Poly, formed in 2019 from the coming together of two communication giants, Plantronics and Polycom, recently celebrated selling its 30 millionth IP phone, a staggering number by any stretch. So, it is no surprise when it comes to Microsoft solutions that Poly offers some unique thinking, reinventing the desk phone for Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business users as business migrate to the latest platforms.
With over 20 million daily active users across 500,000 organizations, Microsoft Teams is the fastest growing communication and collaboration platform in the world. Many IP PBX customers we speak to are looking into replacing their aging phone systems and phones or migrating existing phones from Skype for Business to native Microsoft Teams experience. With so many options available, we wanted to lay out the important features that IT decision makers should look for in a Microsoft Teams phone.
- Supports both Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams
If you’re running your phone services on Skype for Business today, you may soon start migrating to Microsoft Teams. Still, you need new phones as your business grows. If you need to purchase new phones ahead of your move to Microsoft Teams, it’s important to plan ahead and select phones that can run both profiles without having to do a software firmware update.
The Poly CCX 500 and CCX 600 can run both Skype for Business and Teams on the same firmware release (just not at the same time) you can switch between applications with a simple reboot of the phone. Poly CCX 400 currently runs only Microsoft Teams, but there is an upcoming software release that will allow it to run both Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams.
- Crisp, clear audio
Have you ever wondered why some calls sound better than others? The phone you use makes a difference. For decades, the majority of telephones and cellphones had a frequency range of 300 to 3400 Hz. In the office, many phones support wideband audio, typically topping out at 7 kHz. Poly CCX 500 and Poly CCX 600 have an industry-best range of 100Hz to 20kHz—that’s nearly three times the frequency range on the top end compared to other phones, combine this with the Poly acoustic fence technology described below are some of the reasons why customers appreciate Poly’s signature audio experience.
- Advanced noise blocking features
In open offices or remote working scenarios, outside noise can be a big problem. An important part of the Poly signature audio experience is noise blocking. Our Poly Acoustic Fence feature removes distracting background conversations and noise— chatter that your callers will hear on other vendor phones that don’t support this feature. Using a headset like the Poly Blackwire 7225 with active noise canceling (ANC) connected to your CCX phone takes removing noise to another level (on your end and the far end).
- Headset options for your phone
In the case that you have decided that nearly everyone in the office will need a phone (a topic we’ll explore in a future blog post), you should keep in mind that your Millennial and Gen Z employees will likely prefer a headset over the traditional handset. Not only is a headset a more familiar way of using a phone for younger generations, but headsets offer a better experience to all your employees, regardless of their age. There are the obvious benefit that a headset frees up your hands to type while you are on your call, but also positive health and wellbeing comfort benefits especially on long conference calls and with a wireless Bluetooth or DECT headset giving users the freedom to get up and walk around while on calls. The new Poly CCX phones give you choices. You can select CCX 500 and CCX 600 phones with or without a handset—an industry first!
The question is, what phone-headset combo is right for you, Poly has a wide choice of wearing styles in corded, Bluetooth or DECT wireless
- Integrated bluetooth
Most users prefer a Bluetooth headset that they can connect to more than one device throughout the day. Having integrated Bluetooth in the phone itself is a feature of both CCX 500 and CCX 600 phones. These two phones also have two USB ports (type A and type C), an RJ9 headset port, and an EHS (electronic hook switch) port, so there are many ways to connect headsets of all types—though I’m sure you’ll love making your headset a Poly headset.
- Fast android 9 security & performance
Poly designed the CCX series phones with fast performance and future features in mind — starting with Android 9 capable chip sets. These promise a longer lifespan than previous model phones from other vendors that started with Android 5 with added security patches. It’s hard to predict exactly, but it’s likely that desirable new features coming down the line will not be supported on devices operating with Android 5 or 7.
- Integrated WiFi
Imagine you are moving into a trendy new office converted from an old warehouse with high-end designer touches—but it’s not wired for Ethernet (doh!). The CCX 600 will be the easy choice with built-in WiFi. Spend just a little more on the phone and save a lot on LAN cabling costs. Even fully wired offices will have some locations that are hard to cable. Or, an executive might want their desk in a different location—not near the LAN jack. We’ve got you covered.
Want to learn more?
Need a headset for the phone you’re currently using? Check out our compatibility guide to find the right corded or wireless headset to pair with your phone—regardless of vendor.
For more information on Poly CCX Phones, Microsoft Teams Edition, email us at TeamMicrosoft@poly.com or visit www.poly.com/ccx