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Cordless phones
(56)
Although they are often overshadowed by their celebrity cousin, the smartphone, cordless phones are keeping pace in a market crowded with wireless and internet-based devices. Some newer cordless phones can stand in for your cell phone, and others let you switch between landline and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
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Find the Best Cordless Phone
We test, evaluate, and compare the latest cordless phones to give you value for your money.
Cordless phones Buying Guide
There is a strong case to be made for having a home phone. Home phones can provide enhanced security because they are connected to your address, including the apartment number, so a 911 operator knows exactly where to send help even if you can’t talk.
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Best Cordless Phone Buying Guide
Here are some things to keep in mind when you shop for a new cordless phone.
Decide on the Number of Extensions
Single-handset phones are best for smaller homes where you’re never far from the phone. Otherwise you might be happier with a multiple-handset phone, which supports (and usually includes) multiple handsets from one base. Each extra handset sits in its own charging cradle, without the need of a phone jack, making it easier to station a phone where you want it. With some models, you can buy a replacement handset and charging cradle.
Settle on the Features You Want
Most phones come with caller ID, a headset jack, a speakerphone, and ringer in both the base and handset. Check the phone’s packaging or download the instruction manual from the manufacturer’s website to confirm you’re getting the features you want.
The more features a phone has, generally the higher its price.
Weigh Performance Factors
Most cordless phones have very good overall voice quality. Some are excellent, approaching the voice quality of the top-rated corded phones. Most fully charged batteries provided 8 hours or more of continuous conversation before they needed recharging. Note: When the battery can no longer hold a charge, a replacement battery, usually proprietary, costs about $10 to $25. Some phones use less-expensive AA or AAA rechargeable batteries, which can be recycled.
Pick It Up & Try It Out
Visit a retailer and hold the handset to see whether it fits the contours of your face. The earpiece should have rounded edges and a recessed center that fits nicely over the middle of your ear. Check the buttons and controls to make sure they’re reasonably sized and legible.
Consider Usability Issues
More new phones have designs to enhance usability.
That includes easier-to-read buttons and displays, visual “ringers” that signal an incoming call, talking caller ID, and volume boost, to name a few of the options.
Battery Backup
Most cordless phones won’t work without electricity unless they have some kind of power backup system. Some have a compartment in the charging base for a spare handset battery pack or for alkaline batteries for base-power backup. Others use the stored power from the handset’s battery to operate.
Don’t Discard Your Corded Phones
Keep at least one corded phone with traditional landline service in your home, if only for emergencies. For most such models we’ve tested, the corded phone doesn’t require AC power to make and receive calls, although electronic features such as the illuminated display and built-in phone directory might not work. Keep in mind that any phone connected to VoIP services or fiber-optic networks won’t work if you lose electric power and don’t have a backup battery for the phone modem.
Know the Return Policy
Before buying, check the return policy in case you encounter unexpected problems at home that you can’t resolve, such as wireless interference.
Wireless telephony. Wireless device.
Wireless
telephones are devices that
communicate between subscribers
via radio and telephone lines
communications via PBX. In the simplest version
– cordless telephone
wearable device
handset (NMT) and landline
block (SB) connected to the subscriber
public telephone lines.
Communication between these blocks is carried out
over the air using
amplitude (AM) or frequency (FM)
modulation. We can say that the wireless
phone is combined in one
device radio station and electronic
telephone.
B
fixed unit installed all
functional units that carry out
connection with a telephone line, own system
controls and a full-fledged VHF radio station.
The power source for the SB is a conventional
electrical network. The main nodes of the NMT:
transceiver, microphone and telephone
capsule, DTMF keyboard.
NMT is powered by batteries. On Sat and
NMT installed separate independent
control microprocessors.
For
so that the cordless phone can
work in full duplex mode (i.e. to
it could be spoken and heard
at the same time), reception and transmission are carried out
at different frequencies. Signals from a stationary
block to NMT are transmitted at the same frequency,
and from NMT to SB – to another. Two frequencies
must be well chosen to
ensure duplex operation
no interference between
transmitted and received signals.
Old
cordless phone models
only one pair of frequencies is used.
In modern devices, you can choose
frequencies of their transmitters, tuning
from external interference. Large set of frequencies
in most cases allows you to choose
a communication channel that is sufficiently protected from
local interference. Most promising
direction in radiotelephony – digital
signal processing. In this case
interference effect is eliminated. In digital
cordless phone voice signal
converted in the transmitter
in digital form, transmitted over the air
and telephone lines, and then at the reception
device is reversed.
into an audio signal.
