Action button on 9800 Series

The Action button is the red button located at the top-right of the phone. It allows users to quickly access designated services, such as emergency or custom services. You can custom the button to initiate events that suit your specific use cases.

The custom options for the Action button on Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series require specific PhoneOS firmware support. See the following table for details:

FeatureRequired firmware version
Emergency callPhoneOS 3.0.1 and later
Custom servicePhoneOS 3.2.1 and later
Multiple triggersPhoneOS 3.3.1 and later
HTTP PostPhoneOS 3.3.1 and later
Multiple events on a single triggerPhoneOS 3.4.1 and later

Configure the Action button for emergency calls

The Action button for emergency calls ensures quick and easy access to critical assistance in workspaces.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Navigate to the Action Button section and configure the following parameters to link the Action button with an emergency service.

  • Action Button Function: Select Emergency Call.

  • Action Button Service Destination: Enter the phone number or the URI of the emergency service.

  • Action Button Service Name (Optional): Specify a name for the service associated with the action trigger. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which event will be initiated. If no name is specified, Emergency call will be used as the display name.

  • Dial Out Delay: Set the timeout period (in seconds) for the phone to initiate an emergency call after the trigger is detected. The default value is 5 seconds. If set to 0, the call is placed immediately upon detecting the trigger.

  • Service Trigger Select a trigger from the list: Single Press, Long Press, or Press 3 Times.

  • Silent Emergency Call (Optional): By default, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls. When silent emergency call is enabled, the audio is silent on the caller side to avoid drawing attention during the onging call. Only the call recipient can end the silent emergency call.

    During a silent emergency call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. All other functions are inaccessible. The phone restores normal operation after the recipient ends the call.

  • Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval (Optional): Enable this feature if you allow users to 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.

For more details about these parameters, see Parameters for the Action button.

You can also configure these parameters in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering the following strings:

<!-- Action Button -->
<Action_Button_Function ua="na">Emergency Call</Action_Button_Function>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name ua="na">911</Action_Button_Service_Name>
<Action_Button_Service_Destination ua="na">911</Action_Button_Service_Destination>
<Service_Trigger ua="na">Long Press</Service_Trigger>
<!--
 available options: Single Press|Long Press|Press 3 times|MultiTrigger 
-->
<Dial_Out_Delay ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay>
<Silent_Emergency_Call ua="na">Disabled</Silent_Emergency_Call>
<!-- available options: Enabled|Disabled -->
<Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval ua="na">No</Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval>
<!--
 available options: Yes|No
-->

4

When done, click Submit All Changes.

Associate the Action button with a custom service

When you associate the Action button with a custom service, the phone users can access the service by the designated trigger, such as a single press, long press, or triple presses on the button.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Navigate to the Action Button section and configure the following parameters to associate the Action button with a service.

  • Action Button Function: Select Custom.

  • Action Button Service Name (Optional): Specify a name for the service associated with the trigger. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which service will be triggered. When no name is specified, Custom service will be used as the display name.

  • Action Button Service Destination: Enter the URL of the custom service. The URL must start with http:// or https://, for example, https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml.

  • Custom Content Field (Optional): If you want to enable the phone to send an HTTP Post request when the Action button is pressed, enter the HTTP data such as method, header, and post content, with a maximum length of 1024 characters.

    For POST script examples and the syntax, see HTTP Post request for the Action button.

  • Dial Out Delay: Set the timeout period, in seconds, for the phone to initiate an event after detecting the trigger. The default value is 5 seconds. When set to 0, the event is initiated immediately upon trigger detection.

  • Service Secret (Optional): Enter the authentication secret, token or password if your custom service requires authentication to access it. The entered secret is displayed as a masked string and can be referenced using the macro $SS in Custom Content Field and Action Button Service Destination.

  • Service Trigger Select a trigger from the list: Single Press, Long Press, or Press 3 Times.

  • Silent Emergency Call (Optional): If you have included a phone number or dialing URI in the service destination, enabling this feature will silent emergency calls.

    By default, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls. When set to enabled, the audio is silent on the caller side to avoid drawing attention during the onging call. Only the call recipient can end the call.

    During a silent emergency call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. All other functions are inaccessible. The phone restores normal operation after the recipient ends the call.

For more details about these parameters, see Parameters for the Action button.

You can also configure these parameters in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering the following strings:

<!-- Action Button -->
<Action_Button_Function ua="na">Custom</Action_Button_Function>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name ua="na">Services</Action_Button_Service_Name>
<Action_Button_Service_Destination ua="na">https://12.23.13.21/path/service.xml</Action_Button_Service_Destination>
<Custom_Content_Field ua="na"/>
<Service_Secret ua="na"/>
<Service_Trigger ua="na">Long Press</Service_Trigger>
<!--
 available options: Single Press|Long Press|Press 3 times|MultiTrigger 
-->
<Dial_Out_Delay ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay>

4

When done, click Submit All Changes.

Configure a single trigger for multiple events

A single trigger for multiple events allows one action on the action button to initiate several related processes simultaneously. This feature enhances responsiveness, reduces complexity, and ensures seamless workflow execution across applications.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Navigate to the Action Button section and configure the following parameters to associate the Action button with a service.

  • Action Button Function: Select Custom.

  • Action Button Service Destination: Enter the phone number to call and the XML service URL in this format:

    tel:<phonenumber or SIP URI> + <serviceURL>

    The URL must start with http:// or https://.

    Example: tel:1234 + https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml

  • Action Button Service Name (Optional): Specify a name for the service associated with the action trigger. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which service will be triggered. When no name is specified, Custom service will be used as the display name.

  • Custom Content Field (Optional): If you want to enable the phone to send an HTTP Post request when the Action button is pressed, enter the HTTP data such as method, header, and post content, with a maximum length of 1024 characters.

    For POST script examples and the syntax, see HTTP Post request for the Action button.

  • Dial Out Delay: Set the timeout period, in seconds, for the phone to initiate an event after detecting the trigger. The default value is 5 seconds. When set to 0, the event is initiated immediately upon trigger detection.

  • Service Secret (Optional): Enter the authentication secret, token or password if your custom service requires authentication to access it. The entered secret is displayed as a masked string and can be referenced using the macro $SS in Custom Content Field and Action Button Service Destination.

  • Silent Emergency Call (Optional): If you have included a phone number or dialing URI in the service destination, enabling this feature will silent emergency calls.

    By default, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls. When set to enabled, the audio is silent on the caller side to avoid drawing attention during the onging call. Only the call recipient can end the call.

    During a silent emergency call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. All other functions are inaccessible. The phone restores normal operation after the recipient ends the call.

  • Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval (Optional): Enable this feature if you allow users to 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.

For more details about these parameters, see Parameters for the Action button.

