Cisco Publishes Its Support Dates. Is Your Phone System on One of Them?
Cisco's own bulletins set a last date of support of 30 April 2027 for CUCM 14, and ended support for the 7900 series handsets on 30 June 2023. Summit moves your business to a cloud phone system with new handsets, your numbers ported free, and a free assessment first so you know exactly where you stand.
Free for businesses moving off an old phone system
Free site assessment and free local number porting
Offer: a free assessment of your current phone system, and free porting of local (geographic) numbers when you move to a Summit voice plan. 1300, 1800 and 13 numbers are excluded. $0 upfront hardware is included on our MAX plans. Available until 31 December 2027 unless extended. Terms apply.
Overview
A Cisco phone system is rarely a small decision. Someone chose it on purpose, probably an IT person or a specialist partner, and it has run quietly ever since. It might be Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) on a server, a Business Edition appliance, CME running on a router, or a UC320W or UC500 in a small office. Whichever it is, the good news is that Cisco publishes its lifecycle dates. So here is what is on the record, product by product, with nothing stretched.
CUCM. Cisco's end-of-sale bulletin for CUCM 14 gives an end-of-sale date of 7 April 2025, end of software maintenance releases on 7 April 2026, and a last date of support of 30 April 2027. A separate Cisco bulletin covering select on-premises calling SKUs, including CUCM 11.5 and 12.5 software, gave a last date of support of 31 August 2025. We have not found an end-of-sale notice for CUCM 15. Ask your maintainer which release you run and what support contract sits behind it.
Business Edition 6000 and 7000. Cisco ended sale of the M6 appliances on 29 September 2025, with a last date of support of 30 September 2030. That is real runway, but it is worth deciding what you want to spend it on.
CME. We do not have an end-of-support date for CME. The only notice we have found covers CME version 14 perpetual licences: last day to order 31 July 2022, last date of support 31 July 2024. Cisco says it changes nothing about the product itself, so we will not tell you CME is finished.
UC320W and UC500. Cisco lists both among its retired Unified Communications product lines that are no longer supported by Cisco.
Handsets. Cisco's notice for the 7900 series set a last date of support of 30 June 2023, and states that it terminates firmware support for all 7900 series endpoints.
Two other changes sit outside Cisco. ISDN is already gone: Telstra's final exit date was 31 May 2022 in nbn fixed-line areas and 30 November 2022 in satellite and wireless areas, with approved extensions to 31 May 2023, so a system with ISDN cards or gateways needs a different path to the phone network, usually SIP. And if Telstra maintained your system, its PABX hardware and TBS Care exit took effect on 30 September 2026. Telstra's published list of brands did not name Cisco, so check your own contract rather than assume.
None of this means your phones stop ringing tomorrow. It means you can plan the move instead of having it planned for you.
Summit Internet is an independent Australian carrier (ACMA Carrier Licence #388) that has served businesses since 2000. Cisco and Cisco Unified Communications Manager are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to identify the product you have. Summit Internet is not affiliated with Cisco.
For a wider look at your options, see our guide to replacing your old phone system.
Key Benefits
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A Free Assessment Before You Spend a Cent
We start with what you actually have: the product and release, how many users and handsets, which lines and numbers connect, and what depends on the phones, such as EFTPOS, alarms, fax, door intercoms and paging. You get an honest summary, including whether waiting a while longer makes sense.
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Free Local Number Porting
Your customers know your number, so we keep it. When you move to a Summit voice plan, we port the local (geographic) numbers on your service at no charge: main line, direct numbers and fax numbers, such as 02, 03, 07 and 08 numbers. 1300, 1800 and 13 numbers are excluded from the free offer, and can still be ported. Available until 31 December 2027. Terms apply.
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New Handsets, With $0 Upfront Hardware on MAX Plans
Your new desk phones, cordless handsets and reception console arrive preconfigured, with extensions, greetings and ring groups already set up. Plug them in. $0 upfront hardware is included on our MAX plans, so moving does not mean a big cheque for handsets.
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Everything Included in One Per-User Price
Hosted PBX from $10 per user per month. Auto attendant, ring groups, call queues, voicemail to email, time-of-day routing, call recording and mobile and desktop apps are all included. No feature packs, no licence codes, no renewals to track.
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Phones That Follow Your People
Make and take calls on your business number from the Summit app on a mobile or laptop, from the office, home or a client site. The ABS reports that 36% of employed Australians usually work from home, up from 32.1% in 2019.
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Less to Look After, and Fewer People to Rely On
An on-premise Cisco system means a server, appliance or router to maintain, software releases to track, and someone who knows how to administer it. Ask yourself who that person is, and what happens when they leave. With a cloud phone system, the platform is ours to run, and routine changes take a few clicks in a web portal.
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A Cutover Day You Choose
We plan the move for a quiet day, test inbound and outbound calls with you, and check every connected device before we tell you to cancel anything.
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Internet and Backup Handled Properly
Cloud phones are only as good as the connection under them. We can supply business nbn with automatic 4G backup, with voice prioritised across our network, so one outage does not take your phones out with it.
