Lync Qualified/Comptabile and Optimized IP Phone Features Compared: Which Devices are More “Advanced”?

I am getting more and more questions on which class of Lync devices is more “advanced”. As Lync Qualified (aka Lync Compatible/ 3PIP) devices get more and more features this question is getting less and less clear. Will Lync Qualified devices become more “Optimized” than LPE devices? This is a real possibility.

At one time I would have said Optimized devices are the information worker device while Qualified/Compatible are for those that want a more PBX-like experience. Qualified/Compatible/3PIP devices certainly remain the devices that provide the most PBX-like experience, but with the addition of Better Together over Ethernet, USB/Bluetooth headset support and video right from the devices (Polycom VVX 500/600), this line has become blurred. I still think that (at this moment) the information worker is best served by LPE devices, but this is becoming more subjective and will likely to change in the future.

Some things that still weigh in favor of LPE in my mind:

• Less initial setup /provisioning “fiddling”
• Better Lync Monitoring server Media Quality reporting (basically there is non on Qualifed/Compatible devices)
• LPE firmware is more “settled”,hardened & bug free.

NOTE: This article is in progress. Also, if you see any errors/omissions, please comment. Please verify and do your own testing.

	snom UC Edition	Polycom UCS 5.0.0	Audiocodes 4xxHD	LPE “Aries”
	Qualified	Qualified	Qualified(8)	Optimized
Boss/Admin	X	X
BToE (Ethernet Better Together)	Beta	X
USB Better Together				X
Call Park	X	X		X
1 Button Call Park	X	X
Parked Call Timer		X
Lync Server FW Updates	X	X		X
Lync Address Book Search	X	X		X
Lync Address Book	X			X
See Contact’s Lync Note	X			X
ABS Other Contacts Methods	X
Lync Contact Photos	(10)			X
Monitoring Server Media Details				X
Lync Server Setting Provision	X(5)
Device MOH	X			X
Change Device MOH	X(6)
Transfer Directly to VM	X
1 Touch Contact Buttons	X	X
Safe Transfer via 1 Touch Button	X
Visual Voicemail				X
Video from phone		X(1)
Supports Video Call Escalation				X
Safe Transfer	X
2 Button transfer	X	X
Expansion Module	X	X(2)
DESI Less BLF Buttons	some(7)	X
Define buttons from handset	X		X
Phone “In a Call” on handset lift	X	X	X
Dedicated “My Presence” Light				X
Support for USB/BT Headset	X(3)	X(3)
PC Port deliver non-default VLAN	X	X
Intercom – Auto pickup, 2 way	X(4)
Skype Federation audio calls	X
Disable 2nd Call  audio alert	X
Adaptable RTAudio codec Narrow	X			X
RTAudio Wideband	X			X
View Outlook Calendar	(10)	X		X
1 Click Meeting Join	(10)			X
Lync Meeting Roster Display	(10)			X
Initiate Lync Meeting from phone	(10)			X
DR Pool Failover without Reboot	X			X
SBC + WAN Loss Scenario	(9)			X

1) VVX 500/600 with optional camera, to Lync 2010 client only.
2) Announced, but not here.
3) Some models
4) Works, but not certified feature. Click Here
5) Snom marketing: Click Here; Technical Details Click Here
6) Possible, but not manageable from Lync Click Here
7) snom 760 and 821 have 4 DESI-Less Buttons
8) Only Audiocodes 420HD Lync Qualified as of this article: Click Here
9) as of 3/14 snom has addressed scenario, but FW to be released.
10) as of 3/14  snom UC Edition has demo’d but not yet released this feature: Click Here

More on Lync Phone Edition:
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/2012/07/feedback-from-field-challenges.html

Another Device Comparison:
http://masteringlync.com/2012/10/25/lync-device-showdown/

Contributions/Credits/Assistance:
https://twitter.com/JonathanSteeman