Polycom IP phones are a little troublesome when it comes to headset compatibility

If you have a Polycom Soundpoint IP phone such as the Polycom 300, 301, 430, 500, 501, 550, 600 (rev. E or later), 601, 650 or 670, you'll want to read on.

The good news is that these phones are headset-ready so you can simply plug a headset right into the dedicated headset port BUT (and that's a big BUT), most of them will give you a nasty buzz sound. The only model that Plantronics has successfully tested and recommended is the Supra Plus with the Polaris cable. There are several Supra Plus models to choose from but they are all headband style (so if you are an ear hook person you are, unfortunately, out of luck).

Here's the link for all the appropriate headsets and the cable for you to consider:

http://www.founderstelecom.com/posoipphmo50.html

Quick Reference for all of the correct settings for Plantronics CS50, CS55, CS70

Don't want to read the entire users guide to figure out what's wrong with your Plantronics CS50, CS55, CS70 or CS70N? I'll make it as easy as 1-2-3 for you:

On the side of the charging base tower you'll see a round dial with numbers on it. Line up the dial so that the number 1 is directly lined up with the raised horizontal plastic ridge to the right of the dial. This is the correct configuration setting for almost all phones in the US. Trust me. Don't wonder about it. Just set it to 1.

Now, turn the charging base tower upside down and you'll see a slide switch with ABCD. Set that to B. This is the outbound master volume (how loud you sound to the caller).

Next, on the back of the baser tower you'll see another slide switch with 1234. Set that to 2. That is the incoming master volume (how loud the caller sounds to you).

You're all set! If you hear echo when you speak, then use the down arrow button on the back side of the base tower. Press "down" arrow button several times until the echo goes away.

If you need to adjust the incoming volume, do so up on the earpiece (black rocker switch).

Need more help with your headset set up? Click here.

Tried plugging Plantronics CS55 into Cisco IP phone headset port. Why doesn't it work?

The Cisco IP phones (series 7940, 7941, 7960, 7961) have a dedicated headset port on the back and a headset button right on the front of the phone. If you buy a wireless headset like the CS55 or CS70 WITHOUT also buying the optional HL10 handset lifter, then you will plug the CS55 base into your Cisco phone's dedicated headset port and you must change the configuration setting on the CS55 base tower to number 4. This is the round dial with the slit down the middle which is located on the left side of the CS55 base tower. Turn the dial until the number 4 is directly lined up with the raised plastic ridge to the right of it. When a call comes in, turn on your headset by pressing the button on your earpiece and also press the "Headset" button on your Cisco phone to answer the call. Press the same buttons to end the call. You obviously won't be able to answer or end a call while away from your desk since the Headset button on your Cisco desk phone is acting as your hookswitch.

On the other hand, if you have a wireless headset AND you also have purchased the optional HL10 automatic handset lifter, then you will ignore your phone's headset port and headset button completely. You'll plug your wireless headset into your Cisco phone's handset receiver port and your handset receiver into the other port on the bottom of the wireless headset base tower marked with a symbol of a handset receiver. In this set up you will want the configuration dial on the left side of the base tower to be turned to number 1 so that the 1 is directly lined up with the raised plastic ridge to the right of the dial. When a call comes in you have one-touch call answer/end capability by just pressing the button on your earpiece. No need to press any button on your Cisco phone, so you can answer/end from anywhere in your 300 ft. range.

Here's the link to Founders Telecom for all the Plantronics CS55 and a link to the Plantronics HL10 handset lifter if you need it.

What headset can you use with a Cisco 7920 or 7921 cordless phone?

There is a 2.5mm headset jack on the Cisco 7920 and Cisco 7921 cordless phones, however, you may have already discovered that it is not a standard 2.5mm jack. Surprise! Why do they do this sort of thing? Is it just to drive people crazy? Perhaps. But fret not, we have the answer. The standard 2.5mm plug has 2 black bands on it. The non-standard 2.5mm plug has 3 black bands and that's what you need in order to make all the necessary connections inside the jack. You need any Plantronics H-series headet along with a special connector cable Plantronics part #65287-01 and that's all there is to it. Plug and play. Here's the link:

http://www.founderstelecom.com/heforci79coi.html

It's almost impossible to find replacement earbuds for Plantronics bluetooth headsets -- but we found them!

Unfortunately, the retail stores don't want to devote any shelf space to inexpensive items that have no profit margin so it's nearly impossible to find replacement parts for you bluetooth in a local store. You will be able to find them online but you'll have to buy a bunch because they usually have a minimum. There's just not a lot of businesses who can operate and stay in business shipping earbuds all day, so hopefully you need a charger, some ear hooks or something else besides earbuds. Here's the link with a good assortment of all the Plantronics bluetooth accessories and replacement parts.