What You Will Keep, and What You Will Miss Moving From Cisco
We would rather be straight with you. Cisco systems can be deep, so here is the honest comparison.
| On your Cisco system today | On Summit Hosted PBX |
|---|---|
| Call routing built by an administrator or partner | Auto attendant, ring groups and queues you can edit yourself in a web portal |
| Voicemail on the system | Voicemail to email, included |
| Cisco desk phones tied to your call control server or router | New desk phones, cordless handsets or a softphone, anywhere there is internet |
| Highly customised call flows and large-site features | Standard cloud features. If you rely on something unusual, we map it in the assessment and tell you plainly if it will not carry over |
| Tight integration with your own router and network | A separate cloud service, so your internet connection matters more |
| Internal calls keep working if the internet drops | Needs internet to work, so we pair it with automatic 4G failover, and staff can take calls on the mobile app |
The honest trade: a Cisco system you control end to end can offer depth that a standard cloud phone system will not match, and it can keep internal calls going with the internet down. In exchange you stop running servers, releases and support contracts. If your call flows are unusually complex, we will say so before you commit.
How It Works
- 1 Book your free assessment
Book your free assessment
Fill in the form above or call 1300 049 749. Tell us the product and, if you know it, the release or model. A photo of a handset, or the label on the box, is enough.
- 2 We look at what you have
We look at what you have
A Summit specialist reviews your system, users, lines and numbers, and everything connected to it. We list every number you want to keep, every call flow that matters and every device that depends on the phones.
- 3 Choose your handsets, or go softphone only
Choose your handsets, or go softphone only
Pick desk phones, cordless handsets and a reception console, or take calls on the Summit app. Mix both if that suits your team. $0 upfront hardware is included on our MAX plans.
- 4 We preconfigure and ship
We preconfigure and ship
Your handsets arrive with your extensions, auto attendant and ring groups already set up. Nothing to program.
- 5 We port your numbers and cut over
We port your numbers and cut over
We port your local numbers on the day you choose, test inbound and outbound calls with you and check connected devices. Only then do we tell you what to cancel with your old provider. Port first and cancel after: a number that has been disconnected can no longer be ported.
Features
What Your Move Includes
- Free site assessment
- : A review of your current system, numbers and connected devices, before anything changes.
- Free local number porting
- : Local (geographic) numbers moved to Summit at no charge. 1300, 1800 and 13 numbers excluded from the offer. Available until 31 December 2027. Terms apply.
- New handsets
- : Desk phones, cordless DECT handsets, reception consoles and softphone apps, preconfigured before delivery.
- Cutover testing
- : Inbound, outbound, transfers, voicemail and attached devices tested on the day.
- One bill, one support number
- : Phones, and internet and backup if you want them, from one provider.
Phone System Features Included
- Auto attendant (IVR)
- : A professional greeting that routes callers to the right person or team.
- Ring groups and call queues
- : Ring several phones at once or in turn, and hold callers in a queue when it is busy.
- Voicemail to email
- : Messages delivered to your inbox as audio files.
- Time-based routing
- : Different call handling for business hours, after hours and public holidays.
- Mobile and desktop apps
- : Make and take calls on your business number from a mobile or laptop.
- Call recording and reporting
- : Record calls for training or compliance, and see call volumes and missed calls.
Hosted PBX or Microsoft Teams Calling After Cisco?
Most Cisco businesses land on one of two replacements. We will recommend the one that fits how your team actually works, including the simpler one if that is the right call. Cisco's own bulletins point to its latest on-premises release or its cloud calling. We are an independent carrier, so we start from your business rather than a product.
Summit Hosted PBX
- Best for
- Offices, clinics, firms and branches that answer calls on desk or cordless phones.
- How it works
- A complete cloud phone system with handsets, auto attendant, ring groups and queues, managed from a web portal.
- Pricing
- From $10 per user per month, every feature included.
- Good to know
- The closest match to how a traditional phone system works day to day, with far less to look after.
Microsoft Teams Calling
- Best for
- Teams that already live in Microsoft 365 and Teams.
- How it works
- Summit connects Teams to the phone network, so staff call from the Teams app they already use.
- Pricing
- Requires Microsoft Teams Phone licences in addition to Summit calling.
- Good to know
- Most staff use a headset and the Teams app; desk phones are optional.
Not ready to replace everything at once? Many IP-capable systems can connect to Summit SIP trunks, which moves your lines and numbers first. We check whether yours can before suggesting it, and we will tell you if it is only a stopgap.
Use Cases
These are scenarios, not customer stories, to show how a move can look.
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The Multi-Site Business on CUCM
A group with a head office and a few branches runs CUCM on a server and relies on one external partner to change anything. We map the call flows, rebuild them as auto attendants and queues, and give each branch the same numbers and the same handsets, managed from one portal.
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The Small Office With a UC320W or UC500
A ten-person office has a small Cisco box in a cupboard, installed years ago by a partner nobody can quite remember. We port the numbers, ship preconfigured handsets and retire the box, with a quiet-day cutover tested before anything is cancelled.
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The Branch Running CME on a Router
A regional site runs CME on the same router that provides its internet. We check what else that router does before anything changes, then move the phones to the cloud and agree a clear plan for the router, so nothing is discovered the morning it stops working.
