CommsTechie – The UC Engineer’s Toolkit 🛠️
“Everything you need to learn, grow, and get hired in Unified Communications.”
Why Unified Communications Matters 🌐
Unified Communications (UC) is no longer just about making calls; it's the backbone of modern collaboration and business continuity. From enabling seamless telehealth consultations to powering virtual classrooms and connecting global teams, UC platforms ensure that communication is efficient, reliable, and secure.
In today's dynamic landscape, a robust UC infrastructure directly impacts productivity, customer experience, and operational resilience. Understanding and mastering UC technologies is crucial for any organization aiming to thrive in the digital age.
Who Is This Site For? 🎯
- IT, Computer Science, and Electronics & Communication Engineers: Looking to pivot into the high-demand UC/CC space.
- Current UC Engineers & AV Specialists: Seeking to deepen their technical knowledge, troubleshoot complex issues, and stay updated with the latest trends.
- Customer Experience (CX) Strategists: Wanting to understand the technical underpinnings of contact center solutions.
- Job Seekers & Learners: Preparing for UC-specific interviews, certifications (e.g., MS-720), or simply expanding their expertise.
What You’ll Learn Here 💡
Comms Techie is packed with actionable insights and detailed explanations to empower your UC journey:
- Interview Accelerator: Access to 20+ Q&As per topic, designed to sharpen your interview skills and prepare you for technical challenges.
- Animated Call Flows: Visualize complex communication processes like SIP and Microsoft Teams call flows with interactive diagrams.
- Career Roadmaps & Certification Prep: Discover clear pathways for career growth and resources to help you ace industry certifications.
- UC Glossary: A comprehensive, searchable dictionary of over 100 technical terms.
- Platform Comparisons: Side-by-side analysis of leading UCaaS and CCaaS solutions.
Explore Key Sections 🚀
UC Knowledge Base
In-depth articles and foundational concepts.
🚀Interview Accelerator
Q&A, tips, and prep for your next UC role.
📊Platform Deep Dives
Compare leading UCaaS and CCaaS solutions.
🪜UC Growth Pathways
Roadmaps, certifications, and target companies.
🌍UC Industry Intelligence
Global market trends and regional demand.
👤About Ankit Singh
Learn more about the creator of Comms Techie.
Ankit’s Articles 📰
A collection of deep dives, technical comparisons, and practical advice on Unified Communications. Expand any article to read more.
📚 Blogs (LinkedIn Articles)
🧱 Microsoft Teams: SaaS, UCaaS, or PaaS?
A strategic breakdown of how Teams blurs the lines between communication layers—from UCaaS to developer-grade extensibility.
Read on LinkedIn →🔍 SBCs: Architecture Differentiators & Market Landscape
Explore the key architectural pillars and vendor diversity across Session Border Controllers in enterprise UC.
Read on LinkedIn →🔍 SBC UI Terminology: Ribbon vs. AudioCodes vs. Avaya
Here’s how three major SBC platforms label the same core functions—proof that the terminology may shift, but the architecture logic remains consistent.
- SIP Trunks: Ribbon = Signaling Groups, AudioCodes = IP Groups, Avaya = SIP Server Profiles
- Call Routing: Ribbon = Call Routing Table, AudioCodes = Routing Rules/SRD, Avaya = Routing Profiles
- SIP Manipulation: Ribbon = Transformation Tables, AudioCodes = Message Rules, Avaya = Application Rules
- Media Settings: Ribbon = Codec Groups, AudioCodes = Media Realms, Avaya = Codec Sets
- Troubleshooting: Ribbon = SIP Ladder, AudioCodes = Debug/Syslog, Avaya = EMS Logs
✅ All three support SIP over UDP/TCP/TLS and secure RTP (SRTP).
🎙️ Codecs: Ribbon = G.711, Opus, SILK; AudioCodes = adds AMR-WB, EVS; Avaya = Opus in recent firmware.
🛡️ Security varies—topology hiding, SIP firewalls, NAT traversal available across platforms.
🎯 Summary:
• Ribbon: Ideal for Microsoft Direct Routing
• AudioCodes: Codec-flexible and hybrid-friendly
• Avaya: Best in Avaya-native environments
🤯 The PSTN Puzzle: Cisco vs. Microsoft Call Flow Dissected!