Headsets for training a new employee

If you have a new employee and you want to sit with them on some customer calls, you can connect two headsets to one phone and listen in. The right solution depends on whether you want corded headsets or wireless ones.

If you have corded Plantronics headsets that have the QuickDisconnect on the end of the cord (the black plastic pull apart rectangular piece that unsnaps in the middle between the straight cord and the curly cord), then all you need is the Plantronics Y Training cord. It is a cord in the shape of the letter Y with QuickDisconnect on all three ends. It allows you to snap two headsets onto one cord. Here's the link to the Y-cord.

If you have wireless headsets (or any corded headset that has a square modular plug on the end instead of the QuickDisconnect mentioned above), then you would instead need the headset training adapter. It gives you two modular jack openings to plug two headsets into one phone. Here's the link to the training adapter.

Both the Y-cord and the training adapter allow the supervisor or trainer to jump into the call if needed. They control which headset has the open microphone to be heard by the customer. The supervisor can take over the call at the push of a button if things go awry.

Plantronics CalistoPro is my new favorite thing!

If you are a telecomuter or have a home-based business then the Plantronics CalistoPro will make your day. It is a wireless bluetooth headset and a cordless 1.9 GHz frequency phone all in one. You can even pair the same headset with your bluetooth cell phone, so it is a multi-purposed device. If you use Outlook for organizing your contacts you can download up to 100 contacts directly from a USB cable into the CalistoPro phone. You can wander with the phone at your home or office up to 300 ft. which is the length of a football field. It really does work! Of course if you don't have the little phone clipped to your belt or with you in some form or fashion, then you can only go about 30 ft. with your headset since bluetooth technology is short range. If you want the full football field range you have to bring the mini-phone with you, which isn't a problem because it's only the size of a deck of cards (or even thinner). The only drawback to the CalistoPro is that it is earhook design only. It is pretty comfortable but if you prefer a headband over the top of the head you're out of luck. There's no headband for it, even if you wanted to pay extra. You can buy it at Founders Telecom by clicking on the link.

The CalistoPro plugs right into a standard analog phone jack at the wall (such as you'd have at home). If you have a PBX office phone system where you have to dial a 9 to dial out, this will not work as you would have digital instead of analog lines. The Avaya (or Lucent, AT&T) Partner phone series is the only exception. You can plug the Calisto Pro right into the AUX (auxiliary) port on the bottom of the phone and you have a great solution.

What happened to the Plantronics Polaris headsets? Are they discontinued?

Yes, the Plantronics line of P-series (Polaris) headsets were discontinued around Q4 2008 in an effort to streamline the product assortment. Have no fear. You can get essentially the same headset now but you just need to make sure you are getting the right connector cable. The H-series headsets look identical to the old P-series but they do not have the same internal amplification properties. You will need to buy the Plantronics A10 cable which looks just like the spiral black cable you used to get with the Polaris headsets but it is actually different electronically. It will bring the amplification of the H-series headset up to the same level as the old P-series. As long as you keep your H-series headset paired with an A10 cable you'll have no problems. The only issue is if you have old P-series (Polaris) headsets also floating around your office and employees start mixing and matching over time, you will start to get complaints about weak volume. Just make some sort of marking with colored tape or something similar so you can keep the right headset with the right cord. If you buy the H-series headset by itself it will not come with the A10 cable so you'll have to be sure and order that, too. Some websites like Founders Telecom have made it easier by pairing them together for you (just like the old Polaris that came with the cable). In this case the headset and cable are already together so no need to search for the cable separately.

Why is my Plantronics bluetooth asking me for a Passkey?

Some phones require you to enter a passkey (sometimes called pass code, pass key or password, depending on your phone) when you establish a new bluetooth device link for pairing. For Plantronics the generic passkey is 0000. Hope that helps save you some time on hold with tech support! We also have the link to the Plantronics bluetooth interactive pairing guide below on our "Favorits Links" section.

The Elusive, Discontinued Battery for Plantronics CA10, CS10, CT10, CA10CD, LKA10, 10U100

Do you still have one of the older model Plantronics cordless headsets like the CA10, CS10, CA10CD, CT10 or the Avaya 10U100 or LKA10? If so you've either already searched or are soon to be searching for a replacement battery. The batteries have now been discontinued by Plantronics as of Q4 2008 (since the cordless headsets themselves were discontinued several years ago) and are just about impossible to find. There is a generic substitute (same thing but not made by Plantronics) available so you can either get that or scrap your old cordless and start anew with a completely wireless model like the CS55, CS70N, etc.

