Universe

Business communication made easy

Simple to use, feature-rich cloud based unified comms

Firstcom Universe is a unified communications solution that brings together chat, voice, video and online collaboration in the one place.

These services are accessed by your choice of device. This may be fixed line phones, mobile handsets or computers

With an advanced set of features, Universe provides call recording, call transfer, call centre functionality, SIP internet connectivity, IVR call handling, call queuing and much more.

Universe is a cloud service meaning that you have no equipment to look after, all upgrades are free and you can locate your staff where they need to be, in remote offices, at home or on the move.

Everything you need all in one place

Meet

Meet face to face. Anywhere, from any device.

Screen Share

Share your presentations and demonstrate a product.

Devices

Connect from any device; mobile, PC, laptop.

Telephony

Voice calls on your desk phone, mobile or computer.

The cloud is your office

One sign-on for everything. Use any device to share whatever’s on your screen with a colleague or client

Meeting Space

Your computer is your phone

Make and answer calls on your computer with our intuitive Universe Softphone application

for Windows & Mac

You only need one number

One number that rings across all your devices means that you never miss a call again

Softphone for Mobile

Record every call

Recordings  are always ready for playback when you need them

Call Recording

Encrypted calls

Safeguard your business data by adding an extra layer of Universe SAFEGateway security

Security

Statistics

One number that rings across all your devices means that you never miss a call again.

Wall Display

Universe has an amazing number
of rich features

The future may bring challenges but managing your telephony should not be one of them.

Universe has all the features that your business uses every day. Call groups and pick up, transfer and short-dials, voicemail, call recording.

Firstcom Universe

Universe Features

One number One number is easy to remember for customers and colleagues.  One number that rings across all your devices means that you never miss a call again.
One voice mail One mailbox for all your messages received across all your devices.
One subscription One user can share a subscription between all Universe devices.
Multiple devices Share multiple devices across your user subscription.
Multiple Numbers One user can share multiple telephone numbers between all their devices.
Phone system management It’s graphical. It’s drag and drop. It’s just building blocks- not technical at all.
Auto Attendant A digital receptionist helps the customer to reach the right person or department in your company.
Queues A way to handle customers while they wait for an agent to answer the their call.
Queue Announcement A function that tells customers what number they are in line.
Call Recording Private Users private recordings.
Call Recording Pro Company-wide stereo recordings. Stereo lets you listen to each participant in turn.
Greetings Professional greetings to welcome your customers.
Opening and closing hours Route incoming calls based on time of day.
Calendar Route incoming calls based on the day of year- useful for holiday periods.
PIN Give customers access to services base on PIN access. For example 24 hour access.
Text to speech Write it and Universe will read it out loud. Universe has a brilliant text to speech feature.
Sound file Upload a sound file and let Universe play it.
Forward IVR to external number Send your customers to the destination of your choice.
Hunt groups Choose how you want your agents to answer incoming customer calls.
Group pick-up Help each other answer calls by instantly putting yourself into a ring group.
Jump to new IVR If you have several call flow strategies, IVRs, you can link your call flows together.
Branch IVR Split your IVR into several different tracks and manage your entire company’s incoming telephony from your mobile app.
Send email from IVR Get an email if a customer wants to be called back or if you want an alert.
Send SMS from IVR Get a text if a customer wants to be called back or if you want an alert.
Prefix Routing Route incoming calls based on the number that is calling.
Divert Calls Divert your calls before they reach the IVR.
International Say that you have an overseas office in Germany,  and you want to answer your German customers from the U.K. You can have a German telephone number on Universe so that your customer service seems local to your German customers. You can even change the language of your IVR to German.
On line usage No more looking for printouts that have been filed away. Instead you can see all your usage online in the Selfcare portal.
Music on hold  It is your choice. Royalty-free music or your own. We play whatever.
Phone book Company and private.
DND Do not disturb for you and your device, when you need at little silence.
Call notification Universe will let you know if someone left you a message.
Rights Set rights on a per-user basis.
Timeline for user List of your last 25 events in a simple timeline.
Statistics See the real time status of all your queues and download reports.
Call Encryption When you need privacy.
Fax You no longer have to walk all the way to the storage room to send a fax. Now, you just send it from your PC.
Voice mail as an attachment Get the message right in you inbox.
Voice mail notification Notifications on sms or email
Visual Voice mail No need to fight your way through endless star commands.
MicroSoft Teams Use MicroSoft Teams for collaboration and Universe for calls
Door entry control Either use a ATA or set as a SIP telephone device.
Wallboard Overview and real-time status of all your queues right in your browser.
Device support We support Cisco and Yealink in the UK.

