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Telephone communication is key to both your home and business success--and
the right phone can help you catch important calls, ensure privacy, manage
multiple lines, and even help you save on long-distance charges. But should
you choose 2.4 GHz or 5.8GHz? What about Caller ID or picture Caller ID?
How do you determine if you should get an expandable phone--and then how
many handsets will you need? Don't be intimidated by the numerous telephone
and answering machine options available today--we'll help you sort through
the jargon to find the right phone to fit your needs.
The telephone is so common, so ubiquitous, that sometimes we take its
importance in our personal and professional lives for granted. A telephone
with an appropriate set of features helps us communicate clearly, productively,
and cost-effectively.
When shopping for a phone or answering device, start by identifying your
needs. Do you want just a nightstand clock-radio phone? Is your only use
for the phone to answer the occasional call? Do you need to talk to two
clients at the same time? Do the people in your household need separate
message boxes? Do you have to keep up with lots of names and phone numbers?
Would you like to screen unidentified callers or know who's interrupting
when you hear a call waiting signal?
Knowing what business and personal tasks you'll use your phone and answering
device for will help you choose among options like corded versus cordless,
one-line versus two-line, and separate answering devices versus systems
that are integrated with telephones. This guide will help you decide which
phone type and feature set is right for you.
Traditional corded phones have been around since 1876--plenty of time
to perfect the technology. They offer reliable, low-cost service. But
with today's busy lifestyles, you might need to walk around the kitchen,
yard, or the factory floor with your telephone in hand. Cordless phones
offer portability and versatility--you don't always need a separate phone
in each room. And with new improvements in technology, the sound and security
of cordless phones now rival those of corded ones.
If you just need basic phone functionality, especially for a studio apartment
or dorm room, a corded phone will probably give you the best value. But
for larger apartments, houses, and small businesses, a cordless phone
offers more flexibility--and will often come with more advanced options.
If you've decided to buy a cordless telephone, you'll have to choose between
digital or analog signal formats. Analog is less expensive; digital sounds
better, travels farther, and is more secure.
As an analog telephone handset moves farther away from its base, the
signal fades; you hear increased buzzing and radio static. A digital telephone
uses a computer chip to convert your voice into a series of numbers and
then transmits the numbers to the base unit.
Digital signals are inherently more secure than analog. Even if someone
tuned a radio scanner to your digital telephone's frequency, they wouldn't
hear your voice, just incomprehensible digital "pulses" unless
they had specialized digital-to-analog conversion equipment.
If you've decided to buy a digital cordless telephone, there's still one
more option to consider: digital spread spectrum (DSS) format. Instead
of using a single narrow band to transmit signals, as standard digital
and analog phones do, DSS phones spread their signal over a range of frequencies.
You can think of the process as breaking the signal into pieces and sending
different pieces on different frequencies. The result is clearer sound
with less interference, greater range, and more privacy than standard
digital phones. DSS phones sometimes cost a little more, however.
Phones are available with or without answering machines. In the past,
you had to purchase a separate answering machine and a few tapes if you
wanted to record messages from your callers. Today, phone companies offer
the ability to record those same messages and let you check them while
you're away, for a fee. A few phones now include a digital answering machine
built into the phone. It usually doesn't change the size of the main base
of the phone, and when it does, only very minutely. These digital answering
machines have a chip in them that records messages. Think of a really
small iPod that can only record 15-20 minutes. And don't worry--if you
lose power, you don't lose the messages anymore.
Don't want to pick up that call because your mother-in-law might be calling?
Most phone companies offer the capability for your phone to display the
telephone number of the person calling you. Almost every cordless phone
comes with a display that will show the name and number of the person
calling you. Additionally, telephone manufacturers have taken a note from
cell phones and now allow you to connect your phone to a computer via
a USB port and download a picture that you want associated with a telephone
number. The next time your mother-in-law calls, not only will her name
and number appear on the phone, but that great smile of hers too.
When deciding on a phone, consider how many telephone jacks you have available.
Want to keep a phone in the garage because you like being out there working
on your car? Don't know where your children put the handset? Then look
into getting a phone with multiple handsets. Some cordless phones offer
only the handset that comes with the main phone base. These were the first
type of cordless phones. People liked the idea, but some didn't have a
phone jack everywhere they wanted a phone, so companies started making
phones with two, three, or sometimes the ability to add up to seven additional
handsets. When choosing a phone, determine if you want to walk all over
your house with one handset, or if having multiple handsets might save
you time and keep you from missing that call when your only cordless phone's
battery runs out.