You can also configure these parameters in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering the following strings:

<!-- Action Button -->
<Action_Button_Function ua="na">Custom</Action_Button_Function>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name ua="na">Alert</Action_Button_Service_Name>

<Action_Button_Service_Destination ua="na">tel:1234 + https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml</Action_Button_Service_Destination>
<Custom_Content_Field ua="na"/>
<!-- <Service_Secret ua="na"/> -->
<Dial_Out_Delay ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay>
<Silent_Emergency_Call ua="na">Disabled</Silent_Emergency_Call>
<!-- available options: Enabled|Disabled -->
<Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval ua="na">No</Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval>
<Service_Trigger ua="na">Press 3 times</Service_Trigger>
<!--
 available options: Single Press|Long Press|Press 3 times|MultiTrigger 
-->

4

When done, click Submit All Changes.

Configure multiple triggers

You can configure the Action button to connect to multiple services and assign each service with its own trigger. For example, a long press on the Action button places a call to the designated emergency agent; a single short press on the button post a notification to the phones within the corporation.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Navigate to the Action Button section and select MultiTrigger in the Service Trigger field.

4

Based on your use cases, configure the parameters in the desired trigger sections.

The following parameters are available in these sections - MultiTrigger - Single Press, MultiTrigger - Long Press, and MultiTrigger - Press Three Times.

  • Action Button Function: Select the service that phone users can access via the trigger.

  • Action Button Service Name (Optional): Specify a name for the service associated with the trigger. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which service will be triggered. When no name is specified, Custom service will be used as the display name.

  • Action Button Service Destination: Enter the URL of the custom service. The URL must start with http:// or https://, for example, https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml.

  • Custom Content Field (Optional): If you want to enable the phone to send an HTTP Post request when the Action button is pressed, enter the HTTP data such as method, header, and post content, with a maximum length of 1024 characters.

    For POST script examples and the syntax, see HTTP Post request for the Action button.

  • Service Secret (Optional): Enter the authentication secret, token or password if your custom service requires authentication to access it. The entered secret is displayed as a masked string and can be referenced using the macro $SS in Custom Content Field and Action Button Service Destination.

  • Dial Out Delay: Set the timeout period, in seconds, for the phone to initiate an event after detecting the trigger. The default value is 5 seconds. When set to 0, the event is initiated immediately upon trigger detection.

  • Silent Emergency Call(Optional): If you have set the Action button for emergency calls, enabling this feature will silent emergency calls.

    By default, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls. When set to enabled, the audio is silent on the caller side to avoid drawing attention during the onging call. Only the call recipient can end the call.

    During a silent emergency call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. All other functions are inaccessible. The phone restores normal operation after the recipient ends the call.

  • Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval (Optional): Enable this feature if you allow users to 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.

    This parameter is located in the Action Button section.

For more details about these parameters, see Parameters for the Action button.

You can also configure these parameters in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering the following strings:

<!-- MultiTrigger - Single Press -->
<Action_Button_Function_1 ua="na">Custom</Action_Button_Function_1>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name_1 ua="na">Notification</Action_Button_Service_Name_1>
<Action_Button_Service_Destination_1 ua="na"/>https://10.11.20.159/path/Messages.xml</Action_Button_Service_Destination_1>>
<Custom_Content_Field_1 ua="na"/>
<Service_Secret_1 ua="na"/>
<Dial_Out_Delay_1 ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay_1>
<Silent_Emergency_Call_1 ua="na">Disabled</Silent_Emergency_Call_1>
<!-- available options: Enabled|Disabled -->
<!-- MultiTrigger - Press Three Times -->
<Action_Button_Function_2 ua="na">Custom</Action_Button_Function_2>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name_2 ua="na">IT Support</Action_Button_Service_Name_2>
<Action_Button_Service_Destination_2 ua="na">https://10.11.20.159/path/support.xml</Action_Button_Service_Destination_2>
<Custom_Content_Field_2 ua="na"/>
<Service_Secret_2 ua="na"/>
<Dial_Out_Delay_2 ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay_2>
<Silent_Emergency_Call_2 ua="na">Disabled</Silent_Emergency_Call_2>
<!-- available options: Enabled|Disabled -->
<!-- MultiTrigger - Long Press -->
<Action_Button_Function_3 ua="na">Emergency Call</Action_Button_Function_3>
<!-- available options: Off|Emergency Call|Custom -->
<Action_Button_Service_Name_3 ua="na">911</Action_Button_Service_Name_3>
<Action_Button_Service_Destination_3 ua="na">911</Action_Button_Service_Destination_3>
<Custom_Content_Field_3 ua="na"/>
<Service_Secret_3 ua="na"/>
<Dial_Out_Delay_3 ua="na">5</Dial_Out_Delay_3>
<Silent_Emergency_Call_3 ua="na">Disabled</Silent_Emergency_Call_3>
<!-- Action Button -->
<Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval ua="na">No</Allow_Silent_Emergency_Call_Retrieval>
<!--
 available options: Yes|No

5

When done, click Submit All Changes.

References

Parameters for the Action button

The following parameters are located in the Action Button section in the Voice > Phone tab.

Table 1. Parameters for the Action button
ParameterDefault and optionsDescription
Action Button Function

Default: Off

Options: Off, Emergency Call, Custom

You can configure the button with a specific service.

  • Off: When set to Off, the Action button for single service on the phone will not function.
  • Emergency Call: Users can use the Action button to place an emergency call, if configured.
  • Custom: Users can use the Action button to access the custom service, if configured.

When you set the field to Emergency Call or Custom, make sure that you enter the service destination in the Action Button Service Destination field. Or, the phone will display a configuration error.

Action Button Service Name

Default: Empty

Optionally specify a name for the service associated with the Action button. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which service will be triggered.

If you don't specify a name, the default name will be Emergency call, Silent emergency call, or Custom action based on your selection in the Action Button Function field.

Action Button Service Destination

Default: Empty

Provide the service destination in one of the following formats based on the service assigned to the Action button:

  • For emergency call services, enter a telephone number or the URI of emergency service.

  • When configure the button for a custom service, enter the service URL. The URL must start with http:// or https://. For example, https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml.

  • To configure the button to initiate multiple events with a single trigger, enter tel:<phonenumber or SIP URL> + <Service RUL>. Example: tel:1234 + https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml.

    Calling SIP URIs is also supported. Enter the URI in the format of tel: sip 4567@co.webex.com

If you enable the Action button without setting a valid service destination, the user on the phone will see a message prompting for configuration. After the user closes this notification, the warning icon will persist in the header of the phone screen until the button is properly configured or disabled.

