XPhone Softphone Integration - Plantronics Hub und Jabra Direct

With XPhone Connect V8.0.326, the XPhone Connect Softphone is integrated with Plantronics Hub and Jabra Direct. What advantages this integration offers and what behavior you can expect, you will learn in this article.

Requirements

Let's compare what you can see with your eye. In the new client V8.0.326 there is now a hook for integration into the headset manufacturers' software.

The checkmark Use advanced integration (SDK required) activates the integration in Plantronics Hub and Jabra Direct.

However, as it is already written in the checkmark of the function, it is not done with the setting of the checkmark, the SDKs (Software Development Kit) of the headset manufacturers is required on the client. These are included with Plantronics Hub and Jabra Direct.

There is one final requirezent. The headset must be recognized as a device in Plantronics Hub or Jabra Direct. So if you see the following, even our integration cannot access headset control through the SDKs.

The obvious next question is, of course, "What headsets are enabled for this integration?"

Simple answer: generally, any headset is enabled as long as the headset shows up in their corresponding software.

Plantronics even has an explicit website for this: https://www.poly.com/de/de/products/services/cloud/plantronics-manager-pro/supported-devices

With Jabra, it should be noted that Bluetooth headsets are also connected via the Jabra Bluetooth dongle and not via native Bluetooth interfaces of the computer. Otherwise, the audio device is not addressable via the Jabra SDK.

Behavior in the new version

Going back to the version comparison, the absence of the red message Function disabled while XYZ is started! is immediately noticeable.

By no longer accessing the XPhone's own interface for headset control, but via the headset software, we can react more specifically to the headset signals. This removes the restriction to deactivate the headset control if other software like Microsoft Teams or Skype for Business is started in addition to XPhone Connect.

If the SDKs are not available, the fallback to the previous implementation takes effect and the red message appears again.

But now let's move on to concrete call scenarios.

Initial situation:

• XPhone Connect 8.0.326 is installed and started, and a Plantronics or Jabra headset is selected as the softphone.
• Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business and/or Zoom are also started on the client computer.
• The Plantronics Hub or Jabra Direct is installed in the latest version on the client computer.

Then the following behavior results:

• An incoming XPhone Softphone call can be answered via headset.
• An existing XPhone Softphone call can be ended via headset
• Call control also works when Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business and/or Zoom are started

- Behavior of call control with existing call in Skype for Business and incoming XPhone call

--> first press - Skype for Business call is ended

--> second press - XPhone call is accepted

- Behavior of call control for existing call in Microsoft Teams and incoming XPhone Call

--> first press - Microsoft Teams call is ended

--> second press - XPhone call is accepted

• Currently not every Teams client (depending on the user account) reacts the same or not to the headset control.If Teams does not react to the control, the XPhone call is accepted at the first click, the MS Teams call remains. This behavior is currently not comprehensible and (according to Jabra) identical with all headset manufacturers.

- Behavior of call control with existing meeting with zoom and incoming XPhone Call

--> first press - XPhone call is accepted, Zoom meeting is not ended (Zoom does not react to headset control)

Known limitations

- With Jabra Direct, Internet access is required on client computer, otherwise timeout must be waited until Jabra is selected as softphone.

- With Plantronics Hub, if device is changed too often too quickly in Connect Client, Plantronics Hub may crash, but will automatically restart when Plantronics headset is selected.