Polycom SOUNDPOINT IP 650, SOUNDPOINT IP 300, SOUNDPOINT IP 301, SOUNDPOINT IP 430, SOUNDPOINT IP 501 User Manual

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Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions on Polycom
VoIP

Why Polycom VoIP telephones?

Polycom is a leading independent supplier
of standards-based Voice over IP (VoIP)
endpoints. Polycom VoIP phones are fully
interoperable with leading IP PBX and
Softswitch platforms
can have a variety of end-to-end, fully
integrated VoIP solutions to choose from.
VoIP solutions that feature Polycom phones
provide a high-quality, rich communications
experience, deliver productivity-enhancing
new applications, and offer significant cost
savings through consolidation of network
costs for voice and data, and elimination of
costs of phone moves, adds, and changes.
Polycom offers a wide range of VoIP
endpoints to meet the unique business
communication requirements of our
customers. The Polycom VoIP product
portfolio includes the SoundPoint
of desktop phones, an attendant console
based on the SoundPoint IP 601 and
Expansion Module, and the SoundStation
IP 4000 conference phone. Our phones are
engineered to deliver a superb
communications experience. They offer
outstanding sound quality, advanced
functionality, ease of use, security, tools for
efficient provisioning and upgrades, and
protection of your investment over time.
Polycom IP telephones are your future-proof
choice for business communications.

What is a Technology / Interoperability
Partner?

Polycom Technology and Interoperability
Partners

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deliver industry-leading IP
telephony servers that provide both
traditional phone functionality and advanced
features, like unified messaging, presence,
and collaboration tools. Polycom’s strategy
is to ensure that our phones are fully
interoperable with Partner platforms, so that

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, so that our customers

®

IP family

®

our joint customers can enjoy the benefits of
an integrated end-to-end VoIP solution.

Can the phones be used on a non-Partner
platform?

In order to ensure interoperability and full
business telephony functionality, the
SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
telephones should be operated in
conjunction with Partners' IP PBX (customer
premise equipment similar to a legacy PBX
or Key System) or Softswitch (hosted
telephony similar to the traditional home
phone service) solution. Polycom does not
recommend using the phones in conjunction
with call server platforms that have not been
certified by Polycom.

Will Polycom VoIP phones work with
existing PBX or Key Systems?

While many PBX and Key System vendors
now provide optional VoIP gateways that are
standards-based, interoperability testing
must still be conducted between these
systems and Polycom IP phones to ensure
proper operation and feature support.
Polycom cannot guarantee interoperability
with a system that is not provided by one of
our Partners.

Which protocol is the best?

There is no one protocol that is better than
all the others. Each protocol has different
advantages over the others and the choice
depends on your business communication
needs.

Does the phone have a different hardware
design for each protocol?

No. The phones can support various
standards-based protocols by deploying
different firmware on the same hardware.

Can I reprogram a SoundPoint IP from SIP
to MGCP and vice versa?

No, this cannot be done in the field. Please
make sure to order the right SoundPoint IP

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.

Please visit http://www.polycom.com/technpartners.htm for a full list of supported IP PBX and Softswitch solutions.

Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

SKUs, so that they are compatible with the
protocol of your call server solution.

Where can the telephones be purchased?

The SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
phones are available through Polycom
Certified VoIP Channel Partners. These
Channel Partners have met the stringent
requirements pertinent to becoming
Polycom-certified, which involves training,
testing, and making a commitment to
support their customers. Polycom IP phones
are also distributed by service providers that
offer Polycom IP phones in conjunction with
a variety of hosted VoIP services.

The SoundPoint IP and
SoundStation IP Telephones

What telephone models are available?

Polycom offers a family of SoundPoint IP
desktop phones, the SoundPoint IP
Attendant Console Solution, and the
SoundStation IP 4000 conference phone.

