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.
What is Open CTI and Why is Salesforce Retiring it?
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.
Future of voice in salesforce
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:
- More native voice experiences inside Salesforce
- Better AI and Agentforce alignment
- Real-time customer context
- Call transcription and summaries
- Stronger automation
- Better compliance controls
- Deeper reporting and visibility
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.
Who Will Be Affected by the Salesforce Open CTI Sunset?
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:
- Making calls from Salesforce records
- Receiving inbound calls inside Salesforce
- Showing customer details when a call comes in
- Logging calls automatically
- Connecting calls to leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, or cases
- Tracking call outcomes
- Recording call activity in Salesforce
- Managing agent availability
- Routing calls to the right team
- Reporting on call performance
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.
Why Waiting Until 2028 Can Put Salesforce Calling Workflows at Risk
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.
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.
Salesforce CTI Migration Guide: What to Check First
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.
There are a few paths teams can consider after the Salesforce Open CTI sunset.
. Service Cloud Voice
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 with Service Cloud Voice
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.
. Salesforce-native CTI solutions like 360 CTI
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:
- click-to-dial
- Power dialer
- Inbound call handling
- Outbound call handling
- Auto call logging
- Call notes and outcomes
- Call monitoring
- Call transcription
- Sentiment analysis
- AI-assisted calling workflows
- Salesforce record-level visibility
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.
Conclusion
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.
Read more at ........https://360cti.com/blog/salesforce-open-cti-sunset-how-to-prepare-before-the-2028-retirement/
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