Phone communication is a vital part of many businesses, and a headset—whether wired or wireless—can have a huge impact on the sound quality you both transmit and receive. The right headset, when paired with the right phone, can also offer a variety of features that make your employees more efficient and productive.
Soft Clients (aka Softphones, or “Software Phones”) Wired Application
If you’re looking for a moderately priced headset solution for your soft client, or software phone, consider the following:
Good
Model: Blackwire 3220
Part Number: 209745-101
Notable Features: Over-the-head design; supra-aural headphones (rest on the ears rather than completely enclose them)
Better
Model: Blackwire 3225
Part Number: 209747-101
Notable Features: Noise-canceling microphone; binaural design
Best
Model: Blackwire 725
Part Number: 202580-01
Notable Features: Active noise canceling technology; noise-canceling microphone; Smart Sensor technology, which automatically answers calls when the headset is placed on the ear
All the above options use a USB wired connection. This list represents durable devices that are comfortable, even when worn for longs days on the phone.
Soft Client or Cell Phone Wireless Application
The ideal wireless headset option depends on your needs and day-to-day business operations, so you’ll have to compare features and price points to find what works best for you. The following are a handful of the industry’s most popular options:
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Voyager 5200 UC
Part Number (with Case): 206110-01
Part Number (without Case): 203500- 01
Notable Features: Optional carrying and charging case and UC dongle; active noise canceling; WindSmart technology and four adaptive microphones (to limit disruptive background noise); impervious to sweat and resistant to water; Smart Sensor technology; over-the-ear design
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Voyager 6200 UC
Part Number: 208748-01
Notable Features: Active and enhanced noise cancelation; four omnidirectional microphones; pairs with up to eight devices and connects with two simultaneously; Class 1 Bluetooth range (up to thirty meters); neckband vibrates to signify incoming call; neckband headset and earbud design
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Voyager Focus UC
Part Number: 202652-01
Notable Features: Active noise canceling; Class 1 Bluetooth range (up to thirty meters); twelve hours of continuous use on a single battery charge; Smart Sensor technology; optional desktop charging stand; comfort headband on traditional headphone and mic design
All the above options use wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.
Hardware (Polycom Phone) Application
The following are two headset options that are used frequently and successfully with Polycom phones specifically:
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Savi 700 Series
Notable Features: Wireless; versatile and convertible wearing styles, including over the ear, over the head, and behind the head; three-way connectivity (easily switch from desk phone to PC to mobile); DECT wireless security
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Plantronics CS500 Series
Notable Features: Wireless; lightest headset on the market; conference in upwards of three more headsets; desktop charging base; adaptive features to save battery life; DECT technology for superior audio quality
Note, for the Savi and CS500 series, you’ll need to purchase an APP-51 EHS cable, which allows the headset to work with a Polycom or other IP phone.
Bridging Device for Simplified Unified Communications (UC)
To fully utilize Plantronics’s Voyager series (or other UC headset), there’s a bridging device, the MDA220. This device allows you to manage your call flow from a desk phone, cell phone, and softphone—all while using the same headset solution. Essentially, this device connects your UC headset with your hardware phone.
From wired to wireless headsets, from devices that offer the most basic features to the most advanced, it can be overwhelming when you start to look into your headset options. With a bit of research into feature sets and price points, however, you can confidently select the headsets that best match your needs.
If you have any questions during this process, feel free to reach out to us via e-mail or phone. We’re here to help!
By Vincent Finaldi
Vice-President, Tele-Data Solutions
E-mail: vin@tele-datasolutions.com | Direct Line: (908) 378-1218
What brings me satisfaction is meeting with New Jersey–based businesses and genuinely helping them solve communication and business problems. As someone who has lived in New Jersey my entire life, I love working and playing here. I live in Morristown with my wife, Lisa, and root for the New York Giants.