The SoundPoint IP 301 is an entry-level
two-line desktop phone that supports
essential IP telephony features and
functionality. With its intuitive user interface,
the SoundPoint IP 301 provides an easy
transition from legacy PBX and Key
Systems to the world of IP telephony. The
SoundPoint IP 301's expanded memory
enables the support of HTTPS secure
provisioning.

The SoundPoint IP 430 is a two-line
desktop IP telephone designed to meet the
needs of general business users conducting
a low-to-medium volume of calls. The phone
boasts a full-duplex speakerphone that
provides excellent voice quality and enables
two-way simultaneous conversations that
are as natural as being there. The
SoundPoint IP 430 delivers a robust feature
set, including built-in PoE circuitry, graphical

LCD, and support for advanced telephony
features and security.

The SoundPoint IP 501 is a three-line
desktop IP telephone that delivers
exceptional sound quality. This full-featured,
enterprise-grade IP phone is an optimal
solution for transactional-type workers
conducting a medium-to-high volume of
calls. The SoundPoint IP 501 boasts a full­duplex speakerphone with Polycom Acoustic
Clarity Technology, large graphical
grayscale LCD, and expanded memory to
support HTTPS secure provisioning.

The SoundPoint IP 601 is the ultimate IP
telephone delivering unsurpassed voice
quality, an advanced feature set, and the
expandability to support up to three
SoundPoint IP Expansion Modules. Ideal for
users requiring multiple lines and advanced
features, the SoundPoint IP 601 delivers
both traditional telephone capabilities and
new, converged applications.

The SoundPoint IP Expansion Module
augments the user interface of the
SoundPoint IP 601 by adding a high­resolution graphical grayscale LCD and 14
illuminated multifunctional keys, configurable
as a line appearance or speed dial with busy
lamp field (BLF) functionality. The
Expansion Module is a cord-free, hot­swappable, plug-and-play solution requiring
virtually no configuration.

The SoundPoint IP Attendant Console
Solution. Based on the SoundPoint IP 601
desktop phone and up to three SoundPoint
IP Expansion Modules, the attendant
console provides an enhanced user
interface and advanced call handling
capabilities that help telephone attendants ­executive assistants, receptionists, and
secretaries - effectively and efficiently
manage and monitor a high volume of
simultaneous calls.

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.

Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

The SoundStation IP 4000 is the market­leading SIP conference phone. Featuring
Polycom's award-winning Acoustic Clarity
Technology, the SoundStation IP 4000’s full­duplex speakerphone provides outstanding
voice quality and enables simultaneous two­way natural conversations. The
SoundStation IP 4000 supports a broad
range of IP telephony features, including
directories, call forwarding, hold, transfer,
pickup, three-way local conferencing, and
presence. With superior room coverage and
microphone pickup for small to medium­sized conference rooms, the SoundStation
IP 4000 is expandable for larger rooms with
optional extension microphones.

What features do Polycom IP phones
support?

The SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
phones are engineered to provide a high­quality, rich and secure communications
experience by delivering superb sound
quality, an intuitive user interface, and a rich
feature set, including shared call / bridged
line appearance, multiple call- and flexible
line appearances, three-way local
conferencing, presence, messaging, and
custom ring tones. To ensure a high level of
security, all Polycom IP phones support
digest authentication, HTTPS secure
provisioning, "signed" software executables,
TLS security, and encrypted configuration
files. Features available on SoundPoint IP
phones will vary depending on the model
and telephony server that the phone is
operated with. Please refer to the respective
product datasheets and check with your call
server platform provider to determine the list
of supported features.

What protocols do Polycom VoIP telephones
support?

The SoundPoint IP 301 and 501 support
both SIP and MGCP. The SoundPoint IP
430 and 601 currently only support SIP. The
SoundPoint IP 600 supports MGCP. The
SoundPoint IP Expansion Module is protocol

agnostic and supports the protocol of the
host SoundPoint IP 601 (SIP). The
SoundStation® IP 4000 supports SIP.

Do the phones come in any other color?

No. The only color available is gray.

