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October 10, 2021

Which collaboration solution is best for you? Comparison of Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams & Zoom

While there are several apps on the market, which one is best for your education, work, and entertainment needs?

A Deeper Look at Cisco Webex, Zoom, and Teams

1. Cisco Webex

Webex has been on the market longer than the other two apps. There are two versions: Webex Teams, which focuses on collaboration, and Webex Meetings for online and video conferencing events. You can use this software through a desktop or web app. While the latter has similar features to the desktop version, it does not support legacy VoIP and end-to-end encryption.

Webex Meetings is intuitive, with a dashboard of default options, including Start Meeting, Join, or Schedule. Others are scheduled meetings and recently used media. While scheduling a meeting, you can implement features such as setting the date, time, duration, and password.

As an administrator, you can record meetings in video and audio format. Participants can download them if you provide links. A recent update enabled automatic transcription and improved noise reduction. Cisco is also working on a feature that will enable real-time translation.
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The free version of Webex allows up to 100 participants. This app is preferred if your organization already uses products and services in the Cisco ecosystem.

2. Zoom

Zoom became the world’s most popular video communication software at the height of the pandemic. Initially designed for business use, it became a hit with consumers for its intuitiveness. You can quickly set up meetings, start live chats, share screens and record proceedings.

Zoom requires an installation of its software to provide optimal functionality. Due to its explosive growth, the app has faced several privacy and security issues. End-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication are among the solutions the company has implemented. Zoom features include:

Personal meeting IDs to start conversations anytime.
Password protected and scheduled calls.
The Pro account allows you to offer short surveys for participants to complete before registering for webinars and other online events. Zoom is the best option if you’re looking for an intuitive video conferencing app with rich features. In addition to the free version, it also has Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.

3. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is quickly displacing Skype for Business as the company’s main communication app. One of its features is seamless integration with Office 365. While Teams is not a dedicated video conferencing app like Zoom, it offers several group collaboration features for larger companies.

The app has four essential functions:

  • To chat

You can chat with individuals or groups. Useful IM features include tagging, third-party app integration, and rich text editing. Your team can reduce email clutter and stay focused with all the resources they need in one place.

  • Measure

This feature enables real-time collaboration through audio and video conferencing. It is suitable for giving sales pitches, team training and other virtual events.

  • Phone call

You can make calls from Outlook, the Teams dashboard, and mobile phones. These cloud-enabled calls are secure, reliable, and centrally managed to improve productivity.

  • To collaborate

With Teams Connect you share relevant channels with your colleagues and guests. The software simplifies work by hosting all collaborative media in one location. Unlike Office apps, you can use third-party options such as Trello, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Wrike.

Microsoft is integrating enterprise-level security into Teams to make it one of the most secure video conferencing apps.

Source: hummingbirdnetworks

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