New York, New York – November 10, 2009 – Plantronics, Inc (NYSE: PLT), the world leader in communication headsets for over 48 years, today announced that the Savi™ Office Wireless Headset System has been named a Best of International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Winner in the Headphones category. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by an esteemed panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge products across 36 product categories.

Unified Communications Made Simple

Plantronics Savi Office is a multi-function wireless headset system for Unified Communications that enables calling from both desk phones and computer softphones (VoIP). Savi Office supports softphone applications from leading providers, including Avaya, Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft, and other popular services, such as Google Talk and Skype with high-end wideband audio

In addition to basic call switching, Savi Office delivers advanced call control that enables the audio from the desk phone and the computer to be put on hold, muted or mixed together for easy conferencing. The system supports leading multimedia players so users can also listen to music and videos without missing a call. Savi Office uses the DECT™ 6.0 voice-dedicated frequency, providing users 350-feet of range from the base. Savi Office features adaptive power, meaning the headset uses less battery power when it is closer to the base system.

“Nearly 50 years of design and engineering innovations have gone into creating Savi Office,” said Elizabeth Bastiaanse Hamren, vice president of Product Marketing at Plantronics. “The CES Innovations Award further establishes that the distinctions between consumer and enterprise products are becoming increasingly blurred. Today’s workers demand business-class audio quality and reliability combined with the ease-of-use and styling of consumer devices.”

CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. They are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^®, the producer of the International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.

Plantronics Savi Office will be displayed at the 2010 International CES, which runs January 7-10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 5.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used

Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided

The product’s intended use/function and user value

Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive

How the design and innovation of the product compares to other products in the marketplace

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on www.CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.

Santa Cruz, Calif. – October 5, 2009 – Plantronics Inc. (NYSE: PLT), today continued its nearly 50-year history of developing breakthrough products with the new IP40™, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoint device for the contact center. The IP40 connects agent headsets directly to the Ethernet to unify contact center software applications with all inbound and outbound call activity.

Because the IP40 SIP endpoint device connects directly to the Ethernet, it eliminates the need for a costly desk phone while avoiding reliance on the PC to process voice, previously the only other option. It is designed specifically for the heavy traffic loads and premium voice quality requirements found in contact centers.

The IP40 is a plug-and-play standalone device controlled by the contact center routing engine. It registers with the SIP proxy upon start up, and is controlled from the contact center software application. Integrating the IP40 with contact center applications helps improve collaboration and workflow management among agents and managers so they can provide better customer service. For example, agents using the IP40 initiate all calls through the contact center software application which ensures all call actions are accurately recorded for management.

“Robust, quality audio is critical for contact centers,” said Nick Eisner, director of Contact Center Product Management at Plantronics “Customers tell us they want to simplify and drive call control to the workstation application to ensure that their quality systems capture every move an agent makes. The IP40 leverages the customer’s investment in VoIP and SIP, eliminating the telephone on the agent’s desk but without compromising the robustness of the voice path. It also reduces power consumption and optimizes audio quality for intelligibility; less is truly more.”

Analyst and Customer Reactions

“One of the early payoffs for adopting SIP-enabled IP telephony in contact centers will be the ability to dramatically lower agent terminal costs,” said Drew Kraus research vice president at Gartner. “The ability to directly connect agent headsets to the LAN, doing away with desk phones or PCs as voice path devices, should be of great interest to contact center planners and IT departments as they look to lower infrastructure costs.”

The IP40 has already been tested at INOVO Telecom, a leading global supplier of contact center solutions. “We simply love the IP40; it provides a unique value proposition for any contact center,” said Eugene Schalkwyk, chief technology officer at INOVO. “It not only significantly reduces complexity for the operator but is very easy to install and maintain. The market has been asking for a unit like this for a long time and we can finally offer a high quality and cost effective SIP device.”

The IP40: Reliable Audio Quality with Desktop Simplicity

The IP40 features and benefits include:

• Reliable and robust voice path independent of the PC or Deskphone
• Call control interface via the contact center software enables all action to be captured
• Telephone not required which reduces footprint on desktop
• More economical and draws up to 2/3 less power than a contact center telephone
• Dual Ethernet ports let PC share the IP40 network connection
• Device powered using standard 802.3af Power over Ethernet
• Compatible with Plantronics professional grade headsets
• Simple plug-and-play installation
• Provides control features such as transmit mute, receive volume adjust, and call answer/end button with a remotely configurable auto-answer option.
• Features presence-based automatic hold when the headset is detached using the QuickDisconnect™ feature

Pricing and Availability
The Plantronics IP40 is now available for a MSRP of $189 and can be purchased via Plantronics authorized resellers.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, IP40, Plantronics, The Voice of Unified Communications, and Quick Disconnect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SANTA CRUZ, CA, — June 24, 2009 — Today, Plantronics proudly
announced it has been selected as a 2009 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Awards winner in OEM Hardware Solutions, Device Manufacturing. The company was chosen out of an international field of top Microsoft partners as delivering market-leading customer solutions built on Microsoft technology.

“Plantronics is committed to improving unified communications for end users through audio solutions that deliver great sound quality, ease-of-use and seamless interoperability between any phone and the PC,” said Gunjan Bhow, vice president and general manager of unified communications at Plantronics. “This award from Microsoft for our first USB handset, the .Audio™ 1100M, is a testament to the importance of delivering a simple, intuitive user experience that will spur adoption.”

Awards will be presented in a number of categories, with winners chosen from a pool of nearly 2,000 entrants worldwide. The OEM Hardware Solutions, Device Manufacturing Partner of the Year award recognizes independent hardware vendors or original device manufacturers who deliver superior customer value by designing and developing hardware peripheral and device solutions that use Microsoft technologies. To be eligible for this award, you must:

• Be active in the OEM Hardware Solutions competency, Device Manufacturing specialization.
• First profile your nominated solutions in Partner Solution Profiler.

