Tired of the old Cisco hold music? Getting complaints at your contact center because the on-hold experience is a repetitive bore? Working on caller experience? The Streaming Queue Music™ solution will bring a live audio stream into your CISCO on-premise platform, eliminating the need to manage audio files while giving you the tools and automation to impress callers like never before.
What is Streaming Queue Music?
Streaming Queue Music™ is a trademarked name for a software application that provides streaming audio for queue and hold in Cisco UCCE/PCCE via Virtual Voice Browser, as well as Cisco CUCM, Genesys Engage, Cisco Broadsoft, and other call center/contact center platforms. It was developed by Easy On Hold in 2019, starting as a project between Cisco and Easy On Hold for a PCM streaming solution in the Cisco VVB (Virtual Voice Browser). Since that time, the platform has expanded to solve streaming queue and hold music needs on multiple platforms.
Can Cisco UCCE and CUCM use streaming hold music?
Beyond using static files, Cisco on-premise call center/contact center platforms can use streaming audio for queue and hold audio. Until recently, however, such a stream required the use of additional on-premise audio transcoding devices. Since CUCM 11.5, Cisco has specified a multicast stream I.P. address can be configured as the hold music source. VVB also has specifications for a stream of audio, as detailed in a 2020 video from Cisco (below).
Cisco provides a Feature Configuration Guide for CUCM 11.5. Specifically, see the section on “Configuration Tips for the Codec-Specific Inbound Audio Stream.” There is also a guide for CUCM 12.5. Many organizations are moving to CUCM 14. The Configuration Guide can be found here.
Why is the SQM solution gaining attention for streaming queue and hold music?
The benefits of Streaming Queue Music™ compared to traditional files-based queue and hold music include:
- Technical support is relieved of music/message-on-hold file management.
- Marketing or business clients manage content schedules in the EOH Content Control Center (audio management portal).
- A continuous stream of content can be changed immediately; a variety of custom content, licensed music, and licensed popular (“hit”) music.
- Content heard in queue and agent-hold can be synchronous.
- SQM can intake up to ten streams per instance, offering multiple caller experiences for greater customer satisfaction.
- Automatic failover to local audio files means always-on content.
- Dashboard tool provides configuration and monitoring tools.
What are the components of the Streaming Queue Music™ software?
The Streaming Queue Music™ solution (also known as SQM) includes:
- The appliance software (which runs on client-provided VMware ESXi 6.5 or newer)
- Audio storage for failover audio
- SQM Management portal for configuration and monitoring
How does Streaming Music for Cisco work?
The complete SQM guide is available to EOH clients who have entered a non-disclosure agreement. In the meantime, the basic idea is for the on-premise software running on VMware to make an outgoing connection to get a custom stream configured in the EOH Content Control Center. The stream is made available to the Cisco network.
Any number of SQM installations can be used in your environment; for example, one in each data center is recommended.
Does CUCM need a Multicast stream?
The audio MoH stream connection to CUCM must be multicast as that is the only option Cisco supports. The CUCM Media Server transcodes the received input multicast audio stream and sends it to the end devices, whether over unicast or multicast, depending on the chosen customer configuration. Multicast is not required between CUCM and end devices.
Streaming Queue Music™ is a registered Cisco Compatible solution.
Easy On Hold is a Cisco Solutions Partner. In 2022, the latest version of SQM was tested by a third party for performance in the Cisco communications platforms. After passing all tests, SQM is officially a Cisco Compatible solution.
In the Cisco Marketplace, you will see SQM listed. There it is most often connected with the VVB application, but if you have CUCM stand-alone, SQM is a fine solution.
For further information, please contact Amy O’Boyle, Business Development Director or Tim Brown, CTO at Easy On Hold. +1 (888) 798-4653 or [email protected].
