Siemens Gigaset S675 & S685IP

Summary

A VoIP DECT Phone based on the Siemens Chagall Platform. The Siemens Gigaset S675IP/S685IP is a successor to the Siemens Gigaset S450IP. It adds the following features:

• Integrated answering machine
• Improved handset with a larger display (S67H for the S675IP, S68H with bluetooth support for the S685IP)
• Screen saver displaying RSS feeds and other information sources

Official NEW Firmware version V184 (NEWS : Available April 08, 2009)

Firmware Update 04/2009 Version V02184:

Full version number from web interface:
Firmware version: 021840000000 / 043.00
EEPROM version: 125


New features:

E-mail viewer (with C47H, S45, S67H, S68H handsets)
Mute function. Turn off the handset's microphone during an external call with the left display key.
Send and receive SMS messages via VoIP*
VoIP: If the telephone cannot establish a VoIP connection, it automatically dials via the fixed line network (auto-fallback to PSTN).
VoIP: Call transfer via R key
VoIP: An incoming call indicated in parallel at different VoIP devices (parallel ringing) will not be stored in the "Missed calls" list if the call was accepted at one of the devices.*
Online directory: display the postal codes in search results.*
Online directory: when starting a new search the cities used in the last searches will be displayed.
Fixed line access codes can be stored in the phone.
Some languages will be loaded on to the base via the internet, depending on the language set on the handset.
Extended RTP port range (1024-55000)
DHCP Option 114 implemented.*
DHCP Option 120 implemented.*
Web Configurator: option to specify whether the "area code" is dialled as well.
Web Configurator: display RTP port range
Web Configurator: new languages - Arabic and Russian
Web Configurator: enhanced PIN protection - warning if the default pin (0000) has not been changed.

Improvements:

The automatic search function for firmware updates is enabled even if the internet connection is temporarily interrupted during the night.
The indication "Anonymous call activated" will no longer be displayed in the idle mode of the handset.
The country code is synchronised between base station and handset.

* provider-dependent 

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Official NEW Firmware version V140 (was available January 17, 2009)

Firmware Update 01/2009 Version V02140:

(After FW update country settings for automatic time settings are back to defaults. Telephony/Advanced settings are affected as well. )

Full version number from web interface:

Firmware version: 021400000000 / 043.00
EEPROM version: 125

Improvements:
===============
- Name replacement from online directory caused an error, for very long names.

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Official NEW Firmware version V139 (was available from November 25th 2008)

An new official firmware version was announced for the end of october, and is released per 25 oktober 2008.

Gigaset C470 IP / C475 IP / S675 IP / S685 IP Firmware update 11/2008

Download version: 02139

New Features:

   * Online directory for Switzerland provided by tel.search.ch
   * HTTP Proxy support. For example online directory can be used in company environments via an HTTP proxy server.

Improvements:

   * Fast media switching improved (due to partial loss of provider cost rate announcements, e.g. at Sipgate)
   * Indication of VoIP waiting calls improved
   * Firmware update procedure starts before VoIP connection assistant.
   * Store the complete caller information in the "Missed Calls" list, if it is retrieved from online directory
   * Optimised presentation of search results in Yellow Pages (on C47H, S67H, S68H handsets)
   * Gigaset.net assistant starts if the user opens Gigaset.net directory for the first time and there is no corresponding Gigaset.net nickname. 
      It does no longer start after the VoIP connection assistant.
   * The phone deregisters from registrar server, once the SIP account is disabled.
   * Wideband support for A58H/C38H handsets improved
   * SMS wizard disabled (subscription to SMS service is no longer necessary)
   * Handling of IP dialling improved
   * Automatic user login by accessing the Gigaset.net configuration page via Web configurator
   * Handling of multiple network mailboxes improved
   * Translation errors fixed
   * Support of new daylight saving time rule for New Zealand
   * Sipgate echo test supported again (handling of RTP sequence numbers)

Obsolete (not official) pre-release

2008-10-22 Version V02133: 021330000000 / 041.00 EEPROM version: 124

To acces this pre-release goto: gigaset.siemens.com/chagall/T_HJL/chagall133_02.bin
(URL doesn't work : 404) Siemens has been removed this beta firmware which apparently was the only way to fix their "missing calls" bug!
Download location is in below section, there should be no copyright problems as the firmware contains GPL open source software.