“Microsoft is pleased to recognize Plantronics as the OEM Hardware Solutions, Device Manufacturing Partner of the Year for developing a highly innovative and easy-to-use hardware accessory to accompany Microsoft’s Unified Communications,” said Ross Brown, Vice President, Solution Partners and ISVs, Microsoft Corp. “Plantronics’ solution provides seamless transition from analog telephones to unified communications solutions, providing significant ROI, customer satisfaction, and broader adoption.”

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Awards recognize Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions over the last year.

Plantronics – The Voice of Unified Communications™

Plantronics offers one of the industry’s most complete families of corded and wireless products for unified communications. Widely recognized for their sound quality, reliability and comfort, Plantronics’ audio solutions help companies extend the benefits of IP communications throughout the extended enterprise, fostering better business communication and efficiency regardless of where professionals are working.

For more information about Plantronics’ UC-ready products, visit: http://www.plantronics.com/uc

Altec Lansing, Clarity, Plantronics, .Audio, and The Voice of Unified Communications are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.

All other Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

ORLANDO, Fla. – VoiceCon 2009 - April 1, 2009 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) announced today plans for integration between IBM Lotus Sametime Unified Telephony and Plantronics’ suite of Unified Communications (UC) products. Plantronics is participating in the Lotus Sametime Unified Telephony Validation Program to test its broad range of corded and wireless solutions to ensure full interoperability and easy implementation within existing IT environments.

As adoption of UC solutions for improving business collaboration increases, Plantronics and IBM are working together to optimize the user experience for Sametime Unified Telephony and Sametime-based telephony and web conferencing. Customers using Sametime Unified Telephony with Plantronics UC products, including the recently announced Savi™ Series, are assured of plug-and-play simplicity, superior audio quality and, with Savi Series, enhanced agility for managing calls routed by Sametime Unified Telephony across multiple devices.

“Plantronics and IBM realize that successful UC deployments require addressing the needs of both the IT department and the business end-user,” said Gunjan Bhow, vice president and general manager of unified communications, Plantronics, Inc. “Our proven track record for reliability and world class customer support will ease concerns for IT decision makers and our focus on sound quality, ease-of-use and comfort benefit the business end-user.”

“Plantronics’ strong legacy of consistently delivering quality audio solutions makes them a great partner,” said Akiba Saeedi, director of unified communications and collaboration at IBM. “We’re pleased that Plantronics is leveraging its decades of enterprise telephony experience to seamlessly integrate their devices within Sametime Unified Telephony. Together, we’re helping companies improve business collaboration and real-time communications across their distributed workforces.”

A Broad Unified Communications Portfolio

Plantronics delivers a unified user experience across multiple telephony devices including the deskphone, the PC, and the mobile phone. Announced in March 2009, the Savi Series of headset systems enables users to bridge multiple devices. The Savi Office headset system can complement Sametime Unified Telephony by enabling users to switch between and mix calls routed to either their desk phone or their PC. The Savi Go headset system enables Sametime Unified Telephony users to switch between calls routed to the mobile phone and their PC.

The complete lineup of Plantronics Unified Communications products, including multi-device headsets and speakerphones, are being validated to work with Sametime Unified Telephony.

Plantronics is currently developing a wireless plug-in for Sametime Unified Telephony, which is compatible with Sametime 8.0 applications, to enhance the user experience. The enhanced capabilities for wireless headset users include: call answer and terminate, remote ring detection and volume and mute control.

Plantronics – The Voice of Unified Communications

Plantronics offers the industry’s most complete families of corded and wireless products for Unified Communications.  Widely recognized for their sound quality, reliability and comfort, Plantronics’ audio solutions help companies extend the benefits of IP communications throughout the extended enterprise, fostering better business communication and efficiency regardless of where professionals are working.

For more information about Plantronics’ UC-ready products, visit: http://www.plantronics.com/uc

For more information about Plantronics’ new Savi Series, visit: http://www.plantronics.com/saviseries

Sametime Unified Telephony is expected to be available from IBM in July 2009.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, Plantronics, Savi, and Sound Innovation are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of the respective owners. IBM, Lotus, Sametime and Sametime Unified Telephony are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries

Santa Cruz, Calif. – March 11, 2009 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today introduced the industry’s first suite of Unified Communications wireless headset systems that integrate multiple devices and applications for improved business collaboration and cost savings. Designed for today’s distributed workforce, the Plantronics Savi™ Series provides a new level of communication versatility combined with superior audio and reliability.

“As Unified Communications becomes more prevalent in the enterprise, professionals are increasingly using a mix of communication tools, including desk phones, softphones and mobile phones, on an everyday basis,” said Melanie Turek, industry principal, Unified Communications at Frost & Sullivan. “Intelligent headsets that can unify devices and applications to help eliminate costs and improve workforce collaboration are truly essential for successful UC deployments.”

Revenues for the worldwide unified communications application and service markets grew by 294 percent in 2008, according to Frost & Sullivan. The analyst firm forecasts a CAGR of 72 percent for the market (2008-2014).

The Plantronics Savi Series features two wireless headset systems: Savi Office and Savi Go. Savi Office is designed for office workers and provides a single wireless headset for mixing desk phone calls with PC audio and softphone calls. Savi Go gives mobile professionals a simple-to-use wireless headset to connect to PC and mobile phone communications. Both products have variants that support UC offerings from leading providers, including Avaya, Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft, and other popular services, such as Google Talk and Skype.

“Plantronics is participating in numerous Unified Communications pilot projects, helping IT departments increase adoption by understanding end-user needs and preferences,” said Chuck Yort, vice president and general manager, B2B Solutions at Plantronics. “Experience is teaching us that the last leg of UC — how well end users interface with devices — is just as critical as the infrastructure. Our new Savi products are reliable, minimize risk and spur adoption for IT decision makers, and deliver great audio, comfort and ease of use for end users.”

Plantronics Savi Office – PC and Desk Phone Integration

As the PC emerges as an audio platform for business, professionals require a way to seamlessly transition between the various audio-intensive functions performed during the workday. With the Savi Office headset system, professionals can use a single wireless headset for PC audio, including web conferencing, multimedia streaming and music listening, and switch to/from both desk phone and softphone calls at the touch of a button.

