New cordless telephones
Cordless phones have taken over from the corded models on most of our homes and if you remember them as having a limited range and poor sound quality you need to take a look at the latest models.
The biggest change has come in the frequency range they operate in. The oldest version operated in the 46-49 Megahertz range and due to the small number of bands in this range there was lots of cross talk and little privacy. Analogue phones moved up to 900 Megahertz range but still had problems with sound quality. If your neighbor happened to have their baby monitor on they could periodically hear you on your cordless phone.
Digital phones entered the marketplace at this time featuring voice encryption and an enhanced signal strength letting you use them in the backyard or garage.
The third generation of cordless phones operated in the 2.4 GHz range and suffered from interference with microwaves and home WIFI wireless systems. Range was again extended and voice quality improved.
The newest technology operates in the 5.8 to 6.0 GHz range. These phones appear to be immune to signal interference from household appliances and computer wireless networks. Their range has not improved much but the higher frequencies do move through solid structures better so you may find they work better in the elevator of your condo or on the far side of the garage.
The feature list continues to grow with speakerphones, paging, hold buttons, multiple ringtones, caller ID, built in answering machines, multiple greetings and intercoms (linking two or more phones together in the same house).
Most of us will only use a few of these features but here are some ideas of how to make the most use of yours. The speakerphone lets the kids join in when you get a call from grandma.
The paging feature gets a lot of use in my house as we are forever loosing the handset. Push the button listen for the beeping and track it down amongst the cushions on the couch.
The dual greeting function is great too as I work at home and switch between personal and business greetings daily.
Bluetooth is coming to cordless phones allowing you to upload your contact list stored in Outlook on your PC or Address Book on your Mac directly to your home phone. This saves you from adding each number individually or not using this feature at all.
Looking ahead, the home phone may be replaced by the personal cellphone or it may become more integrated and collect your email and add video mail allowing you to see your caller. Address books will be able to be scrolled through like you can on an iPhone.
Should you up grade now? The answer, if you have an older cordless phone operating at 46-49 or 900 GHz, is yes. You need to ensure your privacy by moving to a 2.4 or 5.4 GHz model. If you like to take the phone with you when you garden or work in the yard it’s time to upgrade.
The biggest change has come in the frequency range they operate in. The oldest version operated in the 46-49 Megahertz range and due to the small number of bands in this range there was lots of cross talk and little privacy. Analogue phones moved up to 900 Megahertz range but still had problems with sound quality. If your neighbor happened to have their baby monitor on they could periodically hear you on your cordless phone.
Digital phones entered the marketplace at this time featuring voice encryption and an enhanced signal strength letting you use them in the backyard or garage.
The third generation of cordless phones operated in the 2.4 GHz range and suffered from interference with microwaves and home WIFI wireless systems. Range was again extended and voice quality improved.
The newest technology operates in the 5.8 to 6.0 GHz range. These phones appear to be immune to signal interference from household appliances and computer wireless networks. Their range has not improved much but the higher frequencies do move through solid structures better so you may find they work better in the elevator of your condo or on the far side of the garage.
The feature list continues to grow with speakerphones, paging, hold buttons, multiple ringtones, caller ID, built in answering machines, multiple greetings and intercoms (linking two or more phones together in the same house).
Most of us will only use a few of these features but here are some ideas of how to make the most use of yours. The speakerphone lets the kids join in when you get a call from grandma.
The paging feature gets a lot of use in my house as we are forever loosing the handset. Push the button listen for the beeping and track it down amongst the cushions on the couch.
The dual greeting function is great too as I work at home and switch between personal and business greetings daily.
Bluetooth is coming to cordless phones allowing you to upload your contact list stored in Outlook on your PC or Address Book on your Mac directly to your home phone. This saves you from adding each number individually or not using this feature at all.
Looking ahead, the home phone may be replaced by the personal cellphone or it may become more integrated and collect your email and add video mail allowing you to see your caller. Address books will be able to be scrolled through like you can on an iPhone.
Should you up grade now? The answer, if you have an older cordless phone operating at 46-49 or 900 GHz, is yes. You need to ensure your privacy by moving to a 2.4 or 5.4 GHz model. If you like to take the phone with you when you garden or work in the yard it’s time to upgrade.
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