Networking

A Phone for All Seasons and Reasons

The easy-to-administer Cisco IP Phone 8865 comes packed with features and functionality.

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John Breeden II is an award-winning reviewer and public speaker with 20 years of experience covering technology.

Office phones have come a long way in a relatively short period of time. And with the introduction of Internet Protocol phones, new features make those devices more akin to computers than simple phone systems. There are only two things that have held back IP phone deployments: connectivity issues and complexity.

The new Cisco IP Phone 8865 solves both of those issues, making it perfect for deployment in places such as K–12 schools that don’t have sufficient IT staff to manage the devices or highly technical teachers and administrators to make use of all of the features.

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The Cisco IP Video Phone 8865 Offers Easy Setup and Connection

On the connectivity and management side, I found the 8865 very easy to set up. It can be connected to a school’s network using a Gigabit Ethernet cable, and because it works with Power over Ethernet, it doesn’t need to be attached to a power cable. The phone can be set up to use a wireless 802.11ax network, so it can be placed anywhere within range of a school’s access point. An optional power block and cable are available if the phone is not using PoE.

Adding to its ease of use, the 8865 looks and operates very much like the standard office phone that everyone is familiar with (although one with a 5-inch screen and a small, mounted web camera). When two Cisco IP phones connect, the user can set the screen to automatically start broadcasting while the camera begins recording; or, the user can temporarily disable those features. The high-definition video is broadcast in 720p resolution with HD audio for clear sound.

Phone’s Intelligence and Security Features Support a School Setting

There is also an easy-to-activate speaker phone. Other features include adjustable ring tones, call forwarding, call filtering, call timing settings (so, for example, the phone won’t ring while class is in session), caller ID, muting, a call history and directory list, speed dial, visual voice mail, and much more. All of the features are extremely easy to access using an on-screen menu or the programmable, backlit buttons arrayed across the faceplate.

Two USB ports, which allow the user to charge mobile devices, round out the phone’s extra features. And with Cisco Intelligent Proximity, users can transfer calls from mobile phones to over the 8865 so that features such as the loud speakerphone can be used. Users can even sync a smartphone’s entire contact list to the IP phone for easy access to important numbers.

DIG DEEPER: Switching to VoIP helps schools save big.

Finally, the 8865’s built-in security features — including secure boot and secure contact storage, plus voice and data encryption using TLS, SRTP, HTTPS, SSH and SSL protocols — make the phone even more appropriate for a school setting.

Both in and away from the classroom, the Cisco IP Video Phone connects callers without a lot of IT support or training.

SPECIFICATIONS

DEVICE TYPE: Internet Protocol HD Video Phone
SCREEN SIZE: 5 inches
RESOLUTION: 800x480 VGA
CONNECTIVITY: Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
DIMENSIONS: 9.01x10.13x3.87 inches
WEIGHT: 2.97 pounds

The Cisco IP Phone 8865 Is Ready for Homework

Most IP phone systems are deployed within single buildings or on school facilities that are connected via either wired or wireless networks to a central hub. That means that the physical range of most IP phone systems depends on the network coverage where they are attached.

However, with the Cisco IP Phone 8865, callers no longer need to remain within the perimeter of the school grounds. Administrators, school nurses and anyone else who needs to be connected at all times could, for example, put one of their school’s IP phones in their home office and use it from there. They would get all of the features that phones on the school grounds have access to and be confident that they are never out of touch.

There are two ways that this can happen. Both require a bit of technical knowledge or support, but neither are difficult to achieve. First, the 8865 has a built-in VPN client feature that, if activated and configured, can connect remotely back to the school network. In that case, it would function pretty much like any other phone that is physically at the school, although the home office where it is based would need a fast broadband connection.

You can also skip the VPN altogether if the school’s network is configured with the phone’s login credentials, although this would require the use of a Cisco Expressway unified gateway. Either way, the 8865 is no longer stuck at school offices and can be used from anywhere with an internet connection.