A great setup for a smaller apartment is a two phone package. Only one
phone will need a phone line, but for every handset you must have an electrical
outlet available nearby. Remember, those cordless phones have to charge
somehow. Can't figure out how many handsets you might want later, but
you know you need at least a couple right now? Choose a phone that can
accept at least three or four handsets in addition to the one it comes
with. Then, when you are ready, you can buy extra handsets one at a time.
Most also have the ability to page specific handsets, so now the kids
won't have the excuse that they couldn't hear you asking them to mow the
lawn.
Older and less expensive cordless telephones transmit on the standard
43 to 49 MHz frequency band. However, the U.S. government has freed up
some higher-frequency bands previously reserved for military use, allowing
phone manufacturers to utilize these frequencies. The most popular high-frequency
telephone band is in the 2.4 GHz range; the signals transmitted on this
higher band are more energetic, resulting in improved sound quality and
greater range. This is also the frequency on which many wireless transmissions
are sent for computer connections. Think about the last time you went
to a coffee shop and saw a sign offering "Free wi-fi" -that
means you were in a location where 2.4GHz frequencies are used to connect
computers to the Internet.
Some people worry about others being able to listen in on their conversations
because of this fact. But the real problem lies in the fact that 2.4GHz
frequencies can get a little crowded, but only in populous towns and areas,
like New York City or downtown Los Angeles in a high-rise building. The
frequencies don't travel far enough for everyone in a mile radius to have
a chance of picking up. To combat this, phone manufacturers now offer
quite a few selections in the 5.8 GHz range. This range effectively doubles
the possible frequencies available for the phone to jump between, resulting
in less interference and more security on your phone calls. In general,
5.8 GHz with DSS offers the greatest range--up to 20 times greater than
the 900MHz band and two times greater than 2.4 GHz DSS.
If you have a home office, modem, fax machine, or a teenager who's always
on the phone, you may have already discovered the benefits of a second
phone line. You can use your second line to its full potential with a
two-line phone, which lets you manage both lines more efficiently, handle
multiple incoming calls, and make three-party conference calls.
Two-line phones are designed to work with lines that are identified by
a unique phone number--one phone number rings line one; the other rings
line two. Most two-line phones have different ringing sounds for each
line. Also, if you're talking on line one and someone else calls on line
two, you may not want a loud ringing sound to disturb your current conversation.
A two-line phone with a non-intrusive ringer can ring softly or flash
a light when the handset is in use. And if you've got a caller on line
one and another on line two, you can press the Conference button so that
all three of you can talk to each other.
Most telephones and accessories sold in North America have an RJ-11 cord,
which is compatible with both RJ-11 and RJ-14 phone jacks.
An RJ-14 jack has four wires, while an RJ-11 jack has two wires; most
houses have RJ-14 jacks. If you have only one phone line in your house,
then only two of the four wires in your RJ-14 jack are actually used (the
two in the center, which correspond to the two wires in an RJ-11 jack).
If you have two phone lines in your house, then all four wires in your
RJ-14 jack are used. Two-line phones accept either one RJ-14 connection
or two RJ-11 connections. Ever wonder what it looks like? Disconnect the
phone cord from the wall, and at the tip of that phone line plug you'll
see the four wired pins.
If the number you dialed is busy, this feature lets the phone do the work
of trying to call the number again every few seconds until the call finally
gets through. This is a great alternative to auto call-back features that
many phone companies offer for a per-use charge.
This feature lets you clip the handset of a cordless phone to your belt.
Caller ID is a service many phone companies offer that identifies the
name and phone number associated with an incoming call. Along with the
service, the phone company usually provides a caller ID box with an LCD
screen to display the ID information. However, many phones have a caller
ID decoder built in. If you also have caller ID/call waiting (also called
"caller ID with call waiting," "call waiting/caller ID,"
or "caller ID with visual call waiting"), these phones can display
the caller ID information for a second (interrupting) call, so you can
decided whether or not to interrupt your first call.
Why crowd your nightstand with a clock, a radio, and a telephone when
you can have all three together? Many manufacturers offer a combination
of AM/FM radio, alarm clock, and corded phone to save you space and money.
This feature tells you if the phone line is in use. This helps prevent
you from accidentally interrupting a conversation on another extension.
On cordless base units, it also tells you if the handset is in use.
Some phones include LCD displays for status and other information, such
as caller ID, the last number you dialed, the contents of memory dialing,
battery strength, signal strength, or the transmitting channel for cordless
phones. Displays range in size from a single character to three 16-character
lines.
