The new IP 5000 comes with many of the features found in the larger models, including HD Voice, but has a smaller microphone pickup area, and is designed for small conference rooms and desktop use, with a range of about 7 feet maximum of 6 participants.

It’s nice to see a lower cost option for small conference rooms from Polycom, and we expect this will be a very popular product.

Initial stock of the SoundStation IP 5000 is expected by the end of March, and MSRP is $599.00.  The standard configuration supports power over ethernet, and an optional AC adapter is available. Polycom has released a datasheet for the new product, which includes all the exact specifications.

Telephonyware has the Polycom SoundStation IP 5000 available for pre-order, at only $399.00 for a limited time.  Be first in line to get your new conference phone.

The usual first reaction is to add some hardware echo cancellation and hope for the best, but it usually is not the best solution.  The echo is still there, you just have a powerful DSP hiding it for you.  By solving the underlying problem(s), you’ll ensure that you have the best quality audio possible.

Choosing a telephony card or gateway with hardware-based echo cancellation is an excellent decision, and we strongly recommend their use, but they are an insurance policy, designed to remove echo caused in places you cannot fix, like at the far end of the call.

Today we’ll look at the common causes of echo in IP PBX systems with analog lines, and how best to fix each of them.  Whether you’re using a Digium, Rhino or Sangoma card, or an external SIP gateway with FXO or FXS ports, this guide has some practical suggestions to help you on your way to echo-free calling.

My old phone system didn’t have echo!

This is a common and understandable complaint in new IP PBX installations with problematic analog telephone lines.

There are several reasons why an IP PBX (or another other sufficiently advanced PBX) can have serious echo problems even though your old mechanical key system or PBX worked just fine.  The biggest reason is that VoIP introduces some additional latency that doesn’t exist on a simple old phone system which is just a big mechanical switch.

There are some other reasons too, like the fact you’re connecting a piece of grounded electrical equipment, which can amplify imbalances in your lines, but a lesson in electrical theory isn’t going to fix your echo problem.

Wiring mistakes

The number one cause of echo is the use of Cat5/Cat5e/Cat6 in place of proper Cat3 telephone cabling.  You should never use anything other than Category 3 wiring for analog telephone wiring.

Why, you might ask? The signals for both the incoming and outgoing audio is sent simultaneously on the same copper pair.  This requires that the circuit at both ends, yours and the CO, are “balanced”, so that the audio can be separated again, so that you do not hear echo.  When you use non-Category 3 wiring, you alter the impedance (usually 600ohms in North America), creating an imbalance in the circuit, and the equipment on the line at both ends can now no longer properly separate the transmitted and received audio.

Also, telephone cabling should not be run in close proximity parallel to AC power cabling.  This can further exacerbate imbalance problems, and also cause problems like audible humming.

Solution: Use only Category 3 cabling for connecting from the telephone company’s demarcation point to your equipment, and for connecting analog telephones.  Do not use Cat5 or higher cable.  Avoid cabling parallel to power cables and ballasts.

Wrong impedance settings

Your equipment, be it a card in your Asterisk system or a standalone gateway, should have a configurable setting for impedance matching.  In North America, most telephone lines have an impedance of 600 ohms, but some, particularly on very long circuits or in rural areas, have an impedance of 900 ohms.  Elsewhere in the world, a variety of different impedances are used, and you should select the right one for your location.

Even if you are certain of the impedance value that should be used for your line, if you are facing echo problems, you should try the different settings offered by your card or gateway to discover the one that best matches the properties of your line.

Solution: Check that your device is configured for the correct impedance, and try other impedance settings to see if they help.

Bridge Taps

A bridge tap is the situation where you have a pair of wires which “tap” somewhere along another pair of wires, creating a three way connection.  Kind of like a “T-junction” for telephone wires.  Such connections used to be quite common in the days of party lines.

These days, they are most likely to be found inside your home or office, rather than outside your control on the telephone network, unless you live in a very old or very rural area.  Having extensions of a telephone line to multiple rooms in your house or office that have nothing connected to them will create a bridge tap.

Bridge taps cause a “reflection” of the signal, because the signal travels up the unused part of the “T”, and then reflects back down into the device that is connected to the line, causing unwanted echo.  If the tap is long enough, it will also seriously degrade any DSL service you might have on that line.

Although far less common than some of the other causes, a bridge tap can cause a significant echo problem.

Solution: Disconnect any old, unused internal extension wiring at the source.  Avoid the use of splitters or “Y” connectors.

