Cisco® Unified IP phones provide unmatched levels of integrated business capabilities and converged communications features beyond today’s conventional voice systems, surpassing competitive offerings. As the market leader in IP telephony, Cisco Systems® continues to deliver unparalleled end-to-end data and true voice-over-IP (VoIP) solutions, offering the most complete, stylish, fully featured IP phone portfolio to enterprise and small- and midsized-business customers.

Figure 1.      Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G



The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G, a key offering in the IP Phone portfolio, is a full-featured IP phone primarily for manager and executive needs. It provides six programmable line/feature buttons and four interactive soft keys that guide a user through call features and functions. Audio controls for duplex speakerphone, handset and headset. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G also features a large, pixel-based LCD display. The display provides features such as date and time, calling party name, calling party number, and digits dialed. The graphic capability of the display allows for the inclusion of such features as XML (Extensible Markup Language) and future features.

Figure 2.      Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G




Features
The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G is dynamic and designed to grow with system capabilities. Features will keep pace with new changes via software updates to the phone’s flash memory. The phone provides many accessibility methods according to user preference. Various methods or paths include buttons, softkeys, a navigation key, and direct access with the use of corresponding “ghost” digits. Each of the features below will have expanded capabilities in the future:

Messages


Direct access to voice mail. In the near future voice mail speech to text readout on the display.
Directories


The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G identifies incoming messages and categorizes them for users on the screen. This allows users to quickly and effectively return calls using direct dial-back capability.
The corporate directory integrates with the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP3) standard directory.
Settings


The Settings feature key allows the user to adjust display contrast and select from a large of unique ringer sounds, volume settings for all audio such as ringer, handset, headset, and speaker. Network Configuration preferences can also be set up. (Network configuration is usually set up by the System Administrator.) Configuration can either be automatic or manually set up for Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), CallManager, and backup CallManagers. A huge advantage is the ability for no hands on moves and changes. Just pick up the phone and move to the new location anywhere on your network. No system administration is required.
Services


The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G allows users to quickly access diverse information such as weather, stocks, quote of the day, or any Web-based information using extensible markup language (XML) to provide a portal to an ever-growing world of features and information.
Help


The online help feature gives users information about the phone's keys, buttons, and features. The pixel display allows for greater flexibility of features and significantly expands the information viewed when using features such as Services, Information, Messages, and Directory. For example, the Directory button can show local and server-based directory information.
The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G features high-quality, speakerphone technology. It also includes an easy-to-use speaker on/off button and microphone mute buttons. These buttons are lit when active.



The internal Cisco two-port Ethernet switch allows for a direct connection to a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network via an RJ-45 interface with single LAN connectivity for both the phone and a co-located PC. The system administrator can designate separate virtual LANs (VLANs) (802.1Q) for the PC and Cisco Unified IP Phones providing improved security and reliability of voice and data traffic.
A dedicated headset port eliminates the need for a separate amplifier when using a headset. This allows the handset to remain in its cradle, making headset use simpler. The Cisco Unified IP phone’s convenient volume control button provides for easy decibel-level adjustments for the speakerphone, handset, headset, and ringer. The handset is ADA and HAC compliant with a maximum handset volume of 12 dB. New 508 capability can be achieved using an in-line handset amplifier such as Walker Equipments W-10 and CE-100 amplifiers.
The dial pad is also ADA compliant.
The footstand of the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G is adjustable from flat to 60 degrees to provide optimum display viewing and comfortable use of all buttons and keys. The footstand is keyed to match standard wall jack configurations for wall mounting. Two optional wall mount brackets are also offered as noted below.
The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G can also receive power down the LAN from any of the Cisco inline power-capable blades and boxes.
For added security, the audible dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) tones are masked when the speakerphone mode is used.
Other Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G features include:
●   24+ user-adjustable ring tones
●   A hearing-aid-compatible handset (meets American Disabilities Act [ADA] requirements) and HAC compliance for magnetic coupling to approved HAC hearing aids
●   G.711 and G.729a audio compression
●   H.323 compatible and Microsoft NetMeeting compatibility
●   An IP address assignment - DHCP client or statically configured
●   Comfort noise generation and voice activity detection (VAD) programming on a system basis
●   EIA/TIA RS-232 port for future add-on options such as line expansion, security access, and more
The phone also includes the following settings:
●   Display contrast
●   Ring type
●   Network configuration
●   Call status