Aastra 9133i Review
Main Features
3 phone lines by default, with another 6 configurable lines
7 programmable keys
200 number phone directory, plus a 100 number caller list
Hands-free speaker phone and headset modes
Wall mountable
g711 and g729 codecs
XML programming possible
Description
The Aastra 9133i phone is a sturdy mid-range phone, costing between £80 and £100, plus VAT. It has 3 lines by default, which makes it ideal for both the office environment or and the home worker – or anyone else who needs more than one phone line. There are 7 programmable keys which can be programmed to provide further lines (making up to 9 in total) or as speed dial keys.
Unlike some phones, this phone does not have a lightweight plastic feel to it. The phone is very sturdy and stays put on the desk. Any worries I had that I would need to mount the phone on the wall proved to be groundless (wall-mounting is possible by inverting the base). The handset has a nice solid feel to it and sits comfortably in the hand. The three-line LCD is easy to read and can be angled for easy viewing, although the ability to dim the display would be nice.
In the past the phone was sold with PoE (power over ethernet) and required a PoE injector if you wanted to use it on a network that did not supply power. Fortunately (for me), the phone is now bundled with a power supply adapter (but still allows PoE as an alternative). Anyone buying this phone might want to check this point before purchase.
Advantages
After using a simple, old-fashioned phone, the phone seemed to be oozing features, many of which are present on a mobile phone but nevertheless still took me by surprise. For example, the phone displays the name of the caller if they are in the directory. You can also list the last 100 callers, both answered and missed calls, and if you miss a call the phone tells you – no need to dial 1471 now! I also liked the ability to choose different ring tones for the different lines.
The sound quality is very good, although the default configuration has a considerable side tone (echo). However, once I had changed the settings, this disappeared.
Configuring the phone is relatively straight-forward, although you do need to download the administration guide from Aastra's web site first. Although the documentation is available on-line, it would have been nice to have it included on a CD in the box. All that is provided is a paper installation guide. That said, I found it fairly easy to find the information I needed on the Internet. Because the phone is one of a range, much of the information relevant to the other Aastra phone also applies.
Configuration can be done either using a web interface, downloading a configuration file to the phone, or directly using the keys on the phone. I used a configuration file. To do this you need to set up a tftp server, which the phone contacts when it is booted up and downloads the configuration file. The phone can also use tftp to download the phone directory and firmware upgrades.
Disadvantages
One thing the phone does not do well natively is work behind a NAT firewall; the NAT configuration options are just too limiting. After trying unsuccessfully to get the phone to talk directly to the SIP provider, I had to resort to setting up an asterisk server instead. Once done, the phone worked perfectly. The lack of NAT compatibility is, to my mind, a serious omission. Aastra seem to expect the phone to be on an internal network, connected to the outside world through a PBX. This may be a reasonable assumption for the corporate user, but not necessarily true for the home worker like myself.
Conclusion
My overall impression of this phone is a very favourable one. If you are looking for a sturdy multi-line phone then I would certainly recommend the Aastra 9133i.
Added: Sunday, May 20, 2007
Reviewer: Liz Wald
Score:
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Language: eng