B
currently no established
international standards for frequency
ranges of cordless telephones. (Company
Sony releases BT using
frequencies in the range of 300 … 400 MHz, Siemens offers devices with an operating frequency
1.2 GHz, and Philips- with
operating frequency 900 MHz). four main
frequency bands for radio communication
between SB and NMT: 31/40, 46/49, 250/380 and 900 MHz. IN
our country are officially allowed to
use only two – 31/40 and 900 MHz.
In the frequency range 46/49going on
partial intersection with the first channel
television, and the frequency range
250/380 affects the ranges used
for business purposes.
B
fixed unit includes four groups
functional units: receiver,
transmitter, telephone line interface
(speaking circuit) and control circuit
(MP). The battery pack also includes a charger.
device for batteries built-in
at NMT. Stationary power supply
block and charger represent
a separate functional unit.
Telephone
interface connects the SB with the telephone
line.
On a regular phone when talking
the lever switch is closed. IN
cordless phone, when pressed
“Talk” buttons on NMT, on
stationary block is sent
corresponding control signal,
adopting which microprocessor sat
generates a command to turn on the relay
capture line, the contacts of which
match the toggle switch.
Thus, the colloquial scheme of the SB
connects to the telephone line. By
line begins to flow current that the station
perceives as the removal of a telephone
tubes. A signal is received on the SB from the PBX
readiness, which by radio
is transmitted to NMT and you can hear it.
After that, you can start dialing.
Signals,
transmitted by NMT, are received by antenna and fed to the amplifier
radio frequency (RF amplifier) where the
their pre-amplification. radio signals
contain: carrier (sinusoidal signal
with a certain frequency), spectral
speech signal components (in the range
± 4 kHz from carrier), and control signals,
who coordinate the work
SB and NMT.
Acceptable
radio frequency signal (RF) is necessary
transform to extract from it
speech and control signals. That’s why
The RF signal is sent to one of the inputs
mixer where it is mixed
(multiplied) with the local oscillator signal.
The output of the mixer contains
set of combinational (total and
difference) frequencies of input signals
(RF and local oscillator) and their harmonics, but
only a signal with a frequency is selected,
equal difference between frequencies
RF signal and local oscillator. This useful
signal is called an intermediate signal
frequency (IF). The IF value depends on both
frequency of the RF signal and the local oscillator, and
they are chosen taking into account many factors:
noise immunity, ease of filtering,
stability, etc.
IF signal
amplified in the IF amplifier and detected
(detection can be frequency
or amplitude – depending on the type
modulation). Control impulses pass
via logic signal generator
and enter the control circuit on
microprocessor, and speech signals
pass through the audio amplifier
frequencies (AF) and are fed to the conversational IC
schemes for transmitting them to the telephone
line.
Fig.
Simplified block diagram of a stationary
block
Transfer
stationary unit speech signals and
control at NMT occurs several
easier. Voice signals from telephone
lines are fed to the conversational circuit and
then they go to the AF amplifier. reinforced
sound signal (together with mixed
control signals) is supplied to
carrier frequency generator input, where
the radio signal is modulated.
Further signal through the RF amplifier
goes to the antenna and NDC.
Control circuit
coordinates the work of all nodes of the phone.
The SB control scheme, except for the MP, includes
call detector, bell, capture relay
line, full DTMF keyboard
or just the tone generator. On Sat
microprocessor controls processes
receiving and transmitting a radio signal, generates
control signals sent to
NMT, processes incoming from it
commands, detects call signals,
generates the necessary impulses
or number tones and
interacts with the telephone line
through the appropriate interface.
Memory IC is used together with MP
to store permanent instructions and
data.
Snom DECT equipment for wireless telephone networks / Sudo Null IT News
Today we will briefly introduce you to five M series devices at once for creating seamless DECT telephony in the office and in production, which will expand communications within the company. Our engineers tested the Snom M700 base station, Snom M5 repeater and three wireless phones of different equipment levels – Snom M85, M65 and M25.
The telephone network in the company’s office or in production does not have to consist of fixed telephones connected to a wired network or Wi-Fi. Employees who have to constantly move around the building or company premises also need to be connected all the time. For such situations, Snom produces cordless telephones and other equipment for creating a DECT wireless communication network.
