RingCentral Phone Devices
A phone device is a communication endpoint that enables users to make and receive calls. A device can be a hard phone — typically a SIP phone, such as a Poly desk phone — or a soft phone, such as a RingCentral (RC) native desktop (Windows and Mac) app or a browser-based web app.
Hard Phones (SIP phone)
A SIP phone uses the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to make and receive voice calls over an IP network. Most commonly, it's a dedicated desk handset — like a Poly or Yealink device with physical buttons for hold, transfer, record etcetera: the classic "real phone" experience for a desk or shared station.
Before a hard phone (SIP desk phone) can make or receive calls, it must be:
- Provisioned: Configured with its line identity, network settings, SIP server information, and other required parameters.
- Assigned a Digital Line: Provided with a dedicated phone number.
- Assigned to an extension: Associated with a user extension, limited extension, or shared line group.
This will enable the phone to be used for:
- Making outbound calls to any PSTN number
- Receiving inbound calls from any PSTN number
For detailed setup instructions, see SIP phone provisioning.
SIP isn't limited to physical hardware, though — it can also run as a software client with no device at all, giving AI voice agents, IVR systems, or bots a native SIP endpoint to place and receive calls. RingCentral developers can implement their own SIP phone by using the RingCentral SIP phone SDK.
Soft Phones (WebRTC phone)
A WebRTC phone (a.k.a Web phone) lets users make and receive real-time voice calls directly through a web browser or app, turning any desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone into a business line the moment they log in. There's no hardware and no provisioning required — just full portability for remote work, travel.
To use it, the user extension simply needs to authenticate (log in) to the soft phone app.
Please refer to this article for detailed information on RingCentral app features..
RingCentral developers can implement their own WebRTC phone by using the RingCentral Web Phone SDK.
Typical Use Cases
| Scenario | Device Type | License Needed | What They Can Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office receptionist | Hard phone (SIP desk phone) | RingEX | Handle high-volume inbound calls, transfer internally, no computer/app required |
| Full-time employee | Soft phone (RC app) | RingEX | Log in from anywhere using laptop/phone to make outbound calls to prospects' PSTN numbers |
| Part-time/limited-license staff | Soft phone (RC app) | None | Receive inbound calls and message teammates, but can't dial external numbers |
| Hot-desking office | Hard phone (shared) | RingEX | Multiple employees log into shared provisioned phones with their own credentials |
| CRM click-to-call | Soft phone (integrated) Desk phone |
RingEX | Initiate outbound PSTN calls directly from a CRM contact record (e.g., Salesforce) |