For decades, the office desk phone was a fairly simple machine. It sat at the corner of your desk, allowing you to punch in a number, hold a receiver to your ear, and connect with a client or colleague. It did one job, and it did it well. But as Australian businesses have moved their communications into the cloud with solutions like the Microsoft Teams phone systems, that humble handset has evolved into something much more powerful.
Now, your handset isn’t just a phone; it’s a dedicated portal into your entire digital workspace. However, with so many options on the market, choosing the right Microsoft Teams handsets can feel a bit like trying to pick a new car. Do you need the rugged workhorse for the warehouse, the sleek model for the boardroom, or a simple headset and just call it a day?
Today, let’s break down what actually matters when picking your gear.
Why a Physical Handset Still Wins
Here’s a common question: “If I have Teams on my laptop, why do I need a physical Teams phone handset?” For many hot-deskers or remote workers, a softphone or app is fine. But for other roles, the physical handset is necessary.
Think about your receptionists, warehouse managers, or executives who spend half their day in back-to-back meetings. A dedicated handset means they don’t have to tinker with Bluetooth settings or wait for their laptop to wake up just to answer a call. It provides “always-on” reliability. Plus, there is something psychologically grounding about having a dedicated device for voice. It helps clear the clutter from your computer screen, provides superior audio quality that integrated laptop mics can’t give, and lets you focus on the person on the other end of the line.
Look for the Certified Seal of Approval
If there is one piece of advice you take away from this, let it be this: always choose “Teams Certified” hardware. You might find a bargain-bin VoIP phone online that claims it works with Microsoft, but if it isn’t certified, you’re asking for trouble.
Certified Microsoft Teams phones are purpose-built to run the Teams software natively. This means you get features like one-touch join for meetings, synchronised “Presence” (so your phone shows you as ‘Busy’ when you’re in a meeting on your laptop), and top-tier security encryption.
When you buy certified gear from brands like Yealink or Poly, you’re buying a device that speaks the same language as your computer, making updates and troubleshooting a breeze.
Match the Handset to the Human
Not every desk in your office needs a touchscreen the size of a tablet. To get the best ROI, you need to match the hardware to the specific job at hand.
For your common areas—think lunchrooms or hallways—you want something simple and durable. These phones don’t need fancy video capabilities; they just need to work when someone picks them up. On the flip side, your front-of-house staff or heavy phone users will benefit from large displays that show their “Busy Lamp Field” (the list of who else in the office is currently on a call). This allows them to transfer calls with a single tap, rather than memorising extension numbers like it’s 1995.
Then you have the executive class. These are the high-performance models that often feature built-in cameras for video conferencing and premium speakers. They are designed for the person who needs to jump from a 1-on-1 voice call to a full-blown video presentation without missing a beat.
The “Hidden” Benefits of Modern Hardware
Modern Microsoft Teams handsets do a lot more than just carry your voice. Many of the models we provide at Com2 come with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This sounds like a small detail until you realise you can move a desk to a spot without an ethernet port, or you can seamlessly switch a call from your desk phone to your wireless headset as you walk to the pantry to grab a coffee.
There’s also the management factor. Because these phones are part of your Microsoft Teams phone system, your communications partner (that’s us!) can manage them all from a central dashboard. We can push updates, fix glitches, and even set up a new phone for a new employee before it even leaves our warehouse. You just plug it in, log in, and it’s ready to go.
Making the Right Call with Com2
At Com2 Communications, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We take the time to understand how your specific team moves and talks before we recommend a single device. Whether you’re looking to outfit a brand-new office in Brisbane or modernise a remote team across WA, we’ve got the expertise to ensure you’re getting hardware that actually makes life easier.
Your communication system is only as strong as its weakest link. Don’t let an outdated or uncertified handset be the bottleneck that slows your business down. Check out our range of Microsoft Teams handsets or give us a buzz to chat about a tailored hardware package for your business.