Do you want the best headset? 
Business communications has really been evolving, and in a big way. Take a look back a short ten years ago, and compare the devices used then, compared to those available today.
Today, you have video conferencing systems that are no longer restricted to large conference rooms, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg any longer either. You can now do video conferencing using devices we use everyday including our personal computers, webcams and mobile phones.
Headsets have really scaled up their capabilities too with amazing products that sound superb, and reduce background noise at unprecedented levels. There’s even technology built into many headsets today that eliminates room noise so you’re not distracted, allowing you to stay focused on your work.
Even the tried and true handheld walkie talkie hasn’t escaped being targeted for some enhancements. And that is what this blog is about.
Most of us have used a walkie talkie at some point in our life, and that might have been one that’s designed for a consumer, you know, one of those you might buy at Target, or Walmart for example.
Or you might have had a job working in a warehouse, or retail location where commercial grade walkie talkies were used. Either way, most of us are pretty familiar with walkie talkies, and what they do.
Fast forward to today, and you’ll find that our Smartphones have now found their way into the walkie talkie space.
Smartphones are simply getting smarter because there’s really not much they can’t do. And now, we can use our Smartphones as a walkie talkie which is one more example of how Smartphones are fast becoming a single source for just about everything.
So that’s today’s topic, and the devices that will be talked about are:
- A mobile phone; iOS or Android
- An App that’s found within Microsoft Teams
- And BlueParrott headset models BP C300 XT MS, and the BlueParrott B450 XT
Walkie talkies really come in two varieties, as I noted earlier; consumer grade, and commercial grade. And they vary a lot in their usable wireless range. In other words, they have distance limitations. That is, until now because there's a little known walkie talkie feature available from within Microsoft Teams that you can use with your mobile phone.
Right about now, you might be thinking that Microsoft Teams is normally an Application that’s used in a UC environment. And, you’d be right about that. But, buried within that same App is a walkie talkie feature that’s permission based, and requires your IT Administrator to add it to Teams.
Once added, you can establish a contact group that you can communicate with through your phone, using one of the BlueParrott wireless headsets mentioned above.
To talk with your group, simply open up the Microsoft Teams app, go to walkie talkie and choose your channel. Once the channel has been selected you can connect to it and see who’s in it.
Now that you’re connected to the channel, and you know who’s in the channel, simply press and hold the BlueParrott button on your headset to have a conversation with your group.
Your phone can be on your desk, in your pocket, or wherever, as long as it’s within the usable wireless range of your BlueParrott headset.
The BlueParrott C300 XT (MS version) is a convertible headset design. If you’re not familiar with the term “convertible headset”, it simply means that you have a few different ways you can wear it, and those different ways are included in the box.
In the case of the C300 XT MS, it can be worn:
- Over the head, covering one ear
- Over the ear
- And behind the neck
The battery provides you with up to 10 hours of talk time, which is very adequate for a full, busy workday. And, the amount of noise reduction is rated to be at 80% so you’ll have confidence knowing that the C300 XT MS will remove a lot of the noise going on around you.
The BlueParrott B450 XT model is worn over the head, and covers one ear. This headset provides you with up to 24 hours of talk time, and the noise reduction is rated up to 96% which is impressive. So, when using the B450 XT, you won’t need to worry about recharging the headset battery every day. In fact, you might only need to recharge it once a week.
So, if you work in a warehouse, retail location, or if you’re getting windshield time in an 18 wheeler, delivering the goods that keeps America moving, then this is one Application you need to know about. And if this sounds like something you could really use, then it’s certainly one you should look into implementing.
You won’t be restricted by walkie talkie range, because you’ll be able to use it anywhere there’s an internet connection. That means you can communicate with your team next door, or one that’s located around the globe. And that’s something you just can’t get if you’re using a traditional walkie talkie.
Would you like to learn more?
contact us today and you'll never be taken through the phone tree rodeo.
Trade in your old headsets you have laying around to lower your price even more and if your budget is tight, you’ll be happy to know that we have a monthly headset lease program that’s extremely affordable with headsets starting at just $2.00 per month. Now I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty affordable.
