A Guide to Buying Two-Line Cordless Phones
What is a cordless phone?
Cordless phones are capable of transmitting and receiving signals within a range of a couple of feet from a base station. It has a portable handset that allows users to communicate just like landlines, but operate via radio frequency rather than over insulated wire or telephone lines. The base station, on the other hand, connects to the phone network with a phone line, as corded phones do, and serves as a charger for handset batteries as well.
What is a 2 line phone system?
A two-line phone system has two separate lines, each providing a different phone number. It is a cost-effective way for home-based employees to keep business communications separate from their homes. In two-line phones, both lines are recognized and the ringing line is quickly identified. By using a two-line splitter, users will be able to connect two single-line phones to the same jack. One of the phones receives calls from line one, and the other receives calls from line two.
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Why should you buy a cordless phone?
The following are some of the benefits of using a cordless phone at home or at the office:
- Wider Coverage Area: Additional antennas can be connected to some cordless phones, providing a larger coverage area as well as a longer range.
- Multiple Handsets: Cordless phones today allow you to connect multiple handsets to one base. Having that feature can be useful if you share the office or if you share your home phone with another person or multiple people.
- Portability: With a cordless phone, you can take it anywhere you go, so you don't have to stay near the base. This allows you to talk wherever and whenever you want, depending on the signal strength.
- Better Sound Quality: DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology is used by most cordless models to minimize interference with other devices such as microwave ovens; thus providing better sound quality. Additionally, DECT phones have relatively long talk times, so you won't run out of power in the middle of a call.
Important Features
What are the things to consider when buying cordless phones?
The following are some things to consider when buying a cordless phone:
- Range: A cordless phone's signal range is an important consideration. For most users, it is necessary to be able to walk around the home or office without having to worry about losing the connection. DECT cordless phones typically have a range of 50 metres indoors and 300 metres outdoors. Signals can however be suppressed by objects such as walls and other obstacles. Therefore, choose a model that has the range capacity that matches the area of your home or office that needs to be covered by the signal. A DECT repeater can also be used to extend the range of your cordless phone. By plugging this device into the main power line, the signal will be repeated, thus expanding its range.
- Extensions: Decide how many handsets are needed for your home or office use. Those with single handsets are ideal for small homes where you always have the phone nearby. Otherwise, you might want a phone that supports multiple handsets from one base. In cases where more than one handset is needed, it is recommended to purchase a multipack, which is cheaper than purchasing more individual handsets. In addition, it comes preprogrammed to function as a single system.
- Battery life: In most cases, fully charged batteries can provide 8 hours of continuous conversation before they need to be recharged. In the event that the battery is no longer able to hold a charge, a replacement battery is required, which requires additional expenditures. For this reason, it is advisable to opt for a model that uses less-expensive AA or AAA rechargeable batteries, which can be recycled, but can hold a great deal of power for a long period of time.
- Features: Ensure that you're getting the features you want by checking the phone's packaging. Most cordless telephones come with a caller-ID feature, a headset jack, a speakerphone, and an answering machine. As a rule, the more features a phone has, the more it costs, but the more convenient it is to use.
