For the phones (except for 9861NR and 9871NR) that support NFC, the NFC onboarding now can support more configurable items in the predefined NFC data payload. Before this release, you can only configure onboarding method and the related onboarding details. Now you can further configure the following:

• MAC address of the phone (only applicable when the NFC data is signed)
• Wi-Fi network access configurations (such as, SSID, user ID, password)
• Custom Certificate Authority (CA) rule

To secure the NFC onboarding info (Wi-Fi configurations and Custom CA rule) that is transmitted between NFC device and phone, only the following security levels are permitted:

• Signing
• Encryption + Signing

In addition to the configurations in the NFC data payload, users can receive the notification messages that indicate the phone is ready to scan during the onboarding process.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Prepare NFC onboarding data for Desk Phone 9800 Series
• Register your Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series (with NFC)

The phone now can keep the user settings that are applied before the phone's Out-Of-Box (OOB) registration. Before this release, the user settings are cleared and reset to their factory settings automatically after the phone is registered.

Currently, this feature can preserve the following user settings:

• HTTP proxy settings
• 802.1X authentication state (Enabled or Disabled)

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• HTTP proxy settings
• Set up a proxy server
• Enable 802.1X authentication
• Configure 9800 Series and 8875 Phones on Control Hub

If your administrator has made you a member of a pickup group, you can answer calls for your group members when they are busy or absent. If there are multiple calls queuing in a group, you can answer calls for any of your group members or for a specific coworker as per the configuration. If multiple calls are available for pickup, you'll answer the call that has been ringing for the longest time. You see alerts in both the front arc LED and top LED if your administrator configures the notification alert for both the LEDs.

For configuring the LED alert type on Control Hub, see Configure the LED alert type for group call pickup.

The Hot Desking feature now supports sign-in via voice portal. Users can use the softkey or dial the Feature Access Code *30 to sign in to a workspace phone through voice portal authentication. By default, the Hot Desking sign in using voice portal option is enabled in the location-level and user-level configurations.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Sign in to a shared phone (Hot Desking)
• Configure Hot Desking on Control Hub

You can scan a QR code displayed on the phone screen to sign in to a Webex cloud calendar service with a Webex account. After a successful sign-in, you can join a calendar meeting on the phone. The supported meeting types include Webex and Teams.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Check and join a meeting on 9800/8875 (Unified CM)
• Enable calendar meetings on 9800/8875 (Unified CM)

During a Webex meeting in companion mode, your phone and Webex App work together as a combined system. When you pair your phone with Webex App, you can join a meeting either from your phone or from Webex App.

During this Webex meeting in companion mode, you can enjoy the following advantages:

• Send and receive a video, view or share content using Webex App, and keep the audio on the phone.
• Mute or unmute the phone audio, or adjust the phone volume using Webex App.

For more information on Webex meeting in companion mode, see Webex Companion with Desk Phone 9800 Series (Webex Calling).

Now the phone supports to generate the Webex meeting summaries by using Cisco AI Assistant. The AI Assistant can analyze the discussion during the meeting in order to provide the meeting minutes and action items.

On the phone, the meeting hosts or participants (if granted the permission) can start or stop the meeting summary.

Currently, only the hosts using the Webex App can grant the permission to the participants.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Use AI Assistant summaries on 9800/8875 (Webex Calling)
• Change video layout during a meeting on 8875
• Programmable softkeys configuration on 9800/8875 (Multiplatform)
• Webex App | Cisco AI Assistant in meetings

You can configure the display format (number or name) of lines that display on the phone screen by using Control Hub.

The configured display format can be applied to the following:

• The primary line that displays at the top left corner of the phone screen
• All lines if the phone has multiple lines
• The secondary line label if it's enabled
• All lines on Key Expansion Module (KEM)

For more information about the feature, go to the following link:

• Configure line key labels for 9800/8875 (Control Hub)
• Configure 9800 Series and 8875 Phones on Control Hub
• Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Key Expansion Module
• Configure and manage Webex Calling devices

The following enhancements have been introduced with this release:

• Silent emergency call retrieval

  A new parameter, Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval, is now available to control whether users can regain phone functionality during a silent emergency call. Previously, users has to wait for the call recipient to end the call. If this parameter is enabled, users can press any key to restore normal phone operation while maintaining the emergency call. The call audio remains silent unless the user increases the speaker volume using the Volume key.