Please be aware that the battery for the CA10, CS10, LKA10 and CA10CD was dark gray (Plantronics 46365-01) and the battery for the CT10 and 10U100 was black (Plantronics 46365-02). Other than the color they are exactly the same so you can use the battery sold by Founders Telecom and it will work on all of those models.

http://askville.amazon.com/generic-version-Plantronics-battery-CA10-CS10-part-46365-01-FoundersTelecom/AnswerDetails.do?requestId=35299906&responseId=49918235

The Plantronics CT14 finally came in (after 3 month delay)

I think the Plantronics CT14 was worth the wait! I just got one and tested it at home. It is very similar to the prior model CT12 except for one big difference. The CT14 is on the new 1.9GHz frequency so it won't interfere with your wireless router. The old CT12 operated on 2.4GHz and it always knocked me off line since my Belkin wireless router is also on 2.4GHz. This one gives me no problems whatsoever since the 1.9GHz frequency is forever protected by the FCC as a frequency for voice only.

As for functionality it is very easy to use. The range is 300 feet (the length of a football field) which is double the range of the predecessor model CT12. It has caller ID, volume control, redial, memory, etc. The battery time is also much improved. It will go all day without needing to be recharged, even if you are on the phone non-stop for the entire day. It's convertible so it comes with both the headset and ear hook. Wear it in either style or switch off just to mix things up.

One other note. If you happen to work in an office that has the Lucent Partner phones (also called Avaya Partner or AT&T Partner, depending on how long ago you bought the phone system), you can use the CT14. You would just plug it into the bottom of the phone in the AUX (auxiliary) port. Although the CT14 is a single-line phone when plugged directly into a headset jack, it acts like a multi-line phone when plugged into your Partner phone AUX port. It will mirror whatever line you have pressed down on the phone.

Now that the Plantronics CT14 is finally in stock you can it shipped right out by ordering online, click here.

Help! My CS50, CS55 or CS70 wireless headset stopped working! What should I do?

Your headset was working just fine. You show up for work today and it's dead or giving nothing but super loud static. Why? How did this happen? How do I fix it? Fortunately, the fix is easy. Follow these step by step instructions to re-synch (or as Plantronics calls it, "Re-Subscribe") your headset and base back to one another.

Step 1: System Reset
A.) Press both the talk button and the mute control button on the headset simultaneously for 10 seconds. When the talk indicator light on the headset blinks, release both buttons.

B.) Press the talk button again and then release.

C.) Disconnect the AC power adapter from the AC power outlet and leave it unplugged for 10 seconds, then reconnect.

The system reset operation is now complete. If your problem has now been resolved, there’s no need to go on to Step 2 below. If the problem still exists, please continue to the Subscription Reset operation below.

Step 2: Subscription Reset
A.) Place the headset into the base charging cradle and be sure that it is pressed down and seated all the way in the charger.

B.) Press and hold both of the talk volume fine tune buttons on the back of the base (the buttons marked “+” and “-“) simultaneously for a minimum of 10 seconds. The power indicator light on the base will flash red and you can release the buttons.

C.) Next, push and hold the mute control button on the headset for a minimum of 5 seconds. The talk indicator on the headset will light up green. (Note: The black volume rocker switch on the earpiece is the mute control when it is pushed in.)

Successful re-subscription is indicated when the power indicator on the base is fully illuminated and the talk indicator light on the headset is off.

D.) To complete the process, disconnect the AC power adapter from the AC power outlet and leave it unplugged for 10 seconds, then reconnect.

If this doesn't solve the problem, please double-check your settings:

• The back of the charging base tower should be set to 2;
• The bottom (underneath) of the charging base tower should be set to B;
• The left side of the charging base tower with the round dial should be set to 1 (lined up with the raised plastic ridge to the right of the dial).

If it now works but you sound like you're in an echo chamber, all you need to do is press the down arrow button on the back side of the base charging tower a few times to reduce your outbound volume and this should solve the echo problem.

If you still have no luck and your headset is over 2 years old, you may be due for a new Plantronics battery which you can buy here.

Have you seen the new Discovery 925 in Pink?

The Plantronics Discovery 925 is really a cool bluetooth headset. Plantronics initially launched it in three colors (gold, pink and black). The pink and gold are "limited editions" so they will be phased out and new colors will periodically be introduced. The bottom line is, if there's a color you really like, get it while the getting's good, as the saying goes. The color-coordinated leather carrying case doubles as a charger. When you are out and about and you don't have access to a plug-in charger, no worries! Your headset is charging in the leather carrying case! As for the design, it is very minimalist and almost invisible. The ear gels (3 sizes) are quite comfortable for any size ear. There is no ear hook to stabilize the bluetooth on your ear so you have to have the kind of ear that generally is well suited to an in-ear gel. As for the sound quality, it is top of the line from Plantronics.

Plantronics announces new Savi wireless headset

Great news! Plantronics will (finally) be coming out with a wireless headset product that lets you effortlessly switch between your computer and your telephone. For example, you can be on a Skype call on your computer and then switch to a call on your land line phone using the same wireless headset. The new Plantronics Savi should be available for sale around the middle of May 2009 so we will write a review as soon as we get our hands on one. Please check back soon.