What Mitel Ending Toshiba Phone Support Means for Your Business
If you’re working with a Toshiba phone system, you’re going to find getting support for them challenging in a few months. In a much-publicized acquisition, Mitel Networks Corporation purchased Toshiba Corporation’s Unified Communications business unit, which manufactured and distributed phone systems and other related products, in 2017. Over the following year, Mitel began to slowly began to phase out hardware sales.
By October 31, 2020, Mitel stopped selling new licenses for Toshiba phone systems. That means you can no longer add new lines to your business. You may not need to if your staffing complement is static. But if you expect to add to your workforce in the coming months or years, you need to start thinking of an alternative.
A year later, on October 31, 2021, Mitel will no longer offer support for Toshiba phone systems. If you’re using a Toshiba phone system past this date, you’re on the proverbial hook for all support and repairs, which will cost you time and resources you likely don’t have. You may be able to find replacements and parts in the aftermarket, but that can create a whole new series of headaches. And if your system experiences a major issue, a substantial portion of your business operations could be compromised while you try to cobble together a workaround or a solution.
The ending of technical support is just one more reason that you should upgrade your phone systems. When you move to a new system, you not only can benefit from current and valuable new features, but you can also often save considerable costs over time. And if your business, like many others, is shifting to a permanent hybrid remote work staffing model, ensuring you have a secure and efficient telephone system is critical.
Why You May Not Have Switched Yet
It’s understandable if you have not yet upgraded your phone system. In addition to your existing workload, you know it takes time and effort to assess the total upfront and ongoing costs of a new system and work through potential compatibility and security issues. When dealing with an enterprise-wide system, you must get it right.
In a decentralized working environment, with multiple offices and work locations, scheduling time just to evaluate your organization’s telephone needs can feel impossible. You’d need to assess each office’s existing telecom needs and set up, including every server, phone, and related device, as well as each one’s connections and functions. You’d also need to gather and consolidate information from departments about what they need in a new phone system as well. And once you’ve gathered that information, you’d need to sort through the many available options on the market, which can be daunting even when you have a relatively solid list of operational requirements.
But you need a fully functioning telephone system not only for basic communications needs but also to help increase your productivity. You need VOIP-powered phone systems with features that easily integrate with your calendar and email, devices like wireless handsets to increase your mobility, and SIP trunking to save costs. Moving to 3CX can provide you with all of these benefits and more.
Why Switching is Easier Than You Think
Best of all, switching is painless, as Uprite Services will manage the transition from start to finish and provide the post-installation support you need to ensure your system works the way you need it to. For more than twenty years, Uprite has delivered comprehensive IT solutions to businesses in the Houston area. As a 3CX partner, we can help your business easily switch over to this powerful solution.
When we first discuss your telephone system needs, our expert staff will work with you to develop a detailed plan that integrates your new phone system into your existing IT environment. We’ll help you dive ever deeper into your operation requirements until we can identify a solution that works for end-users across your organization. Then we work to deploy your new system, ensuring that it works and is synchronized with other key systems, so your IT staff don’t have to. And we’ll make sure that as unforeseen challenges arise, you have the support you need to keep your system up and running and your employees enjoying all the benefits 3CX has to offer.
When you partner with Uprite, you’ll ensure your organization can switch over to the new phone system it needs in short order. You’ll save your company time and money and give them the phones and features they need to work more productively.
Why 3CX?
The 3CX IP PBX system is a popular VOIP option among small and midsize businesses because it is largely hardware-agnostic. You can operate entirely using softphones or use it to power your choice of one of the leading phones on the market. Whichever you choose, you can save money by forgoing expensive on-premise hardware requirements for your phone system as well as by selecting from a range of supported handsets, headsets, and mobile devices compatible with your budget.
Moreover, you can utilize SIP trunking to support your various data transmission needs. From voice to video, 3CX helps you establish a single unified network that can help you reduce your monthly phone bill, scale your phone system more efficiently, and secure your network more effectively, among other benefits. SIP trunking also enables your system to continue to operate even in the wake of a system outage or power failure, as your data transmission can simply be rerouted to other devices and locations.
3CX also uses Windows as its operating system. If you, like many businesses, also use Windows, you’ll find 3CX’s VOIP systems remarkably easy to integrate into your existing IT infrastructure. You’ll also be able to use it with Android and Apple devices as well, allowing you to provide and support the devices your employees need.
Getting Started
If you know you need to upgrade your phone system, let us work with you to make that happen as quickly, seamlessly, and cost-effectively as possible. We’re eager to help you move from your Toshiba phone system to 3CX’s efficient, secure, and feature-rich option. If you’re in the Houston area, contact us today, and let’s set up a time to talk. And if you’re also in need of other IT solutions, like managed IT services, IT security assessments, or strategic IT planning support, we can help there as well.