Phone numbers cannot be used as destinations for custom services. If you configure the Action Button as Custom and enter a phone number as the service destination, an alert message will display on the phone indicating that the button is unconfigured. Instead, you can add a phone number in this format tel:<phone number>, for example, tel:1234.

Custom Content Field

Default: Empty

This setting works only when the Action Button Function is set to Custom.

Enter the HTTP data such as method, header, and post content, with a maximum length of 1024 characters. When configured, the phone sends an HTTP Post request when the Action is pressed.

You can also use other macros such as $MA, $SN.

For POST script examples and the syntax, see HTTP Post request for the Action button.

Service Secret

Default: Empty

A service secret can be an authentication secret, token or password. The entered secret is displayed as a masked string and can be referenced using the macro $SS in Custom Content Field and Action Button Service Destination.

Service Trigger

Default: Single Press

Options: Single Press, Long Press, Press 3 times, MultiTrigger

Choose how users can place an emergency call or initiate a custom service using the phone's Action button.

Single Press: Press the Action button to trigger the associated call or service.

Long Press: Press the Action button down for at least 2 seconds to trigger the associated call or service.

Press 3 times: Press the Action button three times with intervals of one second between each press to trigger the associated call or service.

MultiTrigger: Select this option to associate multiple triggers and events to the Action button. Then, go to the MultiTrigger - Single Press, MultiTrigger - Long Press, and MultiTrigger - Press Three Times sections to configure the specific settings.

Dial Out Delay

Default: 5

Options: 0 - 30

Set the timeout period, in seconds, for the phone to initiate an emergency call or a custom action after the Action button is pressed.

Set it to 0 if you prefer the phone to place the call or initiate an event immediately upon detecting the trigger, as specified by a single press, long press, or triple presses on the button.

Silent Emergency Call

Default: Disabled

Options: Enabled, Disabled

Silent emergency call is designed for discreet assistance in dangerous situations. It enables users to seek help without making any noise.

  • When enabled, users are able to place one-way calls with the Action button.

    After the silent emergency call is placed, only the other party can end the call. To avoid drawing attention during the ongoing call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. The phone locks all functions during a silent emergency call, by default. To allow users to restore normal phone operation while maintaining the silent emergency call, enable the Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval feature.

  • When disabled, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls.

Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval

Default: No

Options: Yes, No

Controls whether users can retrieve phone functionality during a silent emergency call. By default, once a silent emergency call is initiated, the phone locks all functions until the call recipient ends the call.

When this parameter is set to Yes, 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 volume using the Volume key.

The parameters in the following table are available in the MultiTrigger - Single Press, MultiTrigger - Long Press, and MultiTrigger - Press Three Times sections on the Voice > Phone tab.

Table 2. Parameters for multiple triggers
ParameterDefault and optionsDescription
Action Button Function

Default: Off

Options: Off, Emergency Call, Custom

Select the service that phone users can access via the service trigger.

  • Off: When set to Off, the action trigger will not function.
  • Emergency Call: Users can place a call to the designated emergency number via the action trigger.
  • Custom: Users can access the designated service via the action trigger.

    When you set the field to Emergency Call or Custom, make sure that you enter the proper service destination in the Action Button Service Destination field. Or, the phone will display a configuration error.

Action Button Service Name

Default: Empty

Optionally specify a name for the service associated with the action trigger. This name will be displayed in the on-screen message when the user presses the button, indicating which service will be triggered.

If you don't specify a name, the default name will be Emergency call, Silent emergency call, or Custom action based on your selection in the Action Button Function field.

Action Button Service Destination

Default: Empty

Provide the phone number, the URI for emergency call, or the URL for the custom service.

If you enter a service URL, the URL must start with http:// or https://.

Example: https://10.11.20.159/path/service.xml.

Phone numbers cannot be used as destinations for custom services. If you configure the Action Button as Custom and enter a phone number as the service destination, an alert message will display on the phone indicating that the button is unconfigured. Instead, you can add a phone number in this format tel:<phone number>, for example, tel:1234.

Custom Content Field

Default: Empty

This setting works only when the Action Button Function is set to Custom.

Enter the HTTP data such as method, header, and post content, with a maximum length of 1024 characters. When configured, the phone sends an HTTP Post request when the Action is pressed.

You can use macros in the HTTP data, such as $MA, $SN.

For POST script examples and the syntax, see HTTP Post requests for the Action button.

Service Secret

Default: Empty

A service secret can be an authentication secret, token or password. The entered secret is displayed as a masked string and can be referenced using the macro $SS in Custom Content Field and Action Button Service Destination.

Dial Out Delay

Default: 5

Options: 0 - 30

Set the timeout period, in seconds, for the phone to initiate an emergency call or a custom action after the Action button is pressed.

Set it to 0 if you prefer the phone to place the call or initiate an event immediately upon detecting the trigger, as specified by a single press, long press, or triple presses on the button.

Silent Emergency Call

Default: Disabled

Options: Enabled, Disabled

Silent emergency call is designed for discreet assistance in dangerous situations. It enables users to seek help without making any noise.

  • When enabled, users are able to place one-way calls with the Action button.

    After the silent emergency call is placed, only the other party can end the call. To avoid drawing attention during the ongoing call, the screen on phone 9841 will freeze, while the screen on phone 9851, 9861, and 9871 will be turned off. The phone locks all functions during a silent emergency call, by default. To allow users to restore normal phone operation while maintaining the silent emergency call, enable the Allow Silent Emergency Call Retrieval feature.

  • When disabled, the emergency call functions as a two-way call, similar to other outgoing calls.

HTTP Post request for the Action button

The Action button on Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series can be configured to trigger XML applications through HTTP Post requests.

In Custom Content Field, enter the request script. You can specify either XML or JSON content type and include macros in the request. For example, $SScan be added to the script to retrieve the authentication secret, token, or password provided in the Service Secret field.

The following examples are in XML and JSON:

Sample #1: XML
--method POST
--header 'Content-Type: application/xml'
--header 'Authorization: Bearer username:$SS'
--body '<MetaData><Trigger>True</Trigger><Description>This is for HTTP POST XML</Description></MetaData>' 

Sample #2: JSON
--method POST
--header 'Content-Type: application/json'
--header 'Authorization: $SS'
--body '{"events":[{"evtid":"12345", "parameters": {"trigger":true}, "Description":"This is for HTTP POST JSON"}]}'

The following example is for an HTTP Post request. 

--method POST
--header 'Content-Type: application/xml'
--body '<MetaData><Trigger>True</Trigger><Description>This is for HTTP POST XML</Description></MetaData>'
Table 3. Supported macros
Macro nameMacro expansion
#DEVICENAME#The device name displayed in the calling system; for example, SEP845A3EC21288
$MAMAC address using lowercase hex digits (000e08aabbcc).
$MCASTADDRAddress of multicast paging application.

