If you’re in the situation where you’re using Microsoft Teams meetings at home but have Cisco video conferencing devices in the office, you’re probably looking for a way to make these work together.

In this post, we run through all your options for Microsoft Teams integration with Cisco video conferencing.

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1. Calling License through BT Cisco Webex Teams Webex Teams is an app-centric, cloud-based service provided by BT to the Customer delivered by Cisco using the Cisco cloud platform. Webex Teams is a complete collaboration suite for groups of Users which allows them to create, meet, message, direct call, whiteboard, and share. The Webex Teams service is.
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Cisco Webex Calling ensures your team calls are high-quality, cross-platform, and reliable. Free online cloud calling, video conferences, audio calls. CUCM Call—Your Phone Services are using Calling in Webex(Unified CM). Blank indicator—You're on a Webexcall. For more information, see Find Out What Calling Service You Haveand Supported Calling Options. During a call, click Helpand then choose Show Call Statistics.

Cisco Webex Meetings for Microsoft Teams

You can use the Cisco Webex Meetings app to schedule, start, or join a Cisco Webex meeting or Webex Personal Room right from within Microsoft Teams.

All you need to do is install the Cisco Webex Meetings app into Microsoft Teams. If you don’t have admin access, you’ll need to ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to add this for you.

Once you have the app, you will get a Webex tab in Microsoft Teams.

Once installed, you can view your upcoming meetings and join straight from the list.

You can also join meeting rooms or start a new meeting with a recent contact - all without leaving Teams.

When a meeting is about to start, you can even get a Webex notification in Teams.

This integration is great for getting the most of virtual meetings when you’re working away from the office.

How to join a Microsoft Teams meeting from a Cisco device

If you’re phasing out legacy Cisco equipment because you now use Teams, the process probably isn’t big bang.

If you’re migrating users and rooms from one platform to another, there will be an overlap period where both are in play.

At this point, it’s important to ensure your new Microsoft 365 software integrates with your existing Cisco equipment.

The below endpoints can't join Teams meetings without native cloud video interop to bridge the connection.

OneMeeting provides just that.

Once installed, here’s how you can join a Microsoft Teams meeting from Cisco devices:

Using the Cisco DX80 with Microsoft Teams

To use Microsoft Teams on Cisco room kit like the DX80, follow these instructions:

1. Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
2. Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
3. Join the Teams meeting

Using the Cisco SX10 with Microsoft Teams

To use Microsoft Teams on Cisco room kit like the SX10, follow these instructions:

1. Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
2. Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
3. Join the Teams meeting

Joining Microsoft Teams meetings from any Cisco device

In fact, for OneMeeting customers, joining a Teams meeting from any Cisco devices is as simple as the two examples above.

1. Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting
2. Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted
3. Join the Teams meeting

Can Webex Teams communicate with Microsoft Teams?

The Webex portfolio used to be split to include Webex Teams and Webex Meetings. Cisco has now combined the two apps to make a single Webex app for both meetings and messaging.

Webex users who choose to stay in Webex for their messaging will likely be using Webex Teams instead of Webex Meetings.

If you’re a Teams user and you need to communicate with a colleague or external contact in Webex, you have a few options.

Microsoft Teams and Webex message interop

If you have one department that uses Webex and another who uses Microsoft Teams, you can enable message interop between the two platforms.

This means you can send messages from Webex to Microsoft Teams.

All you need to do is install Mio in the background to get this set up.

For example, if your sales team uses Webex because they always used Webex Meetings in the past, they can now chat with your customer service team who use Microsoft Teams.

You can use message interop internally for both direct messaging and working in channels.

Microsoft Teams and Webex external federation

If you need to message from Microsoft Teams to an external contact - like a contractor or partner - you can do this by installing a universal channel.

You’ll need to be a Microsoft admin - or get your Microsoft admin to authorise the app - so you can install the universal channels app in the background.

Once installed, you create a new channel in Microsoft Teams and send a link to your external contact who uses Webex.

Once they join, you’ve created a channel across platform for you both to collaborate in.

Webex Calling in Microsoft Teams

Cisco Webex also provides a calling platform since its acquisition of BroadSoft in 2018.

While adding a calling platform to Cisco’s portfolio, it also means any BroadSoft customers who want to use Microsoft Teams must integrate the two.

If you want to use Webex Calling from Microsoft Teams, you need to download the Webex call app for Microsoft Teams.

Once installed, when your users start an external call from Microsoft Teams, it will use the Webex calling platform.

To start this process:

• Check all users who need this integration are verified in the Webex Control Hub
• Make sure they are registered to Cisco Webex Calling or in your Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM)
• Install the Webex app for each user you need to use Webex Calling
• Update phone numbers for users in the Azure Active Directory (AD)
• If you don’t already, change your permission policies to allow third-party apps
• Then, in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center, click Teams Apps then Manage Apps
• Search for Webex Call and change to Allow

Next time your users log in, they will be using the Webex Calling platform even when they start an external call from Microsoft Teams.

