Cisco unveils new small business VoIP phones

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Never one to be outdone, Cisco Systems has joined the bevy of VoIP equipment manufacturers to announce new VoIP phones.

First hinted at last week on the VoIP Insider, yesterday word broke that perennial VoIP powerhouse Cisco Systems will be releasing five new VoIP phones aimed at the small medium business sector. Part of the Cisco Small Business Series, these new SPA5XX models mark the next generation in desktop VoIP phone technology for the company.

Building off the long time success of the Linksys SPA9XX series, the new SPA5XX series are designed to meet the changing needs of the VoIP customer. All five phones in the series feature:

1. Dual switched ethernet ports with IEEE 802.3af Power Over Ethernet (PoE) support
2. Full-duplex speakerphone, Message Waiting Indicator Light, 4-way navigation key, and 12 button dial pad, dedicated illuminated buttons for Volume, Hold, Menu settings and Voicemail access
3. G.722 Wideband Audio codec support
4. Optional line expansion through the NEW Cisco SPA500S attendant console
5. Auto-provisioning via TFTP, HTTP or HTTPS
6. Support for both SIP and Cisco’s SPCP (Smart Phone Control Protocol)

With MSRP’s ranging between $135 and $225 USD, these new phones from Cisco should eventually sit between $90 and $189 USD making them extremely competitive within the mid-market.

Here’s a brief look at each model:

Cisco SPA501G – The Cisco SPA501G is the entry level model in the series. It features a basic grey scale LCD screen and a single line appearance making it perfect for break rooms, watinging areas and even a warehouse.

Cisco SPA502G – The Cisco SPA502G is the next step up from the SPA502G. It features a higher resolution grey scale LCD screen and two line appearances. With a list price of $164 USD, this model will find a home on the desk of the average business user.

Cisco SPA504G – The Cisco SPA504G is what I refer to as the “bread and butter” of this new series. With four line appearances it suitable for use by just about any associate, manager and or executive. Plus it should hit the streets around a $149 USD, making it an affordable option for businesses of all sizes.

Cisco SPA508G – Moving up in the world, the Cisco SPA508G is design for the busy executive, secretary and assistant that needs to handle multiple calls at one time. With eight line appearances and the ability to add up to two Cisco SPA500S sidecars, the SPA508G is ideal for heavy phone users.

Cisco SPA509G – Last but certainly not least, the Cisco SPA509G is a 12 line model that like the SPA508G is designed for executives, secretaries and assistants. The SPA509G also can be used with up to two of the SPA500S sidecar’s, giving you a maximum of 76 line appearances.

The full line of SPA5XX series phones have a planned availability date of September 2nd, but the channel is already accepting pre-orders. So if you want to get your hands on one of these, I suggest you head on over to VoIP Supply and place your pre-order as the first few runs of these phones will be hard to come by.