Jive’s cloud-based phone system gives users the flexibility to place and receive calls from anywhere, on any device.
Acquired by a new company, it became GoToConnect, a fusion of Jive’s phone service and GoToMeeting’s online meeting features. The result is an all-in-one communication and collaboration system for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Unlike other VoIP phone service providers, GoToConnect gives all users almost unrestricted access to all its features regardless of plan. Whether you’re a startup or a thriving enterprise, GoToConnect can meet all your business communication needs in one place.
Jive Pros and Cons
Pros
- Key features available in all plans
- Easy to set up and use
- No special hardware needed
- Third-party app integration
- Safe and secure communication
- Intuitive dial plan editor
- Time-based call routing
- Robust call reporting and monitoring
- Unlimited auto-attendants
- Multiple office connection
- 24/7 customer support
- Reliable user guides and tutorials
Cons
- No free trial available
- Separate account required to store recorded calls
How Jive Compares to Top VoIP Phone Systems
Jive is no longer just a VoIP phone system provider. After it merged with GoToMeeting’s online meeting software to create the more powerful GoToConnect, it’s now a force to be reckoned with that few rivals in the industry can match.
In fact, our top pick RingCentral doesn’t hold a candle to GoToConnect in terms of features and cost-effectiveness.
While RingCentral doesn’t offer video conferencing in its most basic plans, GoToConnect offers it and an array of other robust features to all users regardless of plan. And even if RingCentral gives users the cost-saving option of paying the annual fee upfront, GoToConnect still ends up costing less overall.
Between GoToConnect and another one of our top picks, Nextiva, the latter seems to have a slighter edge.
Unlike GoToConnect, Nextiva comes with complete communication, collaboration, and its own CRM tools right out of the box. If you’re in the healthcare industry, you might want to choose Nextiva over GoToConnect because its VoIP phone services are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This means Nextiva ensures the privacy and security of whatever data stored in the cloud.
Jive Hardware Requirements
With GoToConnect, you ditch the bulky on-premise PBX hardware for the convenience of a virtual phone system.
Since calls are transmitted over the internet, it’s compatible with almost any type of device. Hence, you can place and receive calls through your mobile device, a desktop application, or web browser anywhere you are.
Having calls delivered over the internet also means fewer expenses as you no longer have to purchase special hardware and spend money for its upkeep. As a result, it’s easier to scale your business with a cloud-based phone system.
If you prefer the familiarity of traditional office phones, GoToConnect also offers over 180 preconfigured desk and conference phones. Price ranges from $75 to $800 per device.
GoToConnect’s VoIP phones are ready to use right out of the box. In addition, they don’t have the expensive hardware components that come with old-fashioned analog phones. Instead, they’re bundled with GoToConnect’s hosted VoIP features like auto-attendants, free long-distance calling, and voicemail boxes at no additional charge.
In case you’re using an old on-premise phone system with hundreds of analog phones, GoToConnect will help make the transition easier. Analog desk phones can still work with VoIP, but you need to use an analog telephone adapter. This special device will convert electric signals into data packets that the virtual phone system can transmit.
If you’re a solopreneur or a small remote team with no need for any additional hardware, you might want to consider RingCentral or Grasshopper.
RingCentral is our overall best VoIP phone system, and you can use it with any of your existing phones.
Grasshopper also requires no additional devices. All you need to do is select a number and install the Grasshopper app to start placing and receiving calls. Every time there’s a business call, the Grasshopper icon will appear, so your work and personal calls will always be separate.
Jive Pricing
Just like other VoIP solutions, GoToConnect also prices its plans according to the number of users. The more employees you have, the less you’ll pay per head.
However, GoToConnect is the most generous VoIP service provider in the industry. In its two upper plans, all users have access to over 80 features, including unlimited call queues, caller ID, and call routing.
Pricing splits into three packages that scale based on the number of users. The Basic plan is limited and meant for much smaller operations, starting at $22/month when billed annually for 1-20 users (above which the Basic plan is no longer available).
The Standard and Premium plans feature all the bells and whistles, starting at $26/month and $39/month, respectively, for up to 20 users. For 21 or more users, the price for Standard drops to $23/month.
Entrepreneurs and small companies with five to ten employees can also consider another cheap alternative. Ooma Office can give the best bang for your buck with its most basic plan that starts at only $19.95 per user per month. If you want more features, you can also upgrade to $24.95 per user per month, which is within the same price range as GoToConnect’s cheapest plans.
Jive Setup and Ease of Use
You don’t have to be tech-savvy to install and maintain GoToConnect’s VoIP phone system.
There’s plenty of information online to provide assistance. However, a more thorough “setup wizard” would significantly improve the speed and ease of installation. But even without detailed online documentation, GoToConnect’s customer support team is always ready to extend a helping hand through different touchpoints.
