Small Business IP Phones Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

[Alberto Montilla]

This FAQ contains information for the Small Business IP Phones, i.e. Cisco/Linksys SPA900 series, Cisco Small Business Pro SPA500 series and Cisco Unified 500 series. For other IP phone series please check cisco.com Q&A area: Cisco Unified 7900 series.

Cisco/Linksys SPA900 Series

• What is the Cisco/Linksys SPA900 IP Phone series?
• How does the SPA900 IP Phone differentiates from the Cisco Unified 500 Series?
• How do I configure the SIP user account on the SPA900 IP phone?
• How can I upgrade the firmware on the SPA900 IP phone?
• What can I do if the mute button is blinking red when I power it on?
• How does Call pickup work in the SPA900 series family (with star code)?
• Configuring manually the SPA900 IP phone voicemail with SPA400
• Configuring manually shared lines appearance on SPA900 IP phones
• What's the phone dial plan and how can be configured?
• How do I reset the SPA900 IP phone to factory default?
• How do I setup the SPA900 IP phone under a NAT using STUN?
• How do I setup a static IP address to the SPA900 IP Phone?

Cisco Small Business Pro SPA500 Series

• What is the Cisco SPA500 IP Phone series?
• How does the Cisco SPA500 IP phone series differentiates from SPA900 and Unified 500 IP Phone Series?
• How many models from the SPA500 IP phone series are currently available?

Cisco Unified 500 Series

• What is the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• What is the difference between the 52xG and 52xSG models?
• Are the Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG replacing existing phones in the Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) portfolio?
• What are the main differences between the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series and the other entry-level Cisco phones?
• Who are the target customers for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Who can sell the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series models?
• What should I do if I want to upgrade from an older phone to one of these new phones?
• What Cisco Configuration Assistant release is required for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• What release of Cisco IOS Software does my Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series platform need in order to support the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 521G and 524G models? What IOS release is required to support the Cisco Unified IP Phone 521SG and 524...
• What languages are supported on the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Do the 500 Series phones support the Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Modules 7914, 7915 & 7916?
• Do the phones support Cisco Unified Video Advantage for desktop videoconferencing?
• What codecs does the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series support?
• Do the phones have speakerphone capability?
• Do the phones have headset connectivity?
• Does Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express support the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Do the phones support Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST)?
• Do the phones support Cisco Inline Power or IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
• What are the power requirements for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Is there a recommended powering option?
• Can the phone displays be turned off when not in use to conserve power?
• When can I order the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Is a station user license required?
• What items are included in the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series list prices?
• What accessories are available for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?
• Where can I learn more about the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

Cisco SPA900 series

Q. What is the Cisco/Linksys SPA900 IP Phone series?

A. The SPA900 IP Phone series, formerly known as Linksys SPA900 IP phones is a group of cost-effective Small Business IP phones designed to work with the Cisco SPA9000 Voice System or with any SIP based third-party call control platforms such as IP PBX or Network-based SIP Proxy or Softswitch.

Q. How does the SPA900 IP Phone differentiates from the Cisco Unified 500 Series?

A. The SPA900 IP Phones, although have same appearance as the Unified 500 series, are designed exclusively with a SIP call control, whereas 500 series is designed to work exclusively with the Unified Communications 500 Series (UC500) via the SPCP protocol.

Cisco SPA500 series

Q. What is the Cisco SPA500 IP Phone series?

A. The new SPA500 IP Phone series is a new set of business IP Phones specifically designed for the Small Business customers, using the existing Cisco call control (either SIP or SPCP) to connect to the SPA9000, UC500 or any third-party SIP-based call control platorm. It combines the best of the SPA900 IP Phone Series and the Unified 500 series with an enhanced hardware for superior audio quality and enhanced connectivity.

Q. How does the Cisco SPA500 IP phone series differentiates from SPA900 and Unified 500 IP Phone Series?

A. The SPA500 IP phone series supports both SIP(for SPA9000 and third-party SIP-based call control platforms) and SPCP (for UC500). It is basically combining the features of both existing phone families, simplifying deployment and enhancing the investment protection proposition. In addition, SPA500 IP Phone series supports an enhanced hardware which allows, among other features a superior audio quality.

Q. How many models from the SPA500 IP phone series are currently available?

A. Currently, there is one model available: the SPA525G. This is the worldwide first desktop IP phone which incorporates a wireless-G client and bluetooth radio for headset connectivity. It features 5 lines, a high resolution color screen and a enhanced audio hardware.

