There’s been an exponential adoption of cloud-based communications. This is spurred by organizations’ need for more flexibility to support frontline workers, knowledge workers, and contact center agents in their work and communication in and out of the office. This growth has also led to the rise of different communication models, making it difficult to make sense of the popular. This article compares UCaaS vs. CCaaS vs. CPaaS communication models, and how they can serve a business.
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UCaaS vs. CPaaS vs. CCaaS
UCaaS, CPaaS, and CCaaS are today’s primary cloud-based communication service models. While these three platforms have near-similar features, they support different communications needs. Let’s look at their differences.
UCaaS
UCaaS (or Unified Communications as a service) is a cloud-based platform that focuses on communication and collaboration, with its key areas in:
- Enterprise telephony (voice)
- Unified and instant messaging (SMS)
- Mobility (chat platforms)
- Meetings and conferencing (audio/video/web)
- Communications-enabled enterprise processed
UCaaS platforms have an essential distinction between cloud-based collaboration by supporting voice calling. UCaaS service providers own and maintain the enterprise platform and software, relieving your company of needing more hardware or infrastructure. All you need is knowledge and the Internet to access the service.
CPaaS
What is CPaaS in cloud technology? CPaaS (or Communication platform as a service) is a cloud-based communication platform that allows a business’ IT teams to add features and functions to your applications and products. It allows users to choose which functions they’d like their enterprise application to have.
For example, with CPaas, you can build, customize, and deploy applications without having or managing support infrastructure, such as servers, hardware, and storage. The PaaS (Platform as a Service) provider will provide these functions.
A CPaaS platform is offered with standards-based APIs, Java, .NET libraries, SDKs, and no-code/low-code tools, which IT teams integrate with their features to build and deploy applications. Users don’t need to pay for the features they don’t need While CPaaS is commonly used in text messaging like two-factor authentication and appointment reminders, it has other functions like
- Voice and VoIP
- Video and teleconferencing
- Multimedia message services (MMS)
- Rich communication services (RCS)
- Social channels messaging apps (WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.)
- Payments and mobile security
- Contact center as a service
CCaaS
CCaaS (or Contact Center as a Service) is a cloud delivery model for contact center apps and infrastructure, such as:
- Interactive Voice Response systems
- Workforce management
- Teletypewriter or telecommunications devices for the deaf communications
CCaaS is more attractive to companies with on-premises contact centers, but it has had slow adoption because of the more complex nature of contact centers. CCaaS providers build products on APIs that work across multiple operating systems, devices, and Internet browsers to support:
- IVR/Virtual Attendant
- Automated call distribution
- Call recording
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Live call monitoring
- Inbound and outbound dialing
Endnote
As the world moves to cloud provisions, more adoptions of these platforms will be adopted. While they provide different functions and capabilities, UCaaS vs. CPaaS vs. CCaaS can be integrated into one system for a more holistic cloud platform. An integrated platform of the three services can create more opportunities with extending capabilities, like video, analytics, and support across the entire organization.