Running Cisco or Avaya Under Salesforce? How Bridge Connectors Replace Open CTI

Not every Salesforce contact center runs on a cloud-native platform. Many large service teams still route calls through Cisco or Avaya systems they have tuned for years, with a Salesforce Open CTI softphone on top so agents can see customer records. For these teams, the Open CTI retirement raises a hard question: do we have to replace the phone system too?

According to two specialist vendors, the answer can be no. Here is how the “bridge” approach works and what to check.

The deadline

Salesforce’s retirement notice says Open CTI reaches end of life on February 28, 2028, when legacy connectors stop working. Salesforce’s Trailhead module lists what goes with it: the Open CTI JavaScript API, call center adapters, softphone layouts and call center definition files, and custom CTI logic such as screen pops built on the API.

If your Cisco or Avaya integration uses an Open CTI adapter, that layer needs to change. The telephony behind it does not necessarily have to.

Option 1: b+s Connects for Cisco

Bucher + Suter has long built Cisco-to-Salesforce connectors. On its Salesforce Voice integration page, the company says b+s Connects for Salesforce Voice is the migration path for Cisco and Webex Contact Center customers and is built on the Salesforce Voice BYOT framework.

The model is simple. Cisco keeps running routing and call infrastructure underneath. Salesforce Voice runs the agent experience on top. Bucher + Suter says call controls sit inside the Salesforce Omni-Channel widget, the customer record and prior conversation history appear when the call arrives, and context from a bot or self-service step carries into the live call. It says real-time transcription and Agentforce features run inside Salesforce Voice on the same context layer.

Option 2: InGenius for Cisco, Avaya or Genesys

InGenius, listed on AgentExchange by Upland Software, makes a similar promise for a wider set of platforms. Its AgentExchange listing says it helps contact centers move from Open CTI to Salesforce Voice “without replacing Cisco, Avaya, or Genesys,” and without migrating to the cloud.

The listing mentions agent presence sync for Omni-Channel routing, automatic mapping of IVR and call data, call recording control, and support for Command Center for Service. It names compatibility with Agentforce Service, Agentforce Sales, Financial Services Cloud, Health Cloud and Government Cloud. Pricing on the listing starts at $10 per user per month. The listing shows a last-updated date of November 18, 2024, so confirm the current version and roadmap directly with the vendor.

What the bridge model does not remove

A bridge keeps your routing, but the Salesforce side still changes. Salesforce’s developer migration guide explains that call data moves from Task records to VoiceCall records, screen pops move to Omni-Channel flows, and rep presence is managed through Omni-Channel. Your agents will also need Salesforce Voice licenses. So plan for:

• Rebuilding reports and dashboards that read Task call fields.
• Re-creating screen pop rules as Omni-Channel flows.
• Aligning presence states between your phone system and Omni-Channel.
• Training agents on the Omni-Channel widget.

What this means for your contact center

• You may not need a new phone system. If your Cisco or Avaya investment still works, a bridge can keep it in place past 2028.
• Check your platform version. Confirm that the connector supports your exact Cisco or Avaya release.
• Count two license lines. Budget for the connector and for Salesforce Voice licenses.
• Test transfers and IVR data. These are where bridge setups most often surprise teams, so pilot them on a real queue.
• Use the moment to review. If your on-premises platform is near its own end of support, compare a bridge with a cloud move before you commit.

If you are comparing vendors while you plan, Partner Contact Center Powered by Vonage runs on Salesforce Voice, and Vonage Contact Center for Salesforce brings voice, video, WhatsApp, SMS, chat and email into the same Salesforce workspace.

Sources

• Bucher + Suter: Salesforce Voice Integration for Contact Centers
• Salesforce AgentExchange: InGenius Salesforce Voice Transition for Contact Centers
• Salesforce Help: Open CTI Retirement
• Trailhead: Prepare for Open CTI Retirement and Migration Strategies
• Salesforce Developers: Migrate Your Open CTI Integration to Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony