What is UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service)?

UCaaS is an acronym that stands for Unified Communications as a Service. It supports six communications functions:

• Enterprise telecommunications services: fixed wireline and data services.
• Mobile services.
• Audio/Video/Web Conferencing. 
• Unified Messaging.
• Instant Messaging and Presence (personal and team)
• Communications-enabled business processes

It is a cloud-delivered unified communications model and a variation of the “as a service” model of cloud. Ideally, it unifies communications tools, for an enterprise, within a single platform.

UCaaS infrastructure is typically owned, operated, maintained and delivered by the provider. Typical characteristics include multi-tenancy (tenant partitions reside on shared UC infrastructure, such as data centers, network, racks, common equipment and blades.) Self-service web portals are used to provision, manage and report on performance and usage. In most cases, the provider delivers applications from a common platform and licenses the service for a monthly, recurring, subscription charge.