The world of answering machines has changed a lot since the early 1950s, when Code-a-phone invented the technology. We used to have 10-15 models of stand-alone answering machine. Now, we only have 3. Plus one model with a corded phone built in. However, there are now many models incorporated into cordless phones.
Features to look for in an answering machine -- whether stand-alone, corded, or cordless -- include the following:
how many minutes of voice recording can be stored before you need to delete something. 12-15 minutes is typical. It may not sound like much, but, unless you never delete a message and all your callers are long-winded, it actually is adequate for most home applications.
a few products allow incoming messages to be segregated into seperate mailboxes. This is a useful feature if, for example, you don't want to have to listen to your kids' friends' messages; just setup a seperate mailbox for each family member. Note that on mailbox-equipped machines, mailboxes do not have their own individual greetings.
Most answering machines, whether cordless or otherwise, allow a a choice of factory-recorded greeting or user-recorded greeting. Some machines permit several different versions of your greeting to be recording and stored simultaneously; you can then easily choose which greeting to play (Example: a night greeting and a day greeting for a small business)
some products allow you to limit the incoming message length to 1 minute; otherwise, most machines allow the caller to talk until they hang up or the machine runs out of storage or it reaches a factory-preset limit (usually 3 minutes)
a great feature for giving out information or directions and for other applications where you do not want the caller to be able to leave a message.
allows the owner of the machine to access the messages remotely from a touchtone phone. All answering machine products Phone Source carries have remote access capabilities.
preserves messages in case of power failure. Note that the clock (which runs the day and time stamp feature) is not backed up by the flash memory; the clock will need to be reset after a power failure
Also known as "2-way record," this feature allows you to use the answering machine to record the current conversation up to the message length limit. Use of this feature may be subject to state or federal legal restrictions.
Allows the answering machine owner to record a message by simply speaking into the built-in microphone on the unit; this message can be retrievd along with any other messages the machine has taken. Useful for leaving messages for other family members (example: "Hi honey, I've gone to the store - back at 5")
Corded Phones
Single and multi-line corded phones are the mainstay of the home office and small business market. This is because they provide access to 1, 2 or 4 lines easily and inexpensively. The text below discusses features and issues related to these products:
Number of Lines
Stand-alone corded phones are available in 1,2, and 4-line sizes. We use the term "stand-alone" here to mean that these phones operate without a central processing unit (known in the business as a
KSU). There are also multi-line phones which
do require a KSU. These products offer more features and greater line capacities than the stand-alone phones mentioned above, but they also have a higher initial cost, resulting from 3 factors:
- The cost of the KSU
- Professional installation services usually required to set them up
- Greater cost of the phones themselves
If you can stay within the 4-line upper size limit of the stand-alone products, it is generally less expensive to buy them than to go with a commercial KSU-based system. If, however, you need to handle more than 4 lines or plan to have more than 8-12 extensions, you will want to consider a commercial system. Phone Source sells both stand-alone phones and commercial system phones for some systems.
Speakerphone
One of the most popular features on corded phones, the speakerphone allows handsfree 2-way communication and also allows a small number of additional people in the room to share in the conversation.
Speakerphone quality varies, with duplex speaker products sounding more natural than simplex units. Digital duplex or other technologies designed to reduce echo, clipping, and background noise will make a better speakerphone.
If you are the sole user of the phone, you may find a headset to be more useful than a built-in speakerphone and some units have both a speaker and a headset jack.
Caller ID
The first thing to know about caller ID is that it requires service from your local phone company -- which may or may not entail paying an additional monthly charge. And, of course, it requires a caller-id-enabled phone. Also note that call waiting caller id may not be included as part of your caller ID service package; call your phone company for details.
All caller ID cordless products Phone Source carries include the call waiting caller ID feature, so, if your phone company provides it, the phone will display it.
Features to consider in a caller ID-equipped phone include:
- Size of LCD display -- you'll need at least a 3-line display to see name, number, and call time simultaneously w/o having to scroll
- Size of call entry log; this is the list where the info about each call gets stored. Once the log is full, oldest caller info gets over-written
- Ability to add callers from the call entry log into the speed-dial directory
- Ability to call back callers from the call entry log
Intercom
This feature is available only on special 2-line and 4-line small office phones (and on multi-line commercial phone systems). It allows users to call each other and to transfer calls and hold conference calls via the intercom.
LCD display
This somewhat redundant term (since L.C.D. means liquid chrystal display) refers to the small screen built into many phones allowing various kinds of information to be displayed. In its simplest form, it usually contains date and time and can display digits dialed as well as an elapsed call timer. On caller ID-equipped phones, it will display the caller ID information. For caller ID, it is important to note whether the display has enough lines to show the caller ID info all at once, without having to scroll the display. Other factors to note include whether the display is backlit (therby being easier to read, esp in a darkened room) and whether or not the phone requires AC power or batteries to run the display. Most backlit units require external power.
