I Want a DECT 6.0 Cordless Telephone
I decided that I might need a new cordless phone system so I used my Consumer Reports online subscription± to look at which cordless phones were rated best. I also read through reviews at Amazon and other web sites. It was quickly obvious to me that if I wanted a cordless phone it was going to have DECT 6.0 technology. DECT is a cordless standard that is fully digital and operates in the the 1.9GHz frequency. DECT works in many countries throughout the world including the US, all of Europe, and most of Asia, Australia and South America.
You might be asking, is DECT 6.0 better than 5.8Ghz? Well after my research that is the conclusion I reached. A DECT 6.0 phone system will outperform 5.8Ghz in terms of increased clarity, greater range and enhanced security.
Which DECT phone do I like? I think I have settled on the Panasonic KX-TG1033S. This is one of the new DECT 6.0 phones on the market. What is DECT 6.0 you ask?
Learn Quick Facts about DECT 6.0
- DECT = "Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications".
- Better than 2.4Ghz. Wireless routers use 2.4 Ghz so most cordless phones in the 2.4 range (and even some 5.8Ghz) will cause interference. DECT 6.0 phones use 1.9Ghz which eliminates any signal crossing.
- More Secure. Cordless phones do not have secure encryption. Any naughty hobbyist or ID thief can easily hack into your cordless calls. DECT 6.0 digital encryption is not as easy to hack so it helps to keep your calls private!
- Voice Quality. DECT 6.0 digital encryption not only makes your calls safer, it makes them clearer. I am not sure if you will hear a pin drop but the reviews I have read all rave about call quality and zero interference from other wireless devices.
- Expandability. Pair up to six handsets in a DECT system and conference up to three units on internal calls.
- Decreased Power Consumption. DECT phones use 30% less power than a 5.8Ghz phone.
Anyhoo my Internet research led this under the weather, home-bound shopper to the Panasonic. Siemens also makes what appears to be a nice unit, the Gigaset S450, but at $100 for the first unit and $80 for each subsequent handset it is just waaay too expensive, color screen or not. Nope, I think I will wait until the price goes down on the Panasonic or until Amazon offers it with free shipping. Beach Camera has the KX-TG1033S with free shipping but I like to keep my accounts in as few places as possible. Besides it's not like I am huge phone user and I have a corded phone for when I feel like I want more privacy. For now my trusty seven-year-old Panasonic KX-TG2550 keeps on dialing...
± Kind of a waste after the first couple days I had it. For one thing there really is not a whole lot of information on their site. Either that or maybe it is just a quick read for me. While I appreciate Consumer Reports trying to be impartial, there is just no way they can provide an expert opinion on every product and service out there. Their reviews of some categories (speakers and bicycles for example) are a bit silly. And finally, information is only as good as it is current and, though some of their online reviews are updated, many other are two or more years old.