We really do have the UK’s simplest conference calling service – a landline or mobile phone is all you need to call up to 100 participants from across the globe. There are no contracts, no monthly fees and no reservations to worry about.
We also want to make sure you know about the best tech to use when making a conference call, so here are the top three conference call phones for 2022.
What are the best conference call telephones?
We pride ourselves not only on the quality and reliability of our service, but also on the quality of our audio and our customer service – but if you find your team huddled round a single smartphone turned onto loudspeaker, or even if they’re talking on an old landline handset, the quality of the call can suffer.
So, to help remedy this potential problem, here are our top three conference call telephones.
1. Polycom SoundStation IP 5000 PoE
Polycom are the most ubiquitous conference call phones around. If you’ve been in a conference room, you will have seen a Ploycom. This next generation conference phone from Polycom is offers easy-to-use, high quality calling. It’s integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature makes it easy to install and future-proofs it against the analogue switch off in 2025. It’s best suited to a small conference room of about six people, but its 360° microphone offers coverage for participants who are up to two metres away from the console.
Key features:
- HD Voice technology
- 2m microphone, 360° pick-up range
- Full-duplex
- Compatible with most IP platforms
- Backlit LED display
- Power over Ethernet
- Voice activity detection
- DTMF tone generation
The price is as much a part of making this phone number one as the features are – you can pick up a Polycom SoundStation IP 5000 PoE for between £200 and £245.
2. Snom C520-WiMi VoIP/SIP Conference Phone
The Snom C520 has three microphones – one is built in to the main base and the other two are remote wireless DECTS microphones that can be held by participants or placed in other parts of the room. These speakers offer HD audio transmission even in bigger and crowded rooms, making this set perfect makes this set perfect for team conferencing, even in larger and noisier rooms.
Key features:
- Graphical backlit display (158 x 57 pixels).
- Three (3) SIP identities/accounts.
- IEEE 802.3af Class 3 PoE (or power supply included).
- Ethernet 10/100 Base T (IEEE 802.3ab).
- Interoperable with all major IP PBX platforms.
- Local directory with 200 entries.
- Two detachable DECT wireless microphones with a range of up to 50 metres.
- Expandable with up to three C52-SP wireless hands-free units.
- Bluetooth connectivity for two external devices (such as a mobile phone or a headset).
- 3 years manufacturer’s warranty.
You can pick up a Snom C520-WiMi VoIP/SIP Conference Phone for around £260.
3. Yealink CP960
The Yealink CP960 has all of your conference call needs right at your fingertips thanks to its 12.7cm Android touchscreen that acts a lot like a smartphone.
An active speaker and caller information display means you’ll know exactly who is talking and when to cut down on those awkward silences and repeated introductions.
Up to five participants can join by either being invited prior to the meeting, or by joining during the meeting without having to interrupt or pause the conversation.
Key features:
- 5-inch Andriod touchscreen system
- 360-degree voice pickup range
- 5-way conference call
- HD audio
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Built-in Bluetooth 4.0
How to compare conference call telephones
Combining our conference calling service with a quality conference call telephone can really improve the quality of your teleconference, but before you buy you should check whether the unit has all the features you require, bearing in mind an analogue unit may not be suitable for video conferencing.
You also need to consider the size of the meeting room the phone will be used in, to make sure the microphone can reach every corner, and don’t overstretch your budget – while it’s always true that you get what you pay for, these budget units described above may well do the job of much more expensive units, so always do your research before you buy.