For UC engineers, understanding PSTN call flow isn't just theory – it's critical for scalable design and troubleshooting. Here's how Cisco CUCM and Microsoft Teams Phone System handle outbound calls—using fundamentally different philosophies.
1️⃣ Cisco CUCM: On-Prem Edge
- Signaling: IP Phone → CUCM → Cisco Gateway/CUBE → PSTN
- Media: Direct RTP/SRTP to Gateway, with CUCM out of the path
- Transcoding: Gateway or DSP modules
- Resilience: Clustering + HSRP/VRRP Gateways
2️⃣ Microsoft Teams: Cloud-Native Voice
- Calling Plans: Teams Client → Microsoft Cloud → PSTN
- Direct Routing: Teams → Microsoft Cloud → Customer SBC → PSTN
- Media Bypass: Enables direct client-to-SBC flow
🏁 Cisco emphasizes LAN-level resilience and media control. Microsoft delivers scalable, globally routed voice with SBC integration as the key differentiator.
View this post on LinkedIn →🎯 Optimizing Networks for Microsoft Teams: Call Quality Edition
Struggling with Teams call drops, jittery audio, or laggy meetings? Your network might be the real bottleneck. Here are 5 ways to ensure your infrastructure is Teams-ready.
1️⃣ Prioritize Real-Time Traffic with QoS
- 🎤 Audio: DSCP 46 (EF)
- 🎥 Video: DSCP 34 (AF41)
- 🖥️ Screen Sharing: DSCP 18 (AF21)
Apply QoS across LAN/WAN, Wi-Fi, and even Windows endpoints.
2️⃣ Use Direct Internet Breakout
Route Teams traffic directly to Microsoft 365 endpoints. Avoid VPNs and enforce split tunneling.
3️⃣ Monitor Key Metrics
- ⏱️ Latency: < 50 ms
- 🔁 Jitter: < 30 ms
- ❌ Packet Loss: < 1%
- 🎧 Audio: ≥ 100 kbps | 📹 Video: ≥ 1.2 Mbps
Use CQD, Network Planner, and Call Analytics from Teams Admin Center.
4️⃣ Avoid VPN Hairpinning
Use split tunneling and bypass HTTPS inspection for Teams traffic.
5️⃣ Enable Local Media Optimization (LMO)
For Direct Routing: Keeps media local between Teams client and SBC for better quality.
View this post on LinkedIn →📞 From Analog Sputters to Digital Streams: The PSTN Connection Evolution! 🚀
From CAS to ISDN to SIP, the way we connect to the PSTN has radically evolved. SBCs became vital in the IP revolution, offering:
- 🛡️ Security edge for VoIP
- 🔄 SIP interoperability
- 🤫 Topology hiding
- 🚦 Smart routing and failover
These changes power the seamless connectivity we rely on daily.
View this post on LinkedIn →📱 Let’s Talk Tech Behind Your Calls! WhatsApp, Teams, Zoom, & Instagram 🕵️♂️
Wonder what tech powers our everyday calls?
- WhatsApp: Encrypted RTP, custom XMPP signaling
- Teams: SIP + SRTP, enterprise-grade compliance
- Zoom: RTP/SRTP, SIP/H.323 interop
- Instagram: Meta-internal encrypted RTP stack
All aim to connect us—just with different philosophies!
View this post on LinkedIn →⌛ Microsoft's UC Evolution: From IM to Immersive Collaboration! 📲
- 💾 OCS → 💬 SIP chat/audio
- 🔗 Lync → HD video, RDP sharing
- 🔵 Skype4B → Hybrid PSTN + response groups
- ☁️ SfB Online → Fully managed UCaaS (retired)
- ✨ Teams → Cloud-native chat, meetings, DR
- ⚙️ ACS → WebRTC APIs for custom comms
Every step shaped our current UC engineering models.
View this post on LinkedIn →🧑💻 AI is Redefining Unified Communications – Is Your Skillset Ready?