Softphone for Mobile

One number Your softphone can be a part of your one number solution alongside your desktop phones. You can control your one number from the mobile application.
Time before voice mail Set the time before your voice mail kicks in so you have time to answer.
User presence See the presence of all your colleagues on your softphone.
Visual voice mail Scroll through your voice mails, press to listen, swipe to delete or call back.
in/out of queues Quick logging in and out of queues. You can do while traveling.
Change call flows As an admin you control the companys call flow from your mobile.
Call forward Always and no answer (includes busy)
Call transfer Attended and unattended.
Mute Mute the call.
Pause When paused the other party listens to music on hold.
Speaker Speaker on and off.
Call by extension Call any extension number.
Set caller id Pick any number on your list.
CLIR Be anonymous when calling.
Phones Android and iOS
Langauge English, German, Polish, Danish.

Softphone for Windows and Mac

One number Your softphone for Windows and Mac can be a part of your one number solution together with your desktop phones and your softphone for mobile.
Login to Universe Self-care  Login to Universe Self-care account directly from the desktop application. That gives you easy access to all your settings.
User presence See the presence of all your colleagues on your softphone.
Phone book Full Universe phone book integration.
Visual voice mail Scroll through your voice mails, press to listen, swipe to delete or call back.
Auto start-up Start your computer and your application automatically starts. You are ready to receive your first call of the day.
Easy Call You can call without use of a dial pad.
History You can call without use of a dial pad.
Call forward Always and no answer (includes busy)
Call transfer Drag and drop the call to transfer.
Call by extension Call any extension number.
3-way conference Visual setup.
Click to dial for Windows and Mac.
Set caller id Pick any number on your list.
Easy answer Click the the call or use keyboard short code.
OS Windows and Mac
Langauge English, German, Danish, Polish

SIP Trunks

Channels Flexible alternative to ISDN. You can have multiple channels connecting to out network via your PBX.
Emergency fall back number If disaster strikes, you’ll have a back-up number that will receive all incoming calls and keep your business running.
Registration Use dynamic registration or set your own.
Authentication An outbound call must contain Username and Password for authentication.
CLIP SA Set what ever outgoing telephone that your contract allows.
Codecs G.711 a/u.law, G.722, T-38
Speech bundles Get a subscription for all your usage.
SIP functions CLIP-SA, CLIR
Call encryption It is all about being safe.
Bulk assign numbers Easy assignment of numbers in Universe.

Meeting Space

Screen share Picture-in-Picture (PiP) while you screen share
All Features

Universe

Meeting Space

Video and audio meetings

Online: It is like being there.

What can you do? Meet with other people. These can be colleagues or external contacts.

What do we do? We give you a space where you can arrange and hold your meetings in a structured way.

Features: Mute all others, raise a hand to speak, chat, stream or share video.

Participate: Use any device. Simply download the software onto a mobile from your app store.

Screen Sharing

Instant: start to share content in real-time. No need to email documents ahead.

Seamless: switch presenters with just one click. Use any of your devices to share your screen.

Visual: instead of explaining and idea you can show it. Great for online demos and training. Supports picture-in-picture view.

Efficient: Save time and money by working together online instead of travelling.

Connect with ease

Simple: our interface makes it easy to to set up and use.

Flexible: choose how you communicate.

Unify:  one office in the cloud for all your users.

Integrated: Fully integrated with the Universe cloud-based phone system.

Read our Datasheet

Meeting Space FAQ's

Can I support home-working with Universe Meeting Space?

Universe meeting Space gets you and your team communicating and collaborating from home just as if they were in the office. Video, screen sharing and message keeps everything instant and efficient. You can make and answer calls professionally using the softphone application on your mobile and desktop devices. No need to install any additional hardware or software – just an all-in-one solution right at your desk.

I'm a small business owner- isn't this too complex for me?

Unified Communications solutions aren’t just for corporates. Universe meeting Space makes life easier for SMEs too. Tools like online meetings and screen share allow your team to quickly solve problems and give better customer service. If you employ remote and mobile workers they easily connect with customers using the device they prefer. Features like IVR can help create the impression of a large professional outfit when your customers call in. Read more on how UC and SMEs here (Insert Link)

How long will it take to set up?

Because the solution works on users’ existing devices, you’ll be up and running in no time. No equipment to install, the system is set up remotely.

What training will my staff need?

Your team will need minimal training as designed our interface to be as user-friendly as possible. Users can chat, call, host and attend video conferences with just one click.

What features do I get ?

