Cisco - 7940 IP Telephone Review

Internet Protocol (IP) telephones, which are needed for Voice Over IP (VOIP), are the wave of the future.  VOIP phones have already started to proliferate the business environment, and home use is on the rise.  The era of the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS), which has been around since the turn of the last century is coming to a close because of the advantages IP phone bring to the workplace, such as Network integration, allowing for the seamless amalgamation of data and voice. 

The company I work for has completely done away with all of our traditional POTS phones-with the exception of 911 phones-and replaced them with Cisco 7940 IP Phones.  We have these two-line IP telephones both at the main office and at all of our branch locations.  Our complement of over 1400 7940 IP Phones are tightly integrated into the backbone of our network and work with Cisco's Unity Call Management software to provide voice mail, email narration, and other data specific functions.          

Product Description

The 7940 IP Phone is a multi-line phone that provides two programmable line and feature keys, plus a high quality speakerphone.  A built-in headset port and integrated Ethernet (1-port) switch are standard with the Cisco 7940 IP Phone. It also includes audio controls for full duplex speakerphone, handset and headset. The 7940 IP Phone features a large, pixel-based LCD display, which provides features such as date and time, calling party name, calling party number and digits dialed.

My Viewpoint

After having used the 7940 IP Phone for some two years now, I am of two minds concerning its functionality.  On the one hand I like the two-line capability of the phone and the ability to seamlessly switch between lines.  And I like the integrated Ethernet switch that allows me to connect the phone to the network jack under my desk and then connect my computer to the phone via the auxiliary RJ-45 jack in the back of the unit.  I also like the included audio controls for full duplex speakerphone, the easy to use mute button, automatic redial (lets you chose between at least five different last dialed numbers), conference calling (very handy), and headset port. 

What I do not like is the cheap display; it is not backlit!  It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is, especially considering the 7940 IP Phone cost a whopping $300.00 a piece.   My 7940 IP Phone sits under an unlit overhanging shelf, which in my case is the only place it can reside; my desk is somewhat small and over burdened with computer equipment.  This leaves the phone in the shadows and so the display is very hard to read.  Adjusting the contrast does not help much, but a backlit screen would help immensely.

Another annoyance is the volume of the phone: voice clarity is better than traditional phones, but the volume needs to be turned almost all the way up in order to hear an in-coming call.   

Conclusion

Despite the horrible almost non-functional LCD display, overall I like the Cisco 7940 IP Phone.  The excess of convenience features (see Cisco's website for a complete listing) Cisco has built into the phone make it infinitely useful and a worthy replacement for the well regarded, but past its prime POTS telephone.