Last month, NEC announced the “end of life” of their on-premises UC business products. As they transition, their customers should, too. Below is everything you need to know about:
- What products are affected
- When support for those products will end
- Which products you should look at to replace them
Courtesy of NTS Direct. Let’s dive in.
What Products Are Affected?
This announcement applies to all NEC On-Premises UC products and related applications and peripherals, like the:
- SL2100
- UNIVERGE SV9100 Platform
- UNIVERGE SV9500 Platform
- UNIVERGE 3C Platform
As well as various terminals, DECT phones, and third-party applications.
For a complete list of discontinued products, click here.
NEC On-Premises EOL Timeline: Dates You Should Know
As you begin to look for alternatives to NEC on-premise products, it’s essential to know when everything is officially ending.
April 15, 2024
- End of Extended System Protection: No new purchases for Extended System Protections can be made after this date
- No new feature enhancements for Software Assurance (SWA)
December 31, 2024
- End of New System Sales (EON): No new on-premises UC systems can be ordered
- End of Add-On Sales (EOA): No additional hardware or software, including licenses and support services, can be ordered or extended past this date.
- End of SWA renewals and add-ons
March 31, 2025
- End of Shipment: Final shipments will be sent for any purchase orders made before the EON/EOA date will be
- End of SWA entirely.
March 31, 2026:
- End of Support (EOS): Pre-sales or post-sales technical assistance will no longer be available after this date.
- End of Maintenance (EOM): Regular software maintenance, including security patches and bug fixes, will end for all products.
But what about extended maintenance?
Extended maintenance is available only for customers who have purchased contracts before April 15, 2024, with periods extending beyond EOS/EOM. This will include critical bug fixes and security patches.
And third-party applications and peripherals?
NEC will stop reselling third-party products based on the schedule we shared above. However, you can potentially establish direct relationships with any of NEC’s third-party vendors post-EON.
Next Steps for Current NEC On-Premise Users
For those of you who aren't sure where to start after NEC's announcement, we've compiled a quick list of next steps that can help.
1. Reach out to NTS Direct
We have over 20 years of experience in the industry and have formed excellent relationships with multiple on-premise and cloud-based providers. Using our decades of expertise, our team can work with you to build a solution that fits your needs and maximizes your current hardware investment. Would you prefer to upgrade your hardware to something new? We can help with that, too.
2. Review and plan migration strategies to your chosen alternative solutions or cloud-based offerings with your team
Putting together a migration strategy is a must—and it’s even better when you write it down. Coordinate with your IT team, provider, and distributor to set a timeline. Once that’s done, start sending email updates to your other employees so they know what to expect and when.
3. Confirm and finalize any purchase or support agreements with your new provider prior to December 31, 2024.
This is the last day to order new equipment or add-ons from NEC before they stop selling on-premise UC entirely. It’s alright if you haven’t completely transitioned to a new system by December, but we’d recommend getting all the paperwork in place so you’re completely covered, especially since you won’t get on-premise product support after March 31, 2025.
4. Begin making the switch as soon as you’re comfortable and able
It’s best to start the new year fresh so you can train your employees on the new system before everything ramps back up after the holidays. If you partner with NTS Direct, this process won’t take long so that you can get back to business ASAP.
Want a Solution Built for You? Give NTS Direct a Call!
NTS Direct can make the transition from NEC on-premise products as smooth as butter. We offer the following manufacturers who are still focused and growing on-premises sysems.
- Unify/Mitel
- Grandstream
- Avaya
Contact us if you're interested in learning more about each one and what benefits they can bring! After all, our objective has always been to give our customers comprehensive solutions and human-centric support that encourages their growth and success every step of the way.