Cisco Unified 500 Series

Q. What is the Cisco^® Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series is a group of cost-effective, entry-level business phones designed to work solely with the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business. These phones address the needs of a cubicle, lobby, laboratory, manufacturing floor, or hallway environment. They have enough features to be used for cubicle, retail, classroom, or manufacturing workers or for anyone who conducts moderate amounts of telephone traffic. Four models are available. The Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G and 521SG both provide a single line with two call line appearances. The Cisco Unified IP Phones 524G and 524SG provide four line keys with up to eight call line appearances. Each model has four soft feature keys that provide one-touch access to redial, transfer, conference, and hold or resume. The Cisco 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG also have fixed feature keys that provide mute, full-duplex speakerphone, headset, and voicemail access features and a menu key to access call history, directory, network settings, user preferences, reboot, restart, and factory reset. Additionally, the Cisco Unified IP Phones 521SG and 524SG offer a 10/100 switch port for LAN connection to a co-located PC.

Q. What is the difference between the 52xG and 52xSG models?

A. The only difference between the 52xG and 52xSG phone models is the 10/100 PC switch port that is included with the 52xSG models. The 52xG models do not include a 10/100 PC switch port.

Q. Are the Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG replacing existing phones in the Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) portfolio?

A. No. These new phones are additions to the expansive Cisco IP endpoints available in the SBCS portfolio.

Q. What are the main differences between the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series and the other entry-level Cisco phones?

A. Refer to Table 1 for feature differences. In general, the Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG are low-cost, fully featured phones. Some of the primary differences between the Cisco Unified IP Phones 7906G and 7911G, the Cisco Unified SIP Phone 3911, and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series follow:

• The Cisco Unified IP Phones 7906G and 7911G offer support for Extensible Markup Language (XML) applications.

• The Cisco Unified IP Phones 7906G and 7911G offer enhanced security such as certificates, Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP), and Transport Layer Security (TLS).

• The Cisco Unified IP Phones 7906G and 7911G support extended features such as Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI)-based applications and Extension Mobility.

• The Cisco Unified SIP Phone 3911 provides a single line with a half-duplex speakerphone. It has fixed feature keys that provide one-touch access to redial, transfer, conference, line button, hold or resume, mute, speakerphone, and voicemail access features. This phone has no soft keys.

Table 1. Comparison of Cisco Unified IP Phones 7906G, 7911G, and 3911 and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series Models

Feature	Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series	Cisco Unified IP Phone 7906G	Cisco Unified IP Phone 7911G	Cisco Unified SIP Phone 3911
Power	802.3af	Cisco Inline Power and 802.3af	Cisco Inline Power and 802.3af	802.3af
Support for XML applications	No	Yes	Yes	No
LCD resolution	128 x 64 pixels, backlit	192 x 64 pixels	192 x 64 pixels	144 x 32 pixels
Security capabilities	Security is handled within Cisco IOS® Software by Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express	• Certificate support • SRTP • 802.1x supplicant • TLS • Configuration files encrypted and authenticated • Image authentication	• Certificate support • SRTP • 802.1x supplicant • TLS • Configuration files encrypted and authenticated • Image authentication	Configuration changes through the phone are password protected
HW warranty	1 year	1 year	1 year	90 days
Lines	521G/521SG: 1 line 524G/524SG: 4 lines	1 line	1 line	1 line
Soft keys	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Navigation cluster	4 way	2 way	2 way	2 way
Hold or resume	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Transfer (blind and consultative)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Call forward (unconditional, busy, and no answer)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Conference	Yes Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express enables 8-party ad hoc conferencing	Yes Uses conference bridge, thus supports conferences with more than 3 parties	Yes Uses conference bridge, thus supports conferences with more than 3 parties	Yes Supports internal 3-way calling without using a conference bridge, limiting the conference call to a maximum of 3 parties
Redial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Enhanced feature set	Yes Supports shared line appearance, call park, paging, intercom, directory search and VoiceView Express	Yes Supports join, cBarge, iDivert, call park, bridged or shared line appearance, etc.	Yes Supports join, cBarge, iDivert, call park, bridged or shared line appearance, etc.	No Supports transfer, redial, conference, hold or resume, voicemail, mute, and speakerphone
Extension mobility	No	Yes	Yes	No
Calling name and number	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maximum number of calls on phone	521G/521SG: 2 524G/524SG: 8	6	6	2
Speakerphone	Full duplex	Yes (listen only)	Yes (listen only)	Half duplex
Audio codec support	G.711, G.729, and G.729a	G.711, G.729, and G.729a	G.711, G.729, and G.729a	G.711, G.729, and G.729a
Protocol support	Smart Phone Control Protocol (SPCP)	Both SCCP and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) (with Cisco call control)	Both SCCP and SIP (with Cisco call control)	SIP only
Platforms supported	Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series (UC500) only	Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UCM), Business Edition; UCM Express/ Integrated Services Router (ISR); and UC500	Cisco UCM, Business Edition; UCM Express/ISR; and UC500	Cisco UCM, Business Edition; UCM Express/ISR; and UC500

