Problems to Be Aware of When Recommending or Using Microsoft Teams Certified IP Phones

There some items in the Microsoft Teams app supplied by Microsoft to the certified Teams IP Phone vendors to be aware of. (This means the items below affect all IP phone vendors) The solution to many of these issues could be "use a certified headset", but we all realize that there are sometimes areas or users that a physical desk phone is the best solution. This can be especially challenging when it is an executive that is requiring a deskphone. These are items to be aware of. Be armed with knowledge.

FIXED 9/2019 - Bug: Keypad dialing misses digits

If a user walks up to a phone and starts dialing at normal dialing speed without picking up the handset the phone will drop some of the dialed digits.

Workaround: Train users to pickup the handset before dialing or dial very slow.

Missing Feature: No Contact List/Quick Dial List

Most desk phones have the ability to assign a button to quick-dial a buddy or often called phone number but unfortunately these phones do not. Not only do they not have physical buttons to dial regularly dialed contacts, there isn't even the ability to pin contacts on a regularly called contact list. (exacerbating the issue, there is no manageable extension dialing solution.)

Workaround: Search for the contact click the Search and start typing the contact name.

Weak Design: Can't completely dial a number using keypad buttons

The same users that want a traditional desk phone experience will typically want to be able to dial a number using the physical buttons on the phone. Users on desk phones and mobile phones have come to expect a Green/dial button to initiate a dial. With the current Teams IP Phone software the user will be able to dial a number using the physical buttons, but need to complete the phone call by pressing the touch screen soft phone button for "dial" or...

Correction - ...The phones with the latest update will now dial after a few seconds pass. (around 3 seconds)

Weak Design: Elements on the touch screen are too small

The elements on the screen are too small for typical users. Understandably this is worse on the low cost models that have a smaller/vertical screen)

Workaround: Settings | Device Settings | Accessibility | Large Text (you do not need to restart phone)

Missing Feature: PC Phone Control (formerly called Better Together or Better Together over Ethernet)

This feature allows a user to have a phone paired to a PC so the user can use the phone independently or integrated with the PC to, for example, click to dial a phone number.

Workaround: None

Other Items

• Sometimes when the voicemail play button is pressed it doesn't respond. (Perhaps related to small components on screen? Or is it that voicemail file is still being loaded?)
• App instability around calling Bots: "Unfortunately Teams has stopped."
• Park - can't just walk up to a phone and dial digits, they must touch the Park icon on the screen first.
• Experience when using in conjunction with Call Queues: Muting & Transfer (Update: A newer firmware may provide a fix for this. Verifying.)

Conclusion

Another solution to getting a very traditional handset which does not have many of the problems noted above is using existing Skype for Business certified IP Phones with Microsoft Teams. (although this doesn't seem a very forward looking solution at them moment if an organization needs to purchase a bunch of IP phone right now.)

Microsoft Teams is rapidly evolving and improving and I expect the IP Phone team will work to resolve these issues. I also understand from phone vendors that there may be a v2 spec of the Teams IP Phone may be forthcoming?

If there are any other items you think should be added to this list, please comment.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-ip-phones#currently-certified-ip-phones