• A single trigger for multiple events

  Administrators can specify multiple service destinations for the Action button to allow users to initiate multiple events with a single trigger. For example, if configured, pressing the button will not only place an emergency call but also send an alert message to other phones within the organization. This feature streamlines critical workflows, making it easier to respond quickly in certain situations.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Use the Action button on 9800
• Configure the Action button for 9800 (Control Hub)
• Configure the Action button for 9800 (Unified CM)
• Configure the Action button for 9800 (BroadWorks)

On Desk Phone 9841, 9851, and 9861 with multiple lines, you can enable the feature to minimize the call window (including incoming call, single call, calls list, new call, etc.) automatically to the inline call label. The inline call label includes the call session information, such as caller/callee name, number, call duration, call state, and call state relevant icons. When the feature is enabled, the status of other lines won't be blocked by the call window. Therefore, you can view the status of all lines on the phone when you have active calls.

This feature is also applicable for the lines on Key Expansion Module (KEM).

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Enable inline call label on 9841/9851/9861 (Multiplatform)
• Swap between calls on 9841/9851/9861
• Configure phone features for 9800 Series (BroadWorks)
• Configure 9800 Series and 8875 Phones on Control Hub

A new parameter, Display Off During Office Hours, has been added to control whether the phone display turns off when the phone is inactive during office hours. This helps reduce power consumption.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Configure Office Hours for 9800/8875 (Control Hub)
• Configure 9800 and 8875 phones on Unified CM
• Configure phone features for 9800 Series (BroadWorks)
• Configure phone features for 8875 phones (BroadWorks)

Multilevel Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) improvement

From this release, the phone that initiates the priority call with a router or translation pattern can also show the special notifications (flag icon + precedence level) on the phone screen. At the same time, the phone plays the precedence ringback tone.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Make and answer priority calls on 9800/8875 (Unified CM)
• Multilevel Precedence and Preemption

The phones registered to Webex Calling or BroadWorks now support the TLS up to the 1.3 version. Before this release, the maximum supported version of TLS is 1.2.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Set the minimum TLS version for client and server
• Network Requirements for Webex Services

You can enable the backward compatibility for the oldest version of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). If enabled, the phone can connect to the wireless networks or access points that only support WPA. By default, the feature is disabled.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• View information about security settings on phone (Unified CM)
• View information about security settings on phone (Multiplatform)

The device-level configuration has been moved from Devices > {device} > Device Settings to Devices > {device} > All configurations. The device settings in Organization-level, Location-level configuration, and Templates have been also moved.

For more information about how to configure 8875 phone settings on Control Hub, see Configure 9800 Series and 8875 Phones on Control Hub.

Cisco Unified Mobility offers a set of mobility-related features that allow users to interact with Unified Communications applications no matter where they may be, or which device they are using. Whether the device you are using is a home office phone, a dual-mode Cisco Jabber on iPhone or Android client over a Wi-Fi connection, or a mobile phone from another cellular provider, you can still access Unified Communications features and have the call be anchored in the enterprise.

For more information about the feature, see Cisco Unified Mobility.

Now the phone (except for none-radio model) supports the onboarding process via its NFC tag. By scanning the NFC tag with an app (for example, NFC Tools) running on a mobile phone, the onboarding information can be written to the phone in advance even before it boots up. When the phone boots up and connects to a network, the onboarding process starts automatically and chooses the path depending on the written information. In this way, the phones can be onboarded easily with zero touch for the phone users.

During the onboarding process, you can also scan the NFC tag to fill in the required information (for example, activation code or TFTP server address) if you don't want to manually enter the information on the phone.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Get started with Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series
• Register Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series
• Get phones onboard to Cisco Unified Communications Manager
• Get phones onboard to a BroadWorks server

The Cisco IP Manager Assistant (Cisco IPMA) feature enables managers and their assistants to work together more effectively. Cisco IPMA supports two modes of operation: proxy line support and shared line support. Both modes support multiple calls per line for the manager.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Use Cisco IP Manager Assistant (IPMA) on phones
• Configure and Troubleshoot Cisco IP Manager Assistant (IPMA)

This feature allows you to manage the mode-based forwarding of the specified features on a line key. You can manually switch the operating mode of call queues on your phone. Hence, the incoming calls are effectively routed to different destinations based on the operating mode you've selected.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Switching operating mode
• Call routing based on operating modes in Webex Calling

The Hot Desking sign-in process has been optimized to reduce the processing time and remove the need for a device reboot.

