Grandstream GXP2170

The Grandstream GXP2170 is an enterprise IP phone geared toward high-volume users. The GXP2170's most unique features are the 12 multipurpose keys that can function as any feature the phone offers. This feature list includes BLF, speed dial, and voicemail. There are 48 different features that can be programmed to these function keys in all. We'll talk about them more in the Features section.

The GXP2170 has five programmable XML soft keys underneath the screen. The phone offers 6 different SIP accounts, 12 simultaneous calls, and 4 GXP2200 EXT modules. It also comes with Bluetooth, PoE, Gigabit Ethernet, a 4.30-inch color screen, daisy chaining, and IPV6 support.  

First Impressions

The GXP2170 leaves the silver faceplate of the old GXP series behind. Instead, the phone boasts a gloss acrylic bezel surrounding the LCD. The surface picks up fingerprints like crazy. On the whole, the GXP2170 is similar to the other GXP21XX series. It has a solid build quality, an HD handset, speaker, and several dedicated buttons for menu navigation. Compared to the GXV32XX, the GXP2170 menu interface feels more sluggish. That said, it's on par with other desktop enterprise phones.

The 12 multipurpose keys are positioned around the screen. They remain the GXP2170's most powerful feature. After setting up two screens’ worth of BLF, paging between screens does seem quick, with no noticeable lag. Generally speaking, the buttons are all laid out well. There are a lot of them on the device, 32 to be exact, not including the dial pad keys. Kudos to Grandstream for making things fit with style.

Features

The GXP2170’s unique features revolve around these programmable keys. This makes the phone perfect for high-volume users. It also has up to 12 physical line appearances, with 48 virtual keys that sit atop six different SIP accounts, allowing up to 12 simultaneous calls.

The GXP2170's ability to straddle six SIP accounts gives users superb flexibility. This benefits managers or employees who need to receive calls on several different lines throughout the day. Along with the multitude of virtual keys, the GXP2170 surpasses most mid-level phones in terms of functional firepower.     

Users select available features from a drop-down menu in the phone's online admin portal. These features include busy lamp field (BLF), presence watcher, speed dial, voicemail, call transfer, and call recording, among others.

The multipurpose keys are designed for a bevy of functions, but you can also repurpose SIP line keys for these functions too. In our testing, we found the navigation between the pages of multipurpose keys to be quick and the usability to be good. If you have some specific transfer scenarios or need to enter DTMF digits, the GXP2170 is a great desk phone option.

Voice and Sound Quality

The GXP2170 matches all the other GXP series in terms of voice and sound quality. The standard HD G.722 is included with the GXP2170. But the GXP series phones do not have the Opus codec, unlike the GXV32XX and GAC2500 Android-based devices. This is not a negative per se because almost no other enterprise desktop VoIP phones include Opus. But it's a notable absence from the GXV3275.  

The GXP2170's voice quality remains similar to other Grandstream models. That's good news because Grandstream consistently offers solid voice quality. Our SIP-to-SIP calls with the GXP2170 sounded fantastic, and our calls to the PSTN were articulate and unobstructed.

Compatibility Testing

At OnSIP, we put each of the phones we use through a multi-step interoperability test in which we apply ~30 test cases. Here’s an example of a test case:

Test phone calls phone B

B picks up

B puts test phone on hold

B calls phone C

C picks up

B transfers test phone to C

The call must be transferred correctly to C. B must be released correctly after the transfer. When C picks up, audio must work both ways between test phone and C. When the test phone is on hold, there is no audio between it and phone B.

The GXP2170 meets all compatibility testing requirements.

Setup

Step 1: Gather account information for each user.

Each user has a set of credentials that will be needed to configure each phone. For each phone that you're configuring, obtain the following credentials. You can find this information in the user detail pages under the Users tab in the Phone Configuration section.

Step 2: Access The GXP2170's online admin portal.

Connect the GXP2170 to your LAN. Find the phone’s IP address and then type the IP address into a web browser.

Step 3: Enter your user information from Step 1.

Click on “General Settings” under “Accounts.” Then fill in the following information:

Account Active: Yes

Account Name: OnSIP

SIP Server: (Your Domain)

Outbound Proxy: sip.onsip.com

SIP User ID: (Your OnSIP username)

Authenticate ID: (Your Auth username)

Step 4. Confirm that your phone is registered.

In the User portal, click on the "Users" tab. You will see a green "online" notation next to each user with a registered phone.

You should now be able to place and receive calls.

Final Thoughts

The Grandstream GXP2170 is an excellent device for handling high-volume calls and monitoring multiple BLF statuses. The device is essentially built for users who need a large host of programmable function keys. The sound quality is good for both the handset and the speakerphone.

What's most impressive about this phone is its ability to merge a multitude of functions with an accommodating design. The fact that all the buttons are not crunched together is amazing in its own right. You'll get a versatile and sturdy business phone with the Grandstream GXP2170.