Deciding which endpoints to deploy in your business can be a mundane chore. Or it can be exciting as you get to play with lots of new cool tech. However, you see it, devices and endpoints still play a huge part in communications and collaboration strategies. Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, it’s likely you’re going to need something to communicate on.
There will be specific deciding factors for each business. But there will also be a multitude of standard features and functionality you look for in a handset or a headset. Or you could be a reseller or service provider in the VoIP phone market looking for a new endpoint to attach your cloud phone system offering.
What’s unclear right now is the endpoint of your choosing. What’s certain is that the market is full of great endpoints for you to choose from.
Let’s look at the market leaders.
Grandstream
Grandstream provides a range of devices from basic IP phone to WiFi access points. Their portfolio also includes HD IP security cameras and specialist DECT solutions. IP hardware is very much Grandstream’s game.
As far as endpoints for your phone system are concerned, the higher end of the portfolio includes the GXP2100 series designed for heavy telephony users like receptionists and secretaries. For those that transfer calls often, the GXP2200EXT extension module comes with coloured speed dials and busy lamp fields to identify open lines and route calls effectively. These higher end phones don’t just enhance the customer experience by making the transfer swifter but improve overall productivity as users can free-up their line quicker.
At the lower end of the portfolio, Grandstream also caters for simple requirements – perhaps users using a headset attached or users infrequently visiting the office. The lightweight models are ideal for hotel rooms, information booths, and warehouse deployments.
We also see the DP750 and DP720 DECT options at the head of the portfolio and a cordless WiFi IP phones for environments that DECT doesn’t suit.
If you’re looking to refresh your entire hardware estate, Grandstream’s diverse portfolio – including elements outside IP telephony - is a real draw.
Avaya
Avaya has recently shaken up the endpoint market by delivering a range of platform agnostic devices and focusing on delivery a desktop experience rather than just a handset on a desk. In November 2018, Avaya debuted a new line of 17 platform agnostic open SIP devices and has recently made enhancements to the series.
Avaya is keen to showcase the desktop environment one is a place where works gets done and isn’t just somewhere to store a device. By integrating with third party applications like Knowmail, Avaya is making the desk phone more than just a phone. Users can view their emails and meetings for the day across devices – now including the desk phone.
In the headset world, Avaya has recently trademarked Acoustic Edge. This is designed to provide better acoustic hearing protection to individuals in the office or contact centre and works by measuring the energy in a signal and dynamically limiting the output to protect both sound quality, and user hearing.
You can read a full review of the L100 headset here and see it in action below.
Cisco
Cisco is one of the most influential brands in the Unified Comms and Contact Centre markets. Having provided IP handsets, and non-IP handsets before that, Cisco has most recently delved into the headset market. Suggestion is this is to rival Plantronics since their acquisition of Polycom. But it also diversifies their portfolio. Whatever the reason behind the move, Plantronics even include Cisco headsets in their own catalogue.
Cisco already provide handsets to end users and service providers alike. West UC is a partner that opts to sell Cisco handsets to accompany their UCaaS platform, for example.
The headset options recently introduced are labelled the 500 series. The Cisco 521 is a simple single ear piece and the Cisco 522 adds a second earpiece. Both come with in call indicators and can be connected via USB and 3.5mm. The Cisco 531 and 532 (single and dual ear) add RJ9 compatibility. The Cisco 561 and 562 introduce DECT functionality to let you users roam from their desks.
Yealink
If you're looking for a fully featured open SIP phone portfolio then Yealink are a popular option. Known for their tight integration with Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams, Yealink handsets and accessories are compatible with most cloud and SIP based platforms.
The highest end of the portfolio sees the flagship smart video phone, the SIP-VP59. Featuring an HD camera for video calling, this handset often doubles as an executive phone and a huddle room device. It comes with a large, backlit and high resolution colour touchscreen, an intuitive layout of hard keys and multi coloured LED indicators and a fully adjustable display to cover all angles and lighting.
Whilst Yealink covers entry phone to high quality video conferencing, the most notable element to their portfolio is the T56A Teams edition with a native Microsoft Teams display. Standard features for this Microsoft Teams specific device include:
- Optima HD voice
- 7" 1024 x 600 capacitive touch screen
- Yealink Noise Proof Technology
- Expansion modules for Skype for Business
Plantronics
Following a shock move to acquire Polycom, Plantronics has coupled its headset market dominance with Polycom market leading share of the IP handset market.
Plantronics has stuck to its root by continuing its Blackwire corded series. Plantronics offers also offers its C series DECT offering with a quick disconnect cord which lets users walk away from their phones without removing the headset. The consumer side of the range sees the BackBeat Pro series which boasts wireless connectivity and noise cancelling technology – ideal for the remote or mobile worker that needs to disconnect from a distracting environment.
Having acquired Polycom, Plantronics portfolio also includes a wide range of IP handsets ranging from the entry level VVX300 series up to the Polycom Trio 8800. The Polycom Trio is arguably Polycom’s flagship product, and is a top of the range video conferencing endpoint featuring legendary Polycom HD audio, video interoperability and Skype for Business integration. Users can book meeting rooms and enable one-touch meeting joining by combining their Polycom conferencing units with their Microsoft Office 365 strategy.
Jason Green, Marketing Manager at Snom, told me that since Snom became part of the VTech family, the resource in development had tripled. That is clearly demonstrated in their recent round of updates to their range of handsets.
Jabra provides a wide range of headsets ranging from sports to business use. Jabra break down their business headsets into three main categories:
Konftel specialise in conferencing endpoints and regularly partners with the likes of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, BroadSoft, Avaya, Cisco, Digium and Huawei.
Sennheiser will be a familiar brand from the consumer world. Delving into business comms was a great move for Sennheiser. I can’t stress how important it is for a B2B brand to market, sell and provide a user experience like they would a B2C customer.
AudioCodes is another vendor that has a vast portfolio. Their catalogue includes Session Border Controllers (SBCs) through to media gateway but most recently has seen a focus in the IP endpoint arena.