Your license gives you:

  • Internal and external calls
  • Presence – on the phone, Do-not-disturb- means you can see your colleagues’ availability
  • Video conference
  • Meeting room where you can chat and share content
  • All accessible with just a click from your PC’s browser or via your smartphone.
Meeting Space FAQ's

Universe Softphone

for Windows & Mac

Transform your computer into a desk phone

Make and answer calls on your computer with our intuitive Universe Softphone application. Fully integrated with our Universe phone system to give you a fully featured. communications system that runs on your PC, Mac or Android device.

Simple to use: answer and make calls with the click of a mouse. Transfer calls by dragging the caller’s icon to another user’s icon. The intuitive interface means you can easily see a colleague’s status.

Flexible

plug in a headset or use your computer’s built-in speakers to turn your PC into an all-in-one communications system.

Powerful

Universe for Windows and Mac delivers clear voice quality and seamless integration with company directory allows you to call your contacts with a simple click.

Streamlined

No need to buy additional hardware. No extra cables or power sockets; just run the Softphone application on an existing device. If you have limited space and budget then Universe for Windows and Mac gives you maximum flexibility and great value for money.

Softphone FAQ's

What can I do on the Universe for Windows and Mac application?

Universe for Windows and Mac is a softphone application. You download this in the Selfcare Portal under the Software heading. With the application you can make and receive phone calls and manage call related settings as well.

Here are some of the things you can do here.

  • Dial the contacts you have saved in the Selfcare Portal
  • Listen to and delete your voicemails
  • Forward calls on “always” or “no answer”. (Note that these settings apply to your fixed phone also)
  • Use the on-screen dial pad to make selections for IVRs that you have called and require options to be selected

Can I change my password for Universe for Windows and Mac?

To sign in for the first time you need to use the password sent to you on the welcome email. It applies to all Universe applications and Selfcare. You can change your password to one that is more memorable to you by doing the following;

Go to your Selfcare Portal and log in;

  • Select you name at the top right-hand side of the screen
  • My profile
  • Password
  • Password Again
  • Update Password (Password needs to be longer than 8 digits or letters)

What does “One Number” mean?

It means that you can use the same number on multiple devices though one user. So for example you can have

I'm a small business owner- isn't this too complex for me?

Yes you just apply this through the Selfcare Portal to all devices.

  • Go to Selfcare Portal / Me
  • Scroll down to Devices
  • Check the devices you want to ring when the number is called.

Can I transfer a call from my fixed phone to my computer and vice versa if both have Universe installed?

Yes if they have different phone numbers. If they are both on the same One number this cannot be done.

Can I save new contacts in Universe for Windows and Mac?

Yes, go to your Selfcare Portal

  • Select “Phonebook”
  • Create contact
  • Complete the relevant details. You can have more than one phone number per contact
  • Create Contact
  • The new contact has now been added and is available for both you fixed phone device and your computer
Universe Create Contract
Softphone FAQ's

Universe Softphone

for Smartphones

Flexibility is freedom

Extend the reach of your phone system with our softphone for mobile application.

Use your mobile just like a desk phone. Developed for your Apple or Android device, you get a fully featured communications tool wherever you go.

Your Universe softphone will make, receive and transfer calls. High quality all the way.

It will show your colleagues presence, let you set your caller id, your group membership and forward any of your devices to anywhere you want. It will let you manage the company’s call flow right at your fingertips.

The Universe softphone will makes your life easier.

Highlights

Flexibility and choice:  you get three installations of the Universe softphone when you subscribe. These can be deployed on any combination of desktop or mobile devices.

Easy to deploy: Users are provided with an easy to install download when their subscription is set up.

Superior call quality: feature rich VoIP with allows you to be professional and responsive from any location.

Intuitive user interface: no complicated menus to navigate, just simple drag-and-drop shortcuts and visual prompts.

universe softphone dialer app
Read our Datasheet

Mobile App FAQ's

How do I log into the mobile app?

The softphone is fully integrated with the Universe cloud phone solution so logging in is easy. You just type in your Universe username and password and click the Login button. No complicated setting up to do; the software will install itself.

What is the call quality like?

We use OPUS codec to ensure that your call quality is crystal clear. OPUS is designed to efficiently code speech to work over Internet based data circuits.

What does the mobile app do?

The softphone for mobile app does everything the Universe system does. Here are some of the key features:

  • Make and receive calls.
  • Transfer calls attended and unattended.
  • Manage company call flows as an admin.
  • Dial the contacts in your directory.
  • Listen to your voicemails.

Can I use it on more than one device?

