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CORDLESS TELEPHONES
HEAD
LOOK NO WIRES...
INTRO
If you work from home a cordless phone could
be an alternative to having a second line installed. Rick Maybury has been
trying out a selection of models, mostly designed for SoHo (small office, home
office) users
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Working from home means staying in touch, but
what happens if you’ve only got one telephone in the living room, and you work
in a back bedroom? Then there’s those long hot summer days. It’s not something
many home workers will admit to, but these days, with a laptop computer, you
can be just as productive working in the back garden, in a deck chair with a
cool drink. But inevitably, just as you get comfy the phone rings; you might
not hear it, and even if you do, it’s a frantic rush to get to it, before the
caller gives up!
The solution to both problems is a cordless
telephone (CT). Most models compare quite favourably with the cost of having an
extension socket fitted, or a second line. Quite a few also have intercom or
paging facilities, and a couple of models in this month’s survey have built-in telephone
answering machines.
Cordless telephones have rather mixed
reputation. The first generation of phones (CT-1 in industry jargon), that
appeared during the late 1970’s, were notoriously unreliable, and very
insecure. In fact it used to be possible to wander around streets and shopping
centres late at night with a handset, and by listening out for a dialling tone,
make calls using someone else’s base-station. Allegedly, so we’re told... That
can’t or shouldn’t happen nowadays. Virtually all models now have security
coding systems, that prevent unauthorised handsets, working with an unmatched
base-station. It doesn’t stop neighbouring cordless telephones interfering with
each other though. Most recent models now operate on at least two switchable
channels, minimising the chances of that happening.
Even with all these features modern CT-1
phones are still far from secure. All of the models we’re looking at here use
analogue transmission systems, on frequencies that can be easily picked up on
freely-available scanner receivers or more exotic multi-band radios. That means
anyone who is reasonably determined can eavesdrop on your telephone
conversations.
Digital cordless phones are available, that
offer a higher degree of security, but the so-called CT-2 technology they use
hasn’t been a great success in this country. You may recall ‘Rabbit’ the last
CT-2 system to operate, that allowed users to make (but not take) calls from
their handset close to public base-stations. Handsets and home base-stations
still turn up from time to time, often at bargain basement prices, and it may
be worth tracking one down if privacy is important, but the public base station
network has long since disappeared.
Analogue cordless phones tend to be quite
noisy too; there have been some impressive developments in noise reducing and
‘companding’ systems which are designed to make speech clearer. Hissy lines
normally only become a problem at the limit of the phone’s range. By the way, don’t
believe everything you read about range. Most manufacturers quote a
line-of-sight figure in their literature, i.e. with nothing between the handset
and base station. In practice walls and buildings reduce the range
considerably, typically to about 50% of the maximum quoted range, and even then
the line may be too noisy to be useful.
Battery life has improved a good deal over
the years and most users can expect to get at a full day’s operation out of
their cordless phones after an overnight charge, some models will work in the
standby mode for several days between charges. Be warned, though, the nickel-cadmium
rechargeable batteries used in these phones have a finite life. The average
life-expectancy is between 600 to 800 charge cycles. That’s a couple of years
with normal use, say, before the charge capacity begins to fall and the phone starts
to expire halfway through the working day. Replacement batteries -- that the
user can easily fit themselves -- typically cost between £10 and £20.
The five cordless phones we’ve been looking
at are mid to top-end models, mostly aimed at SoHo and small office applications,
ranging in price between £100 and £200. There are a lot of cheaper ones on the
market, and if you shop around you could probably find a cordless phone for less
than £40, but these are usually domestic products, that may not last the
course, have inferior performance, and fewer facilities.
SIDEBAR 1
SOCKETS TONES AND RENS
Since the early 1980’s all ‘phone appliances,
including cordless telephones, are fitted with standard BT modular plugs, which
fit into telephone wall sockets. If you haven’t got one then you’re going to
have to call your local BT Sales office, who will arrange to have one
installed.
The majority of telephone exchanges in the UK
now use tone-dialling systems, if your local exchange still uses the older
‘pulse-dialling’ system you may not be able to use a cordless phone, unless it
has a pulse-dial option, so check first, or find out when your exchange is due
to be upgraded.
The electrical power in a telephone line can
only support a limited number of devices, whether they’re ordinary telephones,
or more exotic gadgets, like fax or
answering machines, and of course, cordless telephones. This is
determined by the ringer equivalence number or REN; a normal fixed BT line has
a REN capacity of 4. To work out if you’re overloading your phone line simply
add up the REN numbers printed on the base of each device connected to the line.
