Overview of Migration From Spark Call to Cisco Webex Calling

Use this document to guide you through the migration process from Spark Call to Cisco Webex Calling. During this process, some parts of your Control Hub organization are maintained, while others need to be recreated. Use this table as an overview:

Table 1. Comparison of Maintained Items and Items to Recreate Post-Migration

Maintained Items

Items to Recreate

User accounts

User license assignments for calling

Room/Desk/Board devices for Workspaces (formerly Places) without PSTN

Devices (phones for users, and phones and Room/Desk/Board devices for Workspaces with PSTN already set up)

—

Numbers

The Control Hub organization

All user and location features must be recreated: calling service, related settings and features, PSTN access, and so on

Spark Call and Webex Calling are both Cisco-managed cloud calling services. While they provide calling service for Webex users and integrate PSTN service for cloud-registered phones and devices, the two services differ in a number of areas, such as supported devices, feature sets, and overall architecture. You can view detailed overviews of the included features and functionality for each service at the following links:

This section covers the key differences to be aware of as you prepare to migrate your organization from Spark Call to Webex Calling.

Table 2. User Considerations for Spark Call Compared to Webex Calling

Feature

Spark Call

Webex Calling

Video and audio calls on supported Cisco phones

Uses supported phones with enterprise firmware

Uses supported phones with MPP firmware

Also includes a cross-launch from Webex to the Webex Calling app for more advanced calling feature set

User self care portal

Webex Settings (https://settings.webex.com)

Webex Settings (https://settings.webex.com), which cross-launches to the Calling User Portal.

Calling in softphone apps

Users can make calls in Webex as a softphone.

You have two choices for user configuration: they can make calls in Webex only or make calls through a cross-launch to the Webex Calling app for a more advanced calling feature set.

Table 3. Admin Considerations for Spark Call Compared to Webex Calling

Feature

Spark Call

Webex Calling

Admin management portal

Webex Control Hub (https://admin.webex.com)

Webex Control Hub (https://admin.webex.com), with cross-launches to the Calling Admin Portal for specific feature configuration.

Supported devices

Spark Call

Webex Calling

Device registration

By the admin in Control Hub or the user in Webex Settings, through a generated activation code that someone uses to activate the device and register it to the cloud.

By the admin in Control Hub through entering the device's MAC address to register it to the cloud. (Activation code is also supported, but MAC address is the recommended option for this migration process.)

Locations

A flat structure—a single organization-wide location

A default location, and admins can create multiple locations in a single organization

PSTN service

Provided through a Preferred Media Provider (PMP)

Provided through a Cloud Connected PSTN (CCP) Provider, through integration with an existing premises local gateway environment, or bundled in the offer through a service provider. See the Webex Calling PSTN documentation for more information.

Calling behavior for softphone apps

Calls happen directly in Webex.

Admins can use Control Hub to configure calls directly in Webex or through a cross-launch to the Webex Calling app. See Set Up Calling Behavior for guidance.