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General Questions
Q. What are the Cisco® Unified IP Phone 7965G and Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models are part of a new suite of evolutionary Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series endpoints. They extend the features and functionality of the existing Cisco Unified IP Phone 7961G/7961G-GE and 7941G/7941G-GE models, while enhancing the end-user experience with high-fidelity wideband audio, new vibrant backlit color displays, improved navigation options, and other features.
Q. Are the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models replacing existing phones in the portfolio?
A. No. These new phones are additions to the expansive Cisco IP endpoints portfolio.
Q. What are the main differences between the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7961G/7961G-GE and 7941G/7941G-GE models? Which phone should I order?
A. Refer to Table 1 for the primary differences.
Table 1. Feature Comparison
* Headset not offered by Cisco. Must be purchased separately. Wideband handset on Cisco Unified IP Phone 7961G-GE, etc. is available as an accessory only, not shipped by default with phone.
Q. What phone firmware version is required?
A. A new phone firmware version is required for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models. Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) firmware Version 8.3(2) will be posted to Cisco.com upon phone orderability.
Q. Is this truly brand-new firmware, or is the existing base code (for Cisco Unified IP Phone 7961G, 7970G, etc.) used?
A. The new firmware uses the base code for the existing Java-based phones. The application software is common across the models, and in general, all features supported on the earlier phones will continue to be supported on the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models.
Q. What protocols are supported?
A. Both SCCP and SIP (with Cisco call control) are supported.
Q. How many languages are supported?
A. Language support is tied to call control. With Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0, there is support for 45 locales and 34 languages on the phones. The latest additions are Arabic (multiple locales) and Hebrew.
Q. Is there an upgrade program to move from an existing phone to one of the newer phones?
A. The regular Cisco Technology Migration Program (TMP) will be available within approximately two weeks of the first customer shipment (FCS). Use the Cisco TMP tool to verify the discount.
Features and Functions
Q. What new features are supported?
A. See Table 1 for feature comparison. The following are some of the new features of the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G:
• Large 5-inch graphical TFT backlit color display for improved visibility and easy access to productivity-enhancing applications
• TIA 920-compliant wideband speakerphone and handset, plus support of wideband headsets with G.722 wideband codec. Phone body cavities, speakers, and handsets have been specifically designed for wideband audio
• Four-way navigation button with center Select key for intuitive screen navigation and entry
• iLBC robust narrowband codec support for use in high-packet-loss network environments
Wideband/Codecs
Q. What is wideband? What are the advantages?
A. Wideband audio expands the available spectrum for voice communications from the standard PSTN range of approximately 300-3300 Hz to approximately 150-7000 Hz. The increased spectrum/frequency response leads to greater voice clarity, intelligibility, "richness," and less listener fatigue.
Q. What is TIA 920?
A. TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association) 920 is a VoIP standard for wideband response.
Q. What is the G.722 sampling rate?
A. 16 kHz.
Q. What are the bandwidth requirements for G.722?
A. 64 kbps - the same requirement as for the G.711 codec.
Q. Can existing narrowband handsets be used on the new phones?
A. Wideband handsets are the only handsets supported on the new phone models, and are shipped with each new phone model.
Q. Will G.711 and G.729 narrowband codecs sound "normal" on the new Cisco Unified IP phones that have seemingly been designed for wideband?
A. Using the wideband handset with narrowband codecs may result in perceived improvements in voice quality compared to when a regular narrowband handset is used.
Q. Can either wideband or narrowband headsets be used?
A. Yes, either type may be used. For the best possible audio performance, the phone's Wideband Headset setting (Enabled or Disabled) should correlate with the type of headset used.
Q. How can I tell if G.722 is enabled on my phone?
A. The user interface displays the configuration. View the Settings -> Device Configuration
-> Media Configuration menu. Refer to the phone's administrative guides for more details.
-> Media Configuration menu. Refer to the phone's administrative guides for more details.