The phone users now can open the closed captions to display the transcription of the dialogue during a Webex hybrid meeting.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Check and join a meeting on your phone
• Use closed captions in Webex meetings
• Programmable softkeys configuration on 9800/8875 (Multiplatform)
• Configure the Programmable Softkeys for 9800/8875 (Control Hub)

The Microsoft Teams meeting now is supported on the phone that is registered to Webex Calling. The Teams meetings can display in the Upcoming meeting and Calendar screens on the phone. Also, users can check details of the Teams meetings. Similar to the Webex meeting, users can directly join a Teams meeting by pressing or tapping the Join softkey or soft button (depending on the phone model).

For more information, go to the following links:

• Check and join a meeting on your phone
• Return to a meeting

The Action button can now be configured to trigger up to three distinct services, each with its own unique trigger configuration. When configured with custom services, the Action button can also trigger actions through HTTP Post requests.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Configure the Action button for 9800 (Control Hub)
• Configure the Action button on 9800 (Unified CM)
• Configure the Action button on 9800 (Multiplatform)

Users can add their own speed dials on the phone. The user-added speed dials can be edited and removed from the speed dial list. However, users can't update or remove the speed dials added remotely through Self Care Portal or by administrators in Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

For more information, see Manage speed dials.

The users can change the custom wallpaper or logo, or both, on the phone. As the administrator, you can customize or set up the wallpaper and logo from the Control Hub or phone web page.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Customize the phone screen settings
• Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Key Expansion Module
• Parameters for phone settings on Control Hub
• Customize wallpaper and logo on Control Hub
• Customize wallpaper and logo on phone web page

As the administrator, you can send an HTTP file that contains an XML body to apply the custom wallpaper on the target phones.

For more information about the feature, see Customize wallpaper by sending XML to the phone.

Phone now supports the following languages:

• Bulgarian
• Croatian
• Estonian
• Latvian
• Lithuanian
• Slovenian
• Welsh

For more information, see Change language for your phone.

Screen pagination increases the capacity of the phone and allows to add more extension lines and features on line keys, than the number of physical line keys.

For more information, see Pagination on Cisco Desk Phone 9851 and 9861.

User Preference Attribute

The user-pref attribute allows you to set some user preferred value to provide a seamless experience for your user. Users can make further changes from the phone or from the phone administration web page. Any parameter changed by user is marked as user modified with an attribute um. Any changes made by the user are preserved.

The user-pref attribute can be updated during provisioning using XML configurations delivered with the Profile Rule parameter.

For more information, see User Preference Attribute.

Your phone now support updating Cisco headsets. When you connect a Cisco headset to the phone, the phone automatically check for updates.

For Cisco Headset 520 and 530, the phone starts the upgrading process automatically.

For Cisco Headset 300 Series, 560, and 700 Series, you are prompted to start updating or postpone it.

For more information, see Upgrade Cisco headset firmware on phones.

Reports for phones are available in the Monitoring section in Control Hub that you can use to help track usage or solve issues for your devices in your organization.

For more information, see Reports for Your Cloud Collaboration Portfolio.

Now the phone supports to provide information about the security issues. If any security issues occur on the phone, you can view the detailed information from the Issues and diagnostics screen.

For more information about the feature, see Check device security status on the phone.

You can set up the phone to connect the Internet through a specified HTTP proxy server for security purposes or resovle some HTTP connection issues. The users can either set up a proxy server on the phone or from the phone web page.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• HTTP proxy settings
• Register your phone
• Set up a proxy server
• Parameters for phone settings on Control Hub

You can enable a VPN connection on the phone from the Settings > Network and service. The established VPN connection doesn't require you to restart your phone.

For troubleshooting purpose, you can view the VPN statistics from the Issues and diagnostics screen which includes detailed information about current, closed, and failed VPN connections.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Connect to a VPN
• Check VPN statistics
• VPN configuration

You can use the service domain onboarding with Mobile and Remote Access (MRA) when deploying your phones for remote users. When users choose and enter a valid service domain, they will be prompted to enter their user credentials for the MRA authentication.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Register Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series
• Get phones onboard to Cisco Unified Communications Manager

User login credentials can be stored on the phone after the user signs into the Expressway server for Mobile and Remote Access (MRA). If enabled, the users don't need to enter the credentials again even though the phone restarts.

For more information about the feature, see Configure user credentials persistent for Expressway sign-in.

