| In recent years Session Initiation Protocol or SIP | | | | 601 are great alternatives for the cost-conscious |
| has become a widespread protocol of choice for | | | | small business. The most popular in the secondary |
| multimedia applications. In particular SIP has | | | | market are refurbished SoundPoint IP 430, 600, |
| become quite popular in voice applications. Most | | | | and 601's. Featuring dual switched Ethernet ports |
| major PBX manufacturers now support IP | | | | for collocation of a PC and integrated 802.3af PoE |
| endpoints and also support SIP trunks and | | | | support, these three models have made it easy |
| extensions. The growing popularity of the open | | | | to setup a workstation. No need for an auxiliary |
| source PBX software Asterisk and its various | | | | power supply or local AC power outlet. Using PoE, |
| derivatives (e.g.Asterisk Business Edition, | | | | one LAN cable can run both the telephone and |
| AsteriskNow, Elastix, Trixbox, Switchbox etc.) has | | | | computer's data connection. |
| also fueled the development and implementation | | | | What do you give up by choosing these models? |
| of SIP. | | | | Currently, most businesses wouldn't give up too |
| Of note is the growth of the SIP compliant | | | | much. The most touted feature in the newer |
| hardware industry. Major manufacturers like | | | | SoundPoint IP 450, 550, and 650 models is |
| Aastra, Grandstream, Polycom, and Snom | | | | Polycom's HD Voice technology. HD Voice is the |
| produce SIP phones that are in common use. | | | | moniker being given to wideband audio based on |
| Even proprietary PBX manufacturers like Avaya, | | | | the G.722 codec. There are some early adopters |
| Nortel, and Cisco have their own flavors of SIP | | | | reaping local benefits, but until there is widespread |
| firmware available for their IP telephones. | | | | use, most small businesses will not notice the |
| Polycom's SoundPoint IP is one of the most | | | | sound quality difference. Truth be told, the audio |
| popular lines of SIP compliant phones in today's | | | | quality of the SoundPoint IP family is great as it is. |
| market. Not only limited to Asterisk based phone | | | | What do you gain by choosing these models? A |
| systems on the customer premise, these phones | | | | solid and well-supported SIP compliant IP phone |
| have also become ubiquitous in the hosted IP PBX | | | | and a fatter wallet. Polycom continues to support |
| market. The incorporation of a high-quality | | | | its discontinued product for three years after end |
| speakerphone, robust features, and customizable | | | | of sale. That means hardware and software |
| configuration via XML-based server files has laid | | | | support until 2013. By then, the HD Voice models |
| the foundation for their implementation. | | | | should have a great secondary market as well. |
| The prevalence of SoundPoint IP telephones has | | | | What kind of savings will you realize? The price of |
| produced a burgeoning secondary market for the | | | | a refurbished SoundPoint IP telephone can range |
| earlier models in the SoundPoint IP product line. Still | | | | from $69 (2-line) to $139 (6-line), whereas the |
| well supported in both parts and firmware, the | | | | newer models range from $179 (3-line) to $269 |
| SoundPoint IP 300, 301, 430, 500, 501, 600, and | | | | (6-line). |