[WXC/VFX] Any cordless phone recommendations for VFX?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [WXC/VFX] Any cordless phone recommendations for VFX?

jbb

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#13913 5-Jun-2007 11:08

I got VFX set up late last week - very impressed!

I'm using a Linksys PAP2T, so my regular POTS phone plugs into that (and works great). However, when using my old cordless phone, the PAP2T doesn't seem to properly detect that it has "hung up" after a call and the call continues in the background.

My cordless is pretty old and crappy anyway, and has no screen for Caller ID - so I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations of a good phone to upgrade to which will definitely work problem-free with VFX?

And one other question; I was thinking of grabbing an Australian number from another service to use with my second PAP2T line - however VFX seems to have taken over my router config. I assume this is changable?

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#73436 5-Jun-2007 12:07

jbb: My cordless is pretty old and crappy anyway, and has no screen for Caller ID - so I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations of a good phone to upgrade to which will definitely work problem-free with VFX?

I use a "Voyager" long-range cordless and it works fine over 1km or more around our farm.

A bit more than what you need for the average house though so I would suggest getting a Digital Cordless using DECT standard. Any reputable brand Uniden, Panasonic etc should be fine. Other VFX users may be able to make recommendations for you.

jbb: And one other question; I was thinking of grabbing an Australian number from another service to use with my second PAP2T line - however VFX seems to have taken over my router config. I assume this is changable?

WxC will unlock Line 2 of your PAP2T if you request it, no worries

P.S. Welcome to Geekzone

Niel

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#73440 5-Jun-2007 13:08

Defiantely go DECT. It runs at 1.8GHz so you also will not have any problems with interfering with WiFi or Bluetooth (both run at 2.4GHz (by the way the newer Bluetooth devices will avoid WiFi interference). And the range is 300m, more than enough for any home.

Uniden is a well known cheap brand, but I have heared a lot of complaints about them (not just because of lots of product out there). Panasonic makes good phones, but can look a bit old fashioned. Personally I like the Doro brand, it is a good quality phone with nice features like colour display and small sice. The newer ones are often mistaken for a mobile phone! Check TradeMe or Dick Smith, some other shops as well. Doro also has a waterproof/dustproof model, but at about $160 was a bit too expensive for me. Dick Smith had it on special for $99, but I think they are all sold out by now.

Regarding charging batteries, if it is Li-Ion (unlikely, but this is what your mobile phone has) then charge it regularly before going flat. If it is Ni-MH, then charge them for 18h to 24h and then take it off the charger. Recharge only when they go flat (or signal low battery), then they will last for about 3 years with no loss of battery performance. If you leave it on the charger like most people do, expect the batteries to die after 12 or 18 months.

You can never have enough Volvos!

Andy_Walker

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Master Geek

#73445 5-Jun-2007 13:47

I use a Uniden DECT 1625. Dick Smith have them for $99 for two handsets. The phone is great, it has hepas of features & is easy to use. For the price range I think it is the best model out there at the moment.

hairy1

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#73449 5-Jun-2007 14:02

I use two different Panasonic DECT phones with VFX and they are both great. One has a slightly lower volume than the other but it is probably a phone issue. The speaker phones on both of them work fine too. Their model numbers are: KX-TG1831 and KX-TCD450.

Cheers.

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closetgeek

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#73461 5-Jun-2007 15:48

I purchased one of these Panasonic phones for $50 from Dick Smith for the same reason and it does a great job. No frills, good reception. Solid little phone running 1.8Ghz frequency so doesn't interfere with other cordless phone or wireless router.

Just avoid the analogue cordless ones like this that constantly sound like your talking from a wind tunnel and keep your base station a reasonable distance from other cordless units/wi-fi gear and you should be fine.

coffeebaron

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#73467 5-Jun-2007 16:39

Yea, pretty much ditto:
- don't go Uniden
- do go a Panasonic DECT

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tonyhughes

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#73476 5-Jun-2007 17:55

I have used the following phones no problem with a PAP2T

Philips Windows Live Messenger Phone
Skype Dualphone DECT
Doro 855 DECT

Not sure if the Philips is DECT or not...