$PN

$PSN

Product Name; for example, DP-9851, DP-9871.
$SNSerial Number string; for example, FVH28022D0T.
$SSService secret required to access an XML application.

Configure your phone for power saving (Office Hours)

Two power-saving options are available on the phone to reduce power consumption during periods of inactivity.

Display Off Mode

When the Office Hours feature is enabled, the phone turns off its display outside of office hours. Users can light up the display by pressing any key on the phone. The Display Off Idle Timeout Outside of Office Hours setting allows you to set how long the phone should wait before turning off the display for nonworking hours. If needed, you can also enable the phone to enter Display Off Mode during office hours by using the Display Off setting under In Office Hours.

Deep Sleep Mode (Only supported on 9800 Series)

In Deep Sleep Mode, the phone automatically powers down during the designated periods. You can choose to enable Deep Sleep Mode exclusively for non-workdays, or for both non-workdays and non-working hours on workdays. To wake up the phone, press the Select button on the Navigation Cluster.

Phones in deep sleep show as Offline (Deep Sleep) in Control Hub.

While in Deep Sleep Mode, no calls, including emergency calls, can be made on the phone; and the Action button on the top-right of the device isn't accessible.

By default, the Office Hours feature is enabled on your phone. The default office hours are set to 7:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Friday. The phone turns off the screen outside of the designated hours. You can customize working hours, workdays, and the power-saving modes.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Customize working hours and workdays to reflect the business hours of your users.

  • Office Hours Enabled: By default, the Office Hours feature is enabled. If disabled, your phone won't enter power saving mode.

  • Workdays: The default workdays are Monday through Friday. Change the workdays as needed.

  • Working Hours Start and Working Hours End: The default working hours are set to 7:00 to 19:00. Change the setting as needed.

  • Display Off In Office Hours: By default, the phone display remains on during working hours. To enable the phone to enter Display Off Mode when inactive, select timeout period from the list.

For more information about these parameters, see Parameters for Office Hours.

4

Configure the settings for Deep Sleep Mode for the 9800 Series phones.

Cisco Video Phone 8875 doesn't support Deep Sleep Mode. Skip this step while configuring settings for 8875 phones.

  • Deep Sleep Enabled: Enable this feature to allow the phone to power off outside office hours.

  • Enable Audible Alert (Optional): If set to True, the phone plays audio tone to alert the user before it enters Deep Sleep Mode.

  • Phone Off Time After Working Hour End: Set the timeout period for the phone to automatically power off after the time specified in the Working Hours End field. The default setting is 60 minutes.

  • Phone On Time Before Working Hour Start: Set the timeout period for the phone to wake up from Deep Sleep Mode before the time specified in the Working Hours Start field. The default setting is 60 minutes.

  • Random Early Wakeup: Set the time interval for the phone to wake up before its regular schedule. It helps distribute the load of connection and registration requests when a large number of phones power on simultaneously.

  • Random Delay to Sleep: Set a time interval for the phone to enter Deep Sleep Mode after its scheduled power-off time.

  • Idle Timeout: Sets timeout period for the phone to enter Deep Sleep Mode.

For more information about these parameters, see Parameters for Office Hours.

5

Configure the settings for Display Off Mode outside office hours.

  • LED Indicator In Display Off Mode: This setting determines whether to turn off the Front Arc LED when the phone enters Display Off Mode, both during or outside office hours. By default, the Front Arc LED remains illuminated after the phone enters Display Off Mode. When set to disabled, the Front Arc LED is off in Display Off Mode.

  • Idle Timeout: Set the timeout period in minutes for the phone to automatically turn off the screen after being awakened during Display Off Mode.

For more information about these parameters, see Parameters for Office Hours.

6

When done, click Submit All Changes.

Parameters for Office Hours

The Office Hours parameters are available on the Phone > User tab on the phone administration web page.

Table 4. Parameters for Office Hours
ParameterDefault and optionsDescription
Office Hours
Office Hours Enabled

Default: True

Options: False, True

Set this field to True to enable the Office Hours feature for Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series.

The Office Hours feature is designed to minimize power usage during inactivity periods on the phone. You can configure the phone to automatically turn off the screen (Display Off Mode) or power off (Deep Sleep Mode) outside of the designated working periods.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Office_Hours_Enabled ua="na">True</Office_Hours_Enabled>
Work Days

Default: Monday through Friday

Customize the workdays by specifying the desired days.

During non-workdays, the phone will automatically turn off the screen. By default, workdays are set from Monday to Friday.

This setting also applies to Deep Sleep Mode, if enabled. If you choose to enable Deep Sleep Mode exclusively for non-workdays, the phone will power off during those days. If you enable Deep Sleep Mode for all days, the phone will power off during both non-workdays and non-working hours on workdays.

Set working hours for workdays using the Working Hours Start and Working Hours End fields.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Work_Days ua="na">Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday</Work_Days>
Working Hours Start

Default: 07:00

Set the start time for working hours using the 24-hour format. Outside of the specified working hours, the phone will automatically turn off the screen, or enter Deep Sleep Mode only when Deep Sleep Enabled is set to All Days.

Examples: 09:00 for 09:00 am; 17:30 for 05:30 pm

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Working_Hours_Start ua="na">06:00</Working_Hours_Start>
Working Hours End

Default: 19:00

Set the end time for working hours using the 24-hour format. Outside of the specified working hours, the phone will automatically turn off the screen, or enter Deep Sleep Mode only when Deep Sleep Enabled is set to All Days.

Examples: 09:00 for 09:00 am; 17:30 for 05:30 pm

Ensure that the interval between the start and end time longer than 60 minutes.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Working_Hours_End ua="na">21:00</Working_Hours_End>
Display Off During Office Hours

Default: Disabled

Options: Disabled, In 1 minute, In 5 minutes, In 30 minutes

The LED indicator follows the setting found in Outside Office Hours Display Off > LED Indicator In Display Off Mode.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Display_Off_During_Office_Hours ua="na">Disabled</Display_Off_During_Office_Hours>
Outside Office Hours Deep Sleep
Deep Sleep Enabled

Default: False

Options: False, Non-work Day Only, All Days

Enable or disable Deep Sleep Mode on the phone. When enabled, this feature automatically powers off the phone outside of the designated office hours.

This option works only when the Office Hours is enabled.

When set to False, the phone will not enter Deep Sleep Mode.

When set to Non-work Day Only, the phone will power off exclusively on non-workdays. For the specified workdays, the phone will turn off the screen outside of the specified working hours.

When set to All Days, the phone will power off during both non-workdays and non-working hours on workdays.

