You can connect several types of phone, and unlike competitive systems you are not tied to a single manufacturer thanks to an international standard called SIP. Any SIP-compatible phone will do.
VoIP enabled phone.
This will normally have a range of features including
Caller Display
The name of any local caller is displayed, and for external calls the name is displayed if it is in the short dial list.
Do Not Disturb (DND)
Press this button to stop the phone ringing.
Directory
The phone can keep a private or company directory of numbers.
Messages
Any unread voicemail is displayed on the phone: press a dedicated button to listen to voicemails.
Hold and Transfer
Perform “blind” and “attended” transfer using dedicated buttons
Colleague status
A dedicated button calls a colleague, and a lamp flashes when a call is ringing at that extension. Pressing the button at this point picks up the incoming call. A solid lamp indicates the colleague is on the phone.
Park status
A dedicated button puts a caller into call parking, and a lamp is lit indicating there is someone parked. Pressing the button by the light on any phone retrieves the call.
Soft phone
This is a program running on a PC, laptop or PDA that normally provides all the features of a real VoIP phone described above. There are several free soft phones available, but you will need a good quality headset and microphone.
Analogue adapter
This has a network connection at one end and a normal telephone socket on the other. You can plug in any analogue phone including fax machines and wireless phones.
Mobile phones
Certain mobile phones such as the Nokia E60 series have WiFi connections and internal SIP-compliant phones. This means they can act in a dual role of supporting a mobile number or a PBX extension whenever they are in range of a suitable WiFi hotspot.
