Windstream OfficeSuite UC Release 9.5

WindstreamEnterprise

NOTE: OfficeSuite UC v9.5 production release was completed for all customers as of April 21, 2020. See below for what new features and functions were included in Release 9.5 

Windstream OfficeSuite UC® release 9.5 introduces new phone models and accessories, plus enhancements to existing Poly VVX, Verge-WE, and Mitel 6900 phones

The OfficeSuite UC team is pleased to announce new features and functions for its customers with the release of OfficeSuite version 9.5 software.

The enhancements include:

New Poly VVX x50 series phone support: OfficeSuite customers have a new series of phone models from which to choose. The Poly VVX x50 series of phones includes four new models ranging from the 2-line VVX 150 up to the 12-line color LCD VVX 450 with the VVX 250 and 350 filling in the middle. Plus, there’s a VVX EM50 expansion module compatible with the VVX 450 for additional keys. Click here for full details about the new series of Poly VVX phones and accessories. These new phones are available for new OfficeSuite UC customers at proposal and for existing OfficeSuite customers to order via the customer portal Phones & Accessories page. With few exceptions for cordless and conference phones, OfficeSuite UC advises customers to never mix phone manufacturers at the same location and preferably never within the whole of the customer’s locations. Users of other Poly VVX series desk phones may co-mingle this new set of phones at the same location, but users of Mitel or Verge-WE desk phones should not.

New Poly OBi Wi-Fi adapter: Coincident with the release of the new VVX x50 series of phones, Poly also introduced a new Wi-Fi dongle compatible with their VVX phones with USB ports. OfficeSuite now supports the OBi Wi-Fi USB dongle on the following Poly VVX phone models available from Windstream: new models VVX 250, 350 and 450, plus VVX 401*, 411*, 501 and 601. It is also supported on older Poly VVX phone models 500* and 600*. When using Wi-Fi to connect your VVX phone to your network, it is recommended that you first boot the phone in a wired Ethernet LAN environment and then move it to Wi-Fi after it’s been configured and working via Ethernet. Also, because you won’t be connecting the phone to a Power over Ethernet LAN, you must buy the appropriate Poly VVX power adapter for your specific phone model. The OBi Wi-Fi dongle is available for new OfficeSuite UC customers at proposal and for existing OfficeSuite customers to order via the customer portal Phones & Accessories page. Click here for full details about the new series of Poly VVX phones and accessories including this new Wi-Fi adapter.

* VVX models marked with an asterisk are no longer available from Windstream but are still supported with OfficeSuite

VVX Auto-dial: A new functionality for customers with VVX phones enables auto-dialing of the entered digits without the user having to press the SEND key. With VVX Auto-dial turned ON, all VVX phones (except models 101 and 201) will automatically dial the digits entered after three seconds of no further digit entry. The user must first get dial tone on the phone by pressing a line key or the speaker key, or by picking up the handset. Then dial the extension or the outbound phone number and wait three seconds. Users can still press SEND if they are impatient. This function is available for OfficeSuite administrators to turn on or off in the WE Connect portal. When the admin toggles the feature from Off to On, or vice versa, all of the Poly VVX phones (except 101 and 201) at all locations will reboot, so be sure to make the change during off-hours so as to not disrupt your users. Click here for instructions.

New Mitel 6970 Conference Phone support: OfficeSuite now supports the newest Mitel 6900 series phone; the 6970 color touchscreen conference phone. This newest Mitel phone boasts a 7-inch color touchscreen display, 96 self-labeling programmable keys, built in Bluetooth, Mobile Integration, and superior audio quality for huddle rooms and medium-sized conference rooms. Optional extension microphones allow for deployment in larger rooms and on oddly shaped tables. This new phone is available for new OfficeSuite UC customers at proposal and for existing OfficeSuite customers to order via the customer portal Phones & Accessories page. Click here for more details.

Relocation of the Mitel 6900 series phone Logout soft key: Users with Mitel 6900 series phones will notice the LOGOUT soft key has moved slightly so as not to fall directly beneath the END key. Some users reported they had inadvertently logged out of their phone because they went to END a call a fraction of a second after the far-end party hung up and mistakenly hit LOGOUT. That won’t happen anymore.

Verge-WE BLF changes: Busy Lamp Field, BLF, or Monitor keys programmed on Verge-WE phones now retain their label in the Busy state. For example, if you programmed a monitor key and labeled it as “Joe BLF” it will retain that label in both the Busy and Idle state. (Prior to v9.5, the label would display the caller ID of the far-end party in a Busy state). For phones and expansion modules with multiple BLF keys programmed, this is a welcome improvement. Some customers reported an inability to recall which key was monitoring which user if several adjacent keys were Busy. The Busy state is still indicated by a glowing red LED on that key. If the programmed key has answer permissions, then when the monitored party’s phone is ringing, the caller ID of the far-end party will display on the key and the LED will flash.

NOTE:  The above enhancements are part of OfficeSuite UC® v9.5 software. Your service must be upgraded to version 9.5 before you can enjoy these new enhancements. Customers are notified via portal alerts after their service is upgraded to the newest version.  All server upgrades complete April 21, 2020.

You can check the version of software your OfficeSuite UC® service is running by following the instructions for your portal: WE Connect or MyOfficeSuite.

Click here to read the announcement of features and functions in the previous OfficeSuite Release v9.4.

Gregg Collins

Kudos on all improvements, particularly on moving the Mitel 6900 Logout button!