The differences among SIP phones are significant, but it isn't just buttons and screen sizes. What is becoming the most important feature is the hardest one to compare: the browser. Users that switch from proprietary to SIP based phones discover a loss in features accessible from the phone. SIP is a fantastic peer-to-peer protocol for making and receiving calls, but don't count on much beyond that. The reason being is the protocol is limited around interactive user feedback. Users in SIP based implementations generally accept this, and access advanced features via a web page or dial-in interface. Aastra provides developers the ability to create powerful solutions on its SIP phones that match the features and usability of proprietary phones through open technologies. Developers and integrators benefit directly, while end-users benefit from price-competitive and relatively simple to configure phones.
VoIP phones are generally compared on obvious parameters including screen size, speaker quality, number of buttons, handset quality, and headset options. Those are all important points. Most VoIP phones have a limited browser functionality, a feature often overlooked. The browser demo usually includes all time favorite applications of local weather and stock quote displays, but are rarely implemented. Aastra feels there is more potential for the browser and truly distinguishes their phones with it, simultaneously making its phones more capable while compensating for the limitations of SIP.
Current SIP standards focus on core signaling, and have little to say about features and displays. For example, to park a call on a proprietary PBX usually involves pressing a 'Park' button, which then displays an orbit number on a phone. Both the park command and the displayed orbit are practically impossible to implement in a pure SIP environment. Most SIP solutions solve this with the "transfer", and simply send the call to a 'Park' extension, which in-turn speaks back an orbit number. But Aastra phones combine SIP and XML to deliver a richer experience.
XML is a light weight text markup language much like HTML but was designed to describe data and focuses more on the content rather than format. The vast majority of browsers on VoIP phones are limited to simple page rendering. What sets apart the Aastra XML browser are well-documented APIs and action based hooks into the phone's state. Aastra's XML hooks enable interactivity between the display and the phone including the ability to change its configuration, activate mute, and even conferencing features. Aastra also developed XML hooks directly into several popular phone systems including AsteriskNow, Trixbox, PBX-in-a-Flash, and their own Aastralink (notably missing is Digium's Switchvox solution). The phone system integration enables the SIP phones to perform functions such as visual voicemail out of the box.
The features on the phone that the APIs enable are significant. Here are a few to consider:
- Idle screen displays - this allows the phone system to indicate on the phone various status conditions such as call forwarding is on. The indication can be text on the display and/or a flashing lighted key.
- Wav file support enables the visual voice mail application to play stored voice mail (on the phone system) - bypassing SIP completely.
- RTP control is one of the most innovative features, as the phone can be set for multicast. This means paging to all phones can be accomplished with one stream - highly significant in a hosted environment.
- Dialing or intercom support means that a directory look-up can offer the user to dial an extension button or an intercom number.
- Triggers can also be set by a change to the phone's state. An XML application could prompt for a wrap-up code after a call ends.
Since XML is transported by HTTP (or HTTPS) the content can be secure (custom SSL certificates or list of trusted sources) and operate through firewalls.
These XML capabilities are highly unique and why customers and partners select Aastra phones. I recently spoke with Tony Lewis of
Schmooze Communications about its choice to standardize on Aastra. Tony said Schmooze evaluated several SIP phones for their PBXacct solution and selected Aastra primarily because of its XML capabilities. The PBXact solution involves an implementation of Asterisk with a menu of desktop applications tightly integrated into the phone. These interactive applications run on the same server as call control and provide visual phonetop services such as Do-Not-Disturb, Call Forwarding, Day/Night Mode, Transfer Directly to Voicemail, and more. The vast majority of other SIP phone based solutions do not offer these features natively on the phone. The PBXacct conference bridge feature actually displays who is on the conference and the host has individual mute capability directly from the phone's display. Tony said "we regularly monitor the new phones from Snom and Polycom, but we have not found a comparable level of capability or support on non Aastra endpoints." Most of the XML scripts Schmooze developed were returned to the open source community in the spirit in which they were created.
Aastra doesn't want to be in the XML application business, and instead provides tools for its partners and customers including
sample scripts,
documentation, and a
development kit. Aastra wants to see developers and integrators create powerful solutions around these unique capabilities that are effectively free with Aastra phones. For example, Schmooze is looking at using Astra's newest phone, the
6739i, to create a solution for political campaigns. Tony noted that with its VGA hi-res screen and soft QWERTY keyboard, they can combine auto-dialing, robo-dialing, and credit card transactions into a single phonetop application.
Additionally, solution providers can focus on specific verticals such as medical, hospitality or education. A potential series of XML applications could make it possible for a teacher to take and submit attendance reports from the phonetop. And, in case of an emergency, the phones can be instructed to play alerts (wav files) and reconfigure their displays with information and situational specific soft-key programming.
The Aastra phones also excel in ease of use. The phones can be (re)configured without a reboot, and configuration is relatively simple and intuitive - reducing deployment times. I spoke with Fred Posner of
Team Forest, which develops applications for Asterisk and recently switched to Aastra phones. Fred said "
Getting information from Aastra is simple, and the documentation is clear. Provisioning Aastra phones is quick, and presence works by default." The complete Aastra
phone collection is fairly broad. All of the SIP wired phones support XML, but the models with the larger screens and softkeys are best for custom applications. Many Aastra phones are also available with a paired wireless Dect handset, a highly simplified solution for SMB mobility. The phones also offer wideband (HD) audio. The new
6739i is the top of the line and its features include a high resolution touch screen, blue-tooth, gigabit networking, and USB support.
Aastra's approach is innovative and right on target. The company provides the tools to create powerful solutions around Aastra’s hardware through open standards, and resellers, integrators, and customers can create powerful applications. Phone-based browsers are largely dismissed and unused because the market share leaders don't offer this functionality. As the capabilities of these phones become better known, SIP phones will become more dominant as a corporate endpoint. When Aastra’s customers need new vertical and horizontal applications, the company’s partners can honestly say, "there (can be) an app for that."