New Features:

• Not yet known, no release notes enclosed

Improvements:

• Not confirmed yet, no release notes enclosed BUT per reports this fixes the critical "missing calls" bug whereby the phone just drops registrations and ignores incoming calls.

UPDATE: From a source that would like to not be named: http://drop.io/chagall133_02
This is Siemens Gigaset S675IP - Pre-release Firmware 2008-10-22 Version V02133: 021330000000 / 041.00 EEPROM version: 124
Good luck guys! I have not been able to test it myself.

Unofficial pre-releases

2008-10-15 Version V02131: 021310000000 / 041.00 EEPROM version: 124
To acces this pre-release goto: gigaset.siemens.com/chagall/T_HJL/chagall131_02.bin

2008-10-09 Version V02129: 021290000000 / 041.00 EEPROM version: 124
To acces this pre-release goto: gigaset.siemens.com/chagall/T_HJL/chagall129_02.bin

New Features:

• Not yet known, no release notes enclosed

Improvements:

• Not confirmed yet, no release notes enclosed

Official Firmware versions

2008-11-25 Version V02139: 021390000000 / 043.00 EEPROM version: 125 (043 could be country specific)

Release notes : gigaset.siemens.com

New Features:

• Online directory for Switzerland provided by tel.search.ch
• HTTP Proxy support. For example online directory can be used in company environments via an HTTP proxy server.

Unofficial Improvement:

• "Missing calls" bug solved

Improvements:

• Fast media switching improved (due to partial loss of provider cost rate announcements, e.g. at Sipgate)
• Indication of VoIP waiting calls improved
• Firmware update procedure starts before VoIP connection assistant.
• Store the complete caller information in the "Missed Calls" list, if it is retrieved from online directory
• Optimised presentation of search results in Yellow Pages (on C47H, S67H, S68H handsets)
• Gigaset.net assistant starts if the user opens Gigaset.net directory for the first time and there is no corresponding Gigaset.net nickname. It does no longer start after the VoIP connection assistant.
• The phone deregisters from registrar server, once the SIP account is disabled.
• Wideband support for A58H/C38H handsets improved
• SMS wizard disabled (subscription to SMS service is no longer necessary)
• Handling of IP dialling improved
• Automatic user login by accessing the Gigaset.net configuration page via Web configurator
• Handling of multiple network mailboxes improved
• Translation errors fixed
• Support of new daylight saving time rule for New Zealand
• Sipgate echo test supported again (handling of RTP sequence numbers)

2008-07-19 Version V02123: 021230000000 / 041.00 EEPROM version: 121

New Features:

• Compatibility with A58H and C38H Handsets (including Infoscreensaver as Liveticker)
• New languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Russian (country and handset dependent)
• BEL, NLD: Autoconfigurationcode-enquiry added in the Handset's connection assistant

Improvements:

• NAT Traversal improved
• STUN can be disabled for Gigaset.net
• Email-Notification: display of date and subject improved, lenght of Email address up to 74 characters
• Display IP-Address without leading "0"s during the paging call
• Entries out of the calls list will be fully copied into the telephone directory, if the name was displayed from online phonebook.
• Web configurator: does not show "********" for empty password
• SMS Status Report function improved
• SIP Protocol implementation improved
• Incorrect recall after a successful call transfer fixed
• Display Scandinavian characters
• Answering machine functionality improved

2007-12-13: Version V02097: 020970000000 / 041.00; EEPROM version: 114
Release notes from gigaset.siemens.com, international site:

New Features:

• ECO-DECT is supported
• Net AM calls will be displayed at the handset
• It is possible to select international online phonebook provider
• Advanced Online phonebook features usable (Depends on Provider)
• The number of incoming calls will be replaced by the caller’s name of the online phonebook (Depends on provider)
• The SIP account can be activated with a code (Depends on provider)
• Calling Line Identity Restriction (CLIR) for VoIP (Depends on Provider)
• Directory entries for Gigaset.net and Net Directories will be transferred during registration (Handset: C45, S45, SL55, SL56, C47H, SL37H, S67H)
• Gigaset.net call forwarding
• Default Line configuration via Web Configurator
• Handset name configuration via Web Configurator
• Display of called number (like COLP in ISDN)
• With an active online connection the Web Configurator can be reached with "www.Gigaset-config.com"

Improvements:

