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Hardware phones (SIP desk phones)

Hardware phones (SIP desk phones)

Feb 18, 2026

While UltraCart Calls is primarily a browser-based softphone system, it also supports SIP desk phones for agents who prefer physical hardware. Desk phones are provisioned by MAC address, configured with auto-provisioning for supported manufacturers, and can be used alongside or instead of the browser softphone.

Overview

Hardware phones connect to UltraCart Calls over SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and function as an alternative to the browser softphone. An agent can receive calls on their desk phone instead of their browser, while still benefiting from the same queue routing, call recording, and platform integration.

Hardware phones are best suited for:

  • Reception desks and shared workstations where a dedicated phone is preferred

  • Conference rooms that need a physical speakerphone

  • Agents who prefer the feel and audio quality of a desk phone

  • Environments where browser-based calling isn't reliable

Supported phone manufacturers

UltraCart Calls supports desk phones from these manufacturers:

  • Yealink

  • Polycom

  • Grandstream

  • Cisco

  • Fanvil

  • Snom

Each manufacturer has specific supported models available in the configuration interface. Select your manufacturer first, then choose from the available models.

Provisioning a new desk phone

  1. Navigate to Calls > Settings > Hardware Phones.

  2. Select Add Phone.

  3. Fill in the phone details:

    • Name -- a friendly name for the phone (e.g., "Front Desk Phone")

    • Description -- optional notes (e.g., "Main reception area")

  4. Under Agent Assignment, optionally assign the phone to an agent.

  5. Under Device Setup, configure:

    • Phone Brand -- select the manufacturer

    • Phone Model -- select the model (filtered by brand)

    • Device ID / MAC Address -- enter the phone's MAC address (found on a label on the bottom of the phone). The system formats it automatically as AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF.

    • Server Region -- select the nearest region for optimal call quality:

      • US East Coast (Virginia)

      • US West Coast (Oregon)

      • Ireland

      • Frankfurt, Germany

      • Tokyo, Japan

      • Singapore

      • Sydney, Australia

      • Sao Paulo, Brazil

  6. Select Save.

Initial setup credentials

After creating the phone, a setup dialog displays the information needed to configure the physical device:

  • Setup Link -- the auto-provisioning URL the phone uses to download its configuration

  • Username -- the SIP username

  • Password -- the SIP password (shown once; copy it now)

Copy all three values. You'll enter them into the phone's admin interface, or use the auto-provisioning URL if your phone supports it.

Important: The SIP password is displayed only once when the phone is created. Copy it immediately. If you lose it, you'll need to regenerate a new password.

Auto-provisioning

Supported phones can download their configuration automatically from the setup link. Point your phone's provisioning URL to the setup link provided during creation, and the phone pulls its SIP credentials and server settings automatically.

A Download Config button is also available to download the provisioning configuration file directly. The file format depends on the manufacturer (.cfg for Yealink, Polycom, and Fanvil; .xml for Grandstream, Cisco, and Snom).

Assigning phones to agents

Each hardware phone can be assigned to one agent. When assigned:

  • The agent's call routing preference automatically switches to Hardware Phone

  • Inbound calls ring the assigned desk phone instead of the browser softphone

  • The agent's profile shows the phone as their preferred device

To assign a phone to an agent:

  1. Edit the hardware phone in Calls > Settings > Hardware Phones.

  2. Select the agent from the Assigned Agent dropdown.

  3. Select Save.

You can also assign phones from the agent's profile in Calls > Settings > Agents by changing the call routing preference to Hardware Phone and selecting the linked phone.

When you remove the last hardware phone from an agent, their call routing preference automatically reverts to Browser Softphone.

Password management

SIP credentials are generated automatically and cannot be set manually.

Regenerating a password

If a phone's SIP password is compromised or lost:

  1. Edit the phone in Calls > Settings > Hardware Phones.

  2. In the Phone Credentials section, select New Password.

  3. Type REGENERATE in the confirmation field and select Save & Regenerate Password.

  4. Copy the new password from the confirmation dialog.

  5. Update the phone's admin interface with the new password, or re-run auto-provisioning.

Regenerating the password immediately breaks the phone's connection. The phone cannot make or receive calls until you update its configuration with the new password.

Managing hardware phones

The hardware phones list in Calls > Settings > Hardware Phones shows all provisioned phones with:

  • Phone name

  • Device information (manufacturer and model)

  • Assigned agent (or "Unassigned" badge)

Editing a phone

Select a phone from the list to edit its name, description, agent assignment, or device settings. The setup link, SIP username, and provisioning configuration are also accessible from the edit view.

Deleting a phone

Select the Delete button to remove a phone. You cannot delete a phone that is currently assigned to an agent -- unassign it first by setting the agent to "No agent (unassigned)" or by changing the agent's routing preference to Browser Softphone.

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