Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

Plantronics has introduced a new device for the contact center which allows an agent’s headset to be connected directly to the network the same as any other SIP endpoint, thus eliminating the need for a desk phone as well as the need to have the PC process voice.

 

The new device, the IP40, connects directly to the Ethernet to unify contact center software applications with all inbound and outbound call activity. It registers with the SIP proxy upon start up, and is controlled from the contact center software application. Agents can initiate and receive calls using the contact center’s telephony software – what’s more, all calls coming through the device can be monitored and recorded using call recording software.

The device is powered using standard 802.3af Power over Ethernet. Plantronics claims its draws up to 2/3 less power than a typical contact center telephone. What’s more it increases the amount of workspace in agents’ cubicles -- as the phones can be eliminated.

The plug-and-play device offers dual Ethernet ports, thus allowing the PC share the IP40 network connection. Compatible with Plantronics professional grade headsets, it provides control features such as transmit mute, receive volume adjust, and call answer/end button with a remotely configurable auto-answer option. Other features include presence-based automatic hold when the headset is detached using the QuickDisconnect feature.

 

In a release, Nick Eisner, director of contact center product management at Plantronics, said the introduction of this new device stems from demand from customers who “want to simplify and drive call control to the workstation application to ensure that their quality systems capture every move an agent makes.”

“The IP40 leverages the customer's investment in VoIP and SIP, eliminating the telephone on the agent's desk but without compromising the robustness of the voice path,” he said. “It also reduces power consumption and optimizes audio quality for intelligibility; less is truly more."

 

"One of the early payoffs for adopting SIP-enabled IP telephony in contact centers will be the ability to dramatically lower agent terminal costs," said Drew Kraus, research vice president at Gartner. "The ability to directly connect agent headsets to the LAN, doing away with desk phones or PCs as voice path devices, should be of great interest to contact center planners and IT departments as they look to lower infrastructure costs."

Eugene Schalkwyk, chief technology officer at Contact center solutions provider INOVO Telecom, which is reportedly testing the IP40, said the device “not only significantly reduces complexity for the operator but is very easy to install and maintain.”

“The market has been asking for a unit like this for a long time and we can finally offer a high quality and cost effective SIP device,” he said.

Plantronics also made news today when it announced that it had sold Altec Lansing, its audio entertainment group, to Prophet Equity LP, a Southlake, Texas-based private equity firm for $18 million.