It’s September, and you’ve probably received many reminders over the last several months regarding the end of support for the ShoreTel 14.2 system. Although your hardware is still functional, you won’t have the security, support or added features your business needs.
In this article we’ll cover many of the questions we’ve received from both on-site and remote users who have been planning their migration. Hopefully we’ll be answering some of yours.
What Happens Once September 30th Rolls Around?
Not to worry, your phone system will not turn into a puff of smoke. In fact, your phone will continue to work as normal (with a few possible exceptions). The downside is that support, security patches or additional software releases from Mitel may not be available to you unless you’ve migrated your system first.
What if I Need Additional Handsets or User Licenses?
This will not be a problem. If you need to add users and replace or purchase additional handsets, but have not yet upgraded, you will still be able to purchase these just as you normal would from your solution provider.
What Does Migration to MiVoice Connect Look Like?
The good news is that there is no charge for the software itself, but it will require some downtime to perform the migration and push out the new version to all users. If it’s been a while since you’ve performed a software upgrade, then you’ll have to upgrade to the latest build of 14.2 before you can migrate to Connect. Keep in mind your server may need to be upgraded as well if it’s older than Windows 2012.
MiCloud Flex Brochure
With MiCloud Flex, you can bring unified, mission-critical communications into the cloud for increased efficiency, simplicity, and mobility. Designed for large enterprises and organizations that require a rich unified communications (UC) environment, MiCloud Flex delivers the highest levels of performance, reliability, and security.
What are the Advantages of Migrating to MiVoice Connect?
There are some awesome new features in this release, and you’ll want to take advantage of them now in order to provide the best possible user experience as well as to offer an improved experience for your customers. A few examples include:
- Edge Gateway (ability to securely connect remote users)
- Connect for Mobile
- Advanced ST Voice Appliances
- Support for New 6900 Series Phones
- Newly Designed Connect Director
- Compatibility with Windows 2019, VMWare 6.7 and Hyper-V 2016
Will My Existing Users Require Training?
Although the handsets will not change, and the fundamental concepts are the same, the user interface is completely different; so it will take some time to adjust and a little bit of training to get users comfortable with it. Experienced users or new, everyone can benefit from a brief (less than an hour) training session in order to fully experience the improvements of Connect.
What Costs Will My Business Incur Related to this Migration to MiVoice Connect?
You may incur professional services fees relating to the upgrade, based on the needs of your business, as well as costs related to training time. But it’s best to ask for an estimate from a trusted partner like CNP before you begin so you have a complete understanding of the scope.
Ready to Get Started?
We have been and continue to perform migrations for our legacy ShoreTel customers, and we are ready to help you too! You can count on our experience and expertise to get your users up and running efficiently and enjoying their new Mitel MiVoice Connect system! Contact us today to learn more.