Using the flash button is equivalent to pressing the switch-hook for half
a second. You can use the Flash button to answer a call-waiting call or
to get a new dial tone after your caller hangs up.
This feature lets you adjust the volume you hear in the handset's earpiece.
These phones let you plug in and wear a telephone headset for complete
hands-free operation. This feature is especially handy with a cordless
phone and a belt clip.
These phones are designed to work with hearing aids.
The hold button puts your caller on hold.
A lighted keypad lets you dial in the dark. Power for the lighting comes
from standard telephone line voltage; however, most phones with lighted
keypads also provide batteries or AC power in case the line voltage drops
too low.
Like the extension-in-use indicator, this feature tells you if the phone
line is in use.
This is a service in which the telephone automatically searches a database
for a long-distance carrier that can complete your call at the lowest
possible price. The search takes place in the background as you dial the
number.
Also called speed dialing, memory dialing assigns dialing shortcuts to
your most frequently called telephone numbers. The number of different
telephone numbers you can store ranges from 10 to 60, usually each with
up to 32 digits. You can also program your memory dialing for calling
card numbers, long-distance carrier numbers, and so on.
Most telephones come with a bracket or adapter so you can set them on
a desk or mount them on a wall.
Nonvolatile memory electronically stores data (memory-dial numbers, digitally
recorded greetings or incoming messages, and other settings) that needs
electricity only for being read or written and not for being stored, so
it is not erased when the phone's power supply is interrupted or removed.
For the few households and phone systems not set up to recognize dual
tone multi-frequency (DTMF) touch-tone sounds for dialing, nearly all
phones still simulate the old-fashioned rotary dialing pulses. However,
because automated telephone services require you to press touch-tone keys,
most phones also allow you to temporarily generate touch-tone sounds even
if you've set up the phone for pulse dialing.
The Redial feature calls the last number you dialed. The number of digits
you can redial varies; usually 32 digits is the maximum.
The ringer volume lets you set how loudly your phone rings.
Speakerphone lets you talk to someone or wait on hold without using the
handset. This is very handy for meetings, conference calling, and long
on-hold times. Most cordless speakerphone base units also function as
an intercom, letting you talk to whomever has the handset. A few cordless
handsets also have speakers (called monitors) that you can use for hands-free
listening but not for talking.
With this feature, the telephone automatically selects the best channel
among those that are available--one not being used by someone else or
otherwise subject to interference. Cordless phones usually have 10 to
32 channels.
Some base units provide a recharging port for an extra battery pack that
you can put in the handset when the main battery pack runs out. In some
phones, the extra battery pack can power the base unit during a power
failure.
This feature lets you dial either from the handset or from a keypad in
the base unit.
Cordless phones use rechargeable Ni-Cad battery packs. How long the battery
lasts between charges depends on the type of battery and the transmitting
power of the handset. Battery life usually ranges from 2-7 hours of continuous
talking or 4-7 days on standby.
Manufacturers offer features such as SuperSound, SuperClear Sound, UltraClear,
UltraClear Plus, and so on; these are types of proprietary circuits that
electronically enhance a cordless signal to give you the best possible
sound.
This feature, also called handset easy answer, allows you to press any
key on the handset to answer the phone when it rings.
When you return the handset to the base for recharging, you can turn the
handset face up or face down. This is handy with caller ID phones whose
LCD screen shows caller ID information that you can see only when the
handset is face up.
This feature warns that you have only a few minutes before the battery
runs out.
An out-of-range indicator lets you know that the handset is too far from
its base. You must usually return the handset to the base, not just move
closer to it, so that the base can assign a new security code number to
the handset. See the section on "Random-code digital security"
below.
Press a button on the base unit and the handset starts ringing, or vice
versa. This is very handy if you can't find the handset or base. Or, if
the base unit is also a speakerphone, you can page the handset and talk
to the person who has it.
This feature lets you choose among various ringer options--loud, soft,
long, short, pleasant, or shrill. Some phones provide separate options
for the ringer and the base.
In order to keep other people from using their handsets to contact
your base unit, and thus dial out using your phone line, your base and
handset identify each other by a code number. Many base units assign a
randomly selected digital code to the handset every time you return it
for recharging. Others have codes preset at the factory. The random method
is better than preset because it lets you change the code number at will.
The number of possible codes ranges from 65,536 to more than 16.8 million.
