USB Desktop Phone - Any Suggestions?

[JCLloyd]

I am looking for a desktop phone with speaker that plugs into the computer via USB. It can use an external power supply. The closest I can find is the Polycom CX300R2.

Why I am looking for ideas...

• I have a user who wants to be on a speaker phone, 99% of the time. But, wants to be able to just pick up the handset if they realize they don't want the conversation to be heard across the office.
• I set up USB and wireless headsets, but I haven't found a way to switch PC sound interfaces without dropping the call, first.
• Doing that is cumbersome for the end user, when I just took them off of an old Shoretel IP phone.
• Using an IP phone means plugging the PC into the phone and dropping a 1Gbps port to 100Mbps
• This seems to be the new way to do things, and seems cool!

Seriously, any ideas are welcome...

 

[jimbo59]

You can get a 4 port GigE switch for $20 from Amazon.

 

[pact]

Purchase a Desk phone that has gbit pass through?

Yealink T23G or Yalink T27G come to mind.

It sounds like you are trying too hard to recreate a desk phone, 3CX softphone can run in CTI mode to give you softphone click to dial features and then use the physical phone for all the other requirements.

 

[leejor]

I seriously doubt that you are going to find a "USB Phone" that is compatible with 3CX. I've seen USB Skype phones, and USB headsets (as an audio device), but they are not SIP devices. They will all rely on a computer being on at the same time. Most serious business applications require something that can function on it's own, if necessary. If the port speed to the computer is the "sticking point" , then, as suggested, bite the bullet, and buy a switch, to plug both the computer and a VoIP phone into, that will sit on or under the desk.

If you look, there are actually VoIP sets, with gigabit ports.

 

[3CXDude]

Save yourself the time and go with a Yealink T46 it will meet all your requirements.

 

[JCLloyd]

Jimbo59 - I don't hang secondary switches off of ports in offices... at least not permanently!
-
pact - Agreed... If I had a good way to switch from a USB handset/headset to internal speaker without losing the call, this would be mute. I was hoping someone would point out that I am missing how to do that, actually.
-
leejor - You are actually on the correct path of my thoughts... A phone that plugs into USB and is basically a sound interface with a speaker phone and headset to switch between.
-
3CXDude - It is Ethernet and not USB.

All decent points. If I can at least get the thoughts going. I am trying to not go to the old phone on the desk, but I have those holdouts...

Thanks guys!

 

[kenttec]

Fanvil X5s & X6 both have bluetooth v4.0 support, we've been playing around with them, they work nicely and the phone has 1Gb interface.

 

[JCLloyd]

Thanks, kenttec! Looks nice, but... I was hoping for something that was more like the Jabra Handset 450 that is a desk phone. I am not seeing one, yet. that would be much easier than asking 3CX for a feature request to allow for switching sound interfaces during a call...

 

[kenttec]

Good luck! If I come across something I'll update the post.

 

[JCLloyd]

I've posted a feature request, if anyone is interested in voting on it:
https://www.3cx.com/community/threa...ng-a-call-i-e-handset-to-speaker-phone.53848/

So far, what I want doesn't seem to exist. It is a hybrid of yester-year and now, so I am not surprised. But, I can manually get the 3CX client to do want I want. The question is whether the client can be programmed or scripted to do this.
. I saw some posts about using the X-Lite SIP client with 3CX, but is it worth the effort...? Only one way to find out!

Thanks, everyone!