Table Of Contents
Cisco IP SoftPhone as a Stand-alone Phone
Cisco IP SoftPhone to Control a Cisco IP Phone
Cisco IP SoftPhone in Languages Other Than English
Online Dialing and Directories
Desktop Collaboration with Virtual Conference Room
Application and Document Sharing
Support for Cisco Emergency Responder
Cisco IP SoftPhone Overview
Cisco IP SoftPhone is a desktop application that turns your computer into a full-feature telephone with the added advantages of call tracking, desktop collaboration, and one-click dialing from online directories. You can also use Cisco IP SoftPhone in tandem with a Cisco IP Phone to place, receive and control calls from your desktop PC. All features are functional in both modes of operation. Cisco IP SoftPhone can also be used to control phones on supported analog lines.
These sections introduce you to the features, components, and system requirements for Cisco IP SoftPhone:
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Cisco IP SoftPhone as a Stand-alone Phone
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Figure 1-1 shows the main components of the Cisco IP SoftPhone.
Figure 1-1 Cisco IP SoftPhone
Icon bar
Line(s) display
Line buttons
Call blocks
Context-sensitive button bar
OffHook soft key
Redial soft key
Cisco IP SoftPhone as a Stand-alone Phone
You can use Cisco IP SoftPhone as a stand-alone phone to place and receive all calls through your computer rather than your Cisco IP Phone. In this mode, the media stream is terminated by your computer. This means that your computer "rings" when you have an incoming call and you must use a computer headset or computer handset to speak and listen during a call. The volume controls on the Cisco IP SoftPhone user interface control the microphone and speaker volume.
When you use Cisco IP SoftPhone as a stand-alone phone, you can take your phone extension with you and receive calls wherever you are connected to the corporate network. For example, when you are on a business trip, you can use Cisco IP SoftPhone to place and receive calls and check voice mail while online.
To use Cisco IP SoftPhone as a stand-alone phone, your PC must have a full-duplex sound card or device with the proper drivers installed, and a computer headset or computer handset. Use of the PC's speakers is not recommended as it may introduce echo.
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Cisco IP SoftPhone to Control a Cisco IP Phone
You can use Cisco IP SoftPhone in tandem with a Cisco IP Phone to give you the flexibility to control calls from your computer or from your Cisco IP Phone. Both devices reflect the same current call state.
For example, you can pick up the Cisco IP Phone handset to accept an incoming call and use the Cisco IP SoftPhone application to place the call on hold. Both the Cisco IP Phone and the Cisco IP SoftPhone reflect the fact that the call is on hold.
In this mode, the Cisco IP Phone terminates the media stream. This means that the Cisco IP Phone rings when you have an incoming call and you need to use the telephone handset to speak and listen during a call. The volume controls on the Cisco IP Phone control the microphone and speaker volume, rather than the volume controls provided with Cisco IP SoftPhone.
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Cisco IP SoftPhone in Languages Other Than English
You have the flexibility to use Cisco IP SoftPhone in various languages, such as English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
During installation, you can select the language in which you would like to run Cisco IP SoftPhone. As a result, text in the Cisco IP SoftPhone graphical user interface and dialog boxes appears in the language of your choice. When you run Cisco IP SoftPhone, you can switch to another language at any time.
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Online Dialing and Directories
Cisco IP SoftPhone enables you to place phone calls using directory servers, web pages, and your computer keyboard. It integrates with the directory service used by the Cisco CallManager, allowing you to place calls by dragging a name from the corporate directory to the dialing window. To setup a conference call, simply drag names from the directory into the dialing window.
To add names to your personal directory, drag an active call into the directory. Cisco IP SoftPhone automatically adds the caller ID to your directory.
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Alphanumeric Translation
Cisco IP SoftPhone translates alphanumeric dialing strings into keypad digits. For example, if you enter 1-800-GOCISCO, Cisco IP SoftPhone correctly translates the dial string to 1-800-462-4726. The values for `Q' and `Z' are translated to `7' and `9' respectively.
Tracking Calls
Whenever you place or receive a call, Cisco IP SoftPhone displays the caller address, caller name, and phone number for the duration of the call. Cisco IP SoftPhone also logs this information to a call log. The call log keeps track of which line placed or received the call, the duration of the call, the type of call and how the call ended.
You can view the call log at any time to see an up-to-date history of your calls. You can place a call to any call log entry (with a phone number) or clear all entries in the call log.
