This article sponsored by Uniden Corporation,
maker of wireless consumer electronic
products, including cordless phones, GPS
p ersonal navigation product s, busi n ess
telecommunications systems and
more. The company”s cordless
telephones, including the Uniden
DECT2080-5 at Costco,
feature the latest
All hands on DECT
HOME TECHNOLOGY IS A FASCINATING, and sometimes frustrating,
arena. It seems as if innovations are emerging daily, often creating more consternation than contentment, at least initially. When cordless phones were
first introduced, the choice was simple: cords or no cords. But with all of the
n ew options in cordless phone systems today, shopping for a home phone has
b ecome much more complicated. And with more homes moving to wireless
n etworking, the wires may not get tangled, but the signals might.
The typical cordless phone system consists of a base and handsets that
o perate across various radio frequencies. Available platforms include 900
M Hz, 2. 4 GHz, 5. 8 GHz and, more recently, DECT 6.0—the latest advancement
t o offer superior voice and sound quality.
Along with deciding what features and how many handsets you need,
y ou’ll want to consider the right frequency platform, based on the household
e nvironment. (The range and sound quality of your phone can be affected by
o bstructions within the home or other environmental factors.)
W hat’s the difference?
Each cordless phone frequency offers specific benefits, all with varying
l evels of features and sound quality. The platform chosen can affect the signal
c larity and the range your cordless phone can reach from its base station.
H ere are the options.
9 00 MHz. Phones on the 900 MHz frequency are fine for household use.
T hey are reasonably priced, although the features offered are limited. Many
m anufacturers have discontinued production of 900 MHz phones, in favor
o f newer platforms.
2. 4 GHz. Models operating on 2. 4 GHz provide better performance and sound
quality versus 900 MHz models, and offer more features, such as integrated
speakerphones and support for multiple handsets. However, the frequency is
increasingly being used by other electronic gadgets, including baby monitors,
microwave ovens and wireless networking gear, which may cause interference with phone conversations or vice versa. For instance, while you are on
the Internet via a wireless router, a phone call may terminate the Internet connection. If you use any of the items listed above, 5. 8 GHz or DECT 6.0 phones
may be better options.
5. 8 GHz. Phones on the 5. 8 GHz frequency offer better clarity than 2. 4 GHz
phones, as well as a broad variety of extra features, such as color displays.
Interference on this frequency is rare at this time, but there is a potential for
more incidents if other gadgets start adopting the frequency.
