Phone Buying Advice
We’re here to help you!
We're here to help you buy a new phone. We've got advice and information about all the latest phones. We discuss the features and specifications you need to look for, Cordless or not, including safety, styles, and energy efficiency.
The variety of features available on cordless phones are, in line with other forms of communication, constantly increasing and improving. Understanding the fundamentals of the main features as well as the jargon will allow you to make an informed choice.
To help you decide which phone is right for you we examine the choices on offer and answer the questions you should be asking before buying.
- What Type of Phone?
- What are the features?
- What are the important mobility Facts?
- Additional Functions?
Type of the Phone.
Analogue Cordless Phones
Cordless phones have traditionally used analogue technology, which is a cheaper option than digital. Analogue phones do occasionally suffer from interference since most operate on 8 frequencies so interference from another phone is possible. These frequencies are automatically searched for the best signal to give the clearest line possible.
Digital Cordless Phones
Digital cordless phones, often referred to DECT (Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephones) phones allow the user to roam further from the base, while maintaining noise-free communications, than is possible with an analogue unit. Digital encryption is the process responsible for blocking noise and interference more efficiently than traditional filtering methods. An added benefit of a DECT phone is that the risk of been overheard by eaves droppers is greatly reduced.
Different Features
Caller Display
Displays the name and or number of the caller. CLI is an acronym for Calling Line Identification. This is a generic term which indicates that the phone system has a method of identifying the caller. It is however important to some phone companies may charge for this ability.
Telephone Book
This refers to the number of names and corresponding telephone numbers can be stored in the phone.
Some phones do store the last numbers dialled or called to the phone only, while others have the ability to do both. It is important not to get confused between the two.
Paging Facility
This provides the possibility to page a handset from the base, and sometimes also referred to a handset locator.
SMS capability
This means that the phone has the ability to send and receive SMS messages to and from mobile phones. It is always important double check that this feature is available in the country in which you want to use the phone and that it is possible with your provider.
Answering Machine
These tend to be digital, even in analogue phones.
Expandable
This indicates whether or not multiple handsets could be added to the base station without having to add extra wiring. GAP is an acronym for Generic Access Protocol. It was adopted by manufacturers of DECT cordless phones approximately 10 years ago (1990’s) and ensures that one piece of GAP compliant equipment can operate with any other piece of GAP compliant DECT equipment.
This is useful to look out for since it gives you more freedom of choice when replacing handsets. If, for example, in the future you would want to get another handset, you will not restricted to finding a the original model that was purchased with the base. It is, however, important to keep in mind that GAP compliancy extends only to the basic specification of the product which means that added features e.g. phonebooks may not work.
Important Times and Distances for mobility
Standby Time (hours)
This indicates the length of time a fully charged battery remains active without making or receiving calls.
Battery & Talktime (hours)
This indicates the length of time the battery can be used for incoming and outgoing calls once the battery has been charged without having to recharge. Talk time varies and is, where more than one type of battery can be used, largely dependant on the type of battery.
Range (meters)
The range indicates how far from the base station you can walk with the handset without losing connection. The average outdoor range is generally around 300m while the indoor range is normally less than 100m. The reason for the difference between the two is that the range is affected by obstacles, like walls, which are more abundant indoors.
Integrated supplementary funktions
Two-way Radio
This feature enables communication without the base unit which means that they can be taken anywhere and used as "walkie talkies". This does, however, greatly reduce talktime.
Room Monitor
This feature is also sometimes referred to as a baby monitor.