Overall, the setup process is mostly plug-and-play. Therefore, busy teams with no time for tinkering can get their phone system up and running in no time. The installation is so easy that you can ship the phones to your remote team, have them plug the devices in, and start making calls right off the bat.
Configuring GoToConnect is easier if you don’t have any VoIP phone to connect. Simply access the web interface, then set up call routing with the help of a visual editor, and you’re good to go.
Aside from GoToConnect, we also recommend Ooma VoIP for being easy and quick to set up. The whole process is uncomplicated that you can launch your phone system in less than 15 minutes.
Jive Features
The Jive cloud-based phone system has everything you need to place and receive calls, whether inside or outside your company. And now that it’s bundled with an online meeting software to form GoToConnect, your team can also collaborate under a single platform.
Its all-inclusive plans give users access to tools that other providers charge additional fees for. These include the dial plan editor with a drag-and-drop interface, so it’s easier to create and customize call flows for your team.
Time-based call routing is easy to set up so that your customers will be informed when your business is available and when it’s not. Call routing also enables your customers throughout the country to dial a local number and have it routed to one of your representatives with no delay.
GoToConnect’s call monitoring tool helps you be aware of how each employee handles the calls. On the other hand, built-in analytics generates reports that are visual representations of how your employees communicate and collaborate.
Meanwhile, voicemails are also automatically sent to your email, so you can still be notified about important and urgent matters even if you’re not in the office. This way, you can retrieve the voicemail wherever you are and call clients or customers who urgently need to talk to you.
Other call management features include an auto-attendant, call park, call queues, call waiting, call transfers, do not disturb, call history, and Find Me/Follow Me.
GoToConnect also offers premium video conferencing and contact center features as add-ons.
The video conferencing feature allows you to launch meetings directly into the web application. It comes with one-click screen sharing so that you can jump from a chat or a call to a video conference without any hassle. There’s no need to switch apps or juggle different tools as everything you need is under one roof.
Businesses can also enjoy contact center services to help them serve their customers better. These call center features include advanced ring strategies, pre-call announcements, unlimited call queues, and wait time announcements.
As your business grows, GoToConnect is flexible enough to provide you with the tools you need to scale successfully. And even if it doesn’t have the built-in features you’re looking for, it’s easy to expand its functionality by integrating GoToConnect with third-party apps like Salesforce, Zendesk, Slack, Outlook, and many more.
Jive Connect Bundle
The GoToConnect Connect Bundle combines the best of the Jive VoIP phone system and GoToMeeting’s online meeting software. This way, you won’t have to juggle multiple collaboration tools at once.
For as low as $19.95 a month, your employees can make or receive calls and have access to basic video conference features at the same time.
With the Jive VoIP phone system, you can add custom hold music, create workflows using dial plan editor, and call internationally. You can also leverage call routing to let your remote workers receive calls wherever they are and let your customers know when your business is closed or open.
As for video conference features, Connect Bundle lets you start a webinar for up to 150 attendees. This webinar also comes with meeting transcription so you can keep a permanent record of its content.
Jive Enterprise Suite
To build a productive and cohesive team, you need more than a hosted VoIP phone system.
The GoToConnect Enterprise Suite is an all-in-one solution that cares for both your customers’ satisfaction and employees’ productivity. It has all the basic features of the Connect Bundle with upgraded collaboration tools to meet your growing enterprise’s needs.
For seamless interaction with your customers, the Enterprise Suite has voice and call management features you’ll find in Connect Bundle. Its webinar solution, on the other hand, can accommodate up to 3,000 attendees. And with the addition of GoToRoom’s hardware and software bundle, you can now convert any room into a smart conferencing room.
With Enterprise Suite, you can get all these features while spending less. You can partner with GoTo, who will evaluate your needs so you can find ways to cut costs without cutting corners.
Jive Startup Suite
The Startup Suite offers more straightforward solutions to help you navigate your business’s early stages with ease.
Like the Enterprise Suite, this one also offers Jive’s flexible cloud-based phone system and GoToMeeting’s online meeting software. It also has GoToRoom to help turn your room into a professional conference room in minutes.
You can also hold a simple video conference with Startup Suite, but it’s nowhere as robust as that of the Enterprise Suite. With no GoToWebinar included in the bundle, you can only have meetings for up to 250 attendees.
Summary
Jive has come a long way since it first penetrated the market with its cloud-based phone system. Now known as GoToConnect, it is equipped with conferencing tools, so everything you need to communicate and collaborate with the team is in one place. While it doesn’t offer a free trial or free version, the wide range of features it provides makes it a cut above the rest. Cost-effective and scalable, GoToConnect is ideal for any business, whether starting from scratch or looking to expand.
