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Voice POP bridge telephony lifecycle in Webex Contact Center

Verified 2026-09-24 · 41 sources · tier 2–6

Also known as VPOP telephony integration.

Webex Contact Center telephony integrations encompass legacy Voice POP (VPOP) bridge models, Real Time Media Service (RTMS) platforms, and Webex Common Edge services 38​37​5. Cisco provides lifecycle mechanisms to migrate existing VPOP tenants to newer platforms while shifting standard new deployments to Common Edge and Webex Calling PSTN capabilities 3​32​25.

Platform evolution and media updates

Cisco announced that customers using Voice POP Bridge telephony on the Classic platform could upgrade to the Next Generation platform on February 28, 2023 3. Earlier, on February 13, 2023, Cisco announced an upgrade path from Webex Contact Center 1.0 vPOP tenants to the Next Generation platform that retains a vPOP-based voice option 1. In the field, a Cisco partner reported as of December 2022 that VPOP was the only PSTN method supporting the new RTMS media bridge 12.

Cisco later rolled out Webex Calling support on the Next Generation media platform (RTMS) across multiple global regions for new customers:

  • August 1, 2023: Japan, Australia, US, and Canada data centers 29.
  • September 6, 2023: Regions served by UK and EU data centers 31.
  • October 17, 2023: Singapore region 30.

Customers who purchase Webex Contact Center PSTN as part of their subscription could onboard to the Next Generation platform starting April 11, 2023 41. For the August 1, 2023 Canada data center launch, Cisco stated Canadian customers can connect through Webex Calling or via SIP trunk access to dedicated VPOPs based in Canada 2. On May 16, 2024, Cisco introduced WebRTC support for the Agent Desktop on RTMS 40.

According to Cisco's technote, the media platform update enables features including Regional Media, WebRTC agent desktop support, Google Dialogflow CX integration, and background noise removal 20. Under Regional Media, contact center business logic remains in the tenant's primary region while exchanging only simple event and command information with media locations 27. Cisco's Media Platform Update Notification Explanation article targets customers who received a platform update notification from Cisco and contains no mandatory migration deadline 22.

Entry point configuration and operational behavior

Following the 2023 media platform update, VPOP customers type the DN directly into a free-form field during entry point mapping rather than requiring VPOP numbers prepopulated in Control Hub 19. The line-presented DN is entered in E.164 format 18. The update added a PSTN Region field where the media region must match the VPOP region for that entry point, such as selecting PSTN Region Germany for calls arriving through a Germany VPOP 23. The default selection for the PSTN Region field is the region hosting the contact center tenant 17.

For Webex Calling customers, the media platform update requires DNs to be provisioned in a Webex Calling location first—using either cloud-connected PSTN or bring-your-own PSTN through a Local Gateway—before entry point mapping 24. In the field, a Cisco partner reported in 2022 that a Webex Contact Center tenant could use only 1 method of PSTN integration 11. In the field, a partner also reported 4 VPOP transport options (UDP SIP, SIP over TLS, L2VPN, and Webex Edge Connect) and noted that customers are responsible for integrating their own PSTN carrier or CUCM/PBX, with all calls traversing customer SBCs 13​10.

Calls arriving at Webex Contact Center over PSTN interconnect must use G.711 u-law or A-law along with RFC 2833 DTMF 26. When Webex Contact Center deployments require more than 250 concurrent calls across IVR and agent legs, the Local Gateway trunk must be Certificate Based 16.

Webex Contact Center 1.0 upgrades

During the Webex Contact Center 1.0 upgrade setup, the PSTN Options Selection interface presents distinct telephony paths:

  • The Voice POP Bridge option maintains service-provider-provided voice on the new platform 38.
  • A separate Real Time Media Service (RTMS) option also retains service-provider-provided voice on the new platform 37.
  • For Cisco PSTN customers, the sole option is to continue with Cisco PSTN 33.
  • The Webex Calling PSTN option utilizes Webex Calling Cloud-Connected Providers or a Local Gateway and is available only if enabled in Control Hub 39.

Once Pre-Upgrade Setup is completed, administrators can no longer create entry points or outdial entry points in the legacy Management Portal 35. To move a dial number to the new platform, customers work with Cisco or their partner to port the DN to the SIP interface on the new platform, and rolling back reverses this port 36.

Transition to Common Edge services

On October 7, 2024, Cisco introduced a streamlined conversion process for shifting an organization from VPOP telephony integration to Webex Common Edge services 5. This conversion verifies the organization's existing telephony integration before upgrading it to Common Edge 8. Cisco lists 4 advantages of Common Edge over legacy VPOP telephony integration: self-provisioning of SIP trunks, cloud connected PSTN, Cisco Calling Plan integration, and support for mixing multiple connection types 4.

