Polycom Soundpoint Pro SE-225 2-Line Professional Conference Phone with Caller ID

Customers looking for larger-scale conferencing systems will need to look elsewhere, but the SoundPoint Pro SE-225 competes well in its price point. Thanks to well-chosen features, such as Polycom voice technology for crisp reception, 99-number call-history directory, 20-number speed dial, and any-key dialing, this model works well for typical conference rooms. The Polycom SoundPoint Pro SE-225 comes with a one-year warranty.

Product Description
SoundPoint Pro SE-225 seamlessly integrates handset and headset telephone functionality with crystal clear, hands-free voice conferencing in an elegant personal business phone. With the touch of a button, SoundPoint Pro SE-225 lets you hold clear, multipoint conference calls with up to two additional participants. Polycom's Acoustic Clarity Technology enables callers to speak when they want without clipped sentences and one-way conversations that are common with ordinary business speakerphones. The SoundPoint Pro SE-225 has versatile features like a front and rear-facing microphone for 360? voice conferencing coverage, and dialing is quick with the 99-number speed-dial capability. You can also connect an optional headset for quality, hands-free applications.

I'm not sure if I have a newer version of the SE-225, but it's terrific. I say that after opening the box with an extremely pessimistic pre-disposition, ready to pack it up and return another phone based on the negative comments. In two days of very active use, I have NOT been disappointed.

Some specifics:

Speed-dial: Too easy to use, 2-touch dialing for your top 10, with room for 99 (total) searchable by letter (like your cellphone)

Handfree: The volume is excellent, and the callers I've polled said it sounds great (I haven't been on the otherside of a call yet)

Footprint: It's not overly large, and the Console Cable that's included means only 1 cord snaked across the desk!

Quality: In no way do I feel like this phone is not worth the price. It's exactly what I expected from Polycom.

Cool features:

Primary Line: Allows you to designate which of the 2 lines is the main one you use, so it selects that line when you pick up the receiver, headset, etc.

Distintive Rings: Pick a ring and a volume for each line.

And just so it doesn't seem like I work for Polycom, the one thing I don't like is that you can't program Pauses into the speed-dial. It doesn't have a call-waiting light, but that's a small sacrifice considering what you get.

All in all, being the picky techno-geek I am, I am not seeing any of the negative points mentioned in some reviews. But given the dates that they were submitted, this may be an improved version of this phone. No matter, I highly recommend it!

pas


Great Home Office Phone!!!   July 29, 2005
Mai T Zoos (Denver, CO USA)
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

Due to the less than glowing reviews about this phone on this site, I hesitated from buying this phone. All my research indicated that this phone would perfectly suit my needs, but I passed over it and searched for more suitable alternatives. However, I found nothing comparable -especially at this price. I called Polycom's tech support department and asked about the kind of problems they received regarding this phone and what potential concerns customers typically express.

Well, I ordered the phone and set it up. It exceeded my expectations in every way. I work from home managing collaboration for nationally distributed sales and operations teams -thank goodness for the Internet. I spend much of my day on conference calls. With this phone and three way calling from my local phone company on each line, I can call instantly arrange conference calls with up to four locations.

This phone is very well designed for the person who uses the speakerphone. I almost exclusively use the speakerphone. No one has ever complained about the quality. It allows means to speak softly or not. I have walked into the room adjacent to my office and maintained a conversation. I can work with my back to the phone and continue my conversations.

The phone permits extensive user customization to suit her work style. This includes setting separate ring volumes and ring styles for each line. Separate handset, speakerphone and headset volumes. Stores 99 incoming, 99 outgoing call histories and 99 speed dial numbers. Many more options that indicate that Polycom spent some time thinking about the features that improve productivity.

The handset does not seem of any lesser quality than more expensive phones from Avaya, Meridian or Nortel. I do not consider the inability to lower the keypad volume problematic. I don't consider warmth generated by the phone abnormal or problematic. My home office permits me to work without disturbing anyone. I plug my phone into a battery up, so that I can use it even in a power outage. I have my entire office equipment on battery backup. My role does not accommodate downtime.

If you want a two-line phone with a terrific speakerphone, I do not believe you will find a better one -especially at this price. I recommend this phone without reservations.

August 10 Update:
Originally, when I submitted this review -two weeks ago, I said that I wished that the phone had a voicemail waiting indicator. Well, it does!!! I had to call my phone company, Qwest, and ask them to activitate "Visual Messaging Waiting Notification". Now, when I have a message, a red light on the button of the corresponding line -line 1 or 2, flashes. What a wonderful surprise!! So, now and after an additional two weeks of use, I do not have a single complaint or wish for this phone - perhaps a Qwerty keypad for entering contacts or bluetooth synchronization with Microsoft Outlook and my PalmOne Treo. :)


Good value for the price   November 3, 2002
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

With some trepidation I bought the PolyCom SoundPoint Pro #225 but it turns out to be just fine *for the price*. I suspect that a lot of the disappointment comes from making a direct comparison of this phone with the high end PolyCom equipment found in so many office conference environments. I think it's unrealistic to expect this desk top phone (...) to be as good as PolyCom's conference phones selling for three to four times as much.

It is the best desk top speaker phone I've used. The loud speaker perhaps emphasises the bass too much. Thus sometimes recorded voices sound "boomy" but normal conversation seems excellent. It's a bit like hearing voice programs on a high fi system designed for music. I find it definitely good to acceptable. My correspondents have reported good quality sound.

Full duplex operation is excellent *as long as the highest volume for the speaker isn't used*. This is important since at the maximum volume full duplex seems to break down a bit. I suspect that some of the disappointment comes from trying to use this phone at the high volumes normally used for a conference phone. For normal conversations at my desk, I find setting the volume up half way is plenty loud enough and full duplex works well. Conversations are extremely natural.

All in all, I find this a good desk top speakerphone, better than anything else I know of. Yes, I would like and would pay for something better in the configuration of a desk top phone. Until I find one this phone is serving me well.

Note: I would save the money of buying the model with the second speaker. I never use it. This is not a true conference phone. Buy a high end PolyCom phone for that. You won't be disappointed.


Good but minor problems...   June 3, 2002
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

As a speakerphone, I like the phone. No problems.

Three minor issues -- (1) There is a dataport connector on the back of the phone. This would be good if you wanted to daisy chain your fax machine or modem off the phone, you would expect most people to do this with "line 2", but the data port is "line 1". (2) There is a volume control, but even if you change the speakerphone volume to really low, the touch tones ARE STILL LOUD AS NORMAL (waking up the family). (3) The handset seems too cheap to me and as a very hollow sound.

Otherwise, like the phone. Speakphone is good quality, I purchased the unit becuase I am sitting on conferences calls listening to people pontificate.


Excellent SOHO Phone!   July 15, 2005
Polemicuss (New York City)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful


I read all the reviews as did everyone else and I was caught between a home phone with a lot of features like the uniden or panasonic (needed 2 line) and a professional phone like Polycom. Even though this unit is the little brother of the bigger conference room speakerphones it is undeniably a solid performing small business / home office phone. You won't get the features of a home phone - yes the non tilting LCD is annoying and you can't download Brittney's latest masterpiece as a ring tone. But what matters for me - searchable and indexed phone book (type in the letters and it goes right to the name), as well as an excellent speakerphone. I don't know about other reviews knocking the speakerphone, but for me it is excellent. There is *no* static or clipping for me whatsoever. I rareley ever use the handset and sit 2-3 feet away form the phone and no on eever complains. So I felt compelled to through in my two cents - excellent phone, just what I was looking for for home office, excellent handset / speakerphone / call transfer and conference abilities, etc.