When you take out a softphone licence you get three instances which can be installed on the devices of your choice; mobile, tablet or desktop.
Mobile App FAQ's

Universe

Call Recording

Simple user level call recording

As part of the Universe product you receive an on-demand call recording feature. You can add Call Recording Pro to relevant Universe users that records all their calls.  The solution is easy to set up and financially attractive for businesses large and small.

Recording and playing back calls gives you an insight into customer behaviour. You can pinpoint any areas of misunderstanding. A recording can help settle a dispute or can act as a business transaction.

A recording is a 100% accurate representation of an event that you can use to improve your business and customer experience. Listen to your calls and remove any element of doubt.

Recordings  are ready for playback if you need them. You no longer need to worry about taking notes and can give the customer your full attention.

Highlights

Record calls in stereo:  isolate one speaker in turn to establish precisely who said what. Crucial in dispute resolution.

Easy access and playback: Find an playback the most relevant conversations in your call logs. Forward calls to colleagues as email attachments.

Completely secure: Keep recorded data secure and available. Archive older recordings to free up space.

Simple to set up and manage: Administrators can set up automatic and on-demand call recording to user accounts from their portal log-in

Call Recording FAQ's

How do I log into the mobile app?

The softphone is fully integrated with the Universe cloud phone solution so logging in is easy. You just type in your Universe username and password and click the Login button. No complicated setting up to do; the software will install itself.

What is the call quality like?

We use OPUS codec to ensure that your call quality is crystal clear. OPUS is designed to efficiently code speech to work over Internet based data circuits.

What does the mobile app do?

The softphone for mobile app does everything the Universe system does. Here are some of the key features:

  • Make and receive calls.
  • Transfer calls attended and unattended.
  • Manage company call flows as an admin.
  • Dial the contacts in your directory.
  • Listen to your voicemails.

Can I use it on more than one device?

When you take out a softphone licence you get three instances which can be installed on the devices of your choice; mobile, tablet or desktop.
Call Recording FAQ's

Universe

Security

Encrypted IP telephony

Safeguard your business data by adding an extra layer of security. Calls made over the Internet are vulnerable to remote wire-tapping. We are experts in secure IP telephony and can help you implement affordable call encryption solutions to give you complete peace of mind.

We provide a SAFEGateway device as part of our call encryption solution. The device acts like a firewall to encrypt calls between your phone system and Firstcom’s network. We were the first UK service provider to offer fully encrypted cloud telephony.

Security to comply with Industry standards

The General Data Protection Regulation levies significant fines for businesses who fail to protect their data.

If you transmit personal data over the telephone you should take steps to encrypt this as part of your overall data protection exercise.

We understand call security and can help you take care of this as part of your journey towards compliance and best practice.

Read our Datasheet

Universe

Wall Display

Tracking the performance of your service

As part of the standard Universe service “Statistics” are included that show the waiting time in the queue for calls (Maximum, Total and Average), the Answered Calls, Lost Calls and Average Talk Time. This is presented for you on charts by relevant time period from Today, 7 days, 14 days to one month.

Universe also enables you to see real time information as to how your calls are being answered with the “Wall Display” option. This includes all the information in Statistics, for a particular day, plus shows the agents that are available, busy or absent and how many calls are waiting in real time.  You can choose to see multiple queues at once.

For outbound calls you can monitor the types of calls are being made and the destination of these calls for a particular period that you specify. This can be by company or by agent and can be downloaded onto a spreadsheet.

What our customers have to say

Tony Robinson – Via Clinic

I have been using Universe for 5 months now and have to say it is the most user friendly unified communications product I have seen. My customers love the voice quality and as a company our productivity has been aided by the range of advanced features it offers.

Customer Testimonial - Amtech Business Solutions logo
Dave Melin, Managing Director and Founder of Amtech Business Solutions

Working with a service provider who listens and takes feedback onboard is a refreshing change! We love the fact that we are listened to and we can affect change. Secondly – we feel that the values of Firstcom closely match the values of Amtech, so working in partnership with them ensures that our services are cost effective, reliable and tailored. As technology evolves so quickly, having a partner who is agile and flexible ensures we are always competitive with our customers and able to provide profitable solutions.

PARTNER - Oasis Technology Logo
James Partner, Managing Director of Oasis Technology.

I really cannot praise Firstcom highly enough. Without exception, every single member of their staff are a joy to deal with. They are professional yet friendly; know their product inside-out; and of paramount importance to us – they take time to listen to and understand our needs. They are truly the communications provider we had been looking for, for such a long time. All I can say is that I wish we had gotten to know them a long time ago!

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