Set working hours for workdays using the Working Hours Start and Working Hours End fields.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Deep_Sleep_Enabled ua="na">Non-work Day Only</Deep_Sleep_Enabled>
Enable Audible Alert

Default: False

Options: False, True

Enable or disable the phone to play audio tone to alert the user before it enters Deep Sleep Mode.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Enable_Audible_Alert ua="na">False</Enable_Audible_Alert>
Phone On Time Before Working Hour Start (mins)

Default: 60

Options: 0 - 360

Set the timeout period for the phone to wake up from Deep Sleep Mode before the time specified in the Working Hours Start field. If you want the phone to wake up until working hours start, set it to 0.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Phone_On_Time_Before_Working_Hour_Start__mins_ ua="na">12</Phone_On_Time_Before_Working_Hour_Start__mins_>
Phone Off Time After Working Hour End (mins)

Default: 60

Options: 0 - 360

Set the timeout period for the phone to automatically power off after the time specified in the Working Hours End field. If you want the phone to enter Deep Sleep Mode immediately after working hours, set it to 0.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Phone_Off_Time_After_Working_Hour_End__mins_ ua="na">12</Phone_Off_Time_After_Working_Hour_End__mins_>
Random Early Wakeup (mins)

Default: 60

Options: 0 - 60

Set the time interval for the phone to wake up before its regular schedule. It helps distribute the load of connection and registration requests when a large number of phones power on simultaneously.

The actual wakeup time is calculated as: Working Hours Start - Phone On Time Before Working Hour Start - Random Early Wakeup

Example

If the following values are set as:

  • Working Hours Start: 8:00 am
  • Phone On Time Before Working Hour Start: 30 mins
  • Random Early Wakeup: 60 mins

the phone can randomly wake from Deep Sleep Mode at anytime between 6:30 am 7:30 am.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Random_Early_Wakeup__mins_ ua="na">60</Random_Early_Wakeup__mins_>
Random Delay to Sleep (mins)

Default: 10

Options: 0 - 10

Set a time interval for the phone to enter Deep Sleep Mode after its scheduled power-off time.

The actual sleep time is calculated as: Working Hours End + Phone Off Time After Working Hour End + Random Delay to Sleep

Example

If the following values are set:

  • Working Hours End: 5:00 pm
  • Phone Off Time After Working Hour End: 30 mins
  • Random Delay to Sleep: 10 mins

the phone can randomly power off at anytime between 5:30 pm and 5:40 pm.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Random_Delay_to_sleep_mins_ ua="na">10</Random_Delay_to_sleep_mins_mins_>
Idle Timeout (mins)

(for Deep Sleep Mode)

Default: 30

Options: 1 - 60

This setting applies to the following two scenarios:

  • Before the phone enters a scheduled Deep Sleep Mode

    Ten minutes before the scheduled deep sleep, a message pops up to notify the user that the phone will power off in ten minutes, and a countdown starts. When it times out, the phone powers off.

    During the countdown period, if there is any activity such as an incoming call, firmware upgrade, or provisioning resync, the countdown will restart. For example, if you have set this field to 20, the countdown will restart in 20 minutes after the activities are completed.

  • After being manually awakened from Deep Sleep Mode

    For example, if you have set this field to 20, after being idle for 20 minutes, a message pops up to notify the user that the phone will power off in ten minutes, and a countdown starts. When it times out, the phone powers off.

    During the countdown period, if there is any activity such as an incoming call, firmware upgrade, or provisioning resync, the countdown will restart in 20 minutes after the activities are completed.

If a user interacts with the phone during the countdown period, such as answering or declining calls or pressing keys, the phone will not enter Deep Sleep Mode for the rest of the day.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Idle_Timeout__mins_ ua="na">52</Idle_Timeout__mins_>
Outside Office Hours Display Off
LED Indicator In Display Off Mode

Default: Enabled

Options: Enabled, Disabled

This setting determines whether to turn off the Front Arc LED when the phone enters Display Off Mode, both during or outside office hours. By default (Enabled), the Front Arc LED remains illuminated after the phone enters Display Off Mode. When set to disabled, the Front Arc LED is off in Display Off Mode.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<LED_Indicator_In_Display_Off_Mode ua="na">Enabled</LED_Indicator_In_Display_Off_Mode>
Idle Timeout (mins)

(for Display Off Mode outside office hours)

Default: 5

Options: 1 - 60

This field is available in the Outside Office Hours Display Off section.

Set the timeout period in minutes for the phone to automatically turn off the screen after being awakened during Display Off Mode.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Display_Off_Idle_Timeout__mins_ ua="na">5</Display_Off_Idle_Timeout__mins_>

Enable hoteling on a phone

When you enable the hoteling feature of BroadSoft on the phone, the user can sign in to the phone as a guest. After the guest sign out of the phone, the user will switch back to the host user.

You can also enable hoteling service from the server. For more information, see Cisco BroadWorks Partner Configuration Guide.

When you enable hoteling:

  • For 9841, 9851, and 9861 phones A phone with multiple lines displays Hoteling softkey on the phone home screen for each line that has hoteling enabled.

    for 9871 A phone with multiple lines displays Guest in softkey on the phone home screen for each line that has hoteling enabled. You see this line when you press More (…) next to the line.

  • A phone with single line displays Guest in softkey on the phone home screen.

Before you begin

On the server:

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Ext [n] (where [n] is the extension number).

3

In the Call Feature Settings section, set Enable Broadsoft Hoteling parameter to Yes.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Enable_Broadsoft_Hoteling_1_ua="na">Yes</Enable_Broadsoft_Hoteling_1>

Options: Yes and No

Default: No

4

Set the amount of time (in seconds) in Hoteling Subscription Expires paramter that specifies how often the phone sends the SUBSCRIBE message.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Hoteling_Subscription_Expires_1_ua="na">3600</Hoteling_Subscription_Expires_1>

Valid values: An integer from 10 through 86400

Default: 3600

When the parameter is set to 0, the default 3600 is used.

5

Click Submit All Changes.

Phone settings sync

DND and call forward status sync

You can configure the settings on the phone administration web page to enable status synchronization of Do Not Disturb (DND) and call forward between the phone and the server.

There are two ways to synchronize the feature status:

  • Feature Key Synchronization (FKS)

  • XSI Synchronization

FKS uses SIP messages to communicate the feature status. XSI Synchronization uses HTTP messages. If both FKS and XSI synchronization are enabled, FKS takes precedent over XSI synchronization. See the table below for how FKS interacts with XSI synchronization.