To execute the upgrade from VPOP to Common Edge, Cisco directs organizations to contact the Cisco Support Team, providing no self-service path in Control Hub 9.

In current setup environments, the Webex Contact Center services setup wizard displays the organization's connection using Common Edge services under the Webex Contact Center Telephony section 32. Furthermore, all new Webex Contact Center subscriptions automatically include Webex Calling PSTN services added to every order 25. Calls route into Webex Contact Center via Webex Calling PSTN services without requiring a separate Webex Calling subscription 15.

See also

Applicability

Applies to: Cisco Webex Contact Center, Cisco Webex Contact Center 1.0, and Cisco Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center upgrade. Deployments: multi-tenant. Sources checked 2026-09-24. Regional availability rules apply to dedicated Canadian VPOPs as of August 1, 2023, and RTMS Webex Calling expansions in 2023 across Japan, Australia, the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, and Singapore 2​29​31​30.

What remains uncertain

Published termination dates for vPOP service for existing customers are not covered by the sources below. An authoritative Cisco definition and architecture of Webex Common Edge telephony integration for Webex Contact Center is not covered by the sources below. A reachable vendor source for the statement that vPOP deployment is discontinued for new customers is not covered by the sources below. Admin release-note entries on discontinuing legacy VPOP onboarding and making Common Edge the default telephony are not covered by the sources below. Whether VPOP tenants can route calls to Webex Calling-based agents and under what conditions is not covered by the sources below. How Cisco uses the word legacy for vPOP versus Classic platform versus WxCC 1.0 is not covered by the sources below. The current status of dedicated Canadian VPOPs announced with the 2023 Canada data center launch is not covered by the sources below. Vendor confirmation of VPOP transport options (UDP SIP / TLS / L2VPN / Edge Connect) is not covered by the sources below.

See also

Parent of

  • Webex Contact Center platform generations and predecessors — Inbound edge: webex-cc-platform-generations is parent-of this topic. Voice POP bridge is one of six referents of the word legacy. Aliases above are spellings printed verbatim in Cisco sources cited in sources.jsonl and are not new synonyms.

