Endpoints are a crucial component of your communication strategy. They’re how you bring life to your IP solution, by giving you a phone through which you can make voice calls or a multi-media device that you can access to unlock video and instant messaging.
Over the years, the nature of IP endpoints has changed drastically suit a transforming business environment, where mobility, data, and agility are crucial for success. In this changing environment, it’s the vendors that know how to appeal to a forward-thinking business that are storming ahead of the crowd.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest brands in the endpoint sector today.
ALE (Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise)
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise
, a company dedicated to delivering next-level technology to its customers, serves more than 830,000 clients around the world. ALE has stood out in the endpoint market this year by looking at digital transformation from the perspective of “digital engagement.” ALE believes that companies need to embrace the latest technology to meet the expanding demands of an increasingly complex audience.
As an endpoint vendor, ALE offers everything from state-of-the-art desk phone, to softphones, conferencing devices, and of course, their unique UC client, “Rainbow.” Alcatel Lucent Endpoints include:
- Conferencing phones intended to transform your conference experience with easy connectivity to existing UC platforms, and a range of high-quality features like SIP connectivity, and a backlit black and white display
- Desk phones with an elegant business-grade design. ALE Desk phones range all the way from simple endpoints with PoE and call management features, to advanced premium endpoints with touch-screens, connections to UC clients and more
- Smart desk phones: ALE’s intelligent desk phones offer an immersive experience for communication using HD video and reliable telephony
AudioCodes
AudioCodes is another well-known and well-respected endpoint vendor for 2018. This brand has years of experience creating voice networking and media processing solutions for the digital workforce. The vendor recently revealed that their highly successful 400HD series of IP phones has been chosen by TetraVX for their digital transformation strategy.
AudioCodes’ IP endpoints range all the way from their forward-thinking Huddle room solution intended for small, on-the-go- meetings, to their 400HD selection of feature-rich IP phones that are fully certified for use with Microsoft Teams. All AudioCodes endpoints offer:
- HD voice quality
- Intuitive user interfaces
- Certification with leading UC vendors
Avaya
Avaya is both a leading vendor and a Cinderella story in 2018. From concerns surrounding Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 to incredible success in 2018, Avaya has come a long way this year. Avaya is launching its very own desktop phone revival with new and improved multi-media solutions like the Avaya Vantage phone.
The Avaya Vantage phone comes with the incredible potential to turn any company conversation into a more immersive and collaborative experience. With the Vantage, you can communicate on the go, collaborate in real-time and even video conference. Avaya call their Vantage device a “third generation UC device” built for the needs of a new generation of communicators. Avaya also offers the:
- J100 series desk phones
- H200 Series IP devices
- 9600 Series IP desk phones
- 9400 Digital desk phones
- 1100 Series IP desk phones
- 1400 Series Digital desk phones
- 1600 Series IP desk phones
Cisco
Cisco is an American technology company with a reputation across the globe. Perhaps one of the best-known vendors of telecommunications hardware on the market, Cisco earns the title of the “largest networking company in the world.” Alongside collaborative tools like the Cisco Webex platform, the brand also offers a wide range of IP endpoints to suit almost any business.
The most impressive IP phone available from Cisco today is the 8800 Series IP phones, which help businesses to cut costs, yet maintain high-quality communications through HD voice and video calls. There’s even the option to deploy your 8800 Series IP phones as a multi-platform device through integrations with /unified-communications/ucaas offers. Some of the products provided by Cisco include:
- The 7800 Series IP phones for fully-featured Voice in Huddle, conference, or desktop spaces.
- The 6900 Series IP phones for simple and cost-effective communication.
- The 3900 Series SIP phones with basic VOIP connectivity
- The Immersive TelePresence Series for video conferencing
- Cisco IP phones with multi-platform firmware
Cisco also sells a range of headsets, telepresence peripherals like the TelePresence touch, and collaboration room endpoints like the Cisco WebEx Board.
Plantronics
Plantronics is another must-mention innovator in the communication Endpoint environment this year. Recently, the company purchased Polycom – a leading business in unified communication – for $2 billion. After the successful conclusion of the sale, Plantronics effectively tapped into the background knowledge and expertise of Polycom to supplement their already considerable ability to delight endpoint customers.
Endpoint devices from Plantronics include smart conferencing solutions like the Polycom Trio, and the Savi 8200, that enables enterprise-quality DECT across all communication devices. Plantronics also offers a wide range of:
- Desk phones
- Noise cancelling headphones
- Personal speakerphone devices
Polycom
Just because Polycom became a part of Plantronics this year, doesn’t mean that the vendor isn’t continuing to create its own innovative solutions for communication and collaboration. This year, Polycom announced the release of their updated “VVX Series Business IP phones.” This portfolio combines affordability with enterprise-level features to help smaller companies compete with larger brands.
Leading ITSPs including 8×8 have already certified the VVX x50 line. Polycom also offers VoIP desk phones, conferencing phones like the Polycom Trio, and a range of devices approved to work with Microsoft products, like Microsoft Teams.
Polycom even offers endpoint Room solutions, such as the RealPresence Group Series.
Snom
Snom was one of the first phone manufacturers in the world capable of delivering IP-enabled devices to companies. As a true innovator for the times, Snom is an obvious choice for our list of leading endpoint vendors for 2018. This year, the company introduced a 10+2 flagship IP phone offer for customers who want to upgrade their communication infrastructure.
The endpoint discount allows customers to purchase 12 of the Snom D785 IP phone for the price of 10 until the end of the year. The D785 IP phone features an elegant design, innovative digital IP technology, and incredibly simple interface, complete with an advanced colour display. Snom also offers:
- Conference phones like the Snom C520 or the Snom MeetingPoint
- Headsets and accessories like the Snom A170 Wireless DECT headset
- Desk Phones like the Snom D7XX, D3XX and D1XX series
- DECT solutions like the M Series and M-SC Series
Yealink
Last, but not least, Yealink is a leading provider of collaboration and communication solutions for 2018. Recently, the brand celebrated a double success following their win of the 2018 Global Growth Excellence Leadership Award, given by Frost & Sullivan. Yealink has also seen phenomenal growth in the endpoint market, growing it’s IP desktop unit shipments by 24.7% over the last 3 years, and 50.4% in the previous year.
Currently, Yealink ships more SIP phones than any other vendor in the VoIP phone market, and they offer countless products for users to choose from, including:
- Conference phones
- The VC Room System
- Video phones
- T5 Series phones
- T4 Series phones
- T2 Series phones
- DECT Phones
- Devices for Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business