Provided it’s less than 4 you’re okay. For the record most cordless phones have
a REN value of 1.
SIDEBAR 2
THE TESTS
The best way to test a cordless phone is to
actually try it out in a real home office, which is precisely what we did. We
chose two locations, the first was a home office in a residential street in
South London. This is an electrically noisy environment. It’s within half a
mile of the two Crystal Palace TV and radio transmitter masts, countless
cellphone sites, cab firms and several nearby cordless telephones. The other
location was a small furniture restoration business in rural Norfolk, flat and
remote; cordless phone heaven in fact.
The main test involved measuring the base-station
to handset range, this we determined using two different methods. The first was
to find the furthest point at which it was possible to access a line, dial out
and hold an intelligible conversation. The second method involved working how
far the phone’s pager/intercom facility would work. If practice we found there
wasn’t a lot of difference between the two sets of results, so we’ve condensed
them to a single figure, for each suburban and rural location. We also checked
clarity of speech at both ends of the line, background noise, susceptibility to
interference from a computer, and ease of use.
SIDEBAR 3
POWER PROBLEMS
BT regulations state that your main telephone
must still work, even if there’s a power cut. That’s not a problem with a
normal ‘wired’ phone which draws it’s power from the line, but what about households
where the only phone is a cordless model? Manufacturers normally make provision
for such an eventuality. Most models have their own built-in battery backup
(usually half a dozen pen cells), that will keep the phone operational for
several hours in an emergency. Others have separate battery boxes, that connect
between the mains adaptor and the base unit.
THE TESTS
BT Freestyle 1000 £150
This is one of the two cordless phones in this
survey with a built-in answering machine. Freestyle 1000 has been around for a
while now, and the BT name inspires confidence, so it’s off to a fairly good
start. It’s a two-channel model, selectable from the handset in case of poor
reception. The handset is quite light, it has a 10 number memory, there’s a
crib-card on the back for the owner to fill in. The keypad is large and easy to
use though the talk/standby button could be a little bigger. The telescopic aerial
looks a bit fragile and if past experience is anything to go by, it is easily
bent or broken if handled roughly. Speech quality is fairly good within 25 or
so metres of the base station, but it tails off quite quickly, if there’s walls
or buildings in the way. The handset picks up interference from a computer
screen within about half a metre. Definitely one for more open environments. The
digital answering machine has a capacity of up to 7.5 minutes, it can also
record memos; messages are time/day tagged with an electronic voice. It has
remote access, and messages can be played back from any phone with a tone-dial
keypad. Recording quality is good. The Freestyle 100 is a fairly average
performer but the answering machine facility is a bonus. It’s beginning to show
it’s age and we understand it is due to be replaced soon, so keep an eye out
for reductions, in which case it could be well worth considering.
Make/model BT Freestyle 1000
Typical price £150
System cordless phone, intercom and
answering machine
Channels 2, manual switching
Features 10-number memory, last number
redial, low-battery and out of range alarm, intercom, digital answering machine
(7.5 min rec. time), time/day announce, call screening, remote access, auto
security code
Range 30 metres/55 metres
Battery life 72 hours standby/5 hours talk-time
Contact British Telecom plc., 81 Newgate
Street, London EC1A 7AJ or any BT Phoneshop
RATINGS
Performance ***
Range ***
Ease of use ****
Value ****
VERDICT 80%
Panasonic KT-T3856E ‘Easa Phone’, £130
The stylish handset is designed to stand
upright on a desk, making it ideal for home office use, but not so good for
carrying around in a pocket. The phone also stands upright in the
charger/base-station for ready access, or it can be wall-mounted. The
illuminated keypad is a good idea and the talk button is large and easy to
find. Part of the reason the base station is so small is that the obligatory
battery backup module is housed in a separate unit. The feature list is quite
short; it has a 10-number memory and Mercury option. It works on 2 channels,
selectable from the handset, and it has switchable tone/pulse dialling, so it
can be used with older exchanges. The intercom works well, and speech quality
at both ends is clear, though it can be a little choppy, if there’s a lot of
background noise. The range is fairly average in a built up area moreover the
short bendy aerial is very quite sensitive to movement and nearby objects, not
a phone to walk around with, especially close to the limits of its range. On
the plus side it doesn’t seem to mind being used close to a computer screen.
Well built, it looks the part but a little expensive for what it is.