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Audio Conference
To initiate a conference call with Cisco IP SoftPhone, you simply click the conference button and drag a directory entry onto the active call block. Cisco IP SoftPhone provides full audio conferencing capabilities, with up to six participants in a conference call. It supports full-duplex audio so people can speak simultaneously.
Once you establish a conference call, you may add participants at any time. As participants are invited to join the conference, the Roster updates to show the current list of participants.
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Desktop Collaboration with Virtual Conference Room
Cisco IP SoftPhone includes a desktop collaboration utility called Virtual Conference Room. You can use Virtual Conference Room to create online meetings where all parties can be heard and any party can share a document, application, or whiteboard, with other participants. Only one computer must have the program, and any participant can be given control of the document. Additionally, you can integrate with Microsoft NetMeeting for video and other modes of collaboration.
These sections describe the Virtual Conference Room desktop collaboration features of Cisco IP SoftPhone:
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Whiteboarding
The Virtual Conference Room whiteboard application allows everyone in a call or audio conference to draw and type simultaneously on a shared screen. When you press the whiteboard button, a whiteboard appears on the PC screen for each conference call participant. The whiteboard application includes tools you can use to add and delete whiteboard pages, draw shapes, type text, and emphasize an item with a highlighter or remote pointer.
You can also use the whiteboard application to copy and paste items between the whiteboard and other programs. Then, you can use the whiteboard's tools to further illustrate the objects. Other meeting participants can see your work without having access to your desktop.
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Application and Document Sharing
The Virtual Conference Room application and document sharing feature allows meeting participants to view and work on files simultaneously. For example, you may want several people to work on the same Microsoft Word document. You can open the document on your computer, share it, and then everyone can provide their comments directly in the document. Only the person who opened the file must have the program, in this case, Microsoft Word, on their computer. Other participants do not need to have access to the program; they can work on the document without it. All meeting participants can share programs during a meeting. The shared programs of each participant appear in separate shared program windows on the other participants' desktops.
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Chat
Cisco IP SoftPhone integrates with the Microsoft NetMeeting chat application. This allows you to send a text message to all or selected participants in an audio or video call. Chat is useful in a group meeting because everyone can "talk" to each other simultaneously. In an audio or video connection, only two people can talk at a time.
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Video Collaboration
Cisco IP SoftPhone integrates with Microsoft NetMeeting so you can conduct video meetings. Even if you are unable to transmit video, you can still receive video calls in the NetMeeting video window.
If you choose to use video or prefer the NetMeeting interface, you must disable Virtual Conference Room. See "How to Prepare for a Video Collaboration Session" section for instructions on how to disable Virtual Conference Room. After you disable Virtual Conference Room, Cisco IP SoftPhone uses the NetMeeting user interface to place calls.
See the Microsoft NetMeeting online help and documentation for details on how to use the video collaboration features of NetMeeting.
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Voice Mail Integration
Cisco IP SoftPhone integrates with your voice mail system. It can transfer calls or place calls directly into a voice mailbox. When you have a voice mail message, the messages icon in the Cisco IP SoftPhone icon bar turns red until you check your messages. To dial your voice mailbox, simply click on the voice mail message icon.
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Support for Cisco Emergency Responder
Cisco IP SoftPhone 1.2 includes support for the Cisco Emergency Responder service. Cisco Emergency Responder (CER) provides 911 dispatchers with your caller information such as phone number and location. You can operate Cisco IP SoftPhone with CER if you have Cisco CallManager 3.2 or Cisco CallManager 3.1 and your system administrator has configured Cisco CallManager for CER. To find out whether you have the CER service, contact your system administrator.
Network Components
Cisco IP SoftPhone uses the services of the Cisco CallManager to route calls through an IP telephony network. The Cisco CallManager is an open and industry-standard call processing system which integrates traditional PBX functionality with a corporate IP network. Cisco CallManager manages the components of the IP telephony system, the phones, access gateways, and the resources necessary for such features as call conferencing and route planning.
Your system administrator must configure a line for you and assign user permissions on the Cisco CallManager system before you can send and receive calls with the Cisco IP SoftPhone.
Figure 1-2 shows a diagram of the network components required for Cisco IP SoftPhone.
Figure 1-2 Cisco IP SoftPhone and the Cisco IP Telephony Network
System Requirements
Table 1-1 lists the system and network requirements necessary to install and use Cisco IP SoftPhone on your PC.
Standards Support
Cisco IP SoftPhone supports the following networking and telephony standards:
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