Q. Who are the target customers for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. The Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG address the communication needs of any Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) implementation. These phones are designed to work solely with the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business, the central piece of any SBCS solution. These phones can be used in cubicles, lobbies, in laboratories, on a manufacturing floor, or on the wall in a hallway or breakroom. These phones are an excellent choice for customers undergoing the transition from traditional digital or hybrid key systems (KTS) and private branch exchanges (PBXs) to the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series system. Additionally, the phones are optimized for solution deployments to replace traditional voice systems, or to layer a next-generation voice solution into a Category 5 (CAT5) wired environment.

Q. Who can sell the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series models?

A. Partners who are Cisco Select Certified or higher can sell these phones.

Q. What should I do if I want to upgrade from an older phone to one of these new phones?

A. The Cisco Technology Migration Program (TMP) will be available within two weeks of first customer shipment (FCS). Use the Cisco TMP tool to verify the discount.

Q. What Cisco Configuration Assistant release is required for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. Cisco Unified IP Phone 521G and 524G models are supported by Cisco Configuration Assistant release 1.6 and later. The Cisco 521SG and 524SG are supported by Cisco Configuration Assistant Release 1.8 and later.

Q. What release of Cisco IOS Software does my Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series platform need in order to support the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 521G and 524G models? What IOS release is required to support the Cisco Unified IP Phone 521SG and 524SG models?

A. The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series needs to be running Cisco IOS Software Release 12.4(11)XW7 and above to support the 52xG models. The 52xSG phone models require Cisco IOS Software Release 12.4(11) XW9 and above.

Q. What languages are supported on the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series currently supports Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Slovak, Spanish, and Swedish.

Q. Do the 500 Series phones support the Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Modules 7914, 7915 & 7916?

A. No, the Cisco Unified IP Phones 500 Series do not support any expansion modules.

Q. Do the phones support Cisco Unified Video Advantage for desktop videoconferencing?

A. No.

Q. What codecs does the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series support?

A. G.711, G.729, and G.729a audio-compression codecs are supported.

Q. Do the phones have speakerphone capability?

A. Yes; a hands-free full-duplex speakerphone with a built-in microphone is supported.

Q. Do the phones have headset connectivity?

A. Yes; a 2.5-mm connector on the phone enables the use of a headset.

Q. Does Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express support the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. Yes, but the phones will work only when plugged into the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series, which runs Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express for its call processing.

Q. Do the phones support Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST)?

A. No. The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series does not support SRST; therefore, any phones attached to it will not support it.

Power

Q. Do the phones support Cisco Inline Power or IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE)?

A. The phones support only IEEE 802.3af PoE.

Q. What are the power requirements for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. The maximum power that the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series models require is 5 watts.

Q. Is there a recommended powering option?

A. No. Powering decisions depend on the customer's environment. You can use IEEE 802.3af PoE, or use the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series external power adapter for local power. This external power adapter is sold as an accessory for the Cisco 500 Series phones.

Q. Can the phone displays be turned off when not in use to conserve power?

A. Yes. The phones have the ability to conserve energy by having their displays shut off. The user can set the phone to have the display turn off when a predetermined amount of time has passed since the phone was used. The user can turn the display back on simply by pushing a button on the phone or lifting the handset.

Availability and Ordering

Q. When can I order the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. The Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G and 524G are currently orderable worldwide. The 521SG and 524SG phones will be orderable worldwide in late August 2008 and, like all Cisco products, will be on controlled release for a short period of time. The phones will become orderable worldwide within six weeks of the initial shipments.

Q. Is a station user license required?

A. No. These phones do not require a station license. The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series unit that the phones are plugged into comes with built-in station licenses.

Q. What items are included in the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series list prices?

A. The Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G, 524G, 521SG, and 524SG ship with the base unit, an attachable foot stand, a handset, a handset cord, an Ethernet cord, and documentation.

Q. What accessories are available for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series accessories are an external power adapter, a wall-mount kit, and a spare handset. In the event that a new handset cord is required, you can simply order the standard handset cord that is available for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series. This cord will also work for the Cisco 500 Series phones.

For More Information

Q. Where can I learn more about the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series?

A. For more information about the Cisco Unified IP Phone 500 Series models, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/sbcs or http://www.cisco.com/go/uc500. For specific information about the Cisco Unified IP Phones 521G and 524G, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/500phones.