Plantronics Savi Office features a new software application, PerSono® Suite, to manage calls and audio. PerSono Suite provides an intuitive, one-click interface to let users mix desk phones and softphone calls, mute a call, or put a call on hold with a single click. Users can personalize PerSono Suite and save ring tones, volume levels, and default settings.

Additional Savi Office features and benefits include:

• Mobility: All communications and PC audio listening on Savi Office are wireless, giving professionals the freedom to talk hands-free and work without the hassles of a cord, up to 350-feet away from the desk.
• Audio Quality: Savi Office is built on digitally encrypted, voice-dedicated DECT™ 6.0 technology for exceptional audio quality and lower interference with other wireless devices.
• Personal Choice: Savi Office is offered with two different wearing styles: convertible includes over-the-ear and over-the-head styles and a discreet over-the-ear style, both with noise-canceling microphones.

Plantronics Savi Go – Wideband PC Audio and Mobile Connections

Designed for the more than 47.3 million mobile professionals*, the Plantronics Savi Go headset system enables users to unify their PC softphone and mobile phone communications with excellent audio quality. Savi Go includes a plug-and-play Bluetooth® USB adapter that reduces support costs by eliminating cumbersome software set-up processes and provides life-like, wideband calling through any UC application. The Class 1 Bluetooth adapter provides up to 200 feet of range from the PC for extended mobility.

Additional Savi Go features and benefits include:

• Device Simplification: The Savi Go headset includes multipoint technology that allows users to switch between their mobile phone and PC calls with the touch of a button.
• Audio Quality: The headset features an extended boom and noise-cancelling microphone for call clarity, and a single button on the headset provides remote answer/end, volume up/down and mute.
• Ease of Use: Savi Go also comes with the PerSono Suite software to help manage PC audio and calling.

Plantronics Savi Go will be available in two versions: Optimized for Microsoft® Office Communicator 2007 and enhanced for other Unified Communications platforms.

Availability

Plantronics Savi Office and Savi Go Optimized for Microsoft® Office Communicator 2007 will be available through Plantronics authorized retailers later this spring. Savi Go enhanced for other Unified Communications platforms will be available this summer. For more information about the new wireless headset systems, the various configurations available to customers, and pricing, please visit: www.plantronics.com/saviseries.

Plantronics – The Voice of Unified Communications

Plantronics offers one of the industry’s most complete families of corded and wireless products for unified communications.  Widely recognized for their sound quality, reliability and comfort, Plantronics’ audio solutions help companies extend the benefits of IP communications throughout the extended enterprise, fostering better business communication and efficiency regardless of where professionals are working.

For more information about Plantronics’ UC-ready products, visit: http://www.plantronics.com/uc.

Santa Cruz, Calif. – February 3, 2009 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today expanded its growing portfolio of Unified Communication products Optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator with the new wideband .Audio™ 1100M USB phone handset. Plantronics’ unified communication product portfolio also includes corded and wireless headsets, giving IT purchasers a broad selection of PC audio products as they deploy Microsoft Office Communicator 2007.

The Plantronics .Audio 1100M USB phone handset is optimized for Office Communicator 2007 to provide the functionality of a familiar phone interface for business users adopting PC telephony. The .Audio 1100M features a standard, 10-key dial pad combined with call-answer and call-end keys, a visual ring indicator, a speakerphone activation key and ringer volume control. A headset jack is also available on the handset for users who want a hands-free option.

The Plantronics MCD 100 USB speakerphone, also announced today, is an option for those conducting group conference calls via Office Communicator 2007. It provides 360-degree room coverage so more than one person can participate in a PC-based audio conference. To achieve call clarity, the MCD 100 includes acoustic echo cancellation, noise suppression and equalizer algorithms embedded within the product.

“Plantronics expects an increased adoption of unified communication applications as distributed workforces become more prevalent,” said Amy Huson, director of UC Product Marketing at Plantronics. “More companies will consider implementing Office Communicator 2007, a cost effective method for increasing virtual collaboration. We’ve developed these products to give IT decision makers and business users cost-effective and familiar options for those transitioning to PC telephony.”

Options for IT Departments Deploying Office Communicator

The Microsoft Corp. qualification process addresses IT professionals’ concerns about software to hardware interoperability and cross-vendor support. The new .Audio 1100M phone handset and the MCD 100 USB speakerphone offer an enhanced user experience with integrated call control from the Office Communicator 2007 software. These products join the growing portfolio of Plantronics products Optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator announced in 2008.

Enterprise IT buyers can now choose from the following Plantronics products Optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator:

• .Audio 1100M USB phone handset
• MCD 100 USB speakerphone
• .Audio 630M USB wideband binaural headset
• .Audio 615M USB wideband monaural headset
• SupraPlus Wideband USB monaural headset

“Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2 is creating tremendous opportunities in the unified communications marketplace for companies like Plantronics,” said Eric Swift, senior director of the Microsoft Unified Communications Group at Microsoft Corp. “We look forward to working with Plantronics to reduce communications chaos and increase business productivity for our mutual customers.”

Pricing and Availability

All Optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator Plantronics products are now available and may be purchased through authorized Plantronics resellers. The .Audio 1100M, a USB phone handset, has an MSRP of $79.00. The MCD 100, a USB speakerphone, has an MSRP of $179.00. Announced in September 2008, the .Audio 630M, a multi-purpose binaural headset featuring stereo, has an MSRP of $49.95. The .Audio 615M, a monaural headset, has an MSRP of $44.95. The SupraPlus Wideband USB monaural noise canceling headset has a MSRP of $169.00.

Plantronics – The Voice of Unified Communications

Plantronics offers one of the industry’s most complete families of corded and wireless products for unified communications.  Widely recognized for their sound quality, reliability and comfort, Plantronics’ audio solutions help companies extend the benefits of IP communications throughout the extended enterprise, fostering better business communication and efficiency regardless of where professionals are working.

For more information about Plantronics’ UC-ready products, visit: http://www.plantronics.com/uc

]]> http://press.plantronics.com/business/plantronics-strengthens-unified-communications-portfolio-with-its-first-phone-handset-optimized-for-microsoft-office-communicator-2007/feed/ http://press.plantronics.com/business/plantronics-encorepro-wins-if-product-design-award-2009/ http://press.plantronics.com/business/plantronics-encorepro-wins-if-product-design-award-2009/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:00:32 +0000 kauby http://press.plantronics.com/?p=1878 Contact Center Headset Design Emphasizes Form and Function

Santa Cruz, Calif. – December 16, 2008 –Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today announced that the Plantronics EncorePro™ headset won the prestigious international Forum (iF) product design award 2009.

iF jury members judged nearly 3,000 products from more than 1,000 contestants in 39 different countries to select the winners for 2009.  Products were evaluated based on criteria including innovativeness, functionality, design quality, material, ergonomics and environmental compatibility.  Plantronics Industrial Design developed EncorePro, a corded headset for contact center professionals, and also designed the Plantronics Discovery® 640 Bluetooth® headset that won an iF Design Award in 2006.

“Recognition of the EncorePro for an iF Design Award confirms the importance of designing both consumer and enterprise products with the user in mind,” said Darrin Caddes, vice president of Corporate Design at Plantronics.  “I applaud the EncorePro design team, lead by Soohyun Ham, for truly understanding how contact center professionals use our products.  They were able to design a headset that harmoniously combines superior audio performance with great comfort and style.”

Bringing Style to the Contact Center

The Plantronics EncorePro, announced in October 2008, incorporates form and function, resulting in a lightweight headset that is beautiful and practical. An informal Plantronics survey of agents who trialed the EncorePro headset revealed that 60% thought the fit and comfort was improved, 65% felt the transmit sound was better and more than 70% believed the EncorePro is more stylish than their existing headsets. 

The headset is built with premium nylon composite and incorporates finishes and accents that are purely aesthetic, which is not typical for contact center products.  The leatherette cushion and metal accent of the earpiece are reminiscent of a high fidelity speaker and connote the headset’s sound quality. The shape and metal accents on the unique swiveling extendable microphone are designed to make the microphone look like a smaller version of a traditional broadcast microphone. A satin finish and metal accents are used throughout to incorporate the designers’ vision of a high-end European design. 

About the iF Design Awards
Since the introduction of the iF product design award in 1953, iF design awards have developed into prestigious trademarks for outstanding achievements in the field of design.   Enterprises and design studios use the award to make their customers and additional target groups aware of the potentially decisive difference in product and service quality expressed by this distinction.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, EncorePro, Plantronics, and Sound Innovation are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.  The Bluetooth word mark is owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Plantronics, Inc. is under license. All other trademarks are the property of the respective owners.

Santa Cruz, Calif. — November 18, 2008 — The high cost of travel is changing how businesses and their employees work, communicate and collaborate, according to a survey sponsored by Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT). The study revealed that many companies have significantly reduced business travel due to rising fuel costs over the past year, while more people work from home at least once a week. At the same time, many knowledge workers now spend more time on the phone to maintain effective communication.

The study, conducted by research firm TNS, revealed that over the past year 42 percent of knowledge workers have seen declines in corporate travel, while 40 percent of those surveyed spent more time in teleconferences, and 30 percent have increased the amount of time they telecommute. When quizzed about ergonomic issues, more respondents (33 percent) complained about neck and shoulder pain than any other health related condition from using the phone, computer or other office equipment for extended periods of time.

“A shift is occurring in the way businesses operate in trying economic times,” said Chuck Yort, vice president and general manager of Business Solutions at Plantronics. “Many corporations have worked to find cost effective ways for employees to communicate and connect with colleagues and customers, a trend that was sparked by high travel costs and has been accelerated by the uncertain financial climate. As a result, we anticipate an increased use of collaboration tools to reduce operational expenses and to help professionals work efficiently.”

Additional findings from the survey of more than 500 knowledge workers included the following:

Reduced Business Travel

• More than one-third of individual employees were traveling less on business over the past year, with 42 percent of that group reporting their corporate travel had been cut in half
• Executives (those with the title of vice president or higher) were much more likely to report a reduction in business travel than other professionals

Increased Use of Teleconferences and Collaboration Tools

• Four out of ten knowledge workers reported they spend more time in teleconferences over the past 12 months
  • Knowledge workers participate in an average of four conference calls of 30 minutes or longer per week
  • One fourth of respondents participate in more than five conference calls that last one-half hour or longer each week
• Nearly one-third of respondents, (32 percent) reported increased participation and use of Web-based meetings and Web conferences
• More than one out of five reported an increase in their use of Unified Communication tools

Increase in Remote Working

• Knowledge workers work from home an average of 1.4 days a week, compared with one day per week one year ago
• Among the 40 percent of respondents reporting an increase in the time they spend working from home:
  • Half of the respondents who work from home at least one day per week feel their productivity increases when telecommuting compared to working at the office
  • Half telecommute to save money on transportation costs, primarily gas and fuel

Ergonomic Implications

• The top health condition resulting from extended use of the phone, computer and other office equipment was neck pain
• Respondents reporting neck pain were more likely to work in the IT/MIS/IS department (19 percent vs. 9 percent for non-IT positions)
• Nearly twice as many respondents complained about neck and shoulder pain compared with those who reported carpal tunnel syndrome (33 percent compared to 19 percent)

A New Term for Remote Workers
The survey reported that just over half (52%) of all respondents work from home at least one day a week. In a related initiative, Plantronics solicited suggestions from people to rename the term “telecommuter.” The online contest, dubbed TeleWho? generated approximately 500 submissions from across the country. Independent judges helped select ten finalist terms based on their originality, relevance and lasting impact. Almost 2,200 votes were submitted over a two week period, resulting in the term “Cloudworker” as the new term for people who work from home.

For more information about Plantronics’ communication solutions for businesses and cloudworkers, please visit www.plantronics.com.

Altec Lansing, Clarity and Plantronics are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.