Make/model Panasonic KT-T3856E
Typical price £130
System cordless phone and intercom
Channels 2, manual switching
Features 10-number memory, redial,
intercom/pager, Mercury compatible, auto security code, illuminated key pad,
intercom time-out
Range 35 metres/75 metres
Battery life 7-days standby/7 hours talk time
Contact Panasonic Business Systems UK Ltd.,
., Panasonic House, Willoughby Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 4PF. Telephone
(01344) 853214
RATINGS
Performance ****
Range ***
Ease of use ****
Value ***
VERDICT 78%
Sanyo CLT-3, £100
Sanyo have only just started marketing
cordless telephones in the UK and the CLT-3 is one of their first models. The
handset is a slightly unusual design, the flat base suggest it should be able
to stand upright, and it will, though it’s a bit of a balancing act, and it
will fall over at the slightest provocation. The large keypad is illuminated,
and it is Mercury compatible. It looses a couple of points for the talk button,
which is exactly the same shape as the number buttons, and not that easy to
find in a hurry. It operates on 2-channels, and these can be manually selected
from the handset. Other facilities include a 10-number memory, music on hold
(don’t ask us what the tune is...), and a two-way intercom. Another fairly
ordinary set of range figures, but within its operating area audio quality is
quite crisp; interference from PCs is only a problem within 30 cm or so of the
screen. Sanyo are rather proud of the Super Compander Noise Reduction system on
the CLT-3, and it does seem to work quite well, though it can sound a little
harsh at the limits of its range. Fair price and performance; worth
considering.
Make/model Sanyo CLT-3
Typical price £100
System cordless telephone and intercom
Channels 2, manual switching
Features 10-number memory, redial, music on
hold, intercom/pager, Mercury compatible, illuminated key pad, out or range
warning, Super Compander noise reduction, intercom time-out,
Range 30 metres/50 metres
Battery life 72-hours standby/5-hours talk time
Contact SANYO UK LTD., Sanyo House,
Otterspool Way, Watford, Herts WD2 8JX.
Telephone (01923) 246363
RATINGS
Performance ***
Range ***
Ease of use ***
Value ****
VERDICT 82%
Sharp CL-A500, £200
Definitely the star of the show, this
combined cordless telephone and answering machine has been designed for SoHo
and small office users and includes a number of very useful features. The most
impressive one is a hands-free speaker-phone mode, that works on both the
base-station and handset. The handset can be placed either way up in the
base-unit; and with the keypad uppermost it can be used for on-hook dialling.
The handset has a flat base and will stand upright on a flat surface; it’s Mercury
compatible and has a 12-number memory (a memo card for writing number on slides
out from the base). The keypad is illuminated and the talk or intercom buttons
flash when there’s a call. The only minor ergonomic niggle concerns the use of
a separate (and rather small) ‘off’ button to terminate a call. The answering
machine uses a micro-cassette, with up to 30 minutes recording time. The
answering machine can be remotely interrogated, either from the handset, or any
phone with tone-dialling facilities. The A500 operates on 8 channels, it
automatically scans each channel to find the clearest one. Speech quality is very good, and it’s
largely immune to interference from a PC. The range is better than average too,
up to 80 metres under ideal conditions, almost 50 metres in a built up area.
Fairly expensive but this is the one to go for, particularly if you need the
answering machine facility as well.
Make/model Sharp CL-A500
Typical price £200
System cordless telephone, speakerphone,
intercom and answering machine
Channels 8, auto selection
Features 12-number memory, one-touch
auto-dial, redial, dual speakerphone, on-hook dialling, intercom/pager, 2-way
conference mode, Mercury compatible, auto security coding, illuminated
keypad, micro-cassette telephone
answering machine, remote access (outside line or cordless handset), memo
recording, call screening
Range 45 metres/80 metres
Battery life 14-days standby/10 hours talk-time
Contact SHARP UK LTD., Thorp Road, Newton
Heath, Manchester M10 9BE. Telephone 0161-205 2333
RATINGS
Performance ****
Range ****
Ease of use ***
Value ****
VERDICT 90%
Southwestern Bell FF900 IQ, £170
Another cordless phone designed with SoHo
users in mind. The main feature of this model is that it comes with two handsets,
(a third handset is optional) thus expanding a single line into what amounts to
a small exchange. Calls can be taken on either handset, or passed from one
handset to another. The system also allows for a call to be put on hold and
whilst using the intercom facility to talk to base station. Handsets can be
paged individually, or together from the base station. This is the only phone
in this survey to have a call-barring facility, it prevents calls being made
using certain number combinations (including local, premium rate, international
and Mercury), but without preventing emergency (112 and 999) calls. The call barr is controlled by a 4-digit
user-defined PIN. Other features include a 9-number memory, automatic selection
of up to 8 channels and the second handset comes with it’s own
desktop/wall-mountable charger cradle. Range is nothing special, fairly average
in fact inside a building. Sound quality is fine in range of the base-station,
though the aerial is fairly sensitive to movement at on the fringes of
reception, it’s wise not to wander around too much. No problems with PC interference
more than a few centimetres from the screen. Taking into account the twin
handsets and call transfer facilities this one would be ideal for small
two-person offices or busy households.