Referenced by

Sources

  1. 1
    Cisco's release notes dated February 13, 2023 announce an upgrade path from Webex Contact Center 1.0 vPOP tenants to the Next Generation platform that keeps a vPOP-based voice option.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · February 13, 2023 > Upgrade Webex Contact Center 1.0 vPOP to Next Generation platform · Checked 2026-09-24
  2. 2
    Cisco's release notes for the August 1, 2023 Canada data center launch state that Canadian customers can connect through Webex Calling or through SIP trunk access to dedicated VPOPs based in Canada.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · August 1, 2023 > Webex Contact Center launch in Canada data center · Checked 2026-09-24
  3. 3
    Cisco's release notes dated February 28, 2023 state that customers using Voice POP Bridge telephony on the Classic platform can upgrade to the Next Generation platform.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · February 28, 2023 > Upgrade tenants using vPOP bridge on Classic platform to Next Generation platform · Checked 2026-09-24
  4. 4
    Cisco lists four advantages of Common Edge over legacy VPOP telephony integration: self-provisioning of SIP trunks, cloud connected PSTN, Cisco Calling Plan integration, and support for mixing multiple connection types.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services · Checked 2026-09-24
  5. 5
    On October 7, 2024 Cisco introduced a streamlined process for requesting conversion of a customer organization from VPOP telephony integration to Webex Common Edge services.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services · Checked 2026-09-24
  6. 6
    The VPOP-to-Common-Edge conversion includes automated remapping of entry points to Common Edge.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services · Checked 2026-09-24
  7. 7
    Cisco says the VPOP-to-Common-Edge conversion completes in a matter of minutes for most customers.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services · Checked 2026-09-24
  8. 8
    The VPOP-to-Common-Edge conversion first verifies the organization's current telephony integration and then upgrades it to Common Edge.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services · Checked 2026-09-24
  9. 9
    Cisco directs organizations that want to upgrade from VPOP to Common Edge telephony integration to contact the Cisco Support Team; no Control Hub self-service path is described.
    What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center · October 7, 2024 > Simplified process to upgrade to Common Edge services (closing sentence) · Checked 2026-09-24
  10. 10
    A Cisco partner reported that with VPOP the customer is responsible for integrating its own PSTN carrier or CUCM/PBX, and all calls to and from Webex Contact Center traverse the customer's SBCs.field report
    Webex Contact Center PSTN Decision Tree · VPOP Bridge section · Checked 2026-09-24
  11. 11
    A Cisco partner reported in 2022 that a Webex Contact Center tenant could use only one method of PSTN integration.field report
    Webex Contact Center PSTN Decision Tree · Alternatives section (closing guidance) · Checked 2026-09-24
  12. 12
    A Cisco partner reported that, as of December 2022, VPOP was the only PSTN method that supported the new RTMS media bridge.field report
    Webex Contact Center PSTN Decision Tree · VPOP Bridge section (availability and features) · Checked 2026-09-24
  13. 13
    A Cisco partner described four VPOP transport options: UDP SIP, SIP over TLS, L2VPN, and Webex Edge Connect.field report
    Webex Contact Center PSTN Decision Tree · VPOP Bridge section · Checked 2026-09-24
  14. 14
    Inference: new Webex Contact Center organizations are onboarded to Common Edge rather than VPOP, so VPOP survives only in tenants that already had it.inferred
    Get started with Webex Contact Center · Services setup > Webex Contact Center Telephony section; read with n3v7ldh October 7, 2024 entry · Checked 2026-09-24
  15. 15
    Calls are routed into Webex Contact Center using Webex Calling PSTN services, which do not require a Webex Calling subscription.
    Webex Contact Center Architecture · Deployment and connectivity section · Checked 2026-09-24
  16. 16
    For Webex Contact Center deployments that need more than 250 concurrent calls (IVR plus agent), the Local Gateway trunk must be the Certificate Based type.
    Set up voice channels for Webex Contact Center · Configuration of Webex Local Gateway · Checked 2026-09-24
  17. 17
    In the media platform update's PSTN Region field, the default region is the region where the contact center tenant is hosted.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · VPOP Customers section, PSTN Region field · Checked 2026-09-24
  18. 18
    In the post-update VPOP entry point mapping view, the DN presented by the line is entered in E.164 format.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · VPOP Customers section, DN field · Checked 2026-09-24
  19. 19
    After the 2023 media platform update, VPOP customers enter the DN in a free-form field during entry point mapping and no longer need VPOP numbers prepopulated in Control Hub.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · VPOP Customers section · Checked 2026-09-24
  20. 20
    Cisco's technote says the media platform update enables Regional Media, WebRTC agent desktop support, Google Dialogflow CX integration and background noise removal, among other features.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · New Media Platform Features / capabilities section · Checked 2026-09-24
  21. 21
    The media platform update technote says the configuration changes become visible about five days after the update is finalized.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · Timeline statement (heading not captured) · Checked 2026-09-24
  22. 22
    Cisco's Media Platform Update Notification Explanation article is written for customers who received a platform update notification from Cisco, and it gives no mandatory migration deadline.
    Media Platform Update Notification Explanation · Background section · Checked 2026-09-24
  23. 23
    The media platform update added a PSTN Region field for VPOP entry point mappings, and the media region must match the VPOP region for the entry point (for example, calls arriving through a Germany VPOP need PSTN Region Germany).
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · VPOP Customers section, PSTN Region field · Checked 2026-09-24
  24. 24
    For Webex Calling customers, the media platform update technote requires DNs to be provisioned in a Webex Calling location first, either as cloud-connected PSTN or bring-your-own PSTN through a Local Gateway, before entry point mapping.
    Explain Notification for Media Platform Update · Webex Calling Customers section · Checked 2026-09-24
  25. 25
    All new Webex Contact Center subscriptions include Webex Calling PSTN services, which are automatically added to every order.
    Webex Contact Center Architecture · Deployment and connectivity section · Checked 2026-09-24
  26. 26
    Calls arriving at Webex Contact Center over PSTN interconnect must use G.711 u-law or A-law and RFC 2833 DTMF.
    Set up voice channels for Webex Contact Center · PSTN Media and Signaling Requirements · Checked 2026-09-24
  27. 27
    Under Regional Media, contact center business logic stays in the tenant's primary region and only simple event and command information is exchanged with the media locations.
    Media Platform Update Notification Explanation · New capabilities > Regional Media · Checked 2026-09-24
  28. 28
    Cisco's release notes state that phase one of the global Real Time Media Service (RTMS) rollout included support for Voice POP-based PSTN connectivity options.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · Real Time Media Service (RTMS) voice platform (2022 date heading; see notes) · Checked 2026-09-24
  29. 29
    Cisco's release notes dated August 1, 2023 announce Webex Calling support on the Next Generation media platform (RTMS) for the Japan, Australia, US and Canada data centers, for new customers in those regions.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · August 1, 2023 > Webex Calling support for Next Generation media platform (RTMS) · Checked 2026-09-24
  30. 30
    Cisco's release notes dated October 17, 2023 extend Webex Calling support on the RTMS Next Generation media platform to new customers in the Singapore region.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · October 17, 2023 > Webex Calling support for Next Generation media platform (RTMS) - Singapore · Checked 2026-09-24
  31. 31
    Cisco's release notes dated September 6, 2023 extend Webex Calling support on the RTMS Next Generation media platform to new customers in regions served by the UK and EU data centers.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · September 6, 2023 > Webex Calling support for Next Generation media platform (RTMS) - UK and EU · Checked 2026-09-24
  32. 32
    In the current Webex Contact Center services setup wizard, the Webex Contact Center Telephony section shows the organization's connection using Common Edge services.
    Get started with Webex Contact Center · Services setup > Contact Center configuration (Webex Contact Center Telephony section) · Checked 2026-09-24
  33. 33
    In the 1.0 upgrade, a Cisco PSTN customer's only PSTN option is to continue with Cisco PSTN.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Perform the Pre-Upgrade Setup > PSTN Options Selection · Checked 2026-09-24
  34. 34
    The upgrade guide sequences a DN move in four steps: prepare routing objects on the new platform; disable agents and delete the DN mapping on the legacy platform; enable agents and recreate the mapping in Control Hub; then test inbound calls.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Move a Dial Number from the Legacy Platform to the New Platform (procedure steps) · Checked 2026-09-24
  35. 35
    After the Pre-Upgrade Setup is complete, entry points and outdial entry points can no longer be created in the legacy platform's Management Portal.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Perform the Pre-Upgrade Setup (post-setup restrictions) · Checked 2026-09-24
  36. 36
    To move a dial number from the legacy platform to the new platform, the upgrade guide tells customers to work with their partner or Cisco to port the DN to the SIP interface on the new platform; rollback reverses that port.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Move a Dial Number from the Legacy Platform to the New Platform · Checked 2026-09-24
  37. 37
    The same PSTN Options Selection screen offers a separate Real Time Media Service (RTMS) option, which also uses service-provider-provided voice on the new platform.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Perform the Pre-Upgrade Setup > PSTN Options Selection · Checked 2026-09-24
  38. 38
    In the Webex Contact Center 1.0 upgrade's PSTN Options Selection screen, the Voice POP Bridge option keeps service-provider-provided voice in use on the new platform.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Perform the Pre-Upgrade Setup > PSTN Options Selection · Checked 2026-09-24
  39. 39
    The 1.0 upgrade's Webex Calling PSTN option uses Webex Calling Cloud-Connected Providers or a Local Gateway and is available only if enabled in Control Hub.
    Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center · Perform the Pre-Upgrade Setup > PSTN Options Selection · Checked 2026-09-24
  40. 40
    Cisco's release notes dated May 16, 2024 introduce WebRTC support for the Agent Desktop on the Next Generation Media Platform (RTMS).
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · May 16, 2024 > WebRTC support for Webex Contact Center · Checked 2026-09-24
  41. 41
    Cisco's release notes dated April 11, 2023 state that customers who buy Webex Contact Center PSTN as part of their subscription can onboard to the Next Generation platform.
    What's New in Webex Contact Center · April 11, 2023 > Webex Contact Center PSTN voice option on Next Generation platform · Checked 2026-09-24