You can configure the phone to require the users to enter FAC or CMC, or both before they dial out a specific phone number. By using FAC and CMC, you can effectively manage call access and accounting. FAC regulates the types of calls that certain users can place, CMC assists with call accounting and billing for clients.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Calls that require authorization code or client matter code
• Configure speed dial numbers with Self Care Portal
• Feature Configuration Guide for Cisco Unified Communications Manager

You can set up multicast paging to allow the users to page to phones. The page can go to all phones or a group of phones in the same network. Any phone in the group can initiate a multicast paging session. Only the phones that listen for the paging group can receive the page.

In addition, you can configure the phones to receive pages from an XML server to optionally display an image or other UI elements. With this feature, you can invoke the XML service from multicast paging.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Make and answer a paging call
• Configure multicast paging
• XML applications configuration for phones on BroadWorks
• Paging script syntax
• Macro variables supported in XML URLs

Phone can now be enabled with Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) features. This phone acts as a call center agent's phone and can be used to trace a customer call, to escalate any customer call to a supervisor in emergency, to categorize contact numbers using disposition codes, and to view customer call details.

For more information, see Configure call center agent phone.

The User Data Service (UDS) is used as the default directory service for phone on Unified CM. You can disable the service either for all phones or for an individual phone if you don't use it. When disabled, users on the phone can't view the personal or corporate contacts provided by UDS.

For more details, see Configure directory services for phones on Unified CM.

From this release, only the Top 360 LED lights up for the voicemails and missed calls. The Front Arc LED doesn't light up any more for the voicemails and missed calls.

By default, the Top 360 LED doesn't light up for the missed calls. You can enable the LED indication from the call control system.

For more information, go to the following links:

• LED indicators overview
• Parameters for phone settings on Control Hub (Webex Calling)
• Enable LED indication for missed calls (BroadWorks)
• Enable LED indication for missed calls (Unified CM)

The enhancements for the Hot Desking feature include the following:

• Hybrid working users can sign in to Hot Desking enabled phones through either Webex App or a web browser on their mobile devices.

• Administrators can extend user bookings or terminate them on Control Hub.

• The phones can be provisioned as hot-desk-only mode. Only emergency calls are supported on these phones. Users are required to sign in with their Webex account to use the full features.

For more information, go to the following links: .

• Sign in to a shared phone (Hot Desking)
• Configure Hot Desking on Control Hub

In this release, we deliver the following meeting related features:

• Mute status sync in hybrid meeting: The audio mute status is now synchronized across multiple devices, including the phone, connected headset, and Webex App. This ensures that the user's audio status remains consistent across all devices when they join a meeting with the phone.
• Recoding indication in meeting: When a meeting is being recorded, a recording indication pops up on the phone screen to notify the users that the meeting is being recording. Also, the users will receive a notification when the recording is paused, resumed, or stopped.
• Participant list: The participant list shows the participants with their roles and the video and audio status. The invitees that aren't present are listed in the lower part of the list.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Check and join a meeting on your phone
• Programmable softkeys configuration on 9800/8875 (Multiplatform)
• Configure the Programmable Softkeys for 9800/8875 (Control Hub)

The Action button can be configured to either make an emergency call or trigger a custom service. Administrators can customize the service name, which appears in a popup when the button is pressed, helping users identify which service they'll access.

For more information, go to the following links:

• Configure the Action button for 9800 (Control Hub)
• Configure the Action button on 9800 (Unified CM)
• Configure the Action button on 9800 (BroadWorks)

The Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series now support Thai, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Arabic, and Hebrew as display languages.

For phones on BroadWorks, administrators can add XML applications and assign softkeys or line keys with XML applications for easy access.

For the supported XML objects, URIs, and configurations, see the following links:

• Cisco Unified IP Phone Services Application Development Note
• XML applications configuration for phones on BroadWorks

Voice feedback helps people with vision problems to use their phone. When enabled, a voice prompt helps you navigate the phone screen and use or configure phone features.

The voice also reads out incoming caller IDs, touchable area information, screen summary, virtual keyboard keys,hard keys, and softkey information.

To have a better visual experience, you can customize the font size when the phone is taken out-of-box. The customization of the font size does not change few of the texts, such as the texts on the phone header, some descriptional small texts, large text on the phone Home screen, texts in the softkey bar. If key expansion module is connected to a phone, font size of the text in KEM also changes during this customization.

For more information on configuring voice feedback on the phones registered to Cisco BroadWorks or Webex Calling, see Configure voice feedback.