AI is reshaping UC with:
- 🤖 Meeting assistants, smart routing
- ✨ Predictive QoS & real-time translation
- 🔒 AI-driven compliance & anomaly detection
Engineers must skill up in ML, integration, ethics, and vendor AI tools.
View this post on LinkedIn →⚙️📞 UC Engineers: Cloud UC Tech Showdown! Cisco Webex vs. MS Teams
- 🏛️ Architecture: Webex = BroadWorks; Teams = M365-native
- 🔁 Call Flow: Webex = SIP TLS; Teams = REST + SIP Proxy
- 🎧 Media: SRTP, STUN/ICE, codecs like Opus & Satin
- 📞 PSTN: Webex = CUBE / Cloud; Teams = DR, OC, Calling Plans
Both demand careful design—but cater to different org needs.
View this post on LinkedIn →Global Market & Regional Demand
Explore the demand for UC engineering skills across different regions. Click on a region card to view specific trends, popular platforms, and hiring dynamics. This section highlights how market needs vary globally, helping you understand where your skills are most valued.
Enterprise UCaaS Adoption
0%
projected for large enterprises
Annual Enterprise Investment
$0B
in cloud communication solutions
Cloud vs. On-Premise Shift
0%
of new CC deployments are CCaaS
Cloud vs. On-Premise UC Deployments
Regional Market Trends
Platform & Solution Comparison
This interactive tool allows you to compare the leading UCaaS and CCaaS platforms. Select one or more platforms from the grid below to see a detailed, side-by-side comparison of their architecture, features, and ideal use cases. This is designed to help engineers and architects make informed technology decisions.
Select platforms above to compare them.
UC Career growth path
The Career Hub provides a comprehensive overview of roles, skills, and certifications in the UC industry. Explore the typical career trajectory from support to strategy, discover a detailed roadmap for a Microsoft Teams Voice Engineer, and see which companies are leading the way in hiring UC talent.
Career Pathways: From Support to Strategy
MS Teams Voice Engineer Roadmap
Key Certifications & Skills
Ideal Companies to Target
Technical Fundamentals for UC Engineers
This section covers the core technical knowledge, key communication flows, and essential architectural concepts required for any UC engineer.
Interview Accelerator 🚀
Prepare for your next Unified Communications role with confidence! This section provides targeted Q&A, common scenarios, and expert tips to help you ace your technical interviews and certification exams.
Tech Glossary for UC
A comprehensive, searchable glossary of over 100 technical terms for UC engineers. Use the search box to quickly find definitions for protocols, components, and concepts you encounter in the field.
UC History & Brand Evolution 🕰️
Explore the fascinating journey of Unified Communications, from its early days to the modern cloud-native platforms. Understand how key brands and technologies have evolved to shape the industry we know today.
UC History & Brand Evolution
Unified Communications has evolved from analog voice to cloud-native collaboration. From PBX and voicemail to SIP, UCaaS, and AI-powered platforms, the journey spans over a century of innovation.
Platforms
Microsoft UC Stack
Cisco UC Stack
Avaya UC
Zoom
Slack
Other Key Players
CX / CCaaS Platforms
Microsoft Stack (Dynamics 365)
Luware Nimbus
Genesys
Other Key Players
Devices
Meeting Room Devices
IP Phones
DECT Phones
Future Trends in UC/CC (2025-2030)
Look ahead at the evolution of unified communications and contact centers. This section outlines the key technological shifts and strategic trends that will shape the industry towards 2030, from AI integration to the impact of 5G.
About Comms Techie by Ankit Singh
Hello! I'm Ankit Singh, the voice behind Comms Techie. With years of hands-on experience in Unified Communications and Contact Center technologies, I'm passionate about demystifying complex communication tech. This platform is my way of sharing insights, best practices, and knowledge to help fellow engineers, enthusiasts, and businesses navigate the ever-evolving world of voice, video, and collaboration.
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Have a question or just want to chat? 🚀
Feel free to reach out to me directly:
emailingankit@gmail.comI regularly share updates, analysis, and career advice related to UC, CC, and broader communication technologies on LinkedIn. Follow my profile to stay informed and join the conversation!
Share Feedback! ⭐
Your insights help me improve this platform. Please take a moment to share your thoughts: