Comfortcanada's Blog

Plantronics Wireless Headsets – Batteries

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:57:06 +0000

Plantronics wireless headsets are available in several families which includes the CS50, CS55, CS70N, CS351N/CS361N, the new CS500 series and the new Savi W700 series. All of these wireless systems use Lithium Ion (Li-on) batteries in the ear pieces that need replacing periodically, typically after about 2 years, although this varies depending on usage and how often they are charged. If you as a user notice that the battery is not holding its charge for more than a couple of hours, then it is time to get a new battery. And if the headset is mission critical, then stock up on some spare batteries.

Here are the batteries for various headset models along with some installation tips.

64399-01 Battery for CS50/CS55

The 64399-01 is the replacement battery for the CS50 and CS55. To replace this battery, remove the cover on the underside of the earpiece, unhook the tiny electrical plug and remove the old battery, then connect the new battery and replace the cover. This process can be a bit tricky, so if you have problems, see the detailed procedure at this link.

Tip: To squeeze a bit more life out of an old battery while you are waiting for a replacement, try resetting the CS55 system. Here’s how.

72910-01 CS70N Earpiece

The CS70N is a sealed earpiece and does not have a replaceable battery. Order the 72910-01 earpiece to replace the battery.

64399-01 Battery for Over the Head Headsets

All of the Plantronics over-the-head headsets, including the CS351N/CS361N, Savi Office WH300/WH350, CS510/CS520 and Savi W710/W720 use the same 64399-03 battery.

Click here for instructions on how to replace the battery.

82904-01 Savi Office WH110 Headset

Savi 740 Headset and Cradle

The Savi Office WO100 headset is a sealed unit with no replaceable battery. To replace the battery, order a complete 82904-01 WH110 headset and cradle, or upgrade to a new 83356-01 Savi 740 headset and cradle, which comes with a replaceable battery. The Savi W740 cradle will mount on the Savi Office WO100 base. Note you will need to order Headband, neckband and/or Earhook Fit Kit separately with the W740 upgrade.

86180-01 CS540 Battery

The CS540 earpiece uses the 86180-01 replaceable battery. Click here for instructions on how to replace the battery on the CS540.

84598-01 Savi W740 Hot Swappable Battery

The Savi W440, W740 and W745 wireless headsets use the 84598-01 replaceable battery. The battery is hot swappable, which is especially effective on the Savi W745 system that piggybacks an additional battery charging port in the charging cradle.

Plantronics Good Call Rebate on CS500 Wireless Headsets

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:33:09 +0000

CS500 Series Rebate

The new Plantronics CS500 Series wireless headsets are here. And everything your old headsets can do, these can do better. Think ultra-light for all-day comfort; ultra-long-range for hands-free productivity up to 350 feet from your desk; and ultra-long-lasting with up to 9 hours of talk time.

Keep some of those old headsets out of the landfill, and save $25 on the cost of your new wireless headset. To claim your rebate:

1. Find an old commercial headset (any manufacturer, corded or wireless)
2. Purchase a shiny new CS540, CS520, or CS510 Series headset from authorized Plantronics dealer such as Comfort Telecom Canada
3. Complete claim form online at www.plantronics.com/customeroffer
4. Ship the old headset(s) with a copy of CS500 Series headset purchase receipt to Plantronics Canada at the address on the back back of the form

Canadian customers can ship their old headsets to:

Plantronics CS500 Series Trade-In Rebate Offer Canada
Promotion #41394
26-200 Fitch Street, Suite 144
Welland, ON L3C 4V9

For additional CS500 rebate details, product information or pricing, please email us at Calgary@comfortcanada.com, or visit our website at http://www.comfortcanada.com/Plantronics/cs500.htm

Plantronics CS55 Discontinued – Replaced by CS540

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:40:28 +0000

CS55 System and Phone Connection

The Plantronics venerable CS55 wireless telephone headset system has been DISCONTINUED, and new units are no longer available. Support, replacement parts and accessories and user documentation are available on Comfort Canada website at:

http://www.comfortcanada.com/Plantronics/cs55.htm

The replacement system is the CS540, part of the new Plantronics CS500 family of wireless telephone headsets.

CS540 Wireless Telephone Headset System

The CS540 is modern, streamlined and light, and offers many new features such as the magnetic headset docking, conferencing capability, up to 350 feet wireless range, remote call answer/end, including Electronic Hookswitch (EHS) support for many modern phone systems such as Avaya, Cisco and ShoreTel, and replaceable earpiece battery. The CS540 is also future proofed. The earpiece is interchangeable with other advanced wireless solutions from Plantronics including the new Savi W740 and the Savi W440.

For additional product information or pricing please contact the Comfort Telecom Canada Calgary office at calgary@comfortcanada.com.

UC Corded Headset Solution for Microsoft Office Communicator and Cisco IP Phones

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:53:47 +0000

MDA200 USB Switch with Headset, Desk Phone and PC USB Connections

Need a Unified Communications solution for integrating a corded headset with both your Microsoft Office Communicator softphone and a Cisco IP phone?

MDA 200 USB Switch

The key to this configuration is Plantronics new MDA200 USB switch. The MDA200 is a multi device switcher that instantly turns any corded or wireless USB headset into a multipoint headset. The MDA200 lets you answer, end, hold and switch between calls from any connected device with a press of a button.

…

Blackwire C620 USB Headset for MSOC

Next select a USB headset. The Plantronics Blackwire C600-M series provides premium audio and comfort for PC Communications, and is optimized for Microsoft Office® Communicator 2007 and Microsoft® Lync™ 2010. For those who spend hours each day on long conference calls, webinars and video conferencing, the exceptional voice clarity and all-day comfort of the Blackwire 600 Series make communications more effective and productive. The picture to the left is a C620-M binaural model, and there is also a monaural model available.

MDA 200 Telephone Interface Cable

Connect the MDA200 to the desk phone using the Telephone Interface Cable supplied with the MDA200, as illustrated in the diagram to the left. This configuration requires that you answer/end calls by lifting/replacing the phone handset. For phones with a dedicated headset port, plug the Telephone Interface Cable into that port, and manage calls via the Headset or Handsfree button on the phone.

For further technical information on the MDA200 USB Switch or the Blackwire C600 and C400 USB headsets optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator and Lync, select these links, or visit our website at http://www.comfortcanada.com. Or contact us by email at calgary{at}comfortcanada{dot}com.

Most Popular Phone and PC Headset Systems from Plantronics

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:18:58 +0000

Plantronics has come out with some new wireless headset models for telephone, computer and combined UC communications in the past few months that have been really popular with our customers, both from an ergonomic perspective and for the new and improved features provided. Here are our favorites.

CS540

CS540 Wireless Telephone Headset System

The CS540 replaces the venerable Plantronics CS55 as the wireless telephone headset most commonly found in front offices, customer support and contact centres. The CS540 features newly designed and extremely light earpiece, converts from earhook to headband wearing style in a jiffy, and offers longer range (350 feet) than the retired CS55. It also includes the multi-headset conferencing feature usually reserved for higher-end wireless headsets. This means you can conference in 3 additional users to collaborate on a call, or simply bring in a manager/trainer in conference mode to mentor a trainee on a call.

The CS500 series also offers monaural (single ear) and binaural (2-ears) models for noisier environments.

Savi W740

Savi W740 Multi Device Wireless Headset System

The Savi W740 replaces the Plantronics Savi Office WO100 Wireless Phone/PC headset system. Range (350 feet) and features are similar, but the W740 incorporates a new lighter design for the earpiece with convertible earhook, headband and neckband accoutrements all in the box. The W740 also features an optional deluxe charging cradle with hot-swappable battery which allows you to extend your working hours with the headset. The Savi 700 series allows you to connect to three different communications devices, desk phone, computer (USB port) and Bluetooth PDA, and mix calls between the different communication media. And with Plantronics new Spokes software, you can now use the headset Remote Call Control with softphones on your Mac.

The Savi W700 series also offers monaural (single ear) and binaural (2-ears) models for noisier environments.

Voyager Pro UC

Voyager Pro UC Bluetooth Headset System

The Voyager Pro UC is a unique Bluetooth headset system with both PDA and PC voice connectivity. Your mobile office is now unified like never before with the next generation Voyager™ PRO UC system. With revolutionary Smart Sensor technology, you can answer a call by simply putting on your headset, and when you do, it automatically updates your softphone presence so colleagues know your availability – and that’s just the beginning from a proven performer in delivering premium sound quality and comfort. The Voyager Pro UC Bluetooth earpiece is also a great performer when you go on the road. It features advanced AudioIQ2 technology that cancels noise while retaining the natural sound of your voice, and WindSmart® technology that aggressively blocks intrusive wind noise. A great little device for combined mobile and office voice applications.

Savi W440

Savi W440 DECT Wireless Headset for PC Voice Applications

The Savi®440 is the first portable DECT™ headset system on the market and now includes the ultra-light WH500 earpiece. Enjoy your choice of three wearing styles and wireless freedom to multi-task up to 300 feet from your desk. And you can change the hot swappable battery (option with deluxe charging cradle) in mid-conversation for unlimited talk time. Enjoy advanced audio technology and world class sound quality, all in one convenient, portable package. Ideal for users in campus-like business environments using a laptop for voice calls and multimedia, the hands-free Savi 440 wireless headset system has been found particularly effective when used with Dragon Speech Recognition software.

For more information about communications products from Comfort Telecom Canada, please visit out website at http://www.comfortcanada.com/, or contact us at the Calgary Alberta office at calgary{at}comfortcanada{dot}com.

Conferencing Plantronics Savi Office and Savi W700 Headsets in Mixed Environments

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:10:45 +0000

With the introduction of Plantronics new Savi W700 multi connectivity wireless headset series and the phasing out of the Savi Office Wireless headset systems, we wondered how the multiple headset conferencing feature would function when the two model series are mixed in the same facility. We did some testing and found the answer to be YES, you can conference any mix of Savi Office and Savi W700 headsets and bases.

First, the basics.

Here is how you set up a multi headset conference:

To set-up Savi Office and/or Savi W700 conferencing:
1. Start your call on your master headset.
2. Place a 2nd same model* headset into your base charging cradle.
2a. Or, for Over-the-Air subscription, on the guest headset, press the headset Volume Button Up “+” for 3 seconds until the Indicator Light on the side of the headset turns ON. (you will have to do this if the guest headset is a different model).
3. Press the Subscription Button on the host base for less than one second. The Subscription Light will flash yellow and green.
4. The light will turn solid yellow, you will also hear a tone in your host headset.
5. You now have 5 seconds to press your Call Control Button on the master headset to accept your guest. Repeat steps 2-5 for adding additional headsets.
To exit or Disconnect – Your guests can exit the call by pressing their Call Control Button. When the host headset Call Control Button is pressed to end the conference call, all guests will be disconnected.

Below are illustrations of various Savi Office and and Savi W700 combinations we tried:

W710 Headset Conferenced to a W740 Host

This as a Savi W710 guest headset conferenced in with a W740 host. Note that you can not mount this guest headset into the host charging cradle, so Over the Air subscription was used.

W740 Guset Headset Conferenced to a WO350 Host Base

This s a Savi W740 guest headset conferenced to a Savi Office WO350 base. This is an example where a supervisor conferences and mutes their headset to a CSR host station to monitor and coach.

WO350 Guest Conferenced to a W740 Host

This illustrates a Savi Office WO350 guest joining a Savi W740 call.

The following table details the various combinations tested, with some notes on the steps required to set up the conference.

Savi Office and Savi 700 Series Over the Air (Off Cradle) Conferencing
Guest Headset	WO100 Base ⁽¹⁾	WO350 Base ⁽¹⁾	W740 Base ⁽²⁾	W710 Base ⁽²⁾
WH100 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes ^{(3) (4)}	Yes ^{(3) (4)}
WH350 headset Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes ^{(3) (4)}	Yes ^{(3) (4)}
Savi W740 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes ^{(3) (4)}	Yes ^{(3) (4)}
Savi W710 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes ^{(3) (4)}	Yes ^{(3) (4)}

(1) Conferencing to a Savi Office WOxxx Base: While on a call you can subscribe up to three additional headsets to your base for conferencing.a.) Place the guest’s headset into over-the-air subscription mode by pushing the headset volume up button for three seconds until the indicator light becomes solid green.b.) Short press (less than one second) the subscription button on the base.The subscription light will flash yellow and green.c.) The master headset will emit a tone indicating a guest wishes to join the call. The subscription light will then turn solid green. d.) Press the call control button on the master headset within five seconds. The Base subscription LED will turn solid yellow. The guest is joined to the call. If you do not press the call control button within five seconds, the request to join the call is rejected and the guest will hear an error tone in their headset. Guests may leave the conference call by pressing their call control button. When they do you will hear a single tone in the master headset as each guest leaves the call.
(2) Conferencing to a Savi W700 Base: While on a call you can subscribe up to three additional headsets to your base for conferencing.a.) Press the guest headset volume up button until the indicator light turns on.b.) Short press the base subscription button while the base has an active link.c.) When the base subscription LED stops flashing green and yellow and remains solid yellow, the request to join will be heard in the primary user’s headset.c.) Press the call control button on the primary user headset within 10 seconds to accept the guest. The Base Subscription LED will continue flashing yellow/green for about 4 seconds⁽⁴⁾, then turns solid yellow indicating the conference link is complete and active. Guests may leave the conference call by pressing their call control button. When they do you will hear a single tone in the master headset as each guest leaves the call. In the master Headset call control button is selected, it also will terminate both the master Link and the guest headset link.
(3) The Savi W700 user manuals instruct you to short-press-once the primary base subscription button first, then the guest headset volume-up control second. This will initiate a successful conferencing sequence, but the guest headset needs to be placed in close proximity to the base, within 30 to 40 cm. Selecting the headset volume-up first, then the base subscription button (once) second, the guest headset can be at least 2-3 metres from the base.
(4) With the Savi W700 base, (but not the Savi Office WOxxx base), there is a short window after the primary user hears the guest request beep in master headset and selects the primary headset call control button, where the base subscription LED continues to flash yellow/green for a few seconds before changing to solid yellow indicating successful conference link. If the primary user selects the master headset call control button again in that window, it will cause the base Link button to turn from green to “not illuminated”. However the actual Link is not broken, and the primary call is still active. Selection the primary headset call control button again will cause the Link LED to go solid green again, and the call and conference link remain active.

For Savi W700 product information, manuals and user tips, please visit our website at http://www.comfortcanada.com/Plantronics/savi_w700.htm, or email us in Calgary, Alberta at calgary@comfortcanada.com.

…

Are Plantronics Savi Office and Savi W700 Interchangeable?

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:38:22 +0000

Since Plantronics has announced end-of-life for the Savi Office WO100, WO300 and WO350 products, to be replaced by the new Savi W740, W710 and W720 products, we wanted to know how this would affect our customers’ installed products. Can you use your Savi Offices headsets on W700 bases and vice versa? In multi-shift environments, can you take your personal headset earpiece and mount it at any workstation with any model base?

The answer is YES YOU CAN. Below are some images and test results.

Savi Office and Savi W700 Test Gear

We tried three modes of linking different model headsets to various headset system Bases:

1. Mounting the headset into a compatible charging cradle on another base (the WO300, WO350, W710 and W720 all use the same type charging cradles, althought the Savi Office cradles are silver/grey, while the W700 cradles are black)

2. Moving charging cradle and headset to a different base

3. Over-the-air subscription, where a headset can be subscribed/linked to a different base without mounting it in the charging cradle

Note that there is one key difference between how headsets subscribe to to the Bases. For the Savi Office Base, you have to press the Subscription button twice after you mount the headset in the cradle. For the Savi W700 series Bases, the Base recognizes the headset when it is placed in the cradle, and auto-subscription takes place without having to manually select the Subscription button.

W710 HS Mounted on WO350 Base

The Savi W710 and W720 headsets use the same charging cradles as the Savi Office WO300/WO350, so can be interchanged between these systems.

W710 HS and Cradle Mounted on WO350 Base

In this case, the complete W710 charging cradle and headset have been mounted on the Savi Office WO350 Base. Notice that the Base is silver, while the cradle is black.

WH350 HS Mounted on W710 Base and Cradle

This is a W350 headset mounted on a W710 system.

W740 H/S Subscribed OtA to a WO100 system Base

Any Savi Office or Savi W700 series can be subscribed to any system base over the air, without mounting it in the cradle, following the procedures below. You might do this when the headset does not fit the mounted cradle (e.g. W740 vs W710, or WH100 vs Savi W740).

To Subscribe – Headset Un-Docked

Double press the subscription button on the base. The subscription light will flash red and green. Press the volume up button on the headset for three seconds until the headset indicator light turns solid green.

When the subscription light on the base becomes solid green, the headset and base are subscribed to one another.

The following table details the various combinations tested. Note that the CS540 earpiece was successfully tested with the W740 base and cradle as they have the same form factor and use the same communication protocol.

Savi Office and Savi 700 Series Interchangeability – Moving headsets and Cradles Between Bases
Subscription Compatibility	WO100 Base	WO350 Base	W740 Base	W710 Base
CS540 earpiece to cradle	No	No	Yes ⁽¹⁾	^No
CS540 Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WH100 earpiece to cradle	Yes ⁽²⁾	No	No	No
WH100 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WH350 headset to cradle	No	Yes ⁽²⁾	No	Yes ⁽¹⁾
WH350 headset Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Savi W740 earpiece to cradle	No	No	Yes ⁽¹⁾	No
Savi W740 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Savi W710 earpiece to cradle	No	Yes ⁽²⁾	No	Yes⁽¹⁾
Savi W710 earpiece Over the Air	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WH100 Cradle/earpiece to Base	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes⁽¹⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾
WH350 Cradle/headset to Base	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes⁽¹⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾
Savi W740 Cradle/earpiece to Base	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾
Savi W710 Cradle/headset to Base	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽²⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾	Yes ⁽¹⁾
(1) Auto Subscription
(2) Manual Subscription

For further product information about the new W700 series, please visit our website at http://www.comfortcanada.com/Plantronics/savi_w700.htm

For information about other products from Comfort Telecom Canada, visit www.comfortcanada.com or email us at calgary@comfortcanada.com

Plantronics New Wireless Headset Products

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:15:34 +0000

Plantronics has released a series of related DECT wireless products recently which anybody engaged in extensive phone PC voice and Bluetooth connectivity should take a closer look at. These are really neat gadgets, and should improve your productivity in this increasingly Unified Communications world.

The 3 models discussed here are the Savi W440, the CS540 and the Savi W740.

Savi W440

The Savi W440 is a DECT wireless headset for dedicated PC voice applications. The WH500 earpiece is very light weight at 21 grams, and the unit comes with a swappable headband. The W440 UC standard version is built for UC applications with Softphones from Avaya, Cisco, IBM, ShoreTel, Skype and other softphones, and the W440-M version is optimized for Microsoft Lync 2010 and Microsoft® OCS 2007. Range is up to 300 feet.

For complete product info and documentation on the W440, visit the Comfort Canada webpage.

