Cloud solutions continue to increase in popularity, and your phone system is one system you might consider moving to the cloud. 
However, before starting this migration, you should check that all the functions you require from your on-premises phone solution are available with a hosted alternative.
One such feature that The KR Group is often asked about is paging and mass notifications. For some organizations, it’s imperative to make overhead announcements, set up a bell schedule, send out text alerts, etc.
The good news is that you can still have these features when your phone system is hosted in the cloud.
Here are a few options you’ll have for making them work with your new hosted solution:
- Webex and legacy paging options
- Webex’s native paging features
- Webex and InformaCast integration
While this article focuses on paging and mass alert options for Webex, this isn’t the only cloud-hosted phone system you can use for those purposes. Check with your IT consultant provider for more information about what’s available from your phone platform or via InformaCast.
Webex and Legacy Paging Options
If you’re only looking to pick up a phone and make announcements to a single zone, an analog telephone adapter can typically handle your paging needs.
However, as you implement additional functionality with your legacy paging system you’ll want to look at integrations.
InformaCast offers Legacy Paging Interface (LPI) for this type of mass notification. With it, you’ll use your existing analog infrastructure and add functionality and versatility to your paging abilities.
Via LPI, you’ll connect your existing paging system to InformaCast’s notification system recipient groups. With the integration in place, you can create multiple paging zones to reflect your existing ones and broadcast to any combination of zones.
Alternatively, you can purchase and implement IP speakers to broadcast your alerts to broaden the reach of your pages.
These processes are outside of the function of Webex since it goes through your analog, legacy, or IP speaker system.
Webex’s Native Paging Features
You don’t necessarily need InformaCast to alert your users; many cloud-hosted phone platforms have native paging capabilities.
For example, with Webex Calling’s Group feature, you can page over IP phones. So instead of adding InformaCast, you’ll add desired phones to a group and can control who receives pages.
You can also configure settings, such as what information displays during a page and who has access to this feature.
Keep in mind that Webex’s native paging features are limited to the features you’ve read in this section. If you’re looking to broadcast anything except an audio-only page, you’ll need to purchase and integrate InformaCast.
Webex and InformaCast Integration
There are many advantages to using InformaCast with the myriad of cloud-hosted phone systems currently available, including Webex. 
You’ll need to purchase the Fusion licenses to integrate Informacast with Webex. This option gives you the necessary integration options, such as active shooter, weather, bell alerts, etc.
You can use InformaCast to play pre-recorded messages triggered by dialing an extension or sending an email.
On the user side, the function of the InformaCast-Webex integration is similar to using enterprise phones tied to Cisco Unified Communications Manager to make alerts. But on the technical side, Webex forwards incoming calls to a multi-platform phone rather than an enterprise phone tied to Communications Manager.
As an administrator, he different methodology does mean you’ll have less control, but that is generally an understood component of cloud solutions.
Making Mass Alerts with Webex Calling
Requiring paging or mass alerts from your cloud-hosted phone shouldn’t dissuade you from the solution.
When you choose Webex Calling it’s not only possible to broadcast mass notifications, but you have a few options.
To make traditional, overhead announcements, you’ll want to integrate your legacy paging system with Webex Calling via an analog telephone adaptor or LPI, based on your specific needs.
And in some cases, Webex may meet your paging needs without any additional integrations. However, the functionality is limited to making pages over desk phones and configuring display options.
If you need to make alerts beyond legacy pages or announcements through IP speakers, you’ll want to integrate InformaCast Fusion with Webex Calling. This gives you access to various features to alert your users in various scenarios.
If you aren’t sure which category you fall into, reach out to us. One of our technology experts will ask you about your phone system and mass notification needs to understand better what option makes sense for your business.
