Open CTI has been one of the key ways Salesforce teams connect phone systems with Salesforce. It has helped users manage click-to-dial, screen pops, call logging, and softphone access directly inside the CRM. However, as Salesforce moves toward more secure, native, and AI-ready voice experiences, Open CTI is now being phased out.
From February 28, 2028, teams will no longer be able to use Open CTI-based implementations. They will need to move to Service Cloud Voice, BYOT, or another Salesforce-supported CTI solution.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about what this change means, who this affects, and how organizations can prepare before the Salesforce Open CTI retirement 2028.
Salesforce Open CTI is a framework that connects phone systems with Salesforce. It lets agents make and receive calls, use click-to-dial, view screen pops, and log call activity without leaving the CRM.
For years, it helped sales and service teams keep calling workflows connected with Salesforce records.
But Salesforce is retiring Open CTI because contact center needs have evolved. Teams now need:
That is why the Salesforce Open CTI sunset is not just about replacing a telephony framework. It is about moving toward a more connected, AI-ready way of managing voice inside Salesforce.
The Salesforce Open CTI retirement 2028 affects any organization using an Open CTI-based phone or softphone integration inside Salesforce. You may be affected if your team uses Open CTI for:
The impact will be bigger for teams that have customized their CTI setup over time. For example, some teams may have custom call flows, routing rules, reporting dashboards, call recording logic, managed packages, or third-party telephony tools connected with Salesforce.
If those workflows depend on Open CTI, they will need to be reviewed before the retirement date.
At first, February 2028 may feel far away. But CTI migration is not something most teams can handle at the last minute.
A Salesforce calling setup is often connected to many parts of the business. It may affect sales reps, service agents, contact center managers, Salesforce admins, compliance teams, and IT teams.
If teams wait too long, they may face issues like:
There is also another important point. Open CTI is already unavailable for newly created Agentforce Service orgs as of February 2026.
That means this is not only a future problem. If your organization is creating a new Salesforce environment or planning an Agentforce Service rollout, Open CTI may already limit your options.
This is why teams should start planning now instead of waiting for the final deadline.
Before choosing an Open CTI alternative Salesforce teams can move to, start with a focused audit. This Salesforce CTI migration guide helps identify what must be reviewed before migration.
| Area to Check | What to Review | Why It Matters |
| Open CTI usage | Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, console, softphone, packages, dialers, custom components. | Shows where Open CTI is active. |
| Call workflows | Inbound, outbound, click-to-dial, screen pops, notes, outcomes, recordings. | Protects daily calling workflows. |
| Record mapping | Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities, Cases, Tasks, custom objects. | Keeps call data tied to CRM records. |
| Automations | Flows, triggers, task creation, routing, alerts, call outcome updates. | Prevents broken backend processes. |
| Reports | Call volume, missed calls, agent performance, response time, conversion reports. | Keeps sales and service visibility intact. |
| Vendor status | Provider, AppExchange app, renewal date, support, pricing, roadmap. | Avoids vendor-side migration delays. |
| Migration path | Service Cloud Voice, BYOT, or Salesforce-native CTI option. | Helps compare the best-fit route. |
| Compliance | Consent, masking, audit trails, retention, access control, data privacy. | Reduces legal and data risks. |
| Permissions | Agent, supervisor, admin, and manager access. | Gives the right users the right controls. |
| AI-readiness | Transcription, sentiment, summaries, coaching, voice agents. | Prepares calling for AI workflows |
| User adoption | Softphone habits, notes, dispositions, routing, reporting use. | Reduces training and rollout friction. |
| Rollout priority | Teams, regions, queues, or workflows to migrate first. | Makes migration easier to phase. |
When evaluating an Open CTI alternative Salesforce teams can rely on, the focus should be on workflow continuity, CRM visibility, and long-term scalability.
There are a few paths teams can consider after the Salesforce Open CTI sunset.
Service Cloud Voice is Salesforce’s recommended path for teams moving away from Open CTI.
It brings voice more directly into Salesforce and can help teams connect phone conversations with CRM data, service workflows, and AI-powered experiences.
This can be a good fit for teams that want a more native Salesforce voice setup.
However, teams should still review licensing, implementation effort, telephony provider fit, and workflow changes before making the move.
BYOT means Bring Your Own Telephony.
This option allows teams to keep their existing telephony provider while moving toward a newer Salesforce-supported voice architecture.
BYOT can be useful for organizations that already have a strong telephony investment and do not want to replace everything at once.
But it still requires planning. Teams need to check compatibility, integration effort, reporting needs, and compliance requirements.
Some teams may want a Salesforce-native CTI solution that keeps calling, call logs, routing, notes, recordings, and reporting close to CRM records.
This is where 360CTI can be considered as a practical Open CTI alternative Salesforce teams can evaluate.
360CTI helps teams manage calling workflows inside Salesforce with features like:
For teams that need to migrate from Open CTI Salesforce setups, the goal should not be only to replace the old framework. The goal should be to move toward a calling setup that is easier to manage, easier to track, and better prepared for AI-driven workflows.
The Salesforce Open CTI sunset is not just a technical retirement. It is a signal that voice inside Salesforce is moving toward a more modern, connected, and AI-ready future.
Teams still using Open CTI should start by auditing their current setup, checking vendor dependencies, mapping call workflows, and comparing migration options.
A strong Salesforce CTI migration guide should help teams protect agent productivity, reporting, compliance, and customer experience during the move.
If your organization still depends on Open CTI, now is the right time to explore a better path forward with a Salesforce-connected CTI solution like 360 CTI.
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