Documents

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Explain Notification for Media Platform Update

Cisco Systems · 2023-09-14 · accessed 2026-09-22

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Get started with Webex Contact Center

Cisco Systems (Webex Help Center) · 2025-02-28 · accessed 2026-09-22

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Media Platform Update Notification Explanation

Cisco Systems (Webex Help Center) · 2025-02-17 · accessed 2026-09-24

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Set up voice channels for Webex Contact Center

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Webex Help Center) · 2026-06-25 · accessed 2026-09-04

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Upgrade from Webex Contact Center 1.0 to Webex Contact Center

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Webex Help Center) · 2024-09-08 · accessed 2026-09-05

tier 2 current vendor documentation

Webex Contact Center Architecture

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Webex Help Center) · 2026-09-03 · accessed 2026-09-05

tier 2 current vendor documentation

What's new for agents in Webex Contact Center

Cisco · 2025-10-29 · accessed 2026-09-24

tier 2 current vendor documentation

What's New in Webex Contact Center

Cisco Systems (Webex Help Center) · 2024-06-27 · accessed 2026-09-24

tier 6 community and field reports

Webex Contact Center PSTN Decision Tree

Cloverhound (Cisco partner blog; author Jon Snipes) · 2022-12-01 · accessed 2026-09-24

Cite this page

APA

WarmTransfer. (2026, September 24). Voice POP bridge telephony lifecycle in Webex Contact Center. WarmTransfer. https://warmtransfer.net/knowledge/webex-cc-vpop-lifecycle

BibTeX

@misc{warmtransfer-webex-cc-vpop-lifecycle,
  title  = {Voice POP bridge telephony lifecycle in Webex Contact Center},
  author = {{WarmTransfer}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://warmtransfer.net/knowledge/webex-cc-vpop-lifecycle},
  note   = {Verified 2026-09-24}
}