Low Quality IP Phones

Some lower quality and “no-name” IP phones have very poor echo cancellation, especially when used in speakerphone mode.  These can be the source of echo, by allowing the received audio to be transmitted again because of being too loud or poorly isolated, or they can make an existing echo problem even worse.

Solution: If you use your speakerphone a lot, make sure you are using quality phones from a manufacturer with quality speakerphone support, such as Aastra, Cisco or Polycom.  If you’re stuck with the phones you’ve got, try turning the volume or gain settings down.

Other Reasons…

There are many other problems that can cause audio problems like echo and DTMF detection problems, such as:

• Induced sources of AC power on the line
• Loading coils
• Very high or very low loop current

These problems are all quite a bit trickier to diagnose and solve, and you should involve your PBX vendor/consultant, telephone company or a qualified technician for help in testing for and solving these kinds of problems.  You can also contact Telephonyware for advice.

A quick reminder for anyone who hasn’t already taken advantage of it, we still have our Christmas $10 off Google Checkout promotion running, until midnight 31 December, 2009, so there’s still some time left to score a bargain!

We will be closed on the 25th and 26th of December, and the 1st of January, but will be open (and shipping) all other days.

For a limited time, save $10.00 on any order of more than $100.00 before shipping and taxes at Telephonyware simply by using Google Checkout to place your order!

For those of you who haven’t yet tried Google Checkout, it’s an easy way to purchase from multiple vendors with a single login, and without sharing your payment information. We offer Google Checkout to customers shipping to the US and most international locations.

Now’s a great time to try out Google Checkout, and save a few bucks in the process. Just click the Google Checkout button on the shopping cart or checkout page.

There is a limit of one per customer, and the offer ends December 17, 2009, so start shopping!

Update: Due to the incredible popularity of this promotion, we have extended the offer until December 31!

Hot on the heals of announcements from Aastra, Snom and Polycom on their entrance into the growing range of “multimedia phones”, Cisco has announced the release of three new phones:

• Cisco Unified IP Phone 8961
• Cisco Unified IP Phone 9951
• Cisco Unified IP Phone 9971

While all visually identical, the Cisco 8961 is the baby of the range, with the base features of this range:

• 5″ graphical TFT 24-bit color backlit display with an effective resolution of 640×480
• G.722 wideband codec support (HD Audio)
• Internal 2-port gigabit ethernet switch, with VLAN support
• USB port for Cisco Unified IP Phone Color Expansion Module and wired USB headsets
• Dedicated RJ-9 headset jack
• Five programmable line/features keys and five call session keys
• Up to 200 concurrent calls can be handled (but I want to see the human that can match this capability!)
• Support for XML and MIDlet applications

The Cisco 9900 series improves upon the features of the Cisco 8961, adding some extra features:

• Additional USB port, for a total of two.
• Support for the Cisco Unified Video Camera via the USB port for video calling
• Embedded Bluetooth radio for a total of three different headset connectivity options (Bluetooth, USB or RJ-9)
• General purpose audio-in and audio-out ports for external speakers and microphones
• 802.11a/b/g wireless connectivity on the Cisco 9971 only

Astute readers will have noticed that the camera is curiously an optional extra, and not part of the base configuration of these phones.  In addition, these models offer two options for the handset (not the whole phone), a regular version (170g/6 oz) and a slimline version (140g/5 oz).  All three models of phone will be available in “Arctic White” and “Charcoal Gray”.

All three phones will support both Cisco’s Unified Communications platform and regular SIP.

Update: These phones are now available, as well as the expansion module.  The optional USB video camera is not yet available.   These new phones support both 802.3af and the new 802.3at Power over Ethernet specifications, and use the new CP-PWR-CUBE4= power supply if you need AC power.

• Cisco Unified IP Phone 8961
• Cisco Unified IP Phone 9951
• Cisco Unified IP Phone 9971
• Cisco Unified IP Color Key Expansion Module

In addition to the current range of rebranded Aastra phones, these phones claim tighter integration and increased features as their primary selling points.

TalkSwitch TS-350i

The TalkSwitch TS-350i has dual ethernet, a 5 line, 140×48 pixel LCD screen, dedicated RJ9 headset jack and six programmable multi-colored LED keys.

TalkSwitch TS-550i

The TalkSwitch TS-550i has dual ethernet, a backlit 4 line, 240×56 pixel LCD screen, dedicated RJ9 headset jack and 22  programmable multi-colored LED keys, with connectivity for two TS-50e expansion modules, providing a total of 46 LED keys for attendant/receptionist applications.