Table 5. Interaction Between FKS and XSI Synchronization

Feature Key Sync

XSI DND Enabled

XSI CFWD Enabled

DND Sync

CFWD Sync

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (SIP)

Yes (SIP)

Yes

No

No

Yes (SIP)

Yes (SIP)

Yes

No

Yes

Yes (SIP)

Yes (SIP)

No

Yes

Yes

Yes (HTTP)

Yes (HTTP)

No

No

Yes

No

Yes (HTTP)

No

Yes

No

Yes (HTTP)

No

No

No

No

No

No

Enable DND and Call Forward status sync with Feature Key Sync (FKS)

When you enable the Feature Key Synchronization (FKS), the settings of call forward and do not disturb (DND) on the server are synchronized to the phone. The changes in DND and call forward settings made on the phone will also be synchronized to the server.

When FKS is enabled on a line, the line get the DND and Call Forward settings from the server and doesn't sync with the settings on Voice > User tab.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Ext [n] (where [n] is the extension number).

3

In the Call Feature Settings section, set the Feature Key Sync field to Yes.

4

Click Submit All Changes.

Enable call forward status sync via XSI service

When call forward sync is enabled, the settings related to call forward on the server are synchronized to the phone. The changes in call forward settings made on the phone will also be synchronized to the server.

Before you begin

  • Configure the XSI host server and the corresponding credentials on the Voice > Ext (n) tab.

    • When using Login Credentials for XSI server authentication, enter XSI Host Server, Login User ID, and Login Password in the XSI Line Service section.

    • When using SIP Credentials for XSI server authentication, enter XSI Host Server and Login User ID in the XSI Line Service section, and Auth ID and Password in the Subscriber Information section.

  • Disable Feature Key Sync (FKS) in Call Feature Settings section from Voice > Ext (n) .

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Ext [n] (where [n] is the extension number).

3

In the XSI Line Service section, set the CFWD Enable parameter to Yes.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<CFWD_Enable_1_ ua="na">Yes</CFWD_Enable_1_>

Options: Yes and No

Default: No

4

Click Submit All Changes.

Enable DND status sync via XSI service

When do not disturb (DND) sync is enabled, the DND setting on the server is synchronized to the phone. The changes in DND setting made on the phone will also be synchronized to the server.

Before you begin

  • Configure the XSI host server and the corresponding credentials on the Voice > Ext (n) tab.

    • When using Login Credentials for XSI server authentication, enter XSI Host Server, Login User ID, and Login Password in the XSI Line Service section.

    • When using SIP Credentials for XSI server authentication, enter XSI Host Server and Login User ID in the XSI Line Service section, and Auth ID and Password in the Subscriber Information section.

  • Disable Feature Key Synchronization (FKS) in Call Feature Settings section from Voice > Ext (n).

1

Select Voice > Ext [n] (where [n] is the extension number).

2

In the XSI Line Service section, set the DND Enable parameter to Yes.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<DND_Enable_1_ ua="na">Yes</DND_Enable_1_>

Options: Yes and No

Default: No

3

Click Submit All Changes.

Configure conference settings for phones

The following sections provide information on how to configure the conference service for your phones.

Enable conference service

Enable the conference service for your phones so that users can initiate or join multiple-way calls using their phone lines.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

To enable conference service for the phone do the following:

  1. Select Voice > Phone.

  2. Under Supplementary Services, choose Yes for the Conference Serv parameter.

    You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

    <Conference_Serv ua="na">Yes</Conference_Serv>

    Options: Yes and No

    Default: Yes

3

Specify the conference bridge URL for your desired line:

  1. Select Voice > Ext(n)

  2. Enter the Conference Bridge URL in this format:

    user@IPaddress:port
4

Click Submit All Changes.

Enable Webex calendar service

If you want to enable the phone to have the ability to join Webex calendar meetings, do the following:

Before you begin

Your phone has been registered to Webex Calling.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

In the Webex section, set the field Calendar Enable.

Set Yes or No to enable or disable the Webex calendar service on the phone.

Options: Yes|No; Default: Yes

You can also configure the parameters in the configuration file (cfg.xml) by entering the strings in this format:

<Webex_Calendar_Enable ua="na">Yes</Webex_Calendar_Enable>

4

Click Submit All Changes.

Enable call recording with SIP REC

You can enable call recording on a phone so that your user can record an active call. The recording mode configured on the server controls the display of the recording softkeys for each phone. In the Programmable Softkeys section, by default, the following strings are added in the Connected Key List and Conferencing Key List fields. crdstart;crdstop;crdpause;crdresume

Table 6. Recording Mode and Recording Softkeys
Recording Mode in ServerRecording Softkeys Available on the Phone

Always

No softkeys available.

Your user can't control recording from the phone. Recording starts automatically when a call is connected.

Always with Pause/Resume

PauseRec

ResRec

When call is connected, user can pause the recording and resume the recording.

On Demand

Record

PauseRec

ResRec

When a call is connected, recording starts automatically but the recording is not saved until the user presses the Record softkey. Your user sees a message when recording state changes.

On Demand with User Initiated Start

Record

PauseRec

StopRec

ResRec

The recording only starts when your user presses the Record softkey. Your user sees a message when recording state changes.

Never

No recording softkeys are available, hence user will not be able to record calls.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

In the Supplementary Services section, click Yes or click No to enable or disable the Call Recording Serv parameter.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Call_Recording_Serv ua="na">Yes</Call_Recording_Serv>

Options: Yes and No

Default: No

4

Click Submit All Changes.

Configure multicast paging

You can set up multicast paging to allow users to send paging messages to other 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. The page is received only by the phones that are set to listen for the paging group.

A phone can be added to up to10 paging groups. Each paging group has a unique multicast port and number. The phones within a paging group must subscribe to the same multicast IP address, port, and multicast number.

You configure the priority for the incoming page from a specific group. When a phone is active and an important page must be played, the user hears the page on the active audio path.

When multiple paging sessions occur, they are answered in chronological order. After the active page ends, the next page is automatically answered. When do not disturb (DND) applies to all lines on a phone instead of a specific line, the phone ignores any incoming paging.

You can specify a codec for the paging to use. The supported codecs are G711a, G711u, G722, and G729. If you don't specify the codec, paging uses G711u by default.

You can also enable phones to receive pages from a server to optionally display an image or other UI elements. With this feature, an XML service can be invoked during a multicast paging. To enable this feature, configure the parameter XML Application Service URL and add "xmlapp=yes" in the paging group scripts from Voice > Phone. For more information about the parameters, see XML applications configuration for phones on BroadWorks and Parameters for multiple paging group.

You can also configure the parameters in the phone configuration file with XML(cfg.xml) code. To configure each parameter, see the syntax of the string in Parameters for multiple paging group.

Before you begin

  • Make sure that your network supports multicast so that all devices in the same paging group are able to receive paging.
  • For Wi-Fi networks, enable and properly configure the access point for multicast.
  • Make sure that all the phones in a paging group are in the same network.
1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > Phone.

3

Go to the Multiple Paging Group Parameters section.

4

Enter multicast paging scripts as defined in the following table of Parameters for multiple paging group.

