Cisco 8900 Series Multimedia Phones Released

You know Cisco.

They couldn’t possibly just release one series of multimedia phones. They had to release two.

On the same day that Cisco announced their new 9900 series of high end multimedia phones, they also announced the 8900 series.

The 8900 series multimedia phones are definitely a step below the 9900 series. Gone are things such as a touchscreen, video camera, dual USB ports and other high end options.

But the the 8900 series does appear to have a lot going for it.

• More than adequate 5-inch high res display
• Single USB port for a headset
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet
• Ability to add an expansion module

Plus they’re going to be more affordable than the 9900 series. Which means you’ll likely see a lot more activity around them than their older brother.

Currently there is only one model in the series, the 8961. Like the 9951 and 9971, one will find that the Cisco 8961 (and the rest of the forthcoming series) comes in in two different form factors (streamlined, standard) as well as two different colors (white, charcoal).

(You can view both models here: Cisco CP-8961-C, Cisco CP-8961-W)

Again this is a step away from their traditional designs, but according to Cisco this is due to demand for solutions that “meet the broader needs of an international market.” That means the rest of the world is where the growth is at – not North America.

No word yet on an MSRP, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see the 8961 and other models like it seated in the $500 – $700 USD range.

Still expensive, but much more palatable for medium to large enterprises dying to get their hands on a new toy.