Plantronics Celebrates Turning 50 by Improving its Unified Communications Portfolio

Plantronics, celebrating its 50-year milestone, has announced new additions to its Unified Communications portfolio. Along with the added services and products, which span communications devices, software, and services, Plantronics is offering the new Plantronics UC Toolkit, a complete set of tools, training, and documentation for helping unified communications solutions expand and grow, as well as the flagship products Voyager PRO UC and Calisto 825.

The Plantronics UC Toolkit is a portfolio that contains the best IT practices, guidelines, and recommendations, along with tools that encompass the lifecycle of implementing unified communications. With the toolkit, IT organizations can make sure they get the best UC experience and make the best of their investments in unified communications.

Plantronics also introduced the next generation Voyager PRO UC Bluetooth headset, which uses advanced hardware and software to communicate without complexity by detecting presence and integrating with PC applications. There's also the Calisto 800 series, the first speakerphones in Plantronics' portfolio to combine multi-device, hands-free connectivity and visual call management. Part of that series is the Calisto 825, which manages calls between a mobile phone and personal computer, with a wireless microphone providing speakerphone audio quality.

According to Blair Pleasant of UCStrategies, “At the launch event, Plantronics demonstrated its new devices, which lived up to the tag line and new vision, ‘Simply Smarter Communications’". The Voyager PRO UC headset has smart sensors that know when it’s on your head or not; if it’s not on your head, you can accept a phone call manually on your endpoint device, but when you put headset on, the audio transfers to your headset automatically without you having to do anything. It automatically switches between handset and headset mode, making it simpler to use – especially those times when you need to switch from a mobile phone to desk phone, and vice versa. From a unified communications perspective, the headset can share presence information with Skype and Microsoft Lync, so when you’re wearing the headset, it automatically lets Lync or Skype know that you're available for a voice call; and if you’re on a mobile call using the Voyager Pro, it indicates that you're busy. It also lets you switch from an instant message chat to a voice conversation by simply placing the headset on your ear. This is true Unified Communications."

Pleasant continues, “Plantronics also demonstrated the new Calisto 800 Series. Designed for home-based workers, the Calisto 800 lets users manage multiple lines coming in, enabling users to see incoming caller ID, while providing a standard way to dial those numbers, in addition to a high-quality speaker phone. The microphone, with 360 degree microphone sensitivity, is optimized to be next to the user’s computer, and it blocks keyboard noise. It comes with a clip-on wireless mike that lets users work hands free. The first release is optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator and Lync, as well as Skype, IBM, Cisco and Ayaya. As a home-based worker, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next release, the Calisto 830, which provides home phone (analog) connectivity.”

For more information, visit www.plantronics.com.