Don’t let tech troubles “call” the shots! Stay connected and collaborate effortlessly with Unified Communications!

In a busy office, a team is preparing for a big client presentation. While some team members are gathered around a conference table, others are dialling in from their home offices. Suddenly, a key stakeholder has a question that could change the course of their strategy. Instead of sending a flurry of emails or scheduling a video call, someone simply picks up their phone and makes a quick voice call through their Unified Communications (UC) platform. In that instant, decisions are made, clarity is achieved, and the team feels more connected than ever.

This scenario illustrates how calling fits into the broader strategy of enhancing productivity and collaboration for today’s hybrid workforce. Unified Communications (UC) integrates voice calling with other essential communication tools, making it easier for teams to stay in sync, whether they’re in the office or working remotely. Let’s explore how UC calling works and why it’s becoming increasingly essential, particularly in markets like India.

Here’s how UC calling works:

• Integration with existing phone systems: Many UC platforms integrate with your existing business phone lines, allowing you to use the UC interface for calls.
• Cloud-based calling (VoIP): Some UC systems offer cloud-based calling functionality, also known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This eliminates the need for traditional phone lines and allows calls to be made over the internet.

Even with the rise of video conferencing and chat, voice calls are still a preferred method for quick discussions, decision-making, and building rapport. According to tech analyst Omdia’s Unified Communications and Collaboration Market Dashboard, the global cloud UC calling market size was valued at $18.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $19.8 billion by 2027, growing at a slow CAGR of 2.37%. India’s UC Calling market, however, is growing much faster than the global rate, with a CAGR of 23% for the same time period. This is because less than 5 percent of Indian businesses on the cloud have calling enabled, leaving a massive 95% ready for calling adoption.

However, it is not easy to implement cloud calling. Organisations who are headquartered in India, as well as those who have branch offices in the country often face challenges when trying to implement calling for their employees, as part of their hybrid workplace strategy and here’s why:

1. Compliance: India has strict regulations regarding domestic and international calling. These regulations can be complex and can change frequently. Partnering with a provider who has expertise in Indian telecommunications law ensures that your organisation stays compliant and avoids any potential fines or penalties. Here are some specific compliance challenges in India:

• Toll Bypass Restrictions: Organisations cannot use private networks to bypass toll charges for long-distance calls within India.
• Local PSTN Gateways: Companies need separate voice gateways for domestic calling compared to their internet connection.

2. Global Coverage: UC calling often requires seamless integration across different countries, so that business can be conducted cross-border in a seamless manner. Partnering with a provider with a strong global presence simplifies this process. They can ensure reliable call quality, manage local regulations in different regions, and offer features like local phone numbers for international offices.

Here’s how partnering with a provider helps with global coverage:

• Network infrastructure: The provider has a robust network infrastructure that can support international calls with good quality.
• Local Partnerships: They may have local licenses for operation in India as well as partnerships with local carriers in other countries, ensuring smooth call routing and local compliance.
• Expertise in Global UC: The provider has the experience and knowledge to manage UC deployments across diverse geographical locations.

3. Transitioning from On-premise to Cloud UC: According to a report by Oliver Wyman and NASSCOM , the Indian cloud market has surpassed the global market in terms of growth rate, but cloud spend (as a % of GDP) of mature markets like US and Singapore are 4-5x compared to India, which highlights the low cloud adoption in the country.

More organisations are expected to move to the cloud in the near future, as is evident when you visit an office space in India – the desk phone has all but disappeared in most offices and is replaced by the softphone on UC applications.

In the Calling space, the migration and management challenges while moving from PSTN to Cloud Voice can impact employee experience, thus leading to debilitating performance and productivity issues.

"Overall, partnering with a UC calling provider in India offers peace of mind. The partner can handle the complexities of compliance, global coverage and cloud migration, allowing your organization to focus on core business activities while enjoying the benefits of UC calling". - Gaurav Anand , Vice President, Global Alliance and Business Head, Hyperscalers Segment, Tata Communications

Tata Communications is a strong choice for UC Calling in India, because of its strengths:

1. Deep compliance expertise: Tata Communications has an excellent track record in navigating India’s complex telecom regulations, including toll bypass restrictions and local PSTN gateway requirements. This ensures your organisation stays compliant and avoids any issues.

2. Robust global network infrastructure: Tata Communications boasts a well-established cloud voice network that can support reliable international calls with good quality. This is crucial for businesses with offices in India and abroad.

3. Established presence in the Indian market: With a strong presence in India, Tata Communications understands the local business landscape and can provide solutions tailored to your specific needs.

4. Strong Partnerships:

• With Microsoft: As the only global partner to offer this, our UC solution, Tata Communications GlobalRapide, pairs Microsoft Teams calling with Operator Connect, letting Indian companies make compliant international calls directly through Teams. Our expertise handles complex regulations, while our global network ensures call quality. You can manage everything from a single platform, boosting teamwork through seamless calling within the familiar Microsoft Teams interface.
• With Cisco: As the first and only partner in India, Tata Communications GlobalRapide for Cisco Webex Calling India combines the familiar collaboration features of Webex with reliable cloud calling powered by GlobalRapide’s network. It simplifies UC calling, ensuring compliance with Indian regulations and offering seamless international call quality. By managing everything through one platform, you can streamline communication and empower teamwork within your Webex environment.

5. Security posture: Tata Communications’ voice infrastructure has inbuilt fraud detection and prevention, thus ensuring that client networks are secure. Tata Communications blocks more than 6 million fraudulent calls a month for our global clients., thus saving millions of dollars in international telecom fraud.

6. Seamless cloud migration: Deep expertise and experience in assessing, designing and implementing cloud adoption in complex, global environments yielding efficiency and productivity gains in the order of magnitude of 20-45%.

Tata Communications’ GlobalRapide platform takes the complexity out of your cloud-based unified communications with Cisco Webex or Microsoft Teams. We handle everything from managing call routing and user provisioning to ensuring compliance with India’s telecom regulations.

Partnering with you on every step right from assessment to migration, as well as from adoption to management, GlobalRapide allows you to focus on your core business while enjoying a reliable, global calling experience directly within your chosen UC platform. Learn more about Tata Communications’ GlobalRapide and unlock the full potential of cloud calling in India, and globally.

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