Santa Cruz, Calif. — October 28, 2008 — Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today continued its 40-year history of developing breakthrough products for the contact center with the new VistaPlus™ AP15 digital audio processor and EncorePro™ wideband headset both designed to improve productivity while increasing customer satisfaction and agent retention.

“Plantronics understands the influence contact center agents have on the customer experience,” said Nick Eisner, director of Contact Center Product Management at Plantronics. “Intelligibility is critical for both customer satisfaction and agent productivity. VistaPlus AP15 and EncorePro improve audio signals to provide clear and accurate conversations, reducing the potential for data entry errors and improving first-call resolution metrics.”

Digital Audio Processors: Superior Call Quality
The Plantronics® VistaPlus AP15 features AudioIQ® technology, a set of digital signal processing algorithms designed to increase intelligibility so callers say things once and once only.  In addition, Audio IQ:

•    improves poor or degraded audio quality on calls from sources such as mobile and cordless phones,
•    helps eliminate echo and filter out background noise,
•    automatically adjusts the volume to the user’s preferred level,
•    and helps to protect agents from sudden loud noises like fax tones.

“Productivity and intelligibility are even more important for contact center management as self-service technology such as interactive voice response (IVR) becomes more common,” said Drew Kraus, Research Vice President at Gartner.  “Calls that do go through to agents in these environments will likely require a higher level of service.  Agent clarity, productivity and retention become increasingly critical for a contact center’s performance in this setting.”

Initial tests conducted at a contact center for a financial services firm indicated agents were able to reduce the duration of customer calls, allowing them to serve more customers. After a four week trial, the firm reported a 2% increase in the number of calls handled using VistaPlus AP15 audio processors.  Feedback from agents who trialed VistaPlus was also encouraging; agents noted improvements in hearing customers more clearly and in the convenience of AudioIQ’s automatic volume adjustment.

Agent Retention: Improve Productivity and Job Satisfaction
The new Plantronics EncorePro headset provides high-quality voice transmission with its unique, extendable noise-canceling microphone.  Precise microphone positioning is crucial to ensure clear outgoing sound quality, so customers hear every word the first time.  When used together, EncorePro and VistaPlus AP15 increase intelligibility for both sides of the conversation.  Increased clarity can reduce errors and the need to repeat information which improves the experience for both the agent and the customer.  Agents who struggle to hear customers and have to repeat things frequently may end up more “drained” toward the end of the day.

Comfort is also an important factor in productivity and retaining quality employees.  The EncorePro headset is built with premium, lightweight nylon composite and plush leatherette ear pads which spread over the ears to reduce wearing fatigue.  A recent informal Plantronics survey of agents who trialed the EncorePro headset revealed that 60% thought the fit and comfort was improved, 65% felt the transmit sound was better and more than 70% believed the EncorePro is more stylish than their existing headsets.

Pricing and Availability
The Plantronics VistaPlus AP15 is now available for a MSRP of $150.  The Plantronics EncorePro corded wideband headset is now available in both monaural and binaural versions for MSRP of $137 and $160 respectively. Both products can be purchased via Plantronics authorized resellers.

© 2008 Plantronics Inc. Altec Lansing, Clarity, Plantronics, Sound Innovation, Volume Logic, AudioIQ, EncorePro and VistaPlus are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

New Software Plug-In Extends Telephony Capabilities of Lotus Sametime Standard 8.0

ORLANDO, Fla. – Lotusphere 2008 – January 21, 2007 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT), today expanded its growing portfolio of unified communications solutions with Plantronics PerSonoCall^® Plug-In for IBM Lotus Sametime Standard 8.0. The new plug-in provides seamless integration between Plantronics’ professional wireless headsets for PCs and Lotus Sametime 8.0, helping companies enhance business collaboration and efficiency by speeding communications and extending the boundaries of the virtual workplace.

The new Plantronics PerSonoCall Plug-In enhances the telephony capabilities of PCs running Lotus Sametime Standard 8.0 by providing call management functions — voice activation, call answer/end, volume, mute — and remote ring detection through a wireless headset. By “cutting the cord” between the PC and headset, professionals have the freedom to roam up to 200 feet away from the PC and be completely hands-free to multi-task and collaborate more effectively.

“Business is becoming virtualized with distributed work teams collaborating in real-time and people increasingly attending meetings from any location using voice-enabled UC applications running on the PC,” said Jeffrey Siegel, vice president of business development for Business Solutions at Plantronics. “Plantronics’ PerSonoCall UC software platform essentially transforms Lotus Sametime 8.0 laptops into wireless telephony devices, enabling professionals to speed business decisions by staying connected to the enterprise without being tethered to a PC.”

Hands-Free Mobility for Unified Communications

The new Plantronics PerSonoCall Plug-In for Lotus Sametime 8.0 can be used with the following award-winning, professional wireless headset systems:

• Plantronics Voyager™ 510-USB: A Bluetooth® headset system that provides instant VoIP connectivity and extends the reach of the network via a wireless headset and plug-and-play adapter. The Plantronics Voyager 510-USB features multipoint technology to allow users to switch between multiple Bluetooth enabled devices, such as a PC and a mobile phone, with the touch of a button.

• Plantronics CS50-USB™: A premium, wireless VoIP system that provides unmatched audio and superb range. With the CS50-USB, users can have conversations and answer/end calls up to 200 feet away from their PC. The Plantronics CS50-USB includes four different wearing styles and one-touch call management convenience.

Plantronics – The Voice of Unified Communications

Plantronics has a long legacy of developing high-quality headset solutions optimized for the enterprise. Plantronics is leveraging this experience to support a growing range of UC applications such as unified messaging, audio and web conferencing, and instant messaging.  Plantronics UC headset systems work across devices, applications, and networks to enhance the personal side of unified communications and enable people to work wherever needed.

Additionally, Plantronics extends the benefits of unified communications anywhere in the on-campus, home or mobile office through its PerSonoCall UC software platform.  PerSonoCall supports unified communications applications and devices from industry leaders such as Avaya, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, Nortel, Siemens, and others. Working closely with the leading UC vendors assures compatibility and investment protection.