What is the SoundPoint IP Expansion
Module?

The SoundPoint IP Expansion Module
enhances the user interface of the
SoundPoint IP 601 with a high-resolution
graphical LCD and 14 multifunctional keys
that can be configured as a line appearance
or speed-dial with busy lamp field (BLF)
functionality.

A high-performance attendant console
based on the SoundPoint IP 601 and up to
three SoundPoint IP Expansion Modules
provides a productivity-enhancing solution
for telephone attendants - receptionists,
administrative assistants, and other “power
users” who manage and monitor multiple
simultaneous telephone calls on a daily
basis.

Which SoundPoint IP models support the
Expansion Module?

The SoundPoint IP 601 is the only telephone
model that supports the SoundPoint IP
Expansion Module.

How many Expansion Modules can be
attached to the SoundPoint IP 601?

The SoundPoint IP 601 will support up to 3
Expansion Modules.

How are powering and signaling
implemented on the SoundPoint IP
Expansion Module?

The SoundPoint IP Expansion Module's
powering and signaling are provided by the
host phone.

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.

Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the SoundPoint IP Expansion
Module communicate with the host phone
and other attached Expansion Modules?

The communications happen through the
host phone's and Expansion Modules'
infrared ports.

What does it take to install and configure the
SoundPoint IP Expansion Module?

Installation and configuration of the
SoundPoint IP Expansion Module are very
simple, since both power and signaling are
taken from the host SoundPoint IP 601
phone. Just snap the Expansion Module
onto the host phone – and it works. No extra
wires or power supplies are required. Up to
three Expansion Modules may be attached
to and detached from an idle SoundPoint IP
601 at any time.

Hardware Technical FAQ

What are the powering options for
SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP?

The SoundPoint IP 301 ships with a
standard CAT-5 cable and an AC adapter
that plugs into a jack located on the rear of
the phone. For Power over Ethernet, both
IEEE 802.3af and Cisco Inline Power
versions of the optional PoE cable are
available for purchase. In addition, SKUs
with included PoE cable and optional AC
adapter can also be ordered.

The SoundPoint IP 501 ships with a custom
network cable that contains a jack that
applies power to the unused pairs in a CAT­5 network cable from a supplied AC adapter.
For Power over Ethernet, both IEEE 802.3af
and Cisco Inline Power versions of the
optional PoE cable are available for
purchase. In addition, SKUs with included
PoE cable and optional AC adapter can also
be ordered.

The SoundPoint IP 430 and 601 come with
a standard CAT-5 cable. The phones ship
with an AC adapter that plugs into a jack

located on the rear of the phone. Both the
models have integrated support for IEEE

802.3af PoE. In addition, the SoundPoint IP
601 supports Cisco Inline Power.

The SoundPoint IP Expansion Module is
powered by the host telephone.

The SoundStation IP 4000 only supports
AC adapter as a powering option at this
time.

What types of headsets are supported?

SoundPoint IP phones are compatible with
amplified headsets REV E. and higher.
Direct connect RJ-9 headsets are
supported. Please refer to your headset
vendor for compatibility information.

Why does the handset and headset volume
reset on every call?

The handset and headset volumes both
reset following each call to comply with FCC
requirements and with the recommendations
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This
feature can be disabled through a
modification to the configuration file.

Is there a hub or switch in the phone?

All SoundPoint IP phones contain a dual­port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch.

Can an additional phone be plugged into the
second Ethernet port?

Polycom recommends that in order to
maintain voice quality, the second Ethernet
port be used only with standard PC
applications. You should not “daisy chain”
phones together.

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.

Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

Software/Firmware Technical
FAQ

What Codecs are supported?

All SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
phones support G.711µ /A law and G.729a
(Annex B.)

Do the phones support custom ring tones?

Custom ring tones or wave file ring tones
can be downloaded on some versions of
software. Please refer to the Administrator
Documentation for the specific type and
version of software you have.

Is there a web browser built into the phone?

