Headset Prior (Yealink T21P)

[dreemer]

Hello,

I'm having a huge issue at one of my offices; we have three Yealink T21P phones with Jabra headsets (these work great).

We purchased a Jabra remote handset lifter in order to be able to answer phone calls without having to push the "headset" button on the phone itself. I made sure to set "headset prior" to "true" in the web interface (of each phone); I can see that it's working because the icon changes from a phone to a headset on the phone's display (showing headset prior is active).

Everything is working, except when the lifter picks up the handset, it auto switches to the handset and you still have to push "headset" on the phone itself in order to talk via the headset (even if headset prior is active).

Am I doing something wrong? Can this issue be fixed?

Thank you in advance,
Ray.

[jolouis]

Underlying problem is you are using T21's with a physical handset lifter. The phone doesn't understand that you're lifting the handset to answer the headset... the normal flow with a headset is to press one of the buttons on the phone to answer the call VS lifting the handset itself.

I'm not aware of any options that you can use to disable that, maybe somebody from Yealink can chime in. A more ideal solution would be to use EHS, but since the T21 is too basic to support that unless you want to replace the phones that's not really an option...

[dreemer]

(10-31-2018 07:15 PM)jolouis Wrote:  Underlying problem is you are using T21's with a physical handset lifter. The phone doesn't understand that you're lifting the handset to answer the headset... the normal flow with a headset is to press one of the buttons on the phone to answer the call VS lifting the handset itself.

I'm not aware of any options that you can use to disable that, maybe somebody from Yealink can chime in. A more ideal solution would be to use EHS, but since the T21 is too basic to support that unless you want to replace the phones that's not really an option...

Thank you for your reply...

I understand that the phone doesn't understand that the handset is being lifted to answer the headset; however, that is the point of a remote lifter (which is activated via the headset button on the headset itself, not the phone). Some other phones (non-Yealink phones at our other offices) do not have this problem when told to do so. The idea is to be able to easily answer the call without being at your desk (via the remote lifter) but make sure that the voice data is routed to the headset (afterwards), via headset priority.

So if this does not work with the T21, what is the point of the "Headset Prior" setting if you still have to press the "Headset" button on the phone itself? It is 100% useless if that's the case. You can still answer calls via that button without "headset prior" being set to "true", so I'm very confused to say the least.

[jolouis]

While I agree with you to some degree, the underlying problem is that you are making assumptions without actually reading the documentation.

The manual states:
features.headset_prior
0-Disabled, the headset mode will be deactivated after the call, if you switch the headset mode to speakerphone/handset mode.
1-Enabled, the headset mode will not be deactivated after the call, even if you switch the headset mode to speakerphone/handset mode.

So basically the option is only there to ensure that that headset mode does not get "switched off" by lifting the handset. (i.e. with this option disabled, if you were talking on a headset and then picked up the handset to talk, when you hung up again the phone would remain with headset mode OFF. With this option turned on, even if you pickup the handset to talk to someone, when you finish that call the Headset mode will re-activate, making sure the next call comes in on the headset again). It has nothing to do with what you are asking for.

There are two simple solutions to this problem:
1) Ditch the T21 and lifter, get a more advanced phone and headset that support EHS. This costs more $$ but is a much cleaner solution.This is the application/configuration modern headsets should be using.
2) Get a headset adapter/switch that will let you connect the headset inline with the handset. Connect this way and do not use the headset mode of the phone at all. This is the application/configuration lifters were designed to be used for.[/b]

[dreemer]

(11-02-2018 06:36 PM)jolouis Wrote:  While I agree with you to some degree, the underlying problem is that you are making assumptions without actually reading the documentation.

The manual states:
features.headset_prior
0-Disabled, the headset mode will be deactivated after the call, if you switch the headset mode to speakerphone/handset mode.
1-Enabled, the headset mode will not be deactivated after the call, even if you switch the headset mode to speakerphone/handset mode.

So basically the option is only there to ensure that that headset mode does not get "switched off" by lifting the handset. (i.e. with this option disabled, if you were talking on a headset and then picked up the handset to talk, when you hung up again the phone would remain with headset mode OFF. With this option turned on, even if you pickup the handset to talk to someone, when you finish that call the Headset mode will re-activate, making sure the next call comes in on the headset again). It has nothing to do with what you are asking for.

There are two simple solutions to this problem:
1) Ditch the T21 and lifter, get a more advanced phone and headset that support EHS. This costs more $$ but is a much cleaner solution.This is the application/configuration modern headsets should be using.
2) Get a headset adapter/switch that will let you connect the headset inline with the handset. Connect this way and do not use the headset mode of the phone at all. This is the application/configuration lifters were designed to be used for.[/b]

Hey jolouis,

Thank you for your reply. We have opted to try an adapter (as you stated). If this does not work, we're probably just going to order new Cisco phones.

Thanks again.