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As devices and technology continue to advance, it can be challenging to keep up with constant changes. But it’s essential to at least be aware of end-of-life notices so you can ensure your devices are up to date and have the support to continue performing seamlessly. 

Unfortunately, many businesses don’t know that their devices are deprecating or at end-of-life. As a result, organizations and companies of all sizes end up with a significant amount of devices that need to be replaced at some point. Right now, this device depreciation is happening with Cisco’s Unified IP Phones which were introduced almost 20 years ago. As many as 21 models will nonger be supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Release 14. This means that these phone models won’t be useful once the system on which they run has been upgraded to Release 14. In its field notice of deprecated phone models, Cisco released reasons why various phone models, including the 7900 series, are depreciating, such as:

• Security
• End of life
• Lack of support
• New feature implementations

Failing to replace your old phone models in time can result in a forced change. So why not get a head start? It’s time to start thinking of replacing old devices in your organization.

Next Moves

If you’re thinking of updating your phone models, start by evaluating whether the way you’ve been doing things is the way you should be doing things – especially with all the constant changes and technology surrounding communication and collaboration. Nowadays, there are a lot of factors that have changed the communications technology discussion such as the smartphone, tablet, software-based phone, web collaboration app, and more.

It’s important to ask yourself whether your business still needs certain devices such as the desk phone. If you determine that you don’t, you can get rid of all that back-end infrastructure that supports it – along with the cost associated with it.

However, before you decide to rid yourself of desk phones, determine if you meet the criteria of such a move. There are certain industries such as credit collections, finance, and healthcare that must have an internal infrastructure (and, thus, likely desk phones) for regulatory reasons.

So what can come from getting rid of your deprecated phone models?

Opportunities: For those that meet the criteria and need to replace their old devices, there are new opportunities such as moving to the cloud. In fact, there are even ways you can make the shift to the cloud without abandoning the software architecture you’ve been using. There’s also the opportunity to move “whole hog” to the cloud – giving up all your infrastructure – and becoming a subscriber.

Ready to Replace Your Traditional Desk Phones?

If you’re ready to change your old devices and make the move to the cloud, Xceptional can help make this a reality. We deliver superior services and IT support that ensures your business gets the solutions it needs to be successful. Contact us today to get started.