Overview
Q. At a high level, how does the Webex Desk Hub work?
A. Rather than an all-in-one desk product like the Webex Desk or Webex Desk Pro, the Desk Hub can be thought of as a modular and standalone video device running Webex RoomOS. You then attach a monitor, Webex Desk Camera, and optionally a headset. The Desk Hub can use wired or wireless Ethernet, just like the Desk and the Desk Pro. The Desk Hub also supports laptop charging, phone charging, sharing and pairing wirelessly, etc.
Q. Does the Desk Hub run the same software as the Desk Pro, the Desk, and Webex Room systems?
A. Yes, the Desk Hub runs RoomOS.
Q. Does the Desk Hub support RoomOS features such as virtual backgrounds, shared mode, personal mode, xAPI, etc.?
A. Yes, the Desk Hub will support many, if not most, of the standard RoomOS features that the Desk portfolio supports.
Q. Can the Desk Hub be added to Webex Control Hub?
A. Yes, just like with other devices running RoomOS.
Q. Does the Desk Hub use your smartphone or laptop to work?
A. No, the Desk Hub does not use a smartphone or laptop to encode or decode voice or video traffic. The Desk Hub encodes and decodes on its own. You can keep your smartphone and laptop in your backpack.
Q. Does the Desk Hub need to be used in conjunction with a Desk Pro, Desk, or a Cisco
® IP phone?
A. There is no need to add an additional phone or video conferencing device to the Desk Hub. Provided that a separate monitor and Desk Camera are attached, the Desk Hub is designed to operate as an independent unit. In other words, it is not designed to work with a secondary videoconferencing system such as Desk, Desk Pro, or a Cisco IP phone.
Q. Will One-Button-To-Push (OBTP) calendar invitations appear on the Desk Hub?
A. Yes, calendar invitations will appear when the Desk Hub is either provisioned in Personal Mode, or when a user is signed in via hotdesking. Note: Just like OBTP with other Desk products, the Control Hub organization still requires calendar integration.
Q. How does Desk Hub charge a smartphone?
A. Desk Hub charges a smartphone using fast wireless charging that the latest generations of iPhones and Android phones support.
Q. Can the Desk Hub charge a laptop?
A. Yes, the Desk Hub can charge a laptop using USB-C. Depending upon the laptop model, there might be some limitations with regard to certain laptops that exceed 70 Watts.
Q. Can Desk Hub work with third-party video conferencing solutions?
A. Yes, either through a camera/audio redirect or via existing RoomOS integration solutions.
Q. Does the Desk Hub support Power Over Ethernet (POE)?
A. No, the device ships with a power adaptor and requires AC power to operate.
Q. Will the new WLAN handsets be supported as well?
A. The Webex Wireless Phone has NFC and runs Android. It should work but has not yet been tested internally. The Wireless Phone is not designed to be a personal device. It is more ideal for vertical deployments such as hospitals. However, there could be a use case with users using the hotdesking feature on the Desk Hub with the Wireless Phone.
Q. What colors are available?
A. The Desk Hub is available in two colors: platinum white and carbon black.
Q. How many USB ports does the Desk Hub have and what are they?
A. The Desk Hub has three USB-C and one USB-A port. The USB-C ports are used for the Desk Camera, USB-C to HDMI, and laptop charging and screen sharing. The USB-A port is used for a USB-A headset.
Q. Does the Desk Hub have sensors?
A. Desk Hub includes many environmental sensors such as ambient noise, ambient light, humidity, and temperature. It also has a presence sensor, which is time of flight.
Q. Can the Desk Hub integrate with Cisco DNA Spaces?
A. Yes.
Q. Does the Desk Hub have facial tracking?
A. The Desk Camera connected to the Desk Hub supports Best Overview.
Q. Does the Desk Hub replace a Cisco IP phone?
A. The Desk Hub does not currently provide advanced calling features built into Cisco IP phones, such as like multiline, Call Park, Built-in-Bridge, BLF, and other features. However, for knowledge workers who require minimal telephony features, the Desk Hub may act as a replacement for a Cisco IP phone.
Q. Does the Desk Hub use Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UCM)? Is UCM required?
A. The Desk Hub can use UCM. However, UCM is not required. The Desk Hub runs RoomOS and therefore can be cloud-only registered, or hybrid with Edge for devices, just like the rest of the Webex Desk Series.
Monitors, Speaker, Microphone and Headsets
Q. What monitors are supported?
A. Standard HDMI monitors are supported.
Q. Is a separate monitor required?
A. Yes, the Desk Hub requires a monitor to view a remote participant’s video or laptop content. Desk Hub without a monitor is not supported. The Desk Hub’s built-in control display is not designed to render video.
Q. Does the Desk Hub have a speakerphone and built-in microphone?
A. Yes.
Q. Is a headset required? Can third-party headsets be used?
A. A headset is not technically required because the product has a built-in microphone and speaker. A headset is recommended for privacy. The product can work with the Cisco Headset 500 Series or another Cisco USB headset. The product is also designed to work with the Cisco Bluetooth Headset 730. An optional Desk Hub-specific charging dock for the Headset 730 can be ordered to be mounted on the Desk Hub. A Cisco headset with an RJ-9 connector is not supported. Third-party headsets can be used but Cisco does not test or directly support third-party headsets.
Q. Does the Desk Hub include a camera?
A. There is no built-in camera on the Desk Hub.
Q. Is a Webex Desk Camera required? Can I use any third-party camera?
A. Yes, an external camera is mandatory for the Desk Hub to be supported by Cisco. The required camera is for remote participants to see you. The Desk Hub is designed to work only with the Desk Camera. Third-party cameras are not supported.
Q. Does the Desk Camera have a microphone and is it used with the Desk Hub?
A. The Desk Camera does have a microphone, but it is not used with the Desk Hub. The Desk Hub has its own built-in microphone.
Hotdesking
Q. Is hotdesking a new feature, or is this a term for something that already existed in RoomOS?
A. Hotdesking is a new RoomOS feature.
Q. How does hotdesking work?
A. Using NFC technology on a smartphone, or a USB-C cable to a laptop, the Webex App detects whether the Desk Hub is in hotdesking mode. If it is, then the Webex App passes an activation code to the Desk Hub and provisions it as a personal mode device for the length of the booking. The booking duration is chosen by the end user directly after that seamless sign-in.
Q. Is the Webex App required for hotdesking?
A. Yes, the Webex App is required for NFC (Webex mobile) or USB-C (Webex on Windows or Mac) to invoke hotdesking.
Q. Is the Webex App required for non-hotdesking operation?
A. No, you can use the Desk Hub in shared mode or personal mode without the Webex App.
Q. Must you use a smartphone for hotdesking?
A. No, you can use a laptop with a USB-C port.
Q. Does the Desk Hub use ultrasound?
A. The Desk Hub can use ultrasound, but ultrasound is not involved in NFC or USB-C hotdesking.
Q. What type of connection does a user need to configure?
A. Desk Hub hotdesking will work with the Webex Mobile App (via NFC) and/or with the Webex Desktop App (via USB-C).
Q. Do we expect any security complaints from customers using NFC or USB-C interfaces?
A. The Webex App authorizes the connection for either NFC or USB-C. As an industry standard, NFC is considered secure for Apple Pay.
Q. In a deployment with multiple local offices, can end users determine which locations contain open hotdesks before arriving at the office?
A. This use case is currently under review.
Q. Do you have a list of supported mobile devices?
A. NFC for hotdesking or wireless charging are on most of the latest Android and iPhones.