Snom M700 multiband base station
To create a convenient wireless connection, first of all, an appropriate infrastructure is needed, which can be built from Snom M700 base stations.
One such station is capable of serving up to 30 DECT handsets, and in total up to 254 base stations can be combined in one network, to which up to 1000 wireless devices can be connected. That is, the DECT network is able to cover a large office or industrial complex.
The M700 supports DECT encryption and secure SIP communications over TLS and SRTP protocols. At the same time, expanding the network by adding base stations will not require any license fees. The Snom communication complex is compatible with the VoIP voice protocol and PBX manufactured by Broadsoft and Asterisk.
If the DECT network consists of several M700s, then each station can simultaneously support up to 4 broadband calls or up to 8 standard calls; if the station is one, then up to 5 and 10 conversations, respectively.
Configuration and management is carried out via the web interface. The Snom M700 has a phone book with a capacity of 200 subscribers.
The base station has been designed so that it can be placed standing or lying down, or hung on the wall. The station is equipped with an RJ45 connector for a computer network and a hardware reset button. Overall dimensions 227 x 279 x 39 mm, weight 320 grams.
Snom M5 repeater
If you need to increase the network coverage area, but without increasing the number of tubes, you can use the M5 repeaters. They provide seamless communication when subscribers move between the reception areas of the base stations themselves, and can serve as a wireless bridge between base stations, eliminating the need to pull a twisted pair cable. Two omnidirectional antennas are mounted inside the repeater for receiving and transmitting, which ensures a reliable connection of devices in the network. The repeater is a small box measuring 118 x 129x 33 mm and weighing only 126 grams. On the black case is a two-color LED indicator and a reset button. Like the M700, the Snom M5 can be placed on a table or on a wall.
Cordless phones
All M-series wireless handsets share common design features. External differences from each other of the simplest and most advanced models are minimal. The cases are made of durable plastic, pleasant to the touch, with a slightly textured surface, on which traces of long-term operation are almost imperceptible. Phones do not slip in the hand, and the shape of the tubes provides a comfortable grip and does not cause discomfort during a long conversation. Light weight and compact dimensions allow you to carry phones in your pocket or bag, the handset will not be lost among other items, but it will not pull the pocket with too much weight.
Even a grandmother can handle M-series phones: they are familiar to everyone mobile phones of the “pre-iPhone era”: on top is a small screen with a high-quality TFT matrix, below it is a block with a joypad, control buttons and classic call / hang up buttons, and even lower – standard numeric keypad.
The keys have a nice distinct click and are perfectly recognized tactilely.
The phone’s menu structure resembles that of classic handsets, and is fully translated into Russian. All telephones have a 3.5 mm audio jack, are compatible with hearing aids and support DECT encryption. The firmware is updated “over the air”, and the list of subscribers is taken from the base station of the corporate PBX. All phones can be used in large multi-story buildings, and network coverage is easily scalable with additional base stations and repeaters.
Functions common to all models are standard and familiar to such devices, both stationary and portable, these are: caller identification; call hold; answering machine; lists of called, missed and dialed subscribers; second line; keyboard lock; setting ringtones and sound response of the keypad; configurable LED event indication and network loss warning. Advanced models have more advanced functionality, up to unique features, for example, alarms when a “dead hand” sensor is triggered or a person falls.
Handset M25
The M25 is the simplest of the family. It has all the necessary basic functions, but without frills. Tube size 134 x 42 x 23 mm, screen with a diagonal of 1.44 inches. Powered by conventional AAA batteries, they provide up to 75 hours of standby time or up to 7 hours of talk time.
Caller/Missed/Dialed lists have a memory of 50 numbers. All this is more than enough for occasional use in a regular office by an employee who needs to be in touch, but does not have numerous long conversations.
Handset Snom M65
A more advanced model for those who not only move around the office a lot, but also need to communicate a lot with others telephone employees. The speaker and microphone provide high quality sound according to the HD Audio standard, there is a hands-free function. The radio module has two separate antennas for receiving and transmitting the signal.
Powered by a built-in 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery, from which the phone works up to 200-250 hours in standby mode and up to 17 hours in talk mode. The phone book can contain both a local list of subscribers for a hundred cells, and a general corporate one. The machine supports automatic call forwarding and three-party conference calls.
The display is larger, its diagonal is 2 inches, below it there are not two, but three function keys, plus separate hands-free keys and a