SIP phones provider Panasonic (News - Alert) certainly seemed to steer clear of the April showers last month as the company is all sunshine when it comes to SIP innovation. And today, after months of the industry chomping at the bit for its newest innovation, Panasonic unveiled its latest addition the SIP phones lineup – the KX-UT248-B Executive Desk Phone (News - Alert).

A few weeks ago, TMCnet sat down with Panasonic to get the inside scoop on the latest ISP phone, which is designed to complement existing telecommunication infrastructures. And for those of you wondering, yes the KX-UT248-B is just as cool as Panasonic’s first SIP open-source based operating system desk phone, the KX-UT670.

“We came out with our UT136 and UT133 back in August and when we did the market research around coming out with our SIP phones, we found that half the customers wanted that more traditional phone that had the paper labels that they could write on with the red and green lights, something they were very familiar with, but the other half wanted a more dynamic phone,” Kim Murtagh, product manager, SIP Endpoints, Panasonic System Networks Company of North America, told TMCnet at the time. “So the UT248 is the answer to that other half.”

“This phone is an executive level phone because it’s one step up from the 136 whereas it offers more SIP registration,” she added.

The KX-UT248-B boasts countless user-friendly features such as an easy-to-read screen, soft keys and an XML interface for implementation of Internet applications. The KX-UT-248-B also provides functionality and flexibility for optimal business communications, according to company officials. The latest SIP phones joins Panasonic comprehensive SIP phones lineup including the KX-UT670 Smart Desk Phone, KX-UT136-B, KX-UT133-B, KX-UT123-B and KX-UT113-B models, all of which are touted for being able to offer reliable and clear multimedia communications.

The key differentiators of the KX-UT284-B Executive Desk Phone include: 4.4-inch greyscale LCD display screen; certified on BroadSoft (News - Alert) Broadworks, Digium Asterisk and Metaswitch platforms; high-definition, wide-band voice (handset, headset and full duplex speaker phone) for crisp, precise sound quality; plug and play configuration; 2 x 10/100/1000 BaseTX Ethernet port, PoE (Power over Ethernet) for simplified wiring and connecting a second device; three-way conferencing; 500 Entry Phonebook; and built-in Bluetooth headset support, among other features.

"Panasonic has a long history of providing high-quality telephony solutions, and we are committed to offering more options to our business customers," said Bill Savino, marketing manager for business communication solutions at Panasonic. "The KX-UT248-B is a feature-rich SIP endpoint that combines cutting-edge telephony with business-friendly features. It is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses across all industries who are looking to not only simplify but also enhance their efficiencies through improved business communications."

For more on the latest SIP phone, click here.