What Are DECT Phones..

Posted by cordless phones on October 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment

DECT Phones

DECT stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications; and as the name suggests, a standard for digital, cordless, communication of voice and multimedia traffic using radio frequencies in the 1.8GHz and 1.9GHz frequency ranges.

DECT is highly efficient in its use of the radio spectrum, and is capable of delivering high quality voice communication – and integration with services such as Internet access, ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network – and GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications – without interference with common WiFi, wireless devices operating in the 2.4GHz, or 5.8GHz, frequency bands.

DECT also employs encryption techniques, and authentication procedures, as security against unauthorised radio eavesdropping.

DECT Features, Benefits & Considerations

DECT cordless phones work by connecting to a base station, which may support a single handset, or multiple handsets, depending upon the exact implementation of the DECT standard. Additional handsets typically require a station for battery charging, but beyond that, no additional telephone sockets, or transceivers, are required, and a DECT user is free to roam around his, or her, house, garden or office whilst on the telephone.

DECT bridges the gap between cordless phones and wireless, cellular phones, as each base station effectively creates its own, short range cell. DECT handsets automatically search for the highest quality channel and switch to it, automatically, so the clarity of connection is always as good as it possibly can be.

The DECT standard also include the GAP protocol, which means that – in theory, at least – DECT cordless phones can be used, interchangeably, between GAP enabled systems, regardless of manufacturer. This means, for example, that DECT users can start with a single base unit and handset, and add extra handsets – up to a total of 6, from the same manufacturer, or different manufacturers – as and when demand for telecommunications increases. It may, of course, be that not all DECT functionality is available in this way, but the standard dictates that GAP enabled systems offer at least minimal compatibility, so communication at a basic level should always be possible.

DECT cordless phones often allow up to 8 hours talk time on a single charge, and feature a battery indicator device, which alerts the user when the battery is running low. The range at which DECT cordless phones can be used, away from a base station, is typically anything up to 1000′, or so, and the technology is advancing on an almost daily basis.

DECT can be particularly advantageous in workplaces such as manufacturing facilities, etc., where members of the workforce do not have fixed locations, per se, and/or are constantly moving from location to location. DECT cordless phones means that employees can be contacted, internally, or externally, wherever they are in the building at the first time of asking, leading to increased productivity and customer satisfaction. Indeed, members of staff who travel between workplaces can also be supplied with a dual mode handset, which includes GSM functionality, so that they can be contacted wherever they are.