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Version 2 Firmware for Avaya 9600 series IP Handsets

Version 2 Firmware for Avaya 9600 series IP Handsets

This new level of firmware is now available for free download.

This release contains the most significant feature enhancements since the product lines introduction in 2006. The focus remains on improving user productivity and flexibility and refining the user interface for simplicity.

Release 2.0 provides a unique speech based dialing capability from the deskphone's contact list. Several Contact List enhancements have been implemented - including the ability for users to utilize portable USB sticks to backup personal contacts from Outlook. The USB sticks and information stored on them can be used with the 9600 Series Deskphone. Release 2.0 provides additional networking and user interface enhancements including the ability to configure CM features as softkeys on the main 9600 telephony screen. 

Following this, there will be a faceplate tool made available to G3 whereby you can creat your own faceplate designs that match your corporate branding.

The new features:

Speech Based Dialing:

With 2.0 firmware, an embedded speech recognition engine within the 9600 Series deskphone itself. This allows for dialing of contacts from the phone's contact list by simply speaking the person's name. 9600 Series  deskphones support up to 250 contacts with up to three numbers each. For contact entries with more than one
number (work, mobile) you can specify "call Bill Riley at work" and the firmware is intelligent enough to first search for Bill Riley, and then the "work" number. Speech dialing supports several languages including: US English, UK English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese. Embedding a voice engine is unique to the 9600 series phones and no competitors in the enterprise desk phone market support this capability.

Contact List Update:

USB Sticks to carry your Outlook contacts with you

The 2.0 firmware provides support for phone contact information on USB sticks. A simple MS Excel TM file with pre-programmed macro is packaged with the S2.0 firmware and allows users to easily copy their existing Outlook contacts onto a USB stick for use with the phone. Contacts in other applications can be supported by converting the contacts to a CSV file and using the MS Excel file and USB import capability.

Upon insertion, the phone display prompts the user - to keep the contacts on the USB stick, to copy them onto the phone, or to merge them with contacts already on the phone. This enhancement - facilitates the speech based dialing feature, as phone numbers must be in the contact list in order to be dialed via speech. Additionally, the 2.0 firmware for 9600 Series Deskphones will match incoming caller numbers with local phone contacts and present the contact name on the phones display. Users can now search the local phone contacts using the entry of alpha characters from the dialpad - and not scrolling through the entire list. The user simply spells out the contacts name and the phone will resolve the search to highlight the contact for simplified one touch dialing.

Communication Manager features on softkeys

Based on strong input from our customers, we have enhanced the 9600 Series user interface - and with 2.0 allow CM features to be displayed on the main telephony screen - utilizing the four softkeys at the bottom of the display of the 9620, 30, 40 and 50. Certain users - prefer to have specific features visible at all times, and prefer to not scroll to get them. S2.0 now allows this capability. The specific features to be displayed are administered via parameter setting within the 46xxsettings.txt file. Please note features providing status notification, such as bridged lines, cannot be programmed to the softkeys.

Additional Enhancements

Power Consumption:

With the ever increasing prices for energy the need to manage power consumption and the associated costs becomes more essential. All one-X Deskphones are PoE Class 2 (802.1af) including the integrated Gigabit 9630G and 40G which over the life of a project will result in significant cost savings for customers when compared to other competitive offerings that require more power, such as PoE Class 3 devices.

Faceplate Designer Tool

Separate from the launch of S2.0 firmware - a software tool to quickly and easily design custom faceplates will be announced shortly. Custom faceplates continue to be a capability unique to Avaya's 9600 series Deskphones. No other IP Deskphone competitor has the ability to customize or personalise the deskphone.

Updates to Demo Avaya and the BP Demo programs

Deskphones with the 2.0 firmware are available in both the Demo Avaya and BP demo programs. Both programs have been recently updated to make it easier and more cost effective to acquire 9600 Series Deskphones for both internal and customer demo use. It is no longer necessary to include associated Servers with 9600 Series Deskphone demo requests. Now you can secure phones for demo and trial purposes without the server.