question

Rob avatar image
Rob asked Brendan Engen answered

Ringcentral desktop and Plantronics (Poly) headset USB connection cutting out

Hello,

I use an oldish but fantastic Plantronics headset C052A connected with a APU-76 USB adapter, on my W11 PC. I also use a Jabra desktop speaker on the same PC, USB connected.

Both work 100% perfectly in Teams and Zoom. I can switch between them during a call and they both work reliably, and the headset never skips a beat.

In Ringcentral (Desktop: 23.2.21.7380 Windows (x64) 2023-05-18 07:03:19) the Jabra works 100% OK. The Plantronics headset keeps cutting out. This is random and generally lasts for a few seconds, then sound is re-established. In a 5 min call this happens 4 or 5 times. When it cuts out, the headset "clicks" and both incoming and outgoing sound are muted. There isn't a repeatable pattern to this. This also happens when the Jabra is disconnected.

I have tried downloading and using the Plantronics hub software (https://www.poly.com/gb/en/support/downloads-apps/hub-desktop) but it's no better with or without this running and allowing Ringcentral to manage my headset.

I have also replicated this exact setup on another PC in a different office with the same Jabra but different headset and cable - identical models. This PC is running W10 and exactly the same thing happens.

This must therefore be a problem in Ringcentral, and is very frustrating for myself and callers.

Ideas or solutions very welcome

Rob

hardwarecall handling
7 comments
1 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

Kiley Loveall avatar image Kiley Loveall commented ·

We have a ton of issues with our Plantronics headsets, and have tickets in for this... call quality issues, the Plantronics HUB not recognized when RingCentral is first loaded in the morning. I have troubleshooted my heart out and cannot figure this out. Have you tried using app.ringcentral.com? or tested using their RC Phone App? Not sure if that app is still 100% relevant, but I have found some of the issues we have don't exist within that app. Just the desktop application and the browser version of Ring. We have also worked with our Managed IT Vendors thinking it was firewall or network issues, but to no avail. I truly believe it is this application, but we've gotten no relief with Ring. I think we've been having these issues for about a year now with ebbs and flows of going hard trying to troubleshoot because our users are getting sick of it, and then giving up because we get nowhere. It's truly frustrating. Good luck on your quest to find a solution. If you do, please try to post back to the community. Thanks!

0 Likes 0 ·
Rob avatar image Rob Kiley Loveall commented ·

Thanks for the reply even if it confirmed my fears!

That app.ringcentral.com - is it not just the browser version? I'll give it a go for sure, but it has to run on my PC not a portable device.

We've used plantronics for years with our Samsung switchboard and these are so much better than a normal bluetooth headset - battery life and range are 10x any bluetooth device.

I'm keenly waiting any RC comment or suggestion for this as it's unusable and I end up moving calls onto my "picks up all background noise" Jabra desktop speaker.

0 Likes 0 ·
Kiley Loveall avatar image Kiley Loveall Rob commented ·

Yes, app.ringcentral.com is their browser version of the desktop application. UI is the same and functions the same.


Plantronics/Poly are their recommended headsets, so I'm not sure why we have such a hard time with them. That is specifically why we went with this brand, to avoid any issues. But I truly don't think it's the headset. Perhaps its the integration with the Plantronics HUB and Ring. That is where it seems to be for us anyways. RingCentral doesn't recognize the HUB is installed and causes issues for our headset users - mic is muted, or headset controls don't work, etc.

0 Likes 0 ·
Rob avatar image Rob Kiley Loveall commented ·

Quick note to say tried the web browser rather than desktop app and can report it's actually worse - the "test speaker/mic" setting takes about 4 clicks and 10 seconds to make the mic work, and the test speaker plays exactly nothing. I took a test call and they couldn't hear me for the first 10 seconds or so

0 Likes 0 ·
Kiley Loveall avatar image Kiley Loveall Rob commented ·

I am sorry to hear that. If I make any progress on my ticket with our Plantronics issues, I will gladly send your way. I know how frustrating this is, being that it is such a core function of a phone system to have good audio quality. Good luck on your efforts as well!

0 Likes 0 ·
Kiley Loveall avatar image Kiley Loveall commented ·

Not sure if this will help, but there is a fix for the HUB not being recognized coming out sometime early July. Heads up in case that helps resolve any of your issues! Release 23.2.30.

Also be sure you've updated your firewalls, they just released new IP ranges (not sure if it means for all customers or just our region). The full article is here:

https://support.ringcentral.com/network-and-system-requirements/network-requirements/network-requirements-MVP.html?language=en_US

0 Likes 0 ·
Rob avatar image Rob Kiley Loveall commented ·

Thanks Kiley - looks like it's just you and me in the blue corner, and Plantronics & RC in the red corner

I doubt it's firewall. I can unplug my USB plantronics cable and plug in a normal USB headset and sound volume and quality is improved 100x, not to mention no cutouts. Put pretty Poly back on and it's dreadful, indeed one customer just said to me "email me as I can't hear a word you're saying".

Just a reminder if anyone is reading this, the same USB cable/headset works perfectly in Teams, crystal clear, no cut outs.

0 Likes 0 ·

2 Answers

Chris Hudlet avatar image
Chris Hudlet answered

We regularly see issues with Plantronics headsets. Volume levels that go to almost nothing until we go into HUB software and change the output device to something (anything) else and back to the headset and then it works ok for a while. No call coming in but the headset rings like there is. Random beeping like Morse Code for a few min. None of it is reproducible on demand. Plantronics has the best form factor (light weight, over the ear) and battery life, but usability has gone downhill. This is just for the USB headsets paired with the softphone. The Plantronics that plugs into the back of a desk phone work great. But the feature that lets the softphone control the deskphone is still in Beta, so not much help there.

Not sure what else to do other than try Jabbra or Yea Link. Tired of futzing around with Plantronics.

1 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

Brendan Engen avatar image
Brendan Engen answered

Thank god I found you guys. Did you resolve your issues? only suddenly headset not working properly, lots of connectivity issues, thought it was the new crappy headset I bought but replaced with a not so crappy and that didn't work either then same on Plantronics Voyager 5200 I bought yesterday. It just cuts in and out often. It seems to have got a lot worse in the last few weeks and RC support is terrible. Now the app is fine on my mac ( i have it on macbook, my imac and also on the windows (ugh) desktop in the office). It's on the Windows desktop I have issues only. No issues it seems with mac. I have the old app on my imac and I wonder as you mentioned it whether I should just revert back to that on the windows device. Any developments? Thanks.

1 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

Work together.
From anywhere.

Team messaging, video meetings
and phone - all in one app.


Get the new RingCentral app