TalkSwitch TS-50e Expansion Module

The TalkSwitch TS-50e expands the new TS-550i with an additional 12 multicolored LED keys, and up to two TS-50e modules are supported per phone.  The expansion modules do not require any additional power.

The entire range of TalkSwitch phone systems, analog phones, IP phones and accessories are available from Telephonyware.  Initial stock of these new models is expected November 18, and pre-orders are now being accepted.

Update: The TS-350i and TS-550i are now in stock and shipping.

Sporting dual ethernet, an RJ-9 headset jack and HD Voice, the SoundPoint IP 335 represents the new entry level Polycom phone for customers looking for HD Voice capability.

“The SoundPoint IP 335 was created to bring a high quality cost effective solution to cubicle workers/call center operators through advanced telephony features and HD Voice technology, making voice communication more effective and productive. Utilizing its high resolution backlit, graphical display, RJ-9 headset port and now Polycom HD Voice, the SoundPoint IP 335 delivers a business grade telephony endpoint at an entry-level price.”, said Polycom in their product bulletin.

As with other Polycom SoundPoint IP 3XX series phones, the new SoundPoint IP 335 does not come with an AC power adapter as standard, so remember to add one to your order if you aren’t using POE!

The Polycom SoundPoint IP 335 is available for pre-order now at Telephonyware, with initial stock expected late next week.

Update: The Polycom SoundPoint IP 335 is now in stock and shipping.

Now here’s a rare occurrence, a manufacturer actually delivering their new product before their announced launch date!  It was actually due to be released on November 1st.

The new Ceros Desktop delivers the powerful Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), 80GB HDD (expandable to 160GB and RAID1), two PCI slots, three USB ports, 10/100/1000 ethernet, and a completely customizable 5 button, 6 line fully graphical LCD display on the front of the chassis.  All this in a tiny 3.0″x8.5″x10.0″ form factor, drawing 65W of power through its external 12VDC power supply.

Earlier in the development cycle, Rhino twittered with a picture of the Ceros Desktop which captures nicely the small size of this appliance.

The Rhino Ceros Desktop is available for immediate delivery from Telephonyware, at $749.00.  As with all other Ceros appliances, a $100.00 discount applies when purchased with a Rhino CTI card.

The new WiFi USB adapter fully complies with the latest 802.11n standard as well as legacy 802.11b/g standard. It supports low power management, and various security standards such as WEP 64/128, WPA (PSK), WPA2 (PSK), TKIP, and AES.

The wireless adapter can be plugged into the GXV3140 via the USB port located on the right hand side of the phone for connection speeds of over 150Mbps (though that’s an awful lot of video call!).

“We believe that the wireless USB adapter builds greater flexibility and portability to the GXV3140. Now users don’t have to worry about location or wiring restriction of an Internet connection to enjoy the rich features of the device.”, said David Li, CEO of Grandstream Networks.

The Grandstream GXV3140 Wireless USB Adapter is available for pre-order now from Telephonyware, with initial stock expected in November, 2009.

Update: The Grandstream GXV3140 Wireless USB Adapter is now in stock and shipping.

Aastra 6739i

The Aastra 6739i offers an exceptional user experience with its large, high quality color touch screen combined with an intuitive interface and navigation menus. For unrivalled voice clarity, the Aastra 6739i brings high definition sound with Aastra Hi-Q audio technology combined with full wideband handset and speakerphone hardware.

“Business communications needs have evolved, and executives are demanding the best features and usability without having to make a huge up-front investment. The Aastra 6739i offers high definition audio quality and a full range of functions to a market that is continuing to demand best-in-class technology at a competitive price,” said Simon Beebe, Vice President of Product Management, responsible for SIP phones at Aastra.

The Aastra 6739i features:

• Large 5.7inch full VGA (640×480) color touch screen display
• Intuitive graphical user interface and navigation menus
• Integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Bluetooth headset support
• USB port and expansion modules support
• Aastra Hi-Q audio technology
• Full wideband frequency response hardware: handset, headset port and speakerphone
• Additional headset connection options: modular RJ jack, built-in EHS/DHSG port
• Up to nine lines call appearances with multi-proxy support
• Up to 55 programmable softkeys
• XML support for productivity-enhancing applications

The Aastra 6739i (part number A6739-0131-10-01) is available now for pre-order from Telephonyware.

Update: The Aastra 6739i is now in stock and shipping!  Place your order today for immediate shipment.