………………

CS540 Base and Earpiece

The CS540 is a DECT wireless headset system for corded desk phone use. This model is part of the CS500 series which replaces the venerable CS55 and related models. The CS540 introduces a number of new or improved features over the older CS50 and CS55, including the extremely light weight and comfort of the the new earpiece, premium wideband audio, improved range up to 350 feet, and multi-headset conferencing (useful for manager monitoring and training). The WH500 earpiece is also compatible electronically with the W440 and Savi W740, as well as the existing Savi Office systems, so you can pair or conference the CS540 headset with those systems where you have a mix of units in the office.

For additional information, read the Plantronics New CS500 Wireless Telephone Headsets Rock! Blog article, or visit the Comfort Canada CS540 product page.

……………

Savi W740

The Savi W740 is part of the Savi 700 series which is replacing the Savi Office WO100, WO200 and WO300/350 Unified Communications wireless systems. The Savi 700 models connect through the base to the 3 primary communications technologies: PC softphones, desk phones and Bluetooth PDA devices. The standard UC models support remote call control for a range of softphones from Cisco, Avaya, ShoreTel, Skype and others, and the -M model variants have built-in software optimized for Microsoft Lync 2010 and Microsoft® OCS 2007. Range is up to 350 feet. Advanced features include the ultra-light WH500 earpiece and hot-swappable battery (option) on the Savi W740 model, interchangeable charging cradles, multiple headset conferencing, advanced wideband audio, and more.

For additional product information and documentation, visit the Comfort Canada Savi W700 webpage.

For more information about Plantronics Wireless Headset Systems, please visit the Comfort Telecom Canada website at www.comfortcanada.com/Plantronics/plnt_wireless.htm or email us in Calgary: calgary{at}comfortcanada{dot}com or Brampton: productenquiry{at}comfortcanada{dot}com

Plantronics New CS500 Wireless Telephone Headsets Rock!

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:35:41 +0000

Plantronics CS500 Series Wireless Headsets

Plantronics legendary CS family is setting a new wireless standard for desk phone communication with the CS500™ Series, which features the lightest DECT™ headset on the market, a new streamlined design and improved performance. The new CS500™ Series features the same reliability for hands-free productivity that has made the CS family a best seller for nearly a decade, as well as several new features including premium wideband audio, improved range up to 350 feet, and multi-headset conferencing. An added benefit is that you can pair (subscribe) headsets from a Savi Office system with a CS500 base, especially useful where the CS510/CS520 headset has the same form, fit and function for desk phone connectivity as the Savi Office WO300/WO350, and you want to move operators between stations (multi-shift operations).

CS540 Earpiece/Earhook

The CS540 system replaces the CS55 and features a convertible earhook/headband wearing style with the lightest DECT earpiece on the market (just 21 grams).

The earhook configuration includes several earhook and earbud gels, and a soft rubber sleeve on the plastic earhook makes for a comfortable and stable fit. The interchangeable headband replaces the earhook/earbud with a plush leatherette earpad for those who prefer a over-the-head fit.

The earpiece itself contains a replaceable, rechargeable lithium battery with 7 hours talk time, and the base features a magnetic docking slot to make for easy placement of the earpiece into the charging cradle.

CS520 Base and Headset

The CS510 and CS520 replace the CS351N and CS361N wireless systems, incorporating the enhanced broadband, 350 foot range and multi-headset conferencing features described above, 9 hours of talk time, as well as the interchangeability of the headset with Savi Office WO300/WO350 systems.

Smartphone Tips

Stuart @ comfortcanada — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:31:31 +0000

Ever wonder how to walk and text at the same time? Or how to express yourself in SMS (Short Message Speak), otherwise known as Texting? Or how to care for your iPhone?

Here is an interesting and entertaining Blog with numerous articles on these and related topics.

http://www.phoneservice.org/blog/

Articles that I like:

… enjoy your summer. It’s cool but sunny here wonderful Calgary, Alberta.