USB Headsets for use with UCA

[jherlitz]

Hello, we are rolling out quite a few installations of UCA with our users.  I purchased a Andrea USB headset with cord.  I appear to be having some issues with these headsets with callers either not hearing our employee but our employee hearing them, or vice versa.  Seems to be intermittent.  If we unplug the headset and plug into another usb port, then it works fine again.  It comes and goes.  This leads me to believe that it has something to do with the headsets.  So I am going to try another brand and or different headset.

Anyone have any recommendations of what headset works well with the UCA.  I personally use a Plantronics CS50 USB wireless headset that is plugged in all the time.  It works great.  However, we do not want to spend that kind of money on headsets for everyone.  We are on a budget and want to keep at a reasonable cost for headsets.

Any recommendations?

[ralph]

I understand about the budget but I thought I'd just in on this one.
I know Kurt monitors this board so hopefully he can jump in.
I've seen him use  a Bluetooth headset with his.  He pair it with his UCA and his iPhone so he can answer both.

I know that won't apply to your situation but I found it interesting.

Ralph
BTW: Mitel is releasing a bluetooth module for their 53xx phones that will allow you to pair to it and your bluetooth enabled phone.

[jherlitz]

Actually it can apply to us.  I was able to pair my bluetooth headset with my softphone and it worked well.  All of our laptops have bluetooth on them, so I ordered one bluetooth headset today that has a boom microphone on it to try it out.  Hoping that will work, as it will be small, inexpensive, and satisfy users with having wireless.  However the catch is, they have to remember to charge it.

So that is one option.  Thank you,

[Kurt]

I have used a few solutions personally with good success.  I use a dual-pairing Plantronics that can pair to both my iPhone and laptop for UCA simultaneously - like Ralph mentioned.  I have an older Plantronics Voyager Pro but I believe any of the Plantronics Voyager product line has dual pairing.  They are kind of expensive but very good quality and work great.

I've rolled out an installatation of a UCA softphone environment and they ordered around 60 C210 Plantronics Blackwire headsets:http://www.plantronics.com/hk/product/blackwire-200?skuId=sku5710020

Roughly 50$ headsets that have already had 10+ failures in about a year time span.  Plantronics official response was to spend more money on higher quality headsets designed for heavy everyday use.  Ugly response IMO.

Reason I mentioned that is because you don't want to buy to cheap of headsets for your users if they are going to use it a lot, because you will end up spending just as much in replacing failures of cheap ones.

Also be aware that UCA is very picky about the headset being ready and setup BEFORE UCA launches.  If it becomes unplugged or bluetooth goes too far away while UCA is trying to use it - you will have to close UCA, make sure headset is working again, and then relaunch UCA to properly to get the audio/mic working again.

[jherlitz]

Thanks for the responses.  I agree, if you go to cheap, they are just problems.  I am trying a jabra one now and so far been good.  Also trying a bluetooth one, verdict is out on that one yet.