• SIP UDP registration improved
• It is possible to edit international Prefix and Local Area Code
• It is possible to use ", ', >, <, & in Gigaset.net Nicknames
• Unfounded Stun Requests avoided
• NTP requests minimized
• Wideband (G.722) function improved
• E-Mail and Messenger function improved
• Suffix dialing and dialing plan function improved
• Echo suppression for VoIP improved
• Online phonebook function improved
• Directory transfer to the Gigaset SL1 handset is possible
• IP dialing improved
• Notepad *.vcf files can be transmitted to the handset
• Info Screen problem with Gigaset C47H Handset fixed.
• It is possible to use quotations in the "Display Name" of the SIP profile

RSS Feeds and Info display

The RSS feed to be displayed is configured through the http://gigaset.net/myaccount web site. The data will be fetched by the gigaset.net server, and delivered to your phone. The server will check for updates every 30 minutes. The phone will only display the contents of the 'title' tag of the first 'entry'.

It is possible to intercept the info display pages and feed custom data to it if you can redirect "info.gigaset.net" somehow, i.e. by running your own name server. Instructions for this are available here.

Known problems

• First 1.0 - 1.5s of conversation is cut off (you are not hearing your counterparty when calling out)
• "Call answered elsewhere" reason code in aborted calls is ignored
• Crash on startup (thus causing reboot loop) when using multiple network voicemail with Asterisk (at least with 1.6.0).
• Only two SIP invites are processed in parallel, making it impossible to use individual SIP accounts per handset and calling more than 2 with a call distribution. Use an additional "call multiple handsets" SIP account as a workaround if you have less than 6 handsets.
• No G.722 (HDSP) when using a DECT repeater
• No support for MWI on VoIP channels, see comments. fixed with latest firmware
• If the sip.conf section for the S675 IP contains a 'voicemail=<mailbox>' statement, asterisk will complain about '415 Unsupported Media Type' each time asterisk tries to tell the phone about the voicemail status. As PieterB pointed out, asterisk actually ignores the list of accepted applications sent by the phone. fixed with latest firmware
• The RSS feed only displays the title of the first entry in the feed, and it does not seem to accept all common feeds.
• Menu 8-5-1 (Call List Type: Missed calls/All calls) is missing. (Does not apply to FW 2123)
  • Workaround: To activate "All calls", press Menu (right arrow), enter 8 5 then 910, display shows: 910 SET (0), enter 1, press OK to activate.
• CRITICAL BUG with lastest firmware, you will loose calls ! (Does not apply to FW 2123)
  • After a short period of time (1 to 5 days), handsets are no more ringing on all calls, you need to reboot DECT base.(Does not apply to FW 2123)
  • A ticket is open with Siemens Support for this problem.
  • look at discussion tab
• Possible software crash with low MTU values. TCP-Stack does not react cleanly to PMTU-Discovery.
  • In a VPN environment, the MTU of a link may be set to a very low value to allow safe coexistence of VoIP and data applications (i.e. MTU < 576).
  • All HTTP traffic is using IP packets with DF bit set.
  • When accessing the gigaset.net HTTP services the phone may receive ICMP "fragmentation needed" packets with the proper MTU, but doesn't adjust the packet size.
  • Instead of just failing to access the requested web resource, the phone will retry several times (8-10) and finally reboot or crash (no more IP responses, DECT service down).
  • This misbehavior applies to all firmware including v139.

EDITORS: Do not not use terms like "latest" or "today". They get outdated too quickly.

Remote control

A small bash script to up/download phonebooks and reboot the base is available here.

Available from

Information mainly entered by companies that want to sell stuff.

• Americas: Check Price .e4|USA Based- Global Ship. Gigaget VoIP Phones.
• Belgium: VoIPsolutions At 122 Euro; Reseller prices available (Other models also available; S450 IP; SL75; C450 IP; C470 IP; C475 IP; Repeater; Doorphone; ...)
• Netherlands - Voipshop Siemens Gigaset Voip phones
• Norway - Komplett.no - megastorenorge.no - expert.no
• Sweden - Komplett.se - megastore.se
• Denmark - Komplett.dk
• Switzerland - Shark Distribution Siemens distributor
• UK - DSTele or Ligo - (added by a happy customer!)
• UK - ProVu - (added by a customer, not by ProVu)
• UK - Soho66 virtual office for Siemens S685IP Dect SIP Phone

Notice: You will hardly find a power adapter for this phone, not because the 6.5V power switch is difficult to be found but the adapter that switches to the phone is not a standard one. You have to cut the cord and you loose the guarantee.