The SPA504G is a VoIP Phone from Cisco which seems to be geared towards smaller companies.  This model comes with 4 individual call lines with dedicated buttons for Headset, Mute, Volume, Hold, Menu settings, Speakerphone and Voicemail access.  No AC power supply is needed, it can use POE (Power Over Ethernet).  This phone has a 2.5mm headset jack, as opposed to the more common Cisco 7940, 7960 and 7970 series phones.  As far as we can tell, the headset jack should be a standard 2.5mm jack so you should be able to use any of the Plantronics “cordless phone headsets” which have a 2.5mm plug, or any Plantronics commercial grade “H-series headsets” along with a 2.5mm patch cable (model# 43038-01).  If you are a user or have had any experiences with this particular line of Cisco phones, please feel free to blog with us, as this will help other people.

I need a headset for work that will do the following -

1) Plug into a Cisco VOIP phone (the standard one you see everywhere)
2) Greatly amplify volume (so for example, if the call is very hard to hear even with phone’s volume blasting, headset would further amplify sound)
3) Has a mute button on board the headset
4) Cordless would rock but could live without it.

Answer:  If you have any of the 7940, 7960 or 7970 model Cisco phones, you can use just about any of the Plantronics wireless systems such as the CS55, CS70N, CS351N, CS361N, etc.  These wireless systems have a button for adjusting your listening volume and a mute button right on the the actual headset.  The wireless headset charger / base amplifier has independent controls for both your incoming and outgoing volume.

Q: Will my Plantronics CS55/HL10 work with either a digital or analog phone system?

A: With the CS55/HL10 combination you will be connecting the wireless headset base to the phone where the handset is connected.  Think of it as a wireless extension of your handset. By reconnecting your handset to the front of your wireless headset base you now have a choice between headset and handset.

This will work with either a digital phone, like Cisco or Nortel, or an analog phone, like Avaya Partner or what you would have at home. Remember, if you are using this at home, your phone cannot have remote cordless units or any features on the handset.

A: If you have a newer, IP Phone System, wide band headsets will provide improved audio quality and clarity. If you don’t have a phone system that is wide band, purchasing a wide band headset may not result in a noticeable difference for you.