finding a replacement, and morale and productivity will suffer.
How can you avoid becoming part of the 73 percent with regrets? That’s where our trusted technology advisors can help. We have over 20 years of experience with UCaaS, access to the latest market research and analysis, knowledge of niche solutions, and partnerships with best-in-class UCaaS suppliers. We’ve already done the homework for you, so you don’t have to navigate the volatile cloud phone system marketplace on your own.
Another essential element in our advisory arsenal is an advanced tool that rapidly generates detailed comparison matrices. These side-by-side, objective comparisons make it easy to quickly determine which platforms align with your wants and needs.
In this “versus” blog series, we illustrate the power of these comparison matrices for decision-makers mulling their options. This blog entry investigates Windstream versus Spectrum in terms of UCaaS.
Before you review the matrix, here’s some background info on each supplier.
UCaaS supplier profile: Windstream
Based in Little Rock, AR, Windstream provides communications, security and connectivity products and services to businesses of all sizes. Windstream Enterprise serves more than 45,000 companies at over 180,000 locations.
Windstream’s proprietary UCaaS platform, OfficeSuite UC, combines calling, chatting, and meeting capabilities to facilitate reliable, flexible, and secure collaboration from anywhere. The application offers complete visibility and control through a single pane of glass, and you have the option to add a contact center service.
OfficeSuite UC has a standards-based API for integration with applications such as Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, HubSpot, Alexa, Slack, Google and Alexa. Windstream can also provide and integrate SD-WAN and Security Service Edge (SSE) with this UCaaS offering.
UCaaS supplier profile: Spectrum
Spectrum is the trade name of Charter Communications, a broadband connectivity provider and cable operator. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Spectrum Enterprise provides network, security, internet, voice and collaboration, TV and managed services to midsize (fewer than 400 employees) and enterprise (more than 400 employees) businesses.
Spectrum Enterprise enables efficient collaboration and communication for mobile and distributed workforces with a few UCaaS options. Unified Communications with RingCentral is best for businesses seeking fast installations and simplified deployment. Unified Communications with Webex is for companies that need a tailored strategy for collaboration. Finally, Unified Communications for Hospitality is specifically optimized for hotel staff.
| Provider | Spectrum | Windstream Enterprise | |
| HQ | Location of headquarters | Stamford, CT | Little Rock, AR |
| # of Employees | in-house staff | 98,000 | 14,000 |
| Public / Private | Privately owned or publicly traded | Public: CHTR | Private |
| Seats in Service | Number of licenses deployed | confidential | 540,000 |
| Minimum Seat Count / MRC | # of seats or MRC minimum required to engage | Webex: 5 seats RingCentral: 1 seat with bundling | no minimum |
| Sweet Spot | Ideal opportunities for the provider | 5-1,000 seats | Avaya: 500+ seats Broadview: 10-2,500+ seats |
| Key Acquisitions | Companies acquired and integrated into the supplier’s offering | n/a | Broadview |
| Datacenter Locations | Location of supplier’s data centers APAC: Asia-Pacific EMEA: Europe, Middle East, Africa LATAM: Latin America NA: North America | US: Charlotte, Denver, Orlando | US: Andover, Dallas, Little Rock, New York, Philadelphia |
| International Full PSTN Replacement | local DID + in-country calling experience, number portability, access to emergency services | US Only | 15 Countries |
| Compatible Handsets | IP phones supported and/or resold by supplier | Cisco, Poly Other BYOD-approved options | Broadview DECT, Engenius Wireless, Mitel 5300 Series, Poly, Windstream Verge |
| Platform | Does provider leverage a proprietary/native platform or leverage a platform via third-party partnership? | Cisco (Spectrum-hosted Broadsoft) | Avaya (Aura, IPO) Broadview OfficeSuite (Proprietary) |
| Microsoft Teams Integrations | Supplier’s capability with Microsoft Teams | none | Middleware Direct Routing – Bundled PBX Direct Routing – Microsoft PBX Operator Connect (roadmap) |
| Compliance | Compliance standards the provider has met or is capable of assisting a cloud customer in meeting. | SOC 2 | HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2 |
| Contact Center | Contact center solutions the supplier offers | RingCentral | Avaya Elite and Oceana, Avaya IP Office Select CC Broadview OfficeSuite (Proprietary) |
| Key System Emulation | Can imitate Key Phone System functionality | No | Yes |
| SIP Trunking Available | Does the supplier offer SIP trunking services for on-premises PBXs? | Yes | Yes |
| Line of Business App Integrations | 3rd-party SaaS solutions the supplier has integrated with | Agile CRM, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Office, Salesforce, SugarCRM, Zendesk, Zoho | Agile CRM, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Office, NetSuite, Salesforce, ServiceNow, SugarCRM |
| AI Capabilities | Artificial Intelligence tools incorporated in the provider’s solution | none | none |
| SD-WAN Offerings | SD-WAN technologies that these providers offer and manage themselves. | Cisco Meraki, Fortinet | Fortinet, VMware SDWAN (VeloCloud) |
| Circuits Offered | Do these suppliers offer Dedicated Circuits for UCaaS traffic only, Internet circuits, and/or SIP trunking? If yes, please specific which ones. | yes; dedicated voice circuits | yes; dedicated voice circuits, internet circuits, and SIP trunking |
| Bring Your Own MPLS | If MPLS is supported, can the client bring any MPLS provider? Additional cost likely to apply. | no | Avaya: yes; Broadview: no |
| Top Customer Verticals | Verticals in which supplier has historically had the most success | Financial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Retail | Hospitality, Manufacturing, Retail |
| On-Site Implementation / Training | Does the supplier charge extra for these services? | Additional Charge | Additional Charge |
| Implementation Overview | Description or link providing further detail | Available Upon Request | Available Upon Request |
| Dedicated Customer Support | Does the supplier provide dedicated support personnel? If so, is this included or is there an additional cost? | Spectrum Enterprise Technology Services (NOC) | pending |
| Collaboration Solutions Available | Native and/or 3rd-party resale options offered by supplier | Spectrum-branded RingCentral Video | OfficeSuite HD Meetings (powered by Zoom) |
| Case Studies | link to provider’s case studies page | Available Upon Request | Available Upon Request |
| Differentiators | unique features of the technology | Built to the customer suite, not just to the service closet or minimum point of entry (MPoE). Save customer time and money vs competition requiring access loops and wiring. Fiber Quick Connect can install services in less than 30 days! Dedicated managed service resources to help you win more business with little to minimal effort. No cost resource is here to help you earn more business and serve your customers. Quick and easy ordering through Buyflow, Spectrum’s coax product ordering platform. | Proprietary UCaaS solution, OfficeSuite, recognized on Magic Quadrant in 2019 and 2020 SIngle-vendor UCaaS and SD-WAN solution with a full spectrum of network delivery options (including dedicated connections, broadband, and customer provided access) OfficeSuite combined with SD-WAN enables customer visibility, control, and ability to customize and prioritize business applications to enable high performance and control “We Will”Initiatives: Rate Lock, Technology Refresh, 100% Uptime Guarantee, Connectivity Bonus. Inquire for more detail |
As a trusted partner of Windstream and Spectrum, our team of advisors can identify the best option for your business based on your needs, pain points, and objectives. Start now by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
