Cisco7940 IP Phone: Modern Technology for the Office

Author's Rating:

Pros: Two lines; Multiple functionality

Cons: Internet linkage can lead to problems; Handset falls if unit angled too much

The Bottom Line: 
This is a very good phone, even though the cost makes it difficult to justify.

Author's Review
Telephones are one of the few products that I never hesitate to change. While other household products are falling apart and I am still trying to repair them to extend their lives, I am quick to replace a phone on a moment’s notice. Fortunately, the places I have worked seem to feel the same way about communications devices and they are constantly looking for ways to improve. One technologically up- to- date phone that I have used on the job is the CISCO IP Phone 7940, a phone that connects to the internet.

Basic Facts About This Phone:

This CISCO phone is designed for office use with multiple functions that make it office- friendly. Starting with the phone itself, CISCO makes it so that it stands up at a (roughly) 60 degree angle, allowing the user to view the panel and the buttons with ease. The handset is small and is placed on the left hand side of the phone. There is also a headphone jack, an internet connection jack, and a speaker phone.

On the front of this CISCO phone are buttons for things like Messages, Directories, Services, and Settings. The Messages button is used to retrieve voice mail; the Directories button is used to lookup employee phone numbers and to view recent calls; the Services button is used for special setup features defined through the internet; and the Settings button is used to adjust contrast, ring type (24 choices), network configuration, model information, and security configuration.

The panel on the CISCO IP 7940 phone features a black LCD display with four programmable buttons below the panel and two programmable buttons on the right side of the panel. The time, date, and the phone number of the phone are shown at the top of this display. The four programmable buttons below the panel can be used for functions like redial, new call, call forward, and more. The two buttons on the side of the LCD are used for speed dialing phone numbers.

On- Line Information:

If you want to find information about this phone on the internet, the web site for the manufacturer is cisco.com. A good deal of info can be found in this site, including tutorials and interactive learning tools that teach consumers about CISCO products and how they work. Other retail sites can also be a source of valuable information.

Final Thoughts:

CISCO IP 7940 is an internet protocol phone: a type of phone that is quickly gaining favor in businesses across the land. The reason for the popularity is because of the advantages that this type of technology brings to a business. The phone is connected to the internet, allowing the individual user the opportunity to program certain functions. It also allows users the option to send phone voice mails to their e-mail accounts and then listen to them through media player.

I have been using this product for several weeks and I have discovered many things to be grateful for. One of them is the fact that that this phone includes two separate programmable lines. The lines are accessed with the touch of a button. They need to be programmed before they work properly, but if you are the type who uses his/her phone frequently, then this added line will come in very handy.

Another quality I like with this phone is its storage of numbers. Not only does it store the last few numbers dialed and received, it also includes a full directory of the people in the workplace. This makes it very easy to track down a fellow worker. No longer do you have to ask co- workers what someone’s extension is. The phone already has the numbers in storage in the company directory.

I like the fact that I can program some of the settings on my individual phone by logging into the internet site. The e-mail conversions could also be useful for some, even though I have never used this feature. The phone also has a nice, professional look and feel as well as a large LCD display that continuously shows the time, date, and individual’s phone number.

I can find more good points for this phone than bad, but the negative aspects are there. For one, I do not like having the phone rest on a desktop in its greatest- angled position. With the base extended as far as it can go, the phone itself will stand at a 60 degree angle to the table or desk beneath it. This may not sound too bad, but the steepness is greater than most realize. At this level, the phone hand set is likely to fall off its hook with the slightest bump. I recommend lowering this to a more reasonable angle, but I don’t recommend making it flat because doing so will make the LCD difficult to read. Moving the base takes some effort, but it needs to be done to get the phone at the desired angle. At first, I didn’t even know this phone’s base was movable because I couldn’t get it to budge. It took some time, but it finally moved and I got the angle just right.

One other potential disadvantage with this phone is that its functionality is limited based on internet linkage. If the internet goes down, certain features of the phone will no longer work. So, based on the reliability of your web connection, CISCO IP 7940 phone may or may not be very practical. It is also costlier than most, and this fact alone could discourage many small businesses from making a purchase.

This phone offers a good deal of voice clarity when talking, free from static or other problems. The speakerphone and conference call features are also nice, and they make business communications simpler. The up/down button in the middle of the base (used for navigating the menus) could be a little larger, but it is still good. And the LCD display offers large, easy to read characters. I also like seeing the time and date in constant view.

Overall, CISCO IP Phone 7940 is a good, practical phone for office use. Its professional appearance, dual phone lines, and internet connection make it a good choice for the modern office. There are a few minor changes I would make, but I generally like this CISCO phone and recommend its use to any office that can afford it.