While this sounds great on the surface, it does open up a new window when you dial.

If you’ve moved to Microsoft Teams to have all your communications in one place, this is a little beside the point.

Meetings between Webex and Microsoft Teams

To facilitate meetings between Webex users and Microsoft Teams users, OneMeeting provides a one-touch join experience regardless of the platform you’re using.

When you configure OneMeeting in the background, meeting participants on either Webex or Microsoft Teams can join the same meeting using a unique URL.

When you click the meeting URL, you can join from whichever meeting app you prefer - Webex or Microsoft Teams.

Joining Webex meetings from Microsoft Teams in the office

OneMeeting works for both remote meetings and in-person meetings. You don’t even have to change video devices. OneMeeting allows you to join any meeting from any device.

Picture the scene:

• You’ve rolled out virtual meeting rooms to your users so they could all work from home during the pandemic.
• You already had video conferencing equipment installed in your meeting rooms and boardrooms.
• Because you needed the quickest solution to work from home, your virtual meeting rooms and existing video conferencing system in your office aren’t the same.
• People are starting to use the office again but your video platforms don’t work with each other.

If your scenario is something like this, you’re not alone.

Sandwiched between the millions of Microsoft Teams users are millions of users with other video conferencing services.

In your company, this could be hundreds or thousands. Even if it’s a handful, it’s an issue you shouldn’t have to deal with.

And with OneMeeting, you don’t need to.

Video interoperability

OneMeeting uses Pexip’s video interoperability service to connect your legacy kit in the office with Microsoft Teams at home.

By connecting your video platforms together, you create one-click join experience for your meeting participants.

Pexip apps and APIs creates a bridge between any SIP or H323 video conferencing system and the Microsoft cloud.

Taking Pexip apps one step further, OneMeeting is unique in that it takes the Microsoft Teams Cloud Video Interop (CVI) and makes your experience Microsoft Teams first.

In addition, you benefit from OneMeeting providing:

1. A vendor-agnostic approach
2. Full customisation of the native Microsoft Teams meeting invitation
3. Full customisation and branding of the OneMeeting service from your video conferencing rooms
4. Reporting via PowerBI

This means your users get a consistent experience regardless of the meeting room they join from. Less switching between meeting apps means happier users, less administration, and a slicker experience.

OneMeeting enables users to share and collaborate from any in-room video conferencing system, as well as from their desktop or smartphone.

Once installed, you remove the scheduling conflicts, awkward user experiences, and integration issues.

You can view the OneMeeting technical documentation here.

Comparing Cisco Client Integration with Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations faced pressing challenges and looked for ways to quickly enable their remote workforce by

• Keeping workers engaged
• Enabling work to be done anywhere
• Providing enterprise-class capabilities and performance to home users

Six months later, organisations now face a different challenge: to facilitate the return to the workplace while

• Ensuring worker safety and wellness
• Bridging technological gaps
• Building a secure and distributed-work model
• Enabling operations to scale

To that end, Cisco has prepared a blueprint that focuses on empowering the remote worker and paving a safe return to the office. It includes touchless technology and collaboration tools that build bridges with other platforms such as Microsoft Teams to offer innovative and seamless options for organisations to leverage existing investments, support tactical decisions and provide interoperability between multi-vendor Calling, Messaging and Meetings platforms.

In this post, we will focus on two available interoperability options between Cisco Collaboration and Microsoft Teams, followed by a quick comparison and summary.

Cisco Client Integration for Microsoft Teams

The Cisco client integration with Microsoft Teams allows your team to use all Cisco Collaboration enterprise-grade voice and video calling features in combination with the Microsoft Teams client. The client-side integration, for Calling and Meetings workloads, provides an alternative for users to retain the Microsoft Teams client without the constraints of Direct Routing.

Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams

A Direct Routing interconnect enables PSTN calling functionality within the Microsoft Teams client. The Direct Routing interconnect with Cisco Collaboration calling is currently a roadmap item, and not supported by Cisco at this time.

When supported, the functionality will likely be similar to Direct Routing PSTN calling – number display and call routing only. For example, standard telephony features such as ‘caller name display’, ‘message waiting indicator’ and ‘callback’ will be unavailable.