5

Click Submit All Changes.

Parameters for multiple paging group

The following table defines the function and usage of the multiple paging group parameters in the phone administration page.

It also defines the syntax of the string that is added in the phone configuration file (cfg.xml) to configure a parameter.

Table 7. Multiple paging group parameters
ParameterDescription
Group 1 Paging Script – Group 10 Paging Script

Enter a string to configure the phone to listen for and initiate multicast paging. You can add a phone to up to 10 paging groups. Enter the script in this format:

  • Multicast paging:

    pggrp=<multicast-address>:<port>;<name=group_name>;<num=multicast_number>; <listen=boolean_value>;<pri=priority_level>;<codec=codec_name>;

    Example script:

    pggrp=224.168.168.168:34560;name=Group_1;num=800;listen=yes;pri=1;

  • Multicast paging with XML application support:

    pggrp=<multicast-address>:<port>;<name=group_name>;<num=multicast_number>; <listen=boolean_value>;<pri=priority_level>;<codec=codec_name>;<xmlapp=boolean_value>;<timeout=seconds>

    Example script:

    pggrp=224.168.168.168:34560;name=Group_1;num=800;listen=yes;pri=1;xmlap- p=yes;timeout=3600;

  • Multicast IP address (multicast-address) and port (port)—Enter the multicast IP address and the port specified on your paging server. The port number must be unique for each group and an even number within 1000 and 65534.

    Make sure that you set the same multicast IP address and port for all the phones within a paging group. Otherwise, the phones can't receive paging.

  • Paging group name (name)—Optionally enter the name of the paging group. The name helps you identify the paging group the phone is in when you have multiple paging groups.
  • Multicast number (num)—Specify the number for the phone to listen for multicast paging and initiate a multicast paging session. Assign the same multicast number to all the phones within the group. The number must comply to the dial plan specified for the line to initiate a multicast.
  • Listen status (listen)—Specify whether the phone listens for paging from this group. Set this parameter to yes to make the phone listen for the paging. Otherwise, set it to no, or don't include this parameter in the script.
  • Priority (pri)—Specify priority between paging and phone call. If you don't specify the priority or don't include this parameter in the script, the phone uses priority 1. The four priority levels are:

    0: Paging takes precedent over phone call. When the phone is on an active call, an incoming paging places the active call on hold. The call resumes when the paging ends.

    1: When the phone receives an incoming paging on an active call, the user hears the mix of the paging and the call.

    2: The user is alerted with the paging tone when receiving an incoming paging on an active line. The incoming paging isn't answered unless the active call is put on hold or ends.

    3: The phone ignores the incoming paging without any alert when the phone is on an active call.

  • Audio codec (codec)—Optionally specify the audio codec for the multicast paging to use. The supported codecs are G711a, G711u, G722, and G729. If you don't specify the codec or don't include the codec parameter in the script, the phone uses G711u codec.
  • XML application (xmlapp)—Specify whether the phone contacts the XML application server when it receives audio over paging group. Set this parameter to Yes to make the phone invoke the XML application from multicast paging. Otherwise, set it to no.

    Make sure that the parameter XML Application Service URL in XML services is configured, see XML services for details.

    In the XML URL, the macro MCASTADDR must be configured to distinguish it from the normal multicast paging. For example, http(s)://<url>?mcast=$MCASTADDR

  • Timeout—Optionally specify the timeout (in seconds) for the XML application messages that display on the phone screen. If the parameter is not configured, the XML application messages disappear along with the paging.

    Typically, the XML application ends after the timeout is reached, in regardless of the paging call. If the paging call is still active, only the XML application ends.

    A new paging closes the XML application of the last paging, if the XML application is not closed when the last paging ended.

In the phone configuration file with XML(cfg.xml), enter a string in this format:

<Group_1_Paging_Script ua="na">pggrp=224.168.168.168:34560;name=Group_1; num=800;listen=yes;pri=1;codec=g722;xmlap- p=yes;timeout=3600;</Group_1_Paging_Script>

Default: Empty

Configure a phone to answer pages automatically

The paging feature enables a user to directly contact another user by phone. If the phone of the person being paged has been configured to answer pages automatically, the phone does not ring. Instead, a direct connection between the two phones is automatically established when paging is initiated.

You can also configure the parameters in the phone configuration file with XML(cfg.xml) code.

Before you begin

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > User.

3

In the Supplementary Services section, choose Yes for the Auto Answer Page parameter.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Auto_Answer_Page ua="na">Yes</Auto_Answer_Page>

Options: Yes and No

Default: Yes

4

Click Submit All Changes.

Prepare your wallpaper and logo images

To get the best experience, keep the following tips in mind when choosing or designing your images:

  • Avoid using clustered images that can make it hard for you to identify phone lines on the home screen. Simplicity is key when selecting wallpapers.
  • Ensure that your chosen wallpapers match your phone's color scheme. Opt for wallpapers that complement either the dark or light color palettes. Dark images are best suited for dark mode, while light images work well for light mode.
  • Avoid using high contrast images as wallpapers. The extreme contrast can make it challenging to see the logo and other screen elements against the background.
  • Avoid using dynamic images as wallpapers.
  • The logo displays on the phone screen only, and it doesn't display on the KEM screen. When multiple lines are configured on Cisco Desk Phone 9841, 9851, and 9861, the logo and the logo setting in the Settings menu are unavailable.
  • To use custom wallpaper on phones with Key Expansion Modules (KEM) attached, prepare both phone wallpaper and KEM wallpaper.
Table 8. The specifications for wallpaper and logo images on different call control systems
ImageSupported format (Unified CM)Recommended dimensions (pixels)Description
LogoPNG

Cisco Desk Phone 9851: 190x125

Cisco Desk Phone 9861: 380x250

Cisco Desk Phone 9871: 494x325 / 418x275

Cisco Video Phone 8875: 380x250

Images that don't match the recommended dimensions will be scaled proportionally.

You don't need to create a separate thumbnail image for the logo. The system automatically scales the logo image to fit the dimensions of the thumbnail.

Wallpaper

Cisco Desk Phone 9851: 480x240

Cisco Desk Phone 9861: 800x480

Cisco Desk Phone 9871: 1280x720

Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Key Expansion Module: 480x800

Cisco Video Phone 8875: 1024x600

Images that don't match the recommended dimensions may be scaled to fit the phone screen, which may cause the image to become distorted.
Wallpaper thumbnail

Cisco Desk Phone 9851: 100x56

Cisco Desk Phone 9861: 150x90

Cisco Desk Phone 9871: 228x128

Cisco Video Phone 8875: 180x100

Images that don't match the recommended dimensions may cause certain issues on the phone.
Due to the storage limitation on the Cisco Desk Phone 9851, make sure that the limit size (250KB x 10) is not reached. Otherwise, certain issues might occur on the phones. See the following table for details:
Table 9. Limit size of customized wallpapers on each phone model
Phone ModelMaximum size per imageMaximum number of imagesLimit size
Cisco Desk Phone 9851250KB10250KB x 10
Cisco Desk Phone 98611MB201MB x 20
Cisco Desk Phone 98711MB201MB x 20
Cisco Video Phone 88751MB201MB x 20
1

Choose your desired logo and wallpaper images.

