sundance-communications.com Forums Telephony Discussion Phone & VoIP Systems ESI Telephones & Systems DP1 and a Plantronics CS50 with HL1 or HL10

Has anyone successfully gotten a cordless headset with handset lifter to work on the original ESI digital phones? The magnetic hookswitch in the base of the phone's handset seems to be the problem with using the lifter, as most lifters are designed to lift the earpiece of the handset. We discussed this with Plantronics and they told us to try the older HL-1, which has the long bar. The bar reaches the lower end of the handset, but doesn't seem to have enough power to lift the handset consistently when extended out that far. Also, each time the lifter arm goes down, it seems to go lower and lower. So no matter how high you set it, it doesn't stay there. This means it works once, then fails to break contact all other times. I actually got it to work by putting the lifter arm under the mouthpiece of the handset, but this only worked with the base pulled off of the phone. I didn't think that the phone sitting flat on the desk was an option. I also got it to work with the phone's base back on, if I put the lifter arm just below the mouthpiece, right on the seam, near the handset cord. This did work consistently, but was very risky. Someone bumping the desk could cause it to fall, thereby hanging up the call.

Okay, rant and explanation over. Has anyone else run into this? Has anyone come up with a viable solution?

It seems like it would work if there was a piece you could stick on the end of the arm that cupped the mouthpiece, so it was secure. Either that, or if the flap on the HL-10 could be reversed, so it would point down, with the hinge at the top instead of at the bottom.

Oh, and for those of you who are going to suggest upgrading them to a C, S, or E Class and get the newer phones with the hookswitch, don't bother. We've been down that road.

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I hate handset lifters --- your rant continued. I assign a SLP and use the Plantronics C-12(?) cordless set. Assigned to answer and then transfer with flash. Too easy.