Comparison of Cordless Phones

The purpose of this comparison is to aid a household with small children in choosing a cordless phone. A cordless phone is not a luxury; rather, it is a necessity. For example, while bathing children, it is not safe to leave the room to answer the phone. Also, children tend to test their boundaries when you are on the phone that is tied to the wall.

Basically, a cordless phone works like a walkie-talkie, sending radio signals back and forth between the base and the handset. The base unit plugs into the phoneline; the handset travels so you can make or take calls practically anywhere in your house. This report will compare cordless phones on the basis of the following: (1) range - at least 500 feet, (2) speech quality - talking and listening, and (3) price - not more than $200.

Points of Comparison

The cordless phone industry has grown enormously in the past few years. There are numerous manufacturers, each having many different models. This comparison is limited to three models from different companies. The Freedom Phone FF 1700, the AT&T Nomad 8000,and the Record-A-Call Model 400.

Range. The maximum range tests were run outdoors, away from electrical disturbances and physical obstructions. Each unit usually had more than one range, depending on whether you rang it or talked over it. The Freedom Phone had a ringing range and a speaking range of 1500 feet. The AT&T phone had a ringing range of 960 feet and a speaking range of 780 feet. The Record-A-Call phone did not meet the range criteria with a ringing range of 570 feet and a talking range of 480 feet [1:720-721].

Speech quality. The cordless phones were compared to a conventional corded phone on how clearly it transmitted and received speech. All of the phones tested could not match the clarity of a good corded telephone. The Freedom Phone had above average talking and listening clarity. The AT&T phone had an average talking clarity; with a below average listening clarity. The Record-A-Call phone rated the same as the AT&T phone. [1:720-721].

Cost. The phones were priced by the manufacturers suggested price,but discounts are often available. The Freedom Phone sells for $180. The AT&T phone was the most expensive at $200. The Record-A-Call phone sells for $125. 

Table 1. Cordless Phone Comparison 


                    Freedom             AT&T          Record-
                     Phone             Nomad	       A-Call
============================================================
Cost                  $180              $200          $125

Range (feet):
  ringing             1500               780           480
  talking             1500               960           570

Speech quality:
  listening     above ave.        below ave.    below ave.
  talking       above ave.           average       average




Conclusions


Table 1 illustrates the preceding comparison of range, 
speech quality, and cost. From this information, the 
following conclusions can be stated:



    


  1. The Freedom Phone had the greatest range, followed by 
the AT&T phone. 


  2. The Freedom Phone had the best speech quality. The AT&T 
phone and the Record-A-Call phone were equal. 


  3. The AT&T Phone was the most expensive, followed by the 
Freedom Phone. 





Recommendation 


Based on the results of the cordless phones that were 
tested, I would recommend the Freedom Phone FF 1700 cordless 
telephone to a household considering a purchase. The Freedom 
Phone rated the best in all the categories that were tested 
and cost less than the AT&T phone.



LITERATURE CITED 



    

  1. "Cordless Phones." Consumer Reports (November 1986), 
716-721.





This information is owned and maintained by David A. McMurrey. For
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