Q. How can I take advantage of G.722 and the wideband experience?
A. For point-to-point (IP phone-to-IP phone) wideband calls over a LAN at a single customer site, both endpoint devices must be enabled to support wideband within Cisco Unified Communications Manager Version 4.1 or later. For multisite point-to-point wideband calls, the IP gateway must support the G.722 wideband codec. Support in Cisco IP gateways is planned for early 2008.
Q. Will Extensible Markup Language (XML) applications be able to take advantage of the G.722 codec for audio playout?
A. Yes. Enhancements to XML Service Interface APIs in the 8.3(2) phone firmware release allow for specification of extended stream attributes such as codec type. This will be reflected in updates to the Software Development Kit (SDK).
Q. Is wideband/G.722 supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express?
A. Not initially, but support is planned for 2008.
Q. Does Cisco voice conferencing support wideband/G.722?
A. Voice conferencing will be a top application for wideband, as speaker recognition and voice naturalness are enhanced over narrowband. Cisco Unified MeetingPlace support for wideband conferencing (using G.722) is planned for Q3 2007.
Q. What is internet Low Bit Rate Codec (iLBC)?
A. iLBC is a low-bit rate, narrowband codec that withstands high packet loss. iLBC delivers speech quality better than G.729 and G.723.1 and is resilient against packet loss compared to other low-bit-rate codecs. It operates at 13.3 kbps (30 ms frames) and 15.2 kbps (20 ms frames), and delivers substantially better voice quality than other low-bit narrowband codec over congested networks with packet loss.
Q. What are the Cisco Unified Communication Manager and phone firmware requirements for use of the iLBC codec?
A. iLBC requires Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0(1) at minimum, with phone firmware version 8.3(2).
Q. Is iLBC supported by Cisco Communications Manager Express?
A. Not initially, but support is planned for mid-year 2008.
Display
Q. What are the size and resolution of the displays?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models feature a 5.0-inch graphical backlit TFT color display with 16-bit color depth and 320 x 240 effective pixel resolution. The display also supports localization requiring double-byte Unicode encoding for fonts.
Q. Do the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models support XML services?
A. Yes. With an advanced user-interaction model and a backlit TFT color display, the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models can deliver powerful applications and network data to the desktop. This capability allows for the availability of more sophisticated applications at any desktop or other location where the phone is deployed.
Q. There is no "Viewing Angle" display adjustment on this phone. Is there a reason?
A. Viewing Angle is not applicable to the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models due to the use of a digital LCD.
Expansion Modules
Q. Is the Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Module 7914 supported?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Module 7914 is supported on the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G. Up to two expansion modules may be attached. It is not supported on the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G.
Q. Does the Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Module 7914 require separate power?
A. A single Cisco IP Phone Expansion Module 7914 will work without separate power when the phone is locally powered using a Cisco IP phone external power supply. If two expansion modules are attached when the phone itself is locally powered, a second external power supply must be connected to the AC adapter port on the expansion module closest to the phone. When the phone is powered with inline power (IEEE 802.3af) or midspan power (with a power injector), a power supply must be used when either one or two expansion modules are attached.
Other
Q. How is the 4-way navigation key with the center Select button used?
A. The 4-way navigation rocker key allows users to scroll vertically and horizontally. In addition, the center of the rocker key contains a smaller button that can be used for selection. The behavior of the outer rocker is the same as that of other phones with a 4-way navigation pad (such as the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7970G). Up and Down are used for scrolling vertically through lists and menus. Right and Left are used for scrolling horizontally in multi-column displays. The Select button takes action on actionable items that have focus on the display. For example, if a menu item is in focus, the Select button opens the underlying menu; for a ringer item, the Select button performs the "Play" action. Note: The Select button does not take action on all menu items.
Power
Q. Do the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models support Cisco inline power?
A. No. The phones support only IEEE 802.3af PoE (Class 3).
Q. As Class 3 IEEE devices, do these phones require a continuous draw of 15.4 watts (W) (standard Class 3 allocation)?
A. No. When Cisco Unified IP phones are connected to common switches such as the Cisco Catalyst® 3560 Series Switches or Cisco Catalyst 3570 Switches, the switch can automatically detect the phone type and provide the exact amount of power that the phone needs. The use of Cisco Discovery Protocol provides this greater granularity to the power classification, allowing for more accurate reporting of power consumption, and a higher density of phones on the switch. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models will draw a maximum of 12W from a switch; this places them beyond the limits of Class 2, but below the default 15.4W value of Class 3.
