Cisco Jabber vs. Skype For Business

Why Jabber Wins, Hands Down

The battle rages on between these two video conferencing app giants. But, who really comes out on top in the Cisco Jabber vs. Skype for Business war? For us, Cisco Jabber wins, hands down. Here’s why:

First, the Popular Champion

Skype for Business (formerly known as Microsoft Lync) is a version of Skype adapted for professional use. Yes, Skype is the most used video calling application in the world and has more than 400 million monthly active users worldwide. Skype for Business is built on the same platform but with a corporate approach adapted for business use. It is used for internal and external communication and offers dozens of unique features.

It has a new even simpler user interface compared to Lync. People who are already familiar with Skype can get used to Skype for Business within minutes.

Some new features in Skype for Business include:

• Improved look and feel
• Call from Skype for Business using your desk phone for audio
• Integration with the Skype directory
• Call Monitor
• Rate My Call
• Quick access call controls

Microsoft Lync features retained in Skype for Business include the popular Quick Actions buttons which allow users to IM or call a contact with just one click. The Skype meeting room has been simplified with easy to find commands and text formatting for chats. These changes help save time by quickly finding the command you are looking for and distinguishing between messages from different co-workers.

Skype for Business is owned and designed by Microsoft, equipping it with the best Office integration available for video conferencing. Microsoft has further improved these features by adding a preview option before downloading the file and compatibility with Apple products.

Another new feature added to Skype for Business allows users to make Skype calls using a desk phone for audio. Although this feature is only available to organizations with Skype Server 2015, most organizations who use Skype for Business are already equipped with this server. The feature requires a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) desk phone which is configured to work with Skype for Business.

This allows the application to search for co-workers within your organization and place them into a call through Skype for Business interface. The added advantages of calling from Skype for Business through your desk phone are that your caller ID remains unchanged and you get extra features such as IM, desktop & app sharing and attachments transfer during a call, all without compromising audio quality.

Skype for Business also adds Skype directory in the UI connecting to millions of Skype users. All you have to do is search for your contact and if he/she is not on your contact list then the Skype directory search can help find and contact them. Call monitor, which was only available to Skype users, is now also available for Skype for Business users. This is a popular addition which allows better multi-tasking for professionals. The quick access controls are still just as user-friendly and the dial-pad is just one click away. Overall, Skype for Business has greatly improved since Microsoft Lync and is used by many business organizations…

And Now, the Challenger…Cisco Jabber

Cisco Jabber is the biggest direct competitor to Skype for Business. It offers identical features and has the hardware to back it for an optimal experience. The application provides unifying communication across numerous platforms and devices much like Skype for Business. It lets you access presence, instant messaging (IM), voice, video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and conferencing.

Some of the features offered by Cisco Jabber include:

• Instantly Interact with IM and Presence
• Business-Class IP Voice and Video Telephony
• A complete collaboration experience for your iPad
• Communication from Microsoft Office
• Mobile Collaboration-Anywhere on Any Device
• Communication Within Web Applications

Cisco Jabber offers excellent features that rival those of Skype for Business. It lets you IM and presence without any hassle and shows the availability of all your contacts at a glance, allowing you to start a chat with an individual or group without any delay. Cisco is also compatible with both internal and external communication.

Cisco Jabber is a softphone with HD video calls and desktop sharing features. It’s powered by Cisco’s Unified Communications technology allowing in-call control and secure, reliable communication. The Unified communication technology delivers the same experience across all devices. Cisco Jabber is available for iPhone and iPad, Android, Windows, and other devices. For the best mobile experience, Cisco recommends using an iPad which lets you access presence, IM, choice, video and conferencing from anywhere in the world.

Like Skype for Business (though in our estimation even more versatile), Cisco Jabber is also integrated with Microsoft Office which allows users to see availability status of other users and contact them from within Microsoft Office. The mobile experience is just as efficient as the desktop version delivering smooth video and voice calls and on-the-go IM chats.

The biggest advantage to Cisco Jabber is its development kit which allows developers to develop web-based applications which can then communicate with Cisco Jabber, simplifying the workforce and increasing productivity.

CSP also offers the Cisco Umbrella cloud security services to go along with Jabber that provides the innovation in technology and the support to back it up. This means you get to enjoy all the versatile features of Cisco Jabber – plus all its cloud security technology as well, and we’ll watchdog the whole thing on an ongoing basis, correcting any adverse contingencies with industry-leading IT support in Raleigh for businesses of all types and sizes.

It’s a knockout punch!

Have Questions About Getting Set Up with Cisco Jabber?

Find out why Cisco Jabber wins, hands down, for us and many of our customers. If you are in the Raleigh/Durham NC area and you need a proper voice and IM communications solutions such as those provided by Cisco Jabber, please contact us today at (919) 424-2000 or email us at info@cspinc.com for more information.