Cisco Client Integration vs Direct Routing

Key comparison areas include both benefits and challenges, with a focus on:

• End-User Experience
• Deployment and IT Management
• Financial Implications

• Supports dialling from within the Microsoft Teams App
• Supports proximity, ‘touchless join’ and wireless sharing within Cisco meeting rooms
• Supports a familiar and consistent calling/dialling experience
• Supports a consistent set of features and functionality across different devices: desktop, macOS, Android, iOS.
• Supports a consistent set of features across all call flows: IP Phone to IP Phone, IP Phone to App, App to App.
• Supports unified extensions, dial-patterns and voice mailboxes (a single mailbox, dial-plan, and extension per user)
• Supports integration with desk phones (shared lines or desk phone control)
• Cisco Collaboration IP Telephony environments have an extensive set of features and capabilities that are extended to desktop and mobile applications, including:
  • Multiline
  • Call Waiting
  • Call Waiting ID
  • Call Transfer for mobile clients
  • Call Forward Busy
  • Single Number Reach
  • Auto-answer
  • Distinctive Ring
  • Call Return
  • Sequential Ringing
  • Barge-In
  • Business Continuity (CFNR)
  • Customisable Music on Hold

• Cisco client integration is not required, providing a simpler user experience

• Leverage mature, enterprise-grade native calling capabilities within a Cisco Collaboration deployment
• Supports a wide range of new and legacy telephony devices
  • Analogue gateways
  • Intercom
  • Paging
  • Gates/booms
• Easy to deploy, no server-side/backend integration required
• Webex Teams ‘Modular App’ can be added to the Microsoft Teams client to enable only the desired workload: Calling and/or Messaging and/or Meetings. A single, cutdown version which only supports the selected workload with other features disabled and removed from the App to simplify the user experience. Calls and/or Meetings are initiated from the Microsoft Teams App.
• Easy to manage and troubleshoot
• End-to-end visibility
• Single vendor for voice, gateways and possibly the data network
• A comprehensive set of mature troubleshooting tools such as Real-Time Monitoring Tool (RTMT)

• No additional licensing costs when using a Hybrid Services deployment architecture
• Maximise return on investment by leveraging existing Cisco investments (where available)

• Presence status sharing between Cisco and Microsoft devices and applications is currently not supported (Microsoft Presence API does not currently accept Presence updates)

• Presence status sharing between Cisco and Microsoft devices and applications is not supported (Microsoft Presence API does not currently accept Presence updates)
• Ad-hoc system with no integration between user physical handsets and desktop/mobile applications;
• Confusion and difficulty in managing multiple extensions/ voicemail boxes
• Confusion regarding which extension to dial to reach colleagues/other staff
• Inconsistent user experience across different workflows
• Increased dialling complexity with the addition of inter-site and intra-site dialling prefixes
• Highlighting some of the basic/advanced features and capabilities that are unavailable within the MS Teams platform, and when dialling between on-premise Cisco CUCM/PSTN, and Microsoft Teams
  • Comfort Noise Generation
  • Multiline
  • Call Waiting
  • Call Waiting ID
  • Call Transfer for mobile clients
  • Call Forward Busy
  • Single Number Reach
  • Auto answer
  • Distinctive Ring
  • Call Return
  • Sequential Ringing
  • Barge-In
  • Business Continuity (CFNR)
  • Customisable Music on Hold

Webex Teams Cucm Calling App

• Maintaining two applications: Microsoft Teams and Webex Teams (Calling Mode)
• Deployment of additional Cisco Expressway capacity may be required

• Difficult to manage and troubleshoot dual dial-plans, extensions and PSTN routes
• No end-to-end visibility for the calls between Microsoft Teams and Cisco Collaboration Infrastructure and/or PSTN
• No Media Bypass Support. All media flows through the CUBE gateway
• No end-to-end Cisco TAC support
• Multiple vendors need to be engaged to troubleshoot calling issues, leading to delays in the resolution of incidents.

• Justification of the return on investment, given the current feature set
• Higher recurring costs, with upgrades from Microsoft A3/E3 to A5/E5 or Phone System add-on licensing
• Recurring costs associated with requirements to purchase additional licenses for public spaces/common/lobby areas
• Costs associated with the procurement of replacement Cisco CUBE gateways with feature support
• Additional recurring costs associated with Cisco CUBE licenses and software support

*

Cisco Client Integration: a better alternative to Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams

In summary, although the Direct Routing approach provides limited integration options between the two platforms, it has the benefit of utilising a single client-side application. The main drawback is an inconsistent user experience across different workflows, together with the unavailability of both basic and advanced telephony features on the Microsoft Teams calling side when calling between the platforms. The lack of visibility for end-to-end voice network traffic, and the complexity of the architecture are also factors in addition to this feature still being under development. The Direct Routing interconnect is recommended during the transition phase of migration, rather than a permanent solution.

The Cisco client integration, on the other hand, is simple to deploy, easy to manage, provides a consistent user experience, supports the most features, and provides end-to-end visibility of voice network traffic. The only challenge is to deploy and manage two client-side applications.

Webex Teams Cucm Calling Download

Would you like to improve the user experience of your Microsoft Teams and Cisco users?

Would you like to provide proven, enterprise-grade telephony and contact centre capabilities for your Microsoft Teams users?

Would you like to use Microsoft Teams with your on-premise Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or CallManager) and Cisco Jabber deployments?

Would you like to use Microsoft Teams with your cloud-based Cisco Webex Calling (WxC) subscription?

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