Recently I was putting together a design for a 150 user telephone system, with a requirement for 35 call center agents, when I came across a different request I had not seen before: The customer only wanted phones that could use wireless headset adapters that did not use handset lifters. Having been in the VoIP phone business for 10 years, I was feeling out of touch at that point. I thought all wireless headsets required physical handset lifters. It turns out I was wrong and behind the times. There are many new features that make the new versions of wireless headsets a lot more useful than the previous versions.
The most important feature is the use of the DECT wireless frequency standard for communication from the headset to the base unit. DECT is also termed DECT 6 to market that it works better than older units that use 900 Mhz, 2.4GHz, or 5.8GHz frequency bands. DECT actually uses the 1.9 GHz band in the United States, and has multiple channels that the units use inside the band. This is important because DECT wireless headsets have a noise-free signal that has very little interference with any other device in a building, and may have a longer battery life as well since they usually use less transmit power.
With more and better applications on the PC and Mac now available to either control the deskphone or act as a standalone softphone, the headset adapters can now interface to the PC also, using a DECT compatible USB key. The device drivers for the headset work with the PC based telephone application for seamless control.
Since many people use bluetooth cellular phones, there are also wireless headsets that use bluetooth to connect to both a PC and to a cell phone. These dual-purpose headsets are of outstanding quality and allow for the mobile worker to use the device of his choice for a phone call.
Another excellent feature is the development of electronic hookswitch adapters. Previously, for a user to be able to answer the telephone while away from their desk, a physical handset lifter would have to be attached to the phone that would actually lift the handset off the hookswitch to start the call, and replace the handset to end the call. There are new model phones that can work with new model wireless headsets that can answer and hang up electronically. The trick is to figure out which combinations work. Just like regular headsets require different adapter cords to function with different phones, so do the wireless versions.
It is certainly worth the time to conduct the research and put together a phone, headset, and adapter cord combination that works, because it is possible to be much more productive when able to move around, look up files, and work with two hands and at the same time be on the phone. Unfortunately, it is at times difficult to work through all the documentation on a vendor's website to determine which combinations work. Just as with other selection processes, the customer I was working with figured that if he was going to spend a significant sum on a new phone system, then the vendors should do the work of coming up with a combination that would work.
For people that have completely made the switch and use their PC as their primary source of making and receiving phone calls, there are USB based speakerphone devices that are very useful for conference calls.
Finally, it is worthwhile noting that just about all new VoIP phones support wideband audio, making it much easier to listen to and understand the caller. At this time this only works for phone calls that are on the same phone system. Outside calls are still at the traditional bandwidth and audio quality. It is definitely worthwhile to have a headset that has the same wideband audio capabilities as the telephone that it is paired with.
Better communication is one of the best ways to have better customer service and to work better with other people in the organization. Having a useful and comfortable telephone wireless headset, especially with all the new features available, can go a long way toward improving productivity.
The most important feature is the use of the DECT wireless frequency standard for communication from the headset to the base unit. DECT is also termed DECT 6 to market that it works better than older units that use 900 Mhz, 2.4GHz, or 5.8GHz frequency bands. DECT actually uses the 1.9 GHz band in the United States, and has multiple channels that the units use inside the band. This is important because DECT wireless headsets have a noise-free signal that has very little interference with any other device in a building, and may have a longer battery life as well since they usually use less transmit power.
With more and better applications on the PC and Mac now available to either control the deskphone or act as a standalone softphone, the headset adapters can now interface to the PC also, using a DECT compatible USB key. The device drivers for the headset work with the PC based telephone application for seamless control.
Since many people use bluetooth cellular phones, there are also wireless headsets that use bluetooth to connect to both a PC and to a cell phone. These dual-purpose headsets are of outstanding quality and allow for the mobile worker to use the device of his choice for a phone call.
Another excellent feature is the development of electronic hookswitch adapters. Previously, for a user to be able to answer the telephone while away from their desk, a physical handset lifter would have to be attached to the phone that would actually lift the handset off the hookswitch to start the call, and replace the handset to end the call. There are new model phones that can work with new model wireless headsets that can answer and hang up electronically. The trick is to figure out which combinations work. Just like regular headsets require different adapter cords to function with different phones, so do the wireless versions.
It is certainly worth the time to conduct the research and put together a phone, headset, and adapter cord combination that works, because it is possible to be much more productive when able to move around, look up files, and work with two hands and at the same time be on the phone. Unfortunately, it is at times difficult to work through all the documentation on a vendor's website to determine which combinations work. Just as with other selection processes, the customer I was working with figured that if he was going to spend a significant sum on a new phone system, then the vendors should do the work of coming up with a combination that would work.
For people that have completely made the switch and use their PC as their primary source of making and receiving phone calls, there are USB based speakerphone devices that are very useful for conference calls.
Finally, it is worthwhile noting that just about all new VoIP phones support wideband audio, making it much easier to listen to and understand the caller. At this time this only works for phone calls that are on the same phone system. Outside calls are still at the traditional bandwidth and audio quality. It is definitely worthwhile to have a headset that has the same wideband audio capabilities as the telephone that it is paired with.
Better communication is one of the best ways to have better customer service and to work better with other people in the organization. Having a useful and comfortable telephone wireless headset, especially with all the new features available, can go a long way toward improving productivity.
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Cisco phone headset selection can be tricky, so use this Cisco wireless headset guide.
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