Hybrid Communication Alternative

March 31st, 2022
by Don Preski

Businesses with existing phone systems have three choices when it comes to changing, upgrading, or replacing their business phone system. They can:

Maintain existing on-premises communication infrastructure. Why do that?
- Reason 1 - Data-sensitive and compliance-regulated organizations such as hospitals and banks must maintain strict security to protect customer data. They must control and secure data being transmitted over the cloud.
- Reason 2- A big investment has gone into maintaining an on-site unified communication system. The business does not want to rip and replace an existing phone infrastructure that continues to work. While features found only in the cloud are attractive, the upgrade may not outweigh the cost of replacing or upgrading the existing system.
Migrate and host your entire business phone, video, and collaboration system in the cloud. Why do that?
- Cloud phone systems provide an affordable fixed monthly fee, allowing businesses to scale up or down and pay only for what they need and use. Cloud systems also come with attractive features that enable employees to work from their own devices with instant access to their business phone messages, texts, and video conferencing.
Maintain an existing on-premises system AND provide employees with cloud phones without moving the platform to the cloud. Why do that?
- This option is called Hybrid Communication, and that simply means that through the use of a software download to the server that leverages SIP trucking, you can assign an IP address to various cloud/internet phones. So, this may be the best choice for organizations that may not want to give up their on-premises phone investment but want to provide employees with cloud phones that they can use from any device or location!

Is Hybrid Right for You?

Here are a few scenarios when an alternative hybrid communication option is right for you.

We already purchased 150 phones, and our support costs are not burdensome, but we need to add more phones, and we want cloud features.
We like our phone system, want to keep the handsets we use today, and wish to regionalize a cloud implementation that serves a set of premises and remote workers.
We want cloud features, but we are compliance regulated and need to encrypt data flow to ensure data security.
We want to equip remote workers to work from any location or device, but we do not want to disrupt current business operations.

If you answered “yes” to any of the following, a hybrid phone platform might be right for you.

The Hybrid Alternative

Rather than risk a complicated migration by jumping straight from on-premises solutions to the cloud, transition slowly and systematically at your own pace, leveraging the assets you’ve already got on-premises. Combine physical assets such as hand and headsets with advanced applications that live only in the cloud. With hybrid, you protect and enhance your original phone investment.

Why Consider Hybrid Communication?

You have sensitive communication data you must manage in-house but want to use the cloud for everything else. Some business processes are easy to migrate to the cloud-like chat and videoconferencing software. Other parts of your business, particularly those that handle sensitive data, may need to continue being maintained by your in-house IT team.
Employ an expert combination of control and flexibility. Keep sensitive information secure while providing the flexibility to move remote and branch locations to the cloud. Every growing business needs a hub. Keep the flagship you’ve invested in and supplement your satellites with hybrid cloud integration.
You need to back up your data.
You can never be too prepared. Take advantage of disaster recovery and redundancy built into the communication system.

The Hybrid Communication Option

KTS Networks provides access to a hybrid communication option through their Edge Gateway Router. It is a software download to the server, combined with SIP trucking, allowing you to add cloud phones to an existing on-premises system. Priced as a one-time licensing fee download, the Edge Gateway Router downloads to the server, providing the IP address with all the advanced cloud features found in the hosted system. Add cloud phones wherever you see fit. Whether you choose a monthly licensing or one-time licensing model, hybrid business phone systems enable the business to extend their communication investment without starting from scratch.