recommendations for wireless conf unit

[WallIT]

Hi,

We have a new board room being renovated and would like a wireless phone/conf phone to use on the boardroom table. I envisage the unit spending most of its time on a side table, sitting on some sort of base station charging it's battery. The base would be connected via IP to our Mitel 5000. The phone/unit itself would be wireless back to the base with an inbuilt battery.

I found the Polycom Soundstation2W, but the base appears to be analogue only. Would much prefer an IP based solution.

Can anyone recommend anything??

Thanks in advance.

[dwayneg]

You'll want to choose something that passes Mitel's SIP Center of Excellence...these are devices that have been tested and approved, and there is usually a document describing how to set up both the device and the 5000.  Find the list at ebiz.mitel.com/images/sipcoe/SIP_CoE.pdf .  Two that are listed are from Polycom, the IP Soundstation 5000 and 7000.  Neither of these, however, are wireless and no wireless conference units are listed.  If you don't have capability to get analog from the 5000 to the conference room another option might be to use a device such as the Linksys SPA122 to convert IP to analog at the conference room and connect any wireless analog conference unit to that.  Remember that any of these devices will require a SIP device license on the 5000.

[Tech Electronics]

WallIT,

I must agree with dwayneg on this one as it is very difficult to get some devices working the way everyone "thinks" it should work on a system that has not been vetted by Mitel. The last SIP device that I did was a wireless conference phone (SIP) and it took forever to get it to work and after that there were still unforeseen issues that took awhile to get fixed with the manufacturers tech support that the customer had to pay for. The worst problem I had was that the phone would reset during a conference call at about the 10 minute mark and it was how it was trying to update with the Mitel system during a conference call that caused the problem.

The other issue you are probably not thinking about is when you use a device that is SIP based, since Mitel doesn't have an IP based wireless conference phone solution, is that you are stuck with the devices SIP capabilities which do impose limits. Case in point the SIP Conference phone I mentioned above only allows a 3-party conference from the phone so if you want to get a larger conference call started you would have to do it from a standard Mitel 5000 phone or use the Meet-me Conferencing feature and point it to the SIP device.

Now after hearing all of that I can give you the name of that wireless conference phone which meets all the requirements that you asked for, but it would be up to you and your vendor to get it working properly on the Mitel 5000 as I have only tried to make it work on the Mitel 3300; although it should be easier on the 5000.

Revolabs FLX Conference Phone <--- They say it works with Mitel, but they don't have any documentation to make it work and their tech support wasn't much help other than showing me how to get the logs out of the phone.

Thanks,

TE

[DND ON]

I have a 2W deployed, and it has a habit of losing sync with the base unit. Of course, end users are unable follow the instructions to reset it.

Neat thing with the 5000 and 7000 IP phones is the ability to set up conference calls by using the phone features instead of feature codes.

[WallIT]

Thanks all. The reviews I found on Amazon seem to backup DND ON's experience: http://www.amazon.com/Polycom-2200-07880-160-SoundStation-2W-Non-Expandable/product-reviews/B002G31Y4K/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1

Another alternative is the Konftel 300Wx. However, being a lesser known product than Polycom, reviews are non existent. The Revolabs also could be an option but looks a bit...un-corporate. I've got some fussy interior designers to satisfy.

Having a wire at the boardroom table is not an option, I'm told. I'm reluctant to cobble together some unsupported solution, so may have to push to having a regular telephone on the side which is just picked up and placed on the table when needed.

One downside of all conference phones is someone could not use the room for a private call like you could with a regular desk phone (the walls are quite thin).

Lots to consider. Thanks to everyone for their input.

[Tech Electronics]

WallIT,

There are wireless designs that do not require a wire at the conference table itself as long as the base unit is in the same room or near it.

Try looking at analog conference phones that are wireless like the ClearOne Max Wireless Conference phone.

http://www.clearone.com/products_maxwireless

This one works great and allows you use all the systems capabilities and since it is analog almost anyone can install it with little to no problems; all you need is an open analog port.

Thanks,

TE

[WallIT]

TE,

Thanks again for the recommendations. I think on refection we have decided a standard desk-type phone would be the best option. It give us the flexibility we need (ability to use loudspeaker and handset) albeit without portability (ie wireless).

Another big point for us to consider is out end users. Having someone go into a board room and see something they are familiar with and use at their own desk will mean they can use without hesitation. This means a lot. Despite how obvious to use a conf unit would appear to you or I, many of my users are confused by technology and new things. I would expect many users to simply ask us (IT) to dial their calls for them.

Thanks again.

[Tech Electronics]

WallIT,

If you are using 5330(e), 5340(e), or 5360 IP phones then you may want to look at the 5310 conference unit attachment for that phone to make it a better conference phone.

Thanks,

TE

[DND ON]

I thought the 5310 was discontinued, to boost UC360 sales.

[ralph]

BTW:  If you purchase off of Amazon, please consider clicking on the Amazon banner at the bottom of the page.   Purchases made from those links go toward supporting this forum.

Thanks.
Ralph

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