Polycom IP phones do not currently support
this capability.

Can the phones support LDAP directories?

Currently there is no support for directories
like LDAP. This capability will likely be
supported in the future.

Networking FAQ

How do the phones place calls to the
PSTN?

The IP phone call's data packets are routed
to a gateway, which then transports that call
over to the Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN). This task is completely
transparent to the user.

Do the SoundPoint IP work over broadband
connections like cable and DSL?

To ensure voice quality is maintained,
proper network design rules relating to items
such as latency, firewalls, bandwidth, and
QoS should be applied at all times. As long
as proper network design guidelines are
followed, Polycom IP phones will deliver
exceptional performance on networks with
broadband connections such as cable or
DSL.

What Quality of Service measures do the
phones support?

All SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
phones support Layer 3 Type of Service
(TOS), DCSP, 802.1 p/Q VLAN and Priority
tagging.

Configuration and Upgrade
FAQ

How are the phones configured?

Polycom phones support zero-touch
provisioning. Phones can be fully configured
by modifying the configuration files that are
loaded to the phone from a boot server, thus
eliminating the need to physically configure
individual phones.

How does an administrator manage large
quantities of phones?

The format and content of the configuration
files are such that these files can be
customized using administrator tools and
used to provision phones upon boot up from
an FTP, TFTP, HTTP, or HTTPS boot
server. An administrator for a large group of
phones can modify the configurations and
push the new info to the phones by remotely
rebooting the phones. Remote reboot
capabilities need to be supported by your IP
PBX or IP Softswitch platform. Please
contact your reseller for details.

Does Polycom provide tools to configure the
phones?

Polycom provides as part of its firmware
releases XML-structured configuration files
that can be managed with partner-supplied
administrative tools or manually edited.

Do the phones have a web server?

SIP versions of Polycom IP phones support
configuration through a Web interface.

How is the time set on the phones?

Polycom IP phones use Simple Network
Time Protocol (SNTP) servers to provide

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.

Polycom® VoIP Products

Frequently Asked Questions

accurate time. These servers can be located
on the local network or available from
various sites on the Internet.

What is the Password to access the Set-up?

The User ID and Password will vary
depending on what version of software you
are running. Please refer to the
Administrator Documentation for the specific
type and version of software you have.

How are the phones upgraded?

One can upgrade phone software by placing
new files onto the boot server and rebooting
the phones. The phones download all the
configuration files on every reboot and
download a small chunk of the .ld files to
compare versions. If the version is the same
the file is not downloaded, if it is different,
the file will be downloaded.

How do users get firmware updates?

Certified Polycom VoIP Channel Partners
can access most recent SIP software on the
Polycom Resource Center at

http://extranet.polycom.com

MGCP, firmware is distributed by the
Technology Partners through their reseller
channel base. Please contact the reseller
you purchased your IP telephony solution
from if you have any software needs.

Does the boot server need to be available at
all times?

An FTP, TFTP, HTTP, or HTTPS boot
server must be available anytime a
configuration file change or firmware
upgrade needs to be performed. The phone
will boot from a flash image if the boot
server is not available or if there are no new
files located on the boot server that need to
be loaded to the phone. Polycom
recommends that the boot server be
available at all times as the phone does
upload log files to the boot server that can
be useful if troubleshooting is required.

. In the case of

What happens to the phones if there is a
power failure during the upgrade process?

The SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP
phones follow a fail-safe upgrade process
where the phone does not delete the
previous file image until a new one is
successfully saved. A power failure or server
outage during an upgrade will not damage
the phone.

What documentation is available?

Please visit the IP Telephony
Documentation section at

http://www.polycom.com/resource_center/0,
1454,pw-26-482,FF.html for a complete list

of available documents, including data
sheets, family brochures, and quick start
guides. Please also check with your reseller
for any custom documents developed by
Technology and Interoperability Partners.

©2006 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of Polycom, Inc. or their respective companies.