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A USB phone looks like a traditional 
In 2009, Polycom introduced the CX300 USB phone, optimized for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. In its second release (CX300 R2), this USB phone operates as a plug-and-play device with Skype for Business, Microsoft Lync 2013, and Microsoft Lync 2010. A user can communicate using the handset, plug in a headset ( RJ9 plug in rear), or use it as a speakerphone when the handset is left on-hook. It is also supported with Skype for Business online which makes it a possible endpoint to use with Office 365 Cloud PBX when connected to a PC running the Skype for Business client.
telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into e ...
, but it has a USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad v ...
connector instead of an RJ-11. It may be used with most softphone
A softphone is a software program for making telephone calls over the Internet using a general purpose computer rather than dedicated hardware. The softphone can be installed on a piece of equipment such as a desktop, mobile device, or other compu ...
s and services like Skype
Skype () is a proprietary telecommunications application operated by Skype Technologies, a division of Microsoft, best known for VoIP-based videotelephony, videoconferencing and voice calls. It also has instant messaging, file transfer, deb ...
, Sipnet, Sippoint Mini, Net2Phone
Net2phone provides VoIP and cloud computing-based telephony products and services. The company is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation.
History
Net2Phone was founded in 1990. On July 30, 1999, during the dot-com bubble, the company became a public com ...
, MSN Messenger
MSN Messenger (also known colloquially simply as "Messenger"), later rebranded as Windows Live Messenger, was a cross-platform instant messaging client, instant-messaging client developed by Microsoft. It connected to the Microsoft Messenger ser ...
, NetMeeting
Microsoft NetMeeting is a discontinued VoIP and multi-point videoconferencing client included in many versions of Microsoft Windows (from Windows 95 OSR2 to Windows Vista). It uses the H.323 protocol for videoconferencing, and is interoperable w ...
, Xlite, Skype for Business
Skype for Business (formerly Microsoft Lync and Office Communicator) is an enterprise software application for instant messaging and videotelephony developed by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Office suite. It is designed for use with the on- ...
.
In 2005 XS4ALL Internet BV (the first public internet provider in the Netherlands) supplied all of its DSL users with a USB VOIP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. The terms Internet t ...
Phone, it the idea of Donar Alofs and built by Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
. It came with a browser plugin and people could make and receive calls via this USB Phone via an internet website (webphone.xs4all.nl). Later on, people got DSL modems with RJ-11 VoIP ports and RJ-45
A registered jack (RJ) is a standardized telecommunication network interface for connecting voice and data equipment to a service provided by a local exchange carrier or long distance carrier. Registration interfaces were first defined in t ...
ISDN ports, later the DSL modem/routers were also built-in DECT for making calls with traditional phones.
In 2009, Polycom introduced the CX300 USB phone, optimized for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. In its second release (CX300 R2), this USB phone operates as a plug-and-play device with Skype for Business, Microsoft Lync 2013, and Microsoft Lync 2010. A user can communicate using the handset, plug in a headset ( RJ9 plug in rear), or use it as a speakerphone when the handset is left on-hook. It is also supported with Skype for Business online which makes it a possible endpoint to use with Office 365 Cloud PBX when connected to a PC running the Skype for Business client.
References
Telephony equipment Computer peripherals USB {{telephony-stub