Speed-dial
Available on most office-style phones, this feature allows storage and quick retrieval of oft-dialed numbers. The feature varies, both in number of entries allowed, and how the information is stored and retrieved. Many phones use one-touch buttons; store the desired numnber under such a button and simply press it to dial the call. To store more numbers in less space, some of these phones have a shift key so 2 numbers can be stored on each button. The other storage method uses an internal database of names/numbers which can be accessed through the display.
One-touch buttons are quicker to access, but usally provide more limited number of storage locations (between 12 and 32, depending on phone model)
If you are planning to use the phone with Centrex, the flash key should be allowed as one of the programmable digits in a speed-dial number.
Feature buttons
Feature buttons often found on office-style phones include:
- Hold: always on units with 2 or more lines, but occasionally on 1-line phones as well
- Conference: used to set up a conference call. Number of parties is usally limited to 3 total.
- Redial: dials the last number called
- Auto redial: for busy signals, will repeatedly dial the last number until it gets through (up to some preset limit)
- Flash: used to access phone company features such as call waiting. Also used with Centrex to access features such as hold and transfer
- Mute: turns off the microphone in the handset or optionally in the speakerphone
- Electronic volume control: easy to use rocker switch for volume up/down. The same switch usally controls both handset and speaker volume
Headset jack
Phone Source sells headsets to work with virtually any phone. Phones with a headset jack permit a headset to plug directly into the phone, without the need for an expensive amplifier/adaptor. In addition, the direct-connect headset feature allows calls to be answered and hung up with one-touch ease. On phones without a headset jack, headset use normally requires the user to pick up and hang up the receiver for each call.
Data jack
A spare jack to plug in an ancillary device such as an answering machine or modem. On 2-line and larger phones, the data jack is usally connected to the last line.
Voicemail message waiting indicator
An indicator on your phone that lets you know there are new messages in your phone company mailbox. These indicators are often found on caller id equipped phones and never on answering machine equipped phones (you'll have a new msg indicator for the answering machine itself, of course).
The indicators are generally compatible with the
FSK and
Stutter methods of notification and may or may not work with your particular phone company's voicemail message waiting notification method.
Call restriction
Available on a very few small-office phones (and on most commercial phone systems), this feature allows the owner of the phone to "lock the dial" so that outgoing calls cannot be made. 911 is always permitted.
Cordless Phones
Cordless phones have gone mainstream -- from a cute curiosity in the 70s to an absolute necessity for the new millenium. The number and types of phones, their features, and associated technologies, can be a confusing jumble of excess information.
The Phone Source Buyer's Guide helps you cut through the razzle dazzle by isolating and explaining what's important.
Number of Lines
Cordless phones come in 1, 2, and 4-line versions. When we say
line, we mean a single telephone
number. The majority of cordless phones sold for home use are 1-line units, capable of being hooked up to a single telephone line. Several 2-line models exist and are ideal for home office and small office use. A very few models handle 4 lines.
Transmission Technology
Most cordless products now employ some sort of digital transmission technology, except for a few 900 MHz models still on the market. Digital technology improves sound quality, reduces background noise and interference, and enhances range, while deterring eavesdropping.
The majority of new cordless models employ 2.4 GHz (2.4 gigahertz or 2,400,000,000 hertz), nearly 3 times the frequency of 900 MHz phones, and almost 60 times the frequency of the earliest cordless products. This high-frequency technology has two benefits:
- quieter sound
- makes room for multiple handset cordless products
- takes cordless phones out of the more crowded lower frequency bands
Within the 2.4 GHz frequency, phones are divided into those which use plain digital technology and those which employ digital spread spectrum (DSS) or frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)technology. DSS products have a higher effective power output, because they transmit throughout the available range of frequencies (bandwith) and they therefore provide better range, security, and clearer sound than plain digital. FHSS products go a step further and randomly vary the frequencies which are used for transmission, many times per second, thereby making eavesdropping highly unlikely.
The latest frequency being used for cordless phones is 5.8 GHZ (5.8 gigahertz or 5,800,000,000 hertz). This enhancement is available in a relatively few models at the present time, but has some advantages over 2.4 GHz:
- operates in a less-crowded band than 2.4, while yielding its same benefits
- will not interfere with 2.4 GHz wireless computer networks operating nearby
Speed-dialing
Nearly every cordless phone has some facility for storing and dialing oft-called numbers. There are two basic approaches to this feature:
The first approach associates each speed-dial number with a single digit on the phone keypad. The number can be dialed by pressing an auto-dial key followed by the digit associated with that number. This method is simple and easy to use, but generally limited to a total of 10 numbers.
The second approach actually has a built-in alphanumeric directory, capable of storing name and number. These directories often hold 50 or more entries and are user-friendly to dial; simply bring up the list on the built-in LCD screen and point to the number to be dialed. Cellphone users will be familiar with this technology, as it is in use in all cellphones.
If speed-dial is important to you, be sure to note which type of system the phone you are looking at employs and the total number of entries it supports.