Of course, there is still a small possibility that a similar phone belonging
to a neighbor might have the same code as yours.
A telephone answering system can either be integrated into your telephone
or purchased separately. In industry jargon, a separate unit is called
a telephone answering device (TAD)--what we normally call an answering
machine. Although an integrated telephone answering system removes one
more box from your crowded desktop, a separate answering machine offers
you the flexibility of choosing exactly the features you want.
Telephone answering devices fall into two major groups: digital and tape
(digital is also called tapeless), with some overlap between the two.
The distinction between digital and tape answering machines is somewhat
similar to the difference between digital and analog cordless telephones.
Answering machines can use either digital technology or audio cassette
tapes to record your greetings and incoming messages, or they can use
digital technology only for your greetings and a tape for the incoming
messages. Digital messages are stored in computer memory chips; the amount
of memory an answering machine has determines its total recording time
and its sound quality. Total recording time ranges roughly from 10 to
30 minutes, with about 15 minutes being most common. The total recording
time is the sum of your greetings and incoming messages, as well as any
recorded conversations or memos.
This feature lets you play a greeting but accepts no recorded messages
from callers. This is handy for businesses that only want to announce
their location and hours of operation.
This feature lets the machine disconnect automatically, as soon as the
caller hangs up.
This feature lets you hear incoming messages without answering the phone
(that's the screening part), and if you do pick up the handset, the answering
machine disconnects automatically (that's the intercept part).
You can record a reminder message for yourself or for anyone else who
uses your answering machine. The answering machine treats a memo recording
the same way it treats any incoming message, and the new message indicator
will flash accordingly.
This counter displays the number of new messages you've received.
This feature is also called message transfer or pager call. When your
answering machine receives a new message, it calls a telephone number
you previously entered. The answering machine announces that you have
a new message, and after you enter your secret code number, plays the
message for you. This is a handy lower-cost alternative to the phone company's
call forwarding feature.
This is the maximum length of a caller's incoming message. Most answering
machines let you select one minute, four minutes, or voice-activated (however
long your caller talks, up to the length of the answering machine's tape
or memory).
This indicator flashes when you have a new message.
This is a generic outgoing message, prerecorded at the factory, that your
answering machine will use if you do not record your own message. It's
available only on answering machines with digital recording of greetings.
This feature lets you check your messages, or otherwise operate your answering
machine, by calling the answering machine and entering a remote access
code on a touch-tone phone. A fully functional remote control system lets
you operate the answering machine as if you were in its presence, including
turning the answering machine on or off, recording new greetings, and
so on. The access code may be preset at the factory, or you may be able
to set your own.
This is a variation of remote control that is limited to checking your
messages.
This feature lets you call the answering machine, switch on its built-in
microphone, and listen to the room it's placed in.
This is the number of rings before the answering machine answers and starts
playing your greeting. Most answering machines let you select a two ring,
four ring, or Toll Saver option (see below).
This option records the time and date along with incoming messages.
This feature sets the answering machine to answer an incoming call on
the fourth ring if you have no previous new messages and on the second
ring if you do. When you call your answering machine to check messages,
if it does not answer on the second ring, then you can hang up immediately,
knowing that you have no new messages. This feature can save you the cost
of a long-distance call when you check your messages remotely.
This is the maximum time an answering machine can record, including your
greetings and incoming messages, memos, and conversations.
This feature lets you record your current telephone conversation.
This function speeds up or slows down message playback. When using this
feature, the answering machine can electronically enhance the message
so that it sounds like a normal voice.
These are also called personalized message boxes or secured message boxes.
They let callers chose a specific person with whom to leave a message
by pressing a button on their touch-tone phone. They also let recipients
check their messages by entering their mailbox number and their secret
code. Answering machines can have from two to four voicemail boxes. If
you need more than four, you should probably buy a commercial voice mail
system.
Audible prompts guide you through using the answering machines' features.
Many answering machines make this feature available only when you're calling
in through remote access.
The price of a telephone or answering machine is directly related to the
richness of its feature set. In general, cordless phones cost more than
corded; 2.4GHz or 5.8 GHz costs more than the standard transmission band;
digital costs more than analog or tape; two-line costs more than one-line.
A simple corded phone with no remarkable features can cost less than $20.
A full-featured DSS phone with an integrated answering system may cost
about $150. An answering machine with a few features should cost about
$20-$30, with products in the $30-$70 range covering the most popular
feature sets. If your answering machine has more memory, a speakerphone,
or voicemail, expect to add a few dollars more.
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