The Plantronics PerSonoCall Plug-In for Sametime 8.0 will be available in Spring 2008 via the Lotus Sametime catalog and www.plantronics.com.

For more information about Plantronics’ unified communications solutions, please visit: www.plantronics.com/uc.

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch and the New York Stock Exchange. Today, this history of Sound Innovation® is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing and Clarity. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, CS50-USB, PerSonoCall, Plantronics, Plantronics Voyager, and Sound Innovation are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Plantronics, Inc. is under license.

IBM, Lotus and Sametime are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries or both.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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New Plantronics CS70N Offers Noise-Canceling Technology, Specially Designed Boom for Optimal Use in All Office Environments

Santa Cruz, Calif.– May 1, 2007 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today introduced the new Plantronics CS70N™ Professional Wireless Headset System, its third-generation headset solution that provides the perfect combination of audio performance, style and comfort. Designed for both traditional and IP deskphones, the Plantronics CS70N provides office professionals with hands-free mobility for increased accessibility and efficiency at work.

“As today’s workplace becomes increasing distributed and virtual, phone calls have evolved beyond just voice communications,” said Chuck Yort, vice president and general manager of Business Solutions at Plantronics. “They often involve multimedia, document collaboration and other interactive elements that require professionals to be active and hands-free. The Plantronics CS70N provides this mobility, along with the industry’s best combination of audio, style and comfort.”

Based on the award-winning Plantronics CS70, the new CS70N features a specially-designed boom and noise-canceling microphone that eliminates distracting background noise in any office environment. The excellent audio, combined with remote answer/end* capabilities, helps the Plantronics CS70N put an end to office “phone tag” — ensuring important calls are never missed. Professionals can be up to 300 feet away from their desk to take a call, providing the freedom and confidence to bring conversations with them in less predictable environments, such as the hallway, or continue calls in more private areas.

The Plantronics CS70N enables users to talk hands-free and accomplish simultaneous tasks that fill the work day, such as using a keyboard and mouse, leading a webinar, or reaching for an important file. The headset is built on digitally encrypted, voice-dedicated DECT™ 6.0 technology to provide exceptional audio quality and lower interference with other wireless devices.

“In addition to providing employees with a great communication solution for smarter, more efficient business communications, the Plantronics CS70N provides peace of mind to IT departments that might be moving to VoIP in the near future,” added Yort. “We’re helping our customers, from large enterprises to small businesses, plan for the future.”

Other Plantronics CS70N features include:

• Discreet, behind the ear design and lightweight (0.75 oz) for all-day wearing comfort,
• One-touch call answer/end, volume and mute headset controls for ease of use,
• Boom swivels for use on either ear for optional wearing preference,
• 64-bit digital encryption and up to 6 hours of in-use battery life, and
• Integrated base and charging cradle for easy access and reduced desk clutter.

The CS70N Wireless Office Headset System has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US $329.95 and is available today at www.plantronics.com/cs70n and through Plantronics’ authorized resellers.

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange.  Today, this history of Sound Innovation™ is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity, and Volume Logic. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, CS70N, Plantronics, Sound Innovation, and Volume Logic are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.  DECT is a trademark of ETSI.

* The HL10 Handset Lifter adds the convenience of remote ring notification and one-touch answer and ending calls while away from the desk by lifting the deskphone handset when calls come in.

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New Wideband Headset and Amplifier Integrate with Leading IP Phones

Santa Cruz, Calif.— December 12, 2006 — Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today expanded its family of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) headset solutions with the new Plantronics SupraPlus® Wideband headset and Vista™ M22 amplifier with Clearline™ audio technology.  Used together or separately, the new products utilize wideband networks to offer professionals optimal voice quality and business-critical reliability and comfort.

“Today, businesses are unwilling to compromise on the sound quality of their IP phones,” said Nora Freedman, research analyst, IDC. “In fact, global desktop IP phone shipments are expected to grow at an average of 29 percent each year between now and 2010, with shipments increasing from approximately 7 million in 2005 to 25 million in 2010.”

Aware of this trend, Plantronics designed the SupraPlus Wideband headset to support new wideband IP phones from industry leaders, including Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Siemens and ShoreTel.  Phone professionals can enhance SupraPlus Wideband with the Vista M22 amplifier to form a complete wideband solution with advanced audio performance and capabilities.

“By understanding the VoIP network and working closely with leading IP phone manufacturers, Plantronics continues to develop products that operate optimally and intelligently within VoIP infrastructures,” said Chuck Yort, vice president of Business Solutions at Plantronics. “Plantronics’ new wideband products compensate for environmental and network factors to allow more effective business conversations in the enterprise and contact center.”

Amplify Business Communications

The Plantronics Vista M22 enhances any Plantronics direct connect solution by delivering advanced audio performance, reliability and flexibility. It supports the latest wideband VoIP technology while maintaining backwards compatibility with narrowband phones — helping companies future proof their investment.

The Plantronics Vista M22 features Clearline audio technology, which helps to reduce common problems with business conversations that stem from poor audio quality, including repeats, errors, and listening fatigue. Other Plantronics Vista M22 benefits include:

• Phone line noise reduction: The M22 filters incoming and outgoing phone line noises, such as high-frequency hissing, making conversations clear, less fatiguing and more comfortable.
• Call volume equalizer: the Vista M22 equalizes the level of all calls to the same comfortable, preferred listening level.
• Protection from loud noises: the Vista M22 delivers greater protection against sudden loud noises by quickly reducing them to comfortable levels.
• Echo management: the Vista M22 eliminates echo problems introduced by latency in IP networks.

Extending a Legacy of Communications Excellence

Introduced in 2004, the Plantronics SupraPlus headset family is today the headset of choice among office and contact center professionals worldwide for its durability, lightweight design and excellent audio quality. The new SupraPlus Wideband is optimized for intelligibility and all-day acoustic comfort for headset-ready wideband phones. Like the SupraPlus, SupraPlus Wideband also exceeds the industry standard for acoustic protection.