For more information on configuring from phone, see Voice feedback (accessibility).

For information on font change, see Customize font size on your phone.

The phones now support Cisco Headset USB-C Adapter for the connection with Cisco wireless headsets.

For more information, see Cisco Headset USB Adapter.

ThousandEyes enables you to monitor and troubleshoot your devices and network. Endpoint Agent has been integrated into the phone firmware. But you need to enable ThousandEyes on your phones to get the agent registered to the ThousandEyes platform.

Only Cisco Desk Phone 9861 and 9871 support this feature.

See the configurations and limitations in the following links:

• ThousandEyes integration for 9800 (Control Hub)
• Enable ThousandEyes integration for 9800 (Unified CM)

For phones on BroadWorks, administrators can configure random timer for the phone to enter deep sleep and wake up around the schedule. This feature help distribute the load of network and power system when a large number of phones power on and off simultaneously.

You can control whether to light up the Front Arc LED indicator when the phone enters the Display-Off mode. By default, the LED will turns off. You can change the setting with the LED Indicator in "Display Off Mode" parameter.

See the configurations in the following links:

• Configure Office Hours for 9800 (Control Hub)
• Phone features and setup on Unified CM
• Configure phone features on the phone administration page

Phone now has the ability to automatically register to the Site Survivability Gateway (SGW) nodes when the network connection to Webex Calling breaks. When the phone connects to the SGW nodes, phone supports only limited set of calling features. When this feature is enabled, user can see the "Limited features available" notification on the phone.

See the configurations in the following links:

• Limited features available notification
• Configure calling features
• Site survivability for Webex Calling

Assured Services SIP(AS-SIP) is a collection of features and protocols that offer a highly secure call flow for Cisco IP Phones and third-party phones. AS-SIP is often used with Multilevel Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) to prioritize calls during an emergency.

For more information, see Assured Services SIP.

In the previous release, only the RSA key is supported in CAPF. Now, the EC key is also supported. To use the EC key, make sure that the parameter "Endpoint Advanced Encryption Algorithms Support" (from System > Enterprise Parameter) is enabled.

See the configurations in the following links:

• Security Guide for Cisco Unified Communications Manager
• CUCM Third-Party CA-Signed LSCs Generation and Import Configuration Example
• Configure Automatic Certificate Enrollment and Renewal Via CAPF Online CA

You can install a Custom Device Certificate (CDC) by using one of the following methods:

• Manual installation by uploading the certificate from phone web page.

  The certificate typically contains a private key and password associated with it.

• Auto installation by a Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) server.

  You can configure the SCEP parameters by using one of the following methods:

  • Phone web page
  • XML provisioning
  • DHCP option 43

The certificate can be installed for the wired and wireless network with 802.1x authentication.

On the phone web page, you can check the installation status of the certificate, view details of the installed certificate, and remove the installed certificate.

On the phone or phone web page, you can select the certificate type (Manufacturing or Custom) for the 802.1x authentication in wired/wireless network environment.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Set up Wi-Fi profile
• Manually install custom device certificate
• Automatically install custom device certificate by SCEP
• SCEP parameters configuration via DHCP option 43
• Certificate renewal by SCEP
• Enable FIPS mode
• 802.1X Authentication

You have the options to permanently turn off the speakerphone, headset, and handset on a phone for your user.

For more information, see Turn off speakerphone, headset, and handset on a phone.

Multilevel Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) allows users to prioritize calls during emergencies or other crisis situations. A priority call takes precedence over a normal call or a lower-priority call.

The user can assign a priority to the outgoing calls that range from 1 to 5. Incoming calls display a precedence level icon and the receiver will hear a special ring that is faster than usual.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Make and answer priority calls
• Use Do Not Disturb (DND)
• Multilevel Precedence and Preemption

The phone supports Cisco UCM with Multi-server (SAN) Tomcat Certificates configured. The correct TFTP server address can be found in the phone ITL file for phone's registration.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• How To Configure Multi-server (SAN) Tomcat certificate with Cisco UCM
• Security Guide for Cisco Unified Communications Manager

If you don't configure the user/admin password on the phone, the phone UI and phone web page will display the no password warning. For security concerns, we recommend to set up the password after the phone's first registration or a factory reset.

In addition, you can't submit the changes from the phone web page until the password is configured.

For more information about the feature, go to the following links:

• Set the user and admin password

You can set up the minimum version required for TLS client and TLS server respectively.

For more information, see Set up the supported versions of TLS.