Q. Is there a recommended powering option for these phones?
A. No. Powering decisions depend on the customer's environment. The IEEE 802.3af inline power method can be used; alternatively, either the standard Cisco Unified IP Phone external power adapter or the Cisco Unified IP Phone Power Injector can be used for local power.
Q. Can the phone displays be "turned off" when not in use to conserve power?
A. Yes. As with the existing Cisco Unified IP Phones 7970G and 7971G-GE models, the display can be set (with the Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Manager Express admin tool) to turn off at designated times. For example, you may choose to turn off the display after business hours on weekdays, and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. This can both conserve power and add to the longevity of the LCD. Note: When the display is off (screen dark), the Display softkey will be illuminated to indicate power save mode.
Q. Do these phones support a half-brightness power option, like the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7970G?
A. No. Use of any of the described powering options delivers full brightness and full functionality.
Product Compatibility - General
Q. What Cisco Unified Communications Manager release is required for the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models require one of the following releases at minimum: Cisco Unified Communications Manager 4.1(3)sr5b, 4.2(3)sr2b, 4.3(1), 5.1(1)b, 5.1(2), or 6.0(1).
Q. What Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express release is required for the phones?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models are first supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Version 4.1 and Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.4(15)T (available now).
Q. Is Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) supported? What about Secure SRST?
A. Yes, both are supported with Cisco Communications Manager Express 4.1
Q. Does the Cisco Smart Business Communications System (Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business) support these new phones?
A. Yes, the Cisco Smart Business Communications System supports the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models.
Q. Q: Does Cisco Unified Video Advantage for desktop video conferencing support the new phones?
A. Yes, Cisco Unified Video Advantage supports the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models.
Q. Does Cisco Unified Phone Application Suite support the new phones?
A. Yes. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G are supported in Cisco Unified Phone Application Suite 6.0.
Q. Which headsets are compatible and recommended?
A. Cisco recommends a wideband headset that can take advantage of the improved voice quality available when used in conjunction with the G.722 codec. Because these phones feature wideband audio, customers are advised to use "noise canceling" (directional) headsets for best performance. Please check with headset vendors for Cisco product compatibility. It is always recommended that customers try headsets in the setting of intended use prior to mass purchase and deployment.
Availability and Ordering
Q. When can I order these new phones?
A. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models are now orderable.
Q. Is a station user license or device license units required?
A. Yes. As with all Cisco phones, a station user license must be purchased with each phone ordered for use with Cisco Unified CallManager 4.x and earlier, or for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express. For Cisco Unified Communications Manager 5.0 and later releases, the appropriate device license units must be purchased.
Q. How many device units (in Cisco Unified Communications Manager 5.0 and later) are needed for the new phones?
A. Four device units - the same number required for the existing Cisco Unified IP Phone 796x and 794x models. In Cisco Unified Communications Manager 4.x releases, a phone-specific user license must be configured when ordering the phone.
Q. What items are included with a shipped phone?
A. A. As with the other Cisco Unified IP phones, these new phones ship with the base unit (with attached foot stand), a handset, a handset cord, a Cat5e Ethernet cord/patch cable, a pictorial quick-start guide, Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information (RSCI), a Cisco one-year limited hardware warranty card, and an end-user software license agreement.
For More Information
Q. Where can I learn more about the new Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models?
A. For more information about Cisco Unified IP phones, visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/phones/ps379/index.html. For specific information about the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G and 7945G models, visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/voicesw/ps6788/phones/ps379/ps8537/product_data_sheet0900aecd8069bd58.html and http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/voicesw/ps6788/phones/ps379/ps8534/product_data_sheet0900aecd8069bb80.html respectively.