DECT networks have become well-established in both private applications as well as in companies, with the demand for cordless telephones beyond the GSM mobile phone network growing exponentially.
According to a study commissioned by Snom, many customers are increasingly opting for DECT telephones. “The reason for this is that being mobile and flexible and always available are basic requirements for most jobs in modern business life. In their private lives, people have become used to this for quite some time. It has long been taken for granted that you can use your phone while walking around the house and even out into the garden. DECT now offers ranges of up to 50 m indoors and up to 300 m outdoors – and always with optimum voice quality,” says Tobie van Schalkwyk, product manager for Snom solutions at Duxbury Networking.
More companies want to take advantage of this freedom and of the technical possibilities and the security that DECT telephones have to offer. From IT administrators and warehouse staff to nurses and ward physicians; the day-to-day work of employees is no longer restricted to their own desks, workbenches or individual rooms. Personal mobile phones are not an option here for security, data protection and functionality reasons.
DECT does not interfere with other networks as is often the case with WLAN, Bluetooth or mobile telephony, due to the frequency band used – from 1880 to 1900 MHz. At the same time, however, there is enough bandwidth available to be able to make phone calls without interruption and in the best audio quality.
In addition, the DECT standard allows not only voice but also data to be exchanged between handsets and base stations. For example, users have the possibility to access external telephone directories.
“DECT is also well-equipped in terms of protection against tapping. Unauthorised access is made doubly difficult: firstly, new devices and subscribers have to be registered with the base station, whereby they receive a clearly traceable registration. Secondly, the handsets must authenticate themselves with a secret key at the base station each time a call is set up. Furthermore, there are numerous useful features and the possibility of combining them with professional alarm systems such as personal emergency calls, evacuation, technical or production alarms. Finally, a DECT base station is relatively easy to install and thus quickly ready for use,” says Van Schalkwyk.
Some of Snom’s current DECT models for professional users include the Snom M70 Business Handset, the Snom M80 Industrial Handset and the Snom M90 handset.
The compact Snom M70 Business Handset, which weighs just 120 g, when used in combination with the Snom M900 multi-cell base station, enables state-of-the-art DECT communication. It offers numerous advantages including state-of-the-art encryption and multi-cell operation with seamless handover.
The Snom M80 Industrial Handset has a resilient casing that provides ruggedness even under the most adverse conditions, including dust; sprayed water; unintentional falls from heights of up to
2 m; in very warm production facilities or in icy warehouses.
The Snom M90 handset, in trendy white, is designed for those who are exposed to a large number of hand contacts during the course of a working day – such as doctors, nursing staff or hotel receptionists – where pathogens may be transmitted. The entire housing of this lightweight model is sealed and offers no grooves or depressions in which dirt could settle. It is designed so that it can be easily cleaned with disinfectant solutions. The special plastic of the handset is treated with non-diffusing, antibacterial agents and additionally prevents the growth of bacteria.
“These three models offer enhanced mobility, increased security and practicality. They are not only designed to meet the change towards more flexible working, but also to be a reliable companion for users in the most demanding settings,” says Van Schalkwyk.