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The Firm Still on 7900 Handsets
Lawyers & AccountantsAn accounting practice has a mix of ageing 7900 desk phones and half the team at home two days a week. Staff take calls on the Summit app on their business number, and the front desk gets new handsets.
Your situation not on this list? Tell us what you run or call 1300 049 749 and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
Still running Cisco phone systems?
Book a free assessment. We will look at what you have, tell you honestly what it will cost to keep, and show you what moving looks like, with your numbers ported free.
Why Choose Summit to Replace Cisco
- 01
We Are a Carrier, Not Just a Reseller
Summit holds its own ACMA Carrier Licence (#388) and has served Australian businesses since 2000. Your phone service, number porting and internet come from the company that runs them.
- 02
One Team for the Whole Move
Phones, numbers, internet and backup are planned together by one team, so you do not have to coordinate a partner, a carrier and an internet provider.
- 03
Straight Answers, Including "Not Yet"
If your Cisco system is healthy and the right move is to wait, or to start by moving your lines, we will say so. A free assessment is not a sales trap.
- 04
Your Numbers Stay Yours
Local numbers ported free, tested before you cancel anything, with port first and cancel after as our standard order.
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Bundle them on one bill →Why Australian Businesses Choose Summit Internet
Great business and service provider. Highly recommended.
Nabil Salameh
last month
The Summit Team have always been a pleasure to work with; we highly recommend their services. Thank you for the continued support.
Paul Braithwaite
5 months ago
We recently moved our dental practice over to Summit for phone services, and the experience has been excellent from start to finish. The team has been responsive, professional, and incredibly helpful throughout the entire setup process. The transition was smooth, any issues were addressed promptly, and communication was always clear and efficient. Reliable phones and internet are essential for a busy practice like ours, and Summit has delivered exactly that. A special thank you to Michael for his patience and ongoing assistance during the transition. Highly recommend Summit to any business looking for reliable service and great customer support.Read more
Elli Darabi
5 months ago
The best service !!! Got issue fixed out by Greg ^^
白大倫
5 months ago
The whole team at Summit have been great from the initial onboarding to the rapid responses from Max when we need to make changes or additions to our services. Can't recommend them enough!
Aaron Klaver
5 months ago
As the I.T. Manager for Hydronic Systems Australia, Summit helps provide me and our companies with consistently stable Business Grade Internet, backed up by a dedicated Fixed Wireless Broadband connection. They also saved us a serious amount of money on our mobile phone bills. We have had no serious issues, and our business has been rock-solid under there great service. Highly Recommended.Read more
James Paterson
6 months ago
Prompt and efficient service. Highly recommend
Elliot Bell
6 months ago
We now use Summit across our real estate network. Great family business, reliable and their attention to detail is outstanding. Highly recommend.
Ryan Bell
6 months ago
As a reseller, we primarily work with Summit’s 4G services and have been very impressed. The plans are affordable, flexible, and well suited to our customers—especially for internet failover solutions. The sales and support teams are responsive and genuinely helpful, which is why we’re proud to partner with Summit Internet. We happily recommend them.Read more
Mal Skinner
6 months ago
After working with another ISP for several months to deliver a critical internet service for a major international sporting event, we were ultimately advised that the required upgrade was unlikely to be completed prior to event week. This left us facing a significant risk to service delivery. After exhausting all other options (and a few sleepless nights) we came across Summit Internet. From the initial conversation, Allan immediately understood the severity of the situation and quickly engaged his technical delivery team. Michael “Radar” was on site within days to assess and finalise a solution. Despite challenging conditions, including large trees and other obstructions, he worked tirelessly to design and implement an alternative approach. Leveraging an adjacent building, a temporary NBN connection, and a wireless link into the comms room, the solution was delivered within 24 hours of the initial site visit. Not only was the outcome faster than expected, but it was also more cost effective and delivered higher speeds than originally promised by the previous ISP. Over the course of the event, the service handled terabytes of data and supported hundreds of concurrent users without a single speed or performance issue. I cannot thank Summit Internet, particularly Allan and Radar enough for their exceptional service, technical expertise, and commitment to delivering under pressure. Highly recommended.Read more
Adam Hastie
6 months ago
Fausto and the staff at Summit are amazing. We have had nothing but fantastic service from start up to problem solving issues. The system is easy to use. Would highly recommend this service provider.
Jo Bodhankar
6 months ago
Summit internet recently set my small business up with a local land line number and a soft phone that runs off an app on my mobile - getting my personal phone number off the internet and being able to distinguish between business and personal calls is a game changer. Whole process took less than a week, and is super cost effective. Highly recommend.Read more
Alex Holly
8 months ago
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Frequently asked questions
Is my Cisco system end of life?
Do I have to replace everything at once?
Will I keep my phone numbers?
Can I keep my Cisco handsets?
What about EFTPOS, alarms, fax and door intercoms?
What does a cloud phone system cost?
What happens if the internet goes down?
Find Out Where Your Cisco System Really Stands.
Talk to someone who can actually action it, not read you a list of plans. Tell us how your business runs and we will tell you what suits it.
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