Except for specific scenarios involving customer-facing roles, AI is not yet a fundamental criterion in choosing UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions.
Gartner had highlighted this last year in its Magic Quadrant for this market. The firm does not reverse that stance this year. It notes, however, that AI—now “standardized” on the meeting/collaboration front—is gaining traction on the telephony side. Providers, though, are slow to diffuse it within on-premises offerings. In this regard, Gartner cites an exception: Cisco, which has “committed to innovating”…
UCaaS: 4 Leaders among 9 Providers
As last year, Cisco remains among the “Leaders” in Gartner’s UCaaS Magic Quadrant. Three other providers—the same as in 2025—are in the same tier: Microsoft, RingCentral and Zoom.
From one year to the next, there are no new entrants, but two exit: Google and Sangoma.
On the “Execution” axis of the Magic Quadrant, which reflects the ability to respond to demand (customer experience, pricing, quality of products/services…), the situation is:
| Rank | Provider | Annual Change |
| 1 | Microsoft | = |
| 2 | Cisco | = |
| 3 | Zoom | = |
| 4 | RingCentral | = |
| 5 | 8×8 | = |
| 6 | GoTo | + 1 |
| 7 | Vonage | + 1 |
| 8 | Dialpad | + 1 |
| 9 | Wildix | + 1 |
On the “Vision” axis, which reflects strategies (commercial, geographic, innovation…) :
| Rank | Provider | Annual Change |
| 1 | Microsoft | = |
| 2 | Cisco | = |
| 3 | Zoom | = |
| 4 | RingCentral | = |
| 5 | 8×8 | = |
| 6 | Dialpad | = |
| 7 | GoTo | = |
| 8 | Vonage | = |
| 9 | Wildix | + 1 |
Cisco Maintains the Advantage of the Ecosystem…
Last year Gartner praised the exhaustiveness of Cisco’s catalog, one of the few that combined UCaaS, CCaaS (contact center) and CPaaS (communication-enabled applications) in addition to hardware. It also highlighted its investments in AI and its sector-focused strategy, supported by certifications and standards.
This year, Gartner emphasizes instead the aspect of a unified ecosystem extending to administration tools. It also gives Cisco high marks for its partner ecosystem (including for analog telephony), the flexibility of deployment options, and support for legacy offerings.
… but Webex Is Still Seen as “Admin-Oriented”
The initial configuration of Webex and its subsequent management require more time and effort than with competing products, Gartner noted last year. It also flagged potentially complex pricing to understand and negotiate for the mid-market (in its terminology, organizations with 100 to 1,000 employees). It also highlighted the tendency of many buyers to source Cisco only for the telephony portion.
This observation holds: Cisco faces strong competition from providers focused on collaboration functions. It is also not the most generous on SLA credits in the event of telephony shortfalls (credits capped at 5% of monthly price). And while it maintains its legacy solutions, a gap has grown with cloud offerings, both in terms of functionality (reporting/analytics, in particular) and user experience. Webex is more broadly perceived as an admin‑oriented choice rather than a tool for end users, Gartner also notes.
The TCO Remains a Microsoft Advantage…
Although focused on meetings, the IA base offered with Teams is robust, Gartner stated last year. The firm also praised a relatively low total cost of ownership (TCO) and the breadth of Microsoft’s support resources and partnerships with telcos. It highlighted ease of use of the solution and its tight integration with major UCaaS offerings.
This year again, Gartner cites Teams’ robustness, but with a broader perspective on collaboration. It reiterates the TCO advantage, boosted by the inclusion of baseline UCaaS capabilities in most Office licenses. The continued strength of telco partnerships remains relevant.
… but Graphic Administration Limits for Teams Remain
The Dynamics 365 contact center component is not provided natively with Teams, Gartner lamented last year. He also pointed out, on the one hand, the limits of graphic administration of endpoints. And explained, on the other hand, that collaboration features tend to compete with telephony.
This year again, Microsoft earns a note on administration, consistent with 2025: dependence on PowerShell and third-party tools remains significant. Also beware of Teams’ resource consumption on endpoints (PCs and mobile). Gartner notes that IA capabilities are delivered mainly via Copilot, which requires an additional license.
Ease of Use and Intuitive UI at RingCentral…
Last year, Gartner appreciated the level of AI integration in RingCentral’s offering, notably with the “virtual receptionist” feature. It also commended the integration with third-party applications. It also highlighted the richness and intuitiveness of the telephony function (call transfers to mobile, in particular).
This year again, third-party application integrations are highlighted, under the “open platform” angle that favors customization of the telephony portion. Gartner notes ease of use and an intuitive interface for both administrators and end users. It again mentions the “virtual receptionist,” well aligned with the needs of smaller organizations.
… but watch for Support and Pricing
Last year, RingCentral had a weak point on support (response and resolution times). Gartner also pointed to a tendency to raise prices at renewal. It added that RingCentral’s contact center (RingCX) remained voice-centric. And that the native analytics capabilities of the UCaaS offering (RingCX) needed to mature to scale.
The “poor support” point remains this year, especially for large organizations’ needs in the contact center. On pricing, Gartner no longer discusses renewals, but notes above-market pricing, particularly for knowledge workers (mid-level knowledge workers, in Gartner’s terminology).
Zoom Delivers in Complex Environments…
Last year, Zoom earned praise for the simplicity of deployment and maintenance of its embedded contact center. Gartner also commended the quality of services and support, and highlighted the comprehensiveness of its Trust Center, with notable investments in security, privacy and compliance.
This year, Gartner applauds the expansion of contact center capabilities. It also notes continued IA features, led by the ZoomMate assistant. Another strong point is the ability to deliver a reliable and compliant service in complex environments (regulations, connectivity; Gartner cites India as an example).
… but Licensing Management Remains Delicate
Recently added calendars, email and word processing can fall short in competitiveness, Gartner argued last year. The UX can be complex to master as you move beyond the “meetings” use. While noting that Zoom’s licensing tends to change more rapidly than rivals… risking renewal bundles that include functions not strictly needed.
This observation remains valid. It often leads to price increases and financial management complexities, Gartner sums up. It also reiterates the potential remaining constraints in productivity components. The same holds for UI complexity as new features, including AI capabilities, are adopted.