Make/model Southwestern Bell FF900
Typical price £170
System multi-handset cordless telephone and
intercom
Channels 8, auto/manual selection
Features 9-number memory, redial, twin
handset call-switching, 2-way intercom, PIN-coded call barring, Mercury
compatible,
Range 30 metres/55 metres
Battery life 3-5 days standby/4 hours talk-time
Contact Audioline Ltd., 2 Enfield Industrial
Estate, Redditch, Worcs B97 6HB. Telephone (01527) 584584
RATINGS
Performance ***
Range ***
Ease of use ****
Value ***
VERDICT 80%
---end---
Ó R. Maybury 1995 1109
ADD COPY
Betacom Roma
Although the Roma is pitched more towards the
domestic end of the market we thought it was worth including as the feature
list includes a number of items that will interest SoHo users, particularly if
they’re on a tight budget. Like the more expensive models it has an intercom
facility and it operates on two channels, selectable from the handset. There’s
a 9-number memory, it has security coding, to prevent it working with other
handsets and it’s Mercury compatible, for cheaper long-distance calls. The
telescopic antenna suffers from the usual fragility problems but the handset is
well laid out and slips easily into a pocket. The range is surprisingly good, a
creditable 35 metres inside buildings and 60 metres with nothing in the way.
Speech quality is very good, a tad tinny but perfectly intelligible, thanks to reasonably
efficient noise reduction and companding circuitry. The intercom bleeper is on
the quiet side, though the normal phone ringer is loud enough to make itself
heard in a noisy office. There’s no superfluous gadgetry and the styling is geared
more towards a living-room environment, though in it’s optional black or
mid-grey livery it does look quite businesslike. Definitely worth shortlisting.
Make/model Betacom Roma
Typical price £69.99
System telephone and intercom
Channels 2, manual selection
Features 9-number memory, redial, 2-way
intercom, Mercury compatible, tone/pulse dialling
Range 35 metres/60 metres
Battery life 24 hours standby/3 hours talk-time
Contact BETACOM PLC, Unit 1 Ponders End Ind
Est, Duck Lees Lane, Enfield, Middx EN3 7TQ. Telephone 0181-344 6200
RATINGS
Performance ****
Range ***
Ease of use ****
Value ****
VERDICT 90%
Betacom Roma
Although the Roma is pitched more towards the
domestic end of the market we thought it was worth including as the feature
list includes a number of items that will interest SoHo users, particularly if
they’re on a tight budget. Like the more expensive models it has an intercom
facility and it operates on two channels, selectable from the handset. There’s
a 9-number memory, it has security coding, to prevent it working with other
handsets and it’s Mercury compatible, for cheaper long-distance calls. The
telescopic antenna suffers from the usual fragility problems but the handset is
well laid out and slips easily into a pocket. The range is surprisingly good, a
creditable 35 metres inside buildings and 60 metres with nothing in the way.
Speech quality is very good, a tad tinny but perfectly intelligible, thanks to
reasonably efficient noise reduction and companding circuitry. The intercom
bleeper is on the quiet side, though the normal phone ringer is loud enough to
make itself heard in a noisy office. There’s no superfluous gadgetry and the
styling is geared more towards a living-room environment, though in it’s
optional black or mid-grey livery it does look quite businesslike. Definitely
worth shortlisting.
Make/model Betacom Roma
Typical price £69.99
System telephone and intercom
Channels 2, manual selection
Features 9-number memory, redial, 2-way
intercom, Mercury compatible, tone/pulse dialling
Range 35 metres/60 metres
Battery life 24 hours standby/3 hours talk-time
Contact BETACOM PLC, Unit 1 Ponders End Ind
Est, Duck Lees Lane, Enfield, Middx EN3 7TQ. Telephone 0181-344 6200
RATINGS
Performance ****
Range ***
Ease of use ****
Value ****
VERDICT 90%
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