Speakerphone
A speakerphone permits handsfree conversation. In the case of cordless products, a speakerphone may be on the base, on the handset itself, or both. In addition, a speakerphone on the base may or may not have a keypad for dialing. If it does not, then calls can only be answered from the base, not originated; fortunately, answer-only base speakerphones are increasingly rare. If you see a keypad on the base of the cordless phone you are considering, you can be sure it has a speakerphone.
Handset speakerphones are a more recent innovation and provide a couple of great benefits:
- Allows a handsfree conversation using the handset
- Allows other people in the room with you to listen to the "other side" of a conversation that you are having on the handset
Cordless manufacturers have worked hard to improve the sound quality of speakerphones, reducing echo, background noise, and the clipping once associated with all speakerphones. Manufacturers have various names for this improved speaker sound; Panasonic uses the term digital duplex
.
Ringer control
How much control you have over the ringer on your cordless phone varies by manufacturer. Panasonic always provides an off/lo/hi control for the handset and, if there is a speakerphone on the base, for the base as well. If being able to turn the ringer off is especially important to you, be sure to determine how the model you are interested in handles this issue.
Some manufacturers allow you to vary the tone of the ringer as well as the volume; these models will usually advertise something like "programmable ring tones."/
In addition, some models will have some sort of visual ring indicator on the handset, the base, or both -- this is helpful for use in noisy areas or for hearing-impaired use.
Volume Control
Control of volume on cordless phones is usually limited to lo/med/hi.
Lighted keypad
An extremely useful feature, the lighted keypad makes seeing the keys easier for everyone and is a must for use in the dark (esp great for use on a bedside table at night)
Headset jack
Once an unusual feature on a cordless product, the 2.5mm headset jack is a standard part of most cordless
phone handsets these days. It allows connection of the phone to a large variety of compatible headsets, which have 2.5mm plugs, therby permitting handsfree operation.
Phones with a headset jack usually come with a belt clip as well, but generally do not include the headset. Headsets come in a variety of shapes to accommodate different tastes and Phone Source carries a large selection, which are displayed as accessories under each cordless item.
Caller ID
The first thing to know about caller ID is that it requires service from your local phone company -- which may or may not entail paying an additional monthly charge. In addition. it requires a caller-id-enabled phone. 
Also note that call waiting caller id may not be included as part of your caller ID service package; call your phone company for details.
All caller ID cordless products Phone Source carries include the call waiting caller ID feature, so, if your phone company enables it, the phone will display it./
Features to consider in a caller ID-equipped phone include:
- Size of LCD display -- you'll need at least a 3-line display to see name, number, and call time simultaneously w/o having to scroll
- Size of call entry log; this is the list where the info about each call gets stored. Once the log is full, oldest caller info gets over-written
- Ability to add callers from the call entry log into the speed-dial directory
Multiple handsets
One of the most exciting new features in cordless phone technology is the ability to have a single base unit and multiple handsets. Advantages include:
- Have multiple cordless phones with only one phone jack
- Have phone service anywhere in your house w/o having to run wire
- Integration of handsets into one system with ability to intercom, conference, and transfer calls between handsets
Battery technology
Cordless phone battery life has improved steadily and it is not unusal to have to charge your cordless only once a week or so (depending on usage, of course). The advancement in talk-time has resulted mainly from more efficient circuitry, rather than better batteries, although newer battery technology such as NiMH (nickel metal hydride) and LIon (lithium ion) have begin appearing on some models.
Customers will call us requesting a phone with a particular battery type; in our opinion, it is better to concentrate on desired features, since, as mentioned above, all models have reasonable talk and standby times these days.
Answering machine
There are many answering-machine-equipped cordless models these days; in fact, there are far more cordless answering machines than corded ones! Please see the
Answering Machines section of this Buyer's Guide for details on answering machine features.
Intercom/Handset Locator
All cordless phones have, at a minimum, a button on the base you can press to make the handset ring so you can find it (cordless phones, like wallets and carkeys, having the property of spontaneous disappearance). This button will usually be labelled "Page", "Find", or "Locate."
Some phones will have an intercom between the handset and the base, allowing you not only to locate the handset if it is lost, but also to talk between the handset and the base. On models with a base speakerphone, this intercom feature usually allows a call to be answered on the handset and then transferred to the base or vice versa.
If intercom is important to you, read product descriptions carefully and note the following caveats:
- The presence of a base speakerphone does not always mean the phone also has an intercom
- The presence of an intercom does not mean the base speakerphone can be used to speak to outside callers; it may only allow intercom calls
- Some cordless phone intercoms only allow an intercom call to be initiated in one direction (usually from the base to the handset
Voicemail Waiting Lamp
An indicator on your phone that lets you know there are new messages in your phone company mailbox. These indicators are often found on caller id equipped phones and never on answering machine equipped phones (you'll have a new msg indicator for the answering machine itself, of course).
The indicators are generally compatible with the FSK and Stutter methods of notification and may or may not work with your particular phone company's voicemail message waiting notification method.
