VTech VSP726 and VH6102

The VTech VSP726 is a mid-range SIP phone that can register up to four SIP accounts. The phone features PoE capabilities, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and comes with local call recording. It supports the G.722 codec and provides HD-quality voice.

The VSP726 also utilizes DECT 6.0, which allows it to be paired with other wireless accessories such as the VTech VH6102 headset. The following review covers both devices.

First Impressions

The VSP726 has a small monochrome LCD screen with a white backlight and a resolution of 158 x 57 pixels. This makes the phone quite tough to use, especially when handling multiple calls. There is only one line displayed on the LCD for registration. This line display is also used to show the caller ID for incoming calls.

The VSP726 has a four-way navigation key right next to the select key. This select key placement next to the navigation key is confusing. Most phones today have the select key placed in the middle of the navigation key.

Registering a SIP account was easy. During testing, we paired the device with the VH6102 cordless headset, which was also very easy to set up. However, during the pairing process, we had to be mindful of what option we selected between handset and headset. If you accidentally select the wrong setting, the phone won't give an error message and will simply fail to function properly.

We tested the range of the VH6102 with the VSP726, and the results were good. We walked throughout our NYC office, which is a few hundred square feet, and experienced were no quality issues or dropped calls.

Features

The VTech VSP726 can register up to four SIP accounts. After registration, you can make calls instantly. The phone comes with three soft keys and 24 feature keys, all of which are programmable. The VSP726 has a message waiting indicator on the top right of the phone for voicemail notifications.

The VSP726 can only register a maximum of one handset and one headset. In order to enable call recording, a Micro SD card is required. A recording button will show up during a call. You have to use the left or right arrow key to select the recording key. You can play saved recordings from the phone or from your computer by downloading the recording from the admin interface of the phone.

If there are any issues, you can easily troubleshoot using the tools that come with the phone, like the PCAP feature, syslog, and logs.

Additional features of the VSP726 include:

• Local phonebook of up to 200 entries
• Phonebook import/export
• Call history of up to 200 entries
• Do not disturb (DND)
• Busy lamp field (BLF)
• Three-way local conferencing
• Call barring/blocking (block anonymous callers/blacklist)
• Intercom, mute, redial
• Ten speed dial entries
• Call transfer (blind or attended)
• Call hold, call park, call pickup
• Call forwarding, call restriction, call timer
• Caller ID
• Multicast paging
• Multi-language support
• Automatic call distribution (ACD)

Voice & Sound Quality

The VTech VSP726 supports the G.722 codec, the industry standard for HD voice. However, the calls that we made only sounded okay, especially those made to cell phones or landline phones. The recordings of the conversations that we recorded sounded fine. Overall, the voice quality sounded slightly below the standard we're used to. It seemed that the phone itself, and not the VH6102 headset, was responsible for this discrepancy.

Compatibility Testing

At OnSIP, we put each of the phones we use through a multi-step interoperability test in which we apply ~30 test cases. An example of a test case would be the following:

Test phone calls phone B


B picks up


B puts test phone on hold


B calls phone C


C picks up


B transfers test phone to C

Call must be transferred correctly to C. B must be released correctly after the transfer. When C picks up, audio must work both ways between test phone and C. When test phone is on hold, there is no audio between it and phone B.

Everything worked on the VTech VSP726 with our internal testing. Call scenarios and account registration passed all our tests.

OnSIP Setup

Step 1: Gather information for each user.

Each user has a set of credentials that you will need to configure each phone. For each phone that you are configuring, obtain the following:

• "SIP Address" (Address of Record)
• "SIP Password"
• "Auth Username"
• "Username"
• "Proxy/Domain"

You can find this information in the user detail pages under the "Users" tab in the "Phone Configuration" section.

Step 2: Log into your VTech phone through a web browser.

When your phone is powered on and connected to your LAN, use a browser to navigate to the IP address of your phone.

You can locate your phone’s IP address by selecting the following on your VTech VSP726 phone:

Menu—2. Status—1. Network—IP

The factory default user name for the phone is "admin," and the factory default password is "admin."

Step 3. Enter your user information from Step 1.

Navigate to the General Account Settings section:

Check "Enable Account" box. Enter your OnSIP credentials in the appropriate boxes:

Display Name: Whatever You Like

User Identifier: Username

Authentication Name: Auth Name

Authentication password: SIP Password

SIP Server

Server Address: example.onsip.com

Port: 5060

Registration

Server Address: example.onsip.com

Port: 5060

Outbound Proxy

Server Address: sip.onsip.com

Port: 5060

Press "Save" when finished. Your VTech VSP726 phone will now be activated.

Final Thoughts

The VTech VSP726 is a solid IP phone for a very reasonable price. With call recording available on the phone, you can save some money and review your calls easily. The only downsides are the mid-range voice quality and the small LCD screen, which makes it hard for heavy phone users to navigate through multiple calls and other features.

The VH6102 headset worked fine and did not cause any quality issues. The utility of this phone ultimately rests with the way you plan to use it. If you're anticipating average office usage, the VSP726 is a low-cost option that has all the basic capabilities. However, if you plan to use multiple SIP lines or phone features at the same time, the phone's design might give you limited leeway.