The SupraPlus Wideband is available in multiple wearing styles. The monaural headset has a manufacturer’s suggested price of $107, and the binaural headset has a manufacturer’s suggested price of $132. Both will be available this month through Plantronics authorized resellers and www.plantronics.com.

The Vista M22 has a manufacturer’s suggested price of $120, and will be available this month through Plantronics authorized resellers and www.plantronics.com.

Growing VoIP Product Portfolio

Plantronics offers the industry’s most complete family of corded and cordless VoIP products for both business and consumer use.  Widely recognized for their sound quality, reliability, simplicity and style, Plantronics’ VoIP solutions help companies extend the benefits of IP communications throughout the enterprise. For more information about Plantronics’ VoIP-ready products, please visit:  http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/voip/.

About Plantronics

In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, emergency dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange. Today, this history of Sound Innovation™ is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity, and Volume Logic. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, Clearline, Plantronics, Sound Innovation, SupraPlus, Vista, and Volume Logic are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.

All product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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Plantronics Voyager 510-USB Extends Benefits of Unified Communications to Oracle Workforce

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — November 28, 2006  — Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE:PLT) today announced that Oracle, the world’s largest enterprise software company, selected the Plantronics Voyager™ 510-USB Bluetooth® headset system to optimize Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications and provide hands-free efficiency to its global workforce.

Combining the Voyager 510-USB with a VoIP-enabled laptop and mobile phone, Oracle employees now have a single wireless headset to use across multiple applications. For example, the Voyager 510-USB allows employees to use voice commands to log into Oracle®  Collaboration Suite, listen to and draft new e-mails, and access calendar items, address book contacts, and other information. The result: improved efficiency through faster communications and decision making and enhanced collaboration.

“We evaluated numerous headset offerings to complement Oracle’s VoIP deployment, and the Plantronics Voyager 510-USB is clearly ahead of the pack for audio performance, ease of use and style and comfort,” said Mark Sunday, Senior Vice President and CIO, Oracle. “We are also very impressed with Voyager’s performance with Oracle Collaboration Suite. Now employees have a single wireless headset for all of their voice and data communications.”

Oracle chose to standardize on the Plantronics Voyager 510-USB for several key benefits, including:

• Clear conversations: A noise-canceling microphone and wind-reduction technology within the headset provide brilliant sound for both indoor and outdoor environments.
• Flexibility: Plantronics’ proprietary multipoint technology allows Oracle users to switch between multiple Bluetooth-enabled devices, including softphones and mobile phones, with the touch of a button.
• Efficiency: Oracle employees can conduct hands-free calls up to 33-feet away from their laptop and mobile phone, providing the freedom to perform other activities in support of the call, such as researching customer data, sending an e-mail or printing a document.

• Simplicity: The system includes a plug-and-play USB adapter that eliminates cumbersome Bluetooth software setup processes, resulting in reduced IT maintenance and support costs and high employee satisfaction.

• Comfort: The headset features a lightweight, discreet design and can be worn on either ear for all-day comfort.

“Ergonomics and hands-free benefits were key factors in selecting the Voyager 510-USB,” said Maria Maskiewicz, Global Corporate Procurement and IT Vendor Management, Oracle. “The headset is extremely comfortable and will help reduce neck and back pain typically associated with prolonged handset usage. Additionally, the headset is very discreet which will encourage employees to wear it frequently.”

Oracle employees also benefit from Plantronics PerSonoCall® software. PerSonoCall provides remote ring detection and enables users to wirelessly answer/end PC telephony calls away from their working area. By “cutting the cord” between the PC and headset, professionals have the freedom to roam, talk between conference rooms or at the printer, and be completely hands-free to multi-task and collaborate more effectively.

In addition to the Voyager 510-USB, Oracle employees are also using the Plantronics CS50-USB for VoIP calls within the office. The CS50-USB is a premium wireless VoIP system designed for in-office use that provides excellent fidelity and range. With the CS50-USB, users can have conversations and answer/end calls up to 200 feet away from their PC. The Plantronics CS50-USB includes four different wearing styles and one-touch call management convenience. The CS50-USB also comes with PerSonoCall software for remote ring detection and call answer/end.

For more information about Plantronics’ VoIP-ready products, please visit:  http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/voip/.

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange.  Today, this history of Sound Innovation™ is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity, and Volume Logic. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.

Altec Lansing, .Audio, Clarity, PerSonoCall, Plantronics, Plantronics Voyager, Sound Innovation, and Volume Logic are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Plantronics, Inc. is under license. Oracle, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and Siebel are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Plantronics’ Suite of VoIP Headset Solutions Enable Business Professionals to Use a Single Headset with Multiple Communication Applications and Devices

New Products Arrive as International Study Finds Nearly Fifty Percent of Office Workers Spend More Time on the Phone Then They Did Five Years Ago

Santa Cruz, Calif.– March 9, 2006 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today augmented its award-winning family of wireless office headset systems with three new products that address the communication needs and challenges for all levels of office employees: the CS70 Wireless Office Headset System for executives, the SupraPlus® Wireless Headset System for phone-intensive users, and the Plantronics Voyager™ 510SL Bluetooth Headset System with WindSmart® for mobile professionals.  Together with the popular CS50 and CS55 products, Plantronics’ family of wireless office products now addresses the wearing and functional preferences of every office professional.

“Demand for wireless office headsets is increasing as companies adopt new technologies to redefine how they communicate and better service their customers, partners and other key audiences,” said Will Stofega, research manager, IDC.  “Companies of all sizes are learning that the freedom associated with wireless headsets makes for a more confident, efficient workforce because it empowers employees to multi-task, collaborate more effectively, and reduce common ergonomic health problems.”

Results from a new international study* by Plantronics reinforce the need for wireless headsets in the office. The study, which polled 1,200 office workers across the globe, found that approximately 80 percent believe the modern work environment requires more multi-tasking, while 47 percent spend more time on the phone at work than they did five years ago. And 59 percent of employees believe that workplaces will be completely wireless within the next five years.