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wmoore

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#73487 5-Jun-2007 18:08

Hi

Well I got one of these
yes it's 2.4 I don't have any wireless stuff.
I prefer the larger phones.
No problems at all

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amigo

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#73490 5-Jun-2007 18:22

I bought a dual-base cordless phone as it meant that I could have one base by my computer, and then another in the lounge without having to take it back to the base for charging.

The model I got was Uniden DECT 1825+1 and I was quite unhappy at first with using it with the VFX. The caller ID would drop the 0 on numbers which made the phone book features and recall etc useless. Also the time/date would keep resetting to something incorrectly each time the phone rang, plus I think there were problems with the type of ringing... Meanwhile it would work fine on a Telecom network.

Anyway, Maverick (from WorldXChange) was quick to go out and purchase the exact model of phone and customize the VFX network to solve all of the issues I was having with that phone, which I was quite impressed with (above and beyond the call of duty!!

The reason I picked the phone was because of the two bases, 1.8Ghz (so not to interfere with my wireless router) and it's buttons were quite a nice size (a lot of models I looked at had tiny buttons) yet the phone is quite small and stylish, plus it was less than $100. I'm disappointed with the volume of the ring tones, probably because it uses a polyphonic/speaker phone speaker instead of a dedicated high pitched ringer speaker. Also the call history list isn't that clever... when a call comes in it'll say "mum" is ringing, but in the history list it will say it's an "unknown caller", yet still display the correct number which matches the phonebook listing... I'm sure that it is a phone bug and not a network issue.

If I was looking to by another phone then I'd probably try something else next time.

richms

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#73503 5-Jun-2007 19:00

Range on DECT is a bit lacking from the places I have tried it in, several phones in several houses, but alas its the best all round phone standard that there is at the moment.

Avoid anything that says W-dect - its a 2.4Ghz phone that has nothing to do with dect. You may not use anything wireless but I bet at least one of your neighbors has a video sender or something that will impede your range of it.

edit: oh, and the cheap old model panasonics have a really stupid feature, they have a clock (that you have to set yourself) and it STILL doesnt log the time and date of incoming and missed calls, and also if the phone is answered on a different phone it still flags it as a missed call, not answered, so by looking on the callerid register of the phone you think that you missed the call and call back someone that has already being talked to...

Richard rich.ms

hairy1

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#73507 5-Jun-2007 19:35

I had a Uniden 2.4 GHz that stated wireless friendly (and it was for our Wifi) but it played havoc with the video sender we have in the house. Made the video sender signal unwatchable.

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Niel

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#73531 5-Jun-2007 21:06

DECT range issues are 99% of the time due to location of the base station. Perhaps it is plonked behind the computer monitor, perhaps it is next to the (metal & earthed) toaster or microwave oven. There are few companies that make the actual DECT modules (or chipsets), companies like DORO and Philips simply implement a pre-approved module they buy.

The major problem with 2.4GHz is that it is a "free for all" ISM band. Anyone can transmit just about anything on 2.4GHz. Not just WiFI interferes with it, also microwave ovens can affect the range you get. The only system I know of that avoids interference in the 2.4GHz band is Bluetooth version 2.0 and later. It uses adaptive frequency hopping. Everything else uses a limited number of channels and lock onto one channel.

So yes, go for DECT and make sure it is 1.8GHz. Also avoid Uniden.

You can never have enough Volvos!

richms

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#73537 5-Jun-2007 21:27

If only it was base positioning. No, dect is very low power. there is a market for a proper multibase system for home use, rather then the expensive kirk system eh...

Richard rich.ms

grant_k

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#73539 5-Jun-2007 21:57

richms: ...No, dect is very low power. there is a market for a proper multibase system for home use...

According to this document:

http://kabuki.eecs.berkeley.edu/~rsn/Theses/MS/master.3.html#pgfId=996828

The power levels vary from 80 to 250mW. 250mW seems on the high side to me.

Does anyone know what power level is permitted in NZ?

Nety

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#73541 5-Jun-2007 22:05

Niel: The only system I know of that avoids interference in the 2.4GHz band is Bluetooth version 2.0 and later. It uses adaptive frequency hopping. Everything else uses a limited number of channels and lock onto one channel.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WDECT WDECT also can channel hop

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