2

Format the images to meet the required specifications as described in the table above.

3

Rename the wallpaper image files in this format:

  • For phone wallpaper and KEM wallpaper images, use wallpaper-xxx.png. Replace xxx with your desired name. For example, wallpaper-blue.png, wallpaper-darkgreen.png.
  • For phone wallpaper thumbnail images, use thumbnail-xxx.png. Replace xxx with your desired name. For example, thumbnail-blue.png, thumbnail-darkgreen.png.
  • The system cannot utilize wallpaper files that are named using different patterns. However, for the logo file, you have the flexibility to name it as per your requirements.
  • Make sure that the phone wallpaper and KEM wallpaper have the same filename. Otherwise, the system will fail to load the KEM wallpaper and use the system default wallpaper for KEM.
  • For the xxx in the filename, do not use special characters. Only use letters and numbers.
  • Thumbnail images for logo and KEM wallpapers are not required.

Customize wallpaper and logo on phone web page

You can choose a predefined system wallpaper, and customize wallpaper and logo on the phone administration web page.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > User.

3

Navigate to the Screen section and configure the following parameters to customize the phone screen.

ParameterDefaultDescription
Appearance

Default: Violet Dark

Options: Cyan Dark, Purple Dark, Blue Dark, Violet Dark, Blue Light, Violet Light, CustWallpaper <n>

Selects the wallpaper for the phone's home screen and the color theme for its user interface.

To select a custom wallpaper from the list, make sure that the relevant parameter Custom Wallpaper Download URL [n] (n represents the sequence number) is configured correctly.

The phone user can change the setting in the phone's settings menu.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Appearance ua="na">CustWallpaper 1</Appearance>

Custom Wallpaper Download URL n (1 – 20)EmptySpecifies the download URL of the custom wallpaper. The scheme can be HTTP, HTTPs, or TFTP.

Enter the string in this format:

serv=<URL_Address>;image=<Wallpaper_Filename>;[thumbnail=<Thumbnail_Filename>;][kem=<KEM_Wallpaper_Filename>;][theme=<light/dark>;]

Where:

  • serv: The URL address of the server where the image files are stored. To remove the wallpapers, just leave the field empty.
  • image: The custom wallpaper image that will display on the phone screen.
  • thumbnail: The thumbnail of the specified image. If the field isn't configured or the phone fails to fetch the image, the phone will display a dark or light image instead.
  • kem: The custom wallpaper image that will display on the KEM screen. If the field isn't configured or the phone fails to fetch the image, then the KEM will use Violet Light or Violet Dark as the custom wallpaper.
  • theme: The default theme of the specified images. If the field isn't configured or is configured incorrectly, the theme will be light.

Example 1:

serv=http://10.74.51.12/wallpaper/;image=wallpaper-sun.png;thumbnail=thumbnail-sun.png;kem=kem-wallpaper-sun.png;theme=dark;

Example 2:

The example shows that only the image and theme are configured in the string. The image of thumbnail will be a dark image, and the custom wallpaper of KEM will be Violet Dark.

serv=http://10.74.51.12/wallpaper/;image=wallpaper-sun.png;theme=dark;

Example 3:

You can also add a subpath for the "image", "thumbnail", and "kem":

serv=http://10.74.51.12/wallpaper/;image=<Wallpaper_Subpath>/wallpaper-sun.png;thumbnail=<Thumbnail_Subpath>/thumbnail-sun.png;kem=<KEM_Subpath>/kem-wallpaper-sun.png;theme=dark;

  • The maximum number of the custom wallpapers on Cisco Desk Phone 9851 is limited to 10. For other models (such as, 9861/9871/8875), the maximum number is 20.
  • To remove the custom wallpaper, clear the download URL and leave the parameter empty.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Custom_Wallpaper_Download_URL_1 ua="na">serv=http://10.74.51.12/wallpaper/;image=wallpaper-sun.png;thumbnail=thumbnail-sun.png;kem=kem-wallpaper-sun.png;theme=dark;</Custom_Wallpaper_Download_URL_1>

Logo EnableNo

Options: Yes, No

Enables or disables the appearance of the logo on the phone home screen. If enabled, the date and time on the home screen will be replaced by the specified logo.

Before the parameter is set to Yes, make sure that the relevant parameter Logo URL is configured correctly.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Logo_Enable ua="na">Yes</Logo_Enable>

Logo URLEmptySpecifies the download URL of the logo that will be displayed on the phone home screen.

To remove the specified logo, make sure to leave the parameter empty.

Only one logo can be applied for the phones.

You can configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Logo_URL ua="na">http://10.74.51.12/mylogo/logo.png</Logo_URL>

4

Click Submit All Changes.

5

(Optional) To check the download status of the images, select Info > Download Status, and then navigate to the Screen Status section.

Enable inline call label or session

You can enable the feature to automatically minimize a call window to an inline call label. In the inline call label itself, you can still view the call session information, such as the caller or callee name, contact number, call duration, call state. The minimized call windows make sure that you can view status of other lines, BLF/SD features, and the current call information.

Call windows that support the inline call label feature (or auto collapsed):

  • Incoming call
  • Single call
  • All calls list
  • New call (if you return to the home screen)

This feature is only available on the following phone models that have multiple lines:

  • Cisco Desk Phone 9841
  • Cisco Desk Phone 9851
  • Cisco Desk Phone 9861

For the inline call label or session, the users can press the line key to restore it to a full call window, where more information is provided.

When users press the Home softkey on a call window, the call window will be minimized to the inline call label automatically. This behavior is also applicable when the users return to the home screen from the New call screen.

If Key Expansion Module (KEM) is attached to the phone with a line configured on KEM line key, the call session information can display on the KEM line label itself . Due to the width limitation of KEM, the caller name doesn't display on the KEM line label itself when the call is connected.

1

Access the phone administration web page.

2

Select Voice > User.

3

In the Supplementary Services section, select Yes for the parameter Auto Collapse Into Line Key.

To disable the feature, select No.

You can also configure this parameter in the phone configuration XML file (cfg.xml) by entering a string in this format:

<Auto_Collapse_Into_Line_Key ua="rw">Yes</Auto_Collapse_Into_Line_Key>

Default: No.

4

Click Submit All Changes.