“We continue to see strong demand for our wireless office headsets because companies are looking for smarter, more efficient ways to work,” said Chuck Yort, vice president of Business Solutions at Plantronics.  “And just as ‘one size fits all’ no longer works for cell phones and PCs, the same is true for the wireless headset market.  From senior executives to mobile sales managers to telephony professionals, we now offer the industry’s widest range of wireless solutions to meet unique, job-specific communication needs.”

The new Plantronics wireless office headset systems include:

Plantronics CS70 Wireless Office Headset System

The Plantronics CS70 breaks new ground in wireless headset design, offering executives an extremely comfortable and stylish headset that does not compromise sound quality.

The first wireless office headset to combine the benefits of hands-free mobility with sophisticated style, the CS70 enables executives to be fully engrossed in conversation while simultaneously accomplishing supporting tasks — up to 300 feet away from their desk.  The CS70 features a very discrete form factor and is extremely lightweight (0.75 oz) to provide all-day wearing comfort.  The headset is built on digitally encrypted, voice-dedicated DECT™ 6.0 technology to provide exceptional audio quality and lower interference with other wireless devices.

The CS70 Wireless Office Headset System has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US $399.95 and will be available in April at www.plantronics.com and through Plantronics’ authorized resellers.

Plantronics SupraPlus Wireless Professional Headset System

Based on Plantronics’ leading SupraPlus corded headset, the new SupraPlus Wireless System is aligned particularly to the needs of contact center supervisors, IT helpdesk professionals and others that spend considerable time on the phone.  The SupraPlus Wireless System allows these users to ‘cut-the-cord’ on existing headsets to provide greater flexibility during their work day.  SupraPlus Wireless provides up to 10 hours of talk time and harnesses DECT 6.0 technology to provide best-in-class audio quality and digital security during conversations.

The SupraPlus Wireless Professional Headset System comes in multiple wearing styles and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US $399.95.  It is currently available through Plantronics’ authorized resellers.

Plantronics Voyager 510SL Bluetooth Headset System with WindSmart

Ideal for mobile professionals who are constantly juggling cell phone and office phone calls, the Plantronics Voyager 510SL Bluetooth Headset System with WindSmart provides a single wireless headset to seamlessly switch between office phones and Bluetooth mobile phones.

The Voyager 510 is the first Bluetooth headset on the market to include both a noise-canceling microphone and wind-reduction technology for brilliant sound in windy environments.  The headset features multipoint technology for easily switching between multiple devices, and can automatically detect which device a person is using, allowing them to take calls from either device with the touch of a button.

The Voyager 510SL Bluetooth Headset System has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US $379.95 and is available through Plantronics’ authorized resellers.

Plantronics’ new wireless office headset systems join the popular CS50 and CS55 for first-time wireless users in the office, and the CS50-USB for professionals that use VoIP softphones.  The CS50 continues to be one of the most popular wireless headsets in the US, with more than 1 million units sold since its introduction 20 months ago.

For more information, please visit: http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/cebit/

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange.  Today, this history of Sound Innovation™ is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity, and Volume Logic. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.

Altec Lansing, Clarity, Plantronics, Plantronics Voyager, Sound Innovation, Volume Logic, and WindSmart are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.  The Bluetooth name and the Bluetooth trademarks are owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and are used by Plantronics, Inc. under license.  DECT is a trademark of ETSI.

*The study, conducted by KRC Research, polled 1,200 employees in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and United States to understand perceptions about communication, technology and job responsibilities in today’s office environment.

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New Plantronics CS55 and CS55 Micro Headsets Provide Users with Superior Sound Quality Using Voice-Dedicated Standard

New York, NY and Santa Cruz, Calif. - July 20, 2005 – Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE:PLT) today expanded its award-winning family of wireless office products with the new CS55 and CS55™ Micro wireless headsets for the United States. Both products are the first all-wireless headsets in the US to use the new 1.9 GHz voice-dedicated frequency which provides users with strong sound quality for optimal voice and hearing clarity.

Using the new voice-dedicated 1.9 GHz DECT standard frequency, business professionals don’t have to worry about interference from nearby Wi-Fi networks, cordless telephones, and other wireless office equipment common on other frequencies. The result is a less crowded radio frequency that provides superior audio clarity with no interruptions.

“Businesses, whether small, medium or large, are rapidly adopting wireless headsets, which combine the hands-free benefits of headsets with the greater freedom and convenience of wireless,” said Chuck Yort, vice president of Office and Contact Center at Plantronics. “The arrival of new technologies like the 1.9 gigahertz frequency only makes the benefits of a wireless headset that much more compelling.”

The CS55 shares the sleek, self-contained design of the award-winning CS50 headset, including its extended boom with brilliant voice clarity and noise-canceling technology — perfect for busy office environments with background noise. The CS55 Micro is the ideal communication solution for today’s business executive, incorporating a more discreet look with a smaller boom and compact size that offers great sound in enclosed or private offices, while providing great wireless range and security.

CS55 and CS55 Micro users also benefit from:

• Freedom of mobility: Confer with colleagues, walk to the printer, grab a cup of coffee — move up to 300 feet from your desk — while still on a call.
• Staying connected: Don’t miss important calls when you need to be away from the desk. One-step remote answering and eight hours of battery talk time make it simple to stay connected.
• Best sound quality: Newly available 1.9GHz voice-dedicated technology provides uncompromised audio quality and lowest interference with other office wireless systems.

Pricing and Availability
Weighing only 26 and 24 grams respectively, the CS55 and CS55 Micro headsets come with three different ear loop sizes and an over-the-head band for customizable comfort and style.

The Plantronics CS55 and CS55 Micro are backed by a one-year warranty and have an MSRP of US $299. The CS55 and CS55 Micro will be available from U.S. distributors and retailers and on www.plantronics.com in October 2005.

Professionals can customize their CS55 and CS55 Micro units with the HL10 handset lifter for one-touch call answer/end, a behind-the-head neckband, which provides another style option for personal comfort, and a wall- or desk-mountable in-use indicator that lets others know the user is on a call.

Media: for more information about all of today’s news announcements, please visit www.plantronics.com/NYliftoff.

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Since then, we’ve become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange. Today, this history of sound innovation is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.