Frequencies of Cordless Telephones Explained

Looking for a new cordless phone can make you feel lost in a sea of jargon and tech talk. Should I go with DECT 6.0? Or am I better off with a 5.8 GHz phone system? I could also choose an older, but tried and true 2.4 GHz system that will likely save me some money. The answer to these questions lies in understanding what advantages each frequency offers. What's the right call to make ? The right phone can help you catch important calls, ensure privacy, and even manage a busy household. As one phone jack can be branched to an increasing number of phones, you can create a custom phone network within your own home.

Quick Comparison: 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, and DECT 6.0

Your cordless phone is actually a radio transmitter/receiver that operates across a designated radio frequency. The three main platforms are 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz and DECT 6.0. Each platform can affect the signal clarity and the range your phone can reach from its base station; however, the actual range and sound quality of your phone can also be affected by obstructions within your home and interference from other electronic devices. Here are some general guidelines for choosing one of the four platforms:

2.4 GHz

2.4 GHz phones are gradually being phased out in favor of 5.8 GHz and DECT 6.0 models. As with the more popular platforms, 2.4 GHz models can host a variety of features, such as integrated answering systems, caller ID, speakerphones and support for multiple handsets. The main disadvantage of this frequency is that many household appliances use it, including baby monitors, microwave ovens and wireless networking gear. This may create persistent interference problems on your 2.4 GHz phone. If you use these items in your home, consider purchasing a 5.8 GHz or DECT 6.0 phone.

5.8 GHz

5.8 GHz phones offer great clarity and range. The biggest advantage to a 5.8 GHz phone is that its frequency band is less congested than the 2.4 GHz band, resulting in less interference. 5.8 phones GHz are plentiful in the marketplace today and competitively priced.

DECT 6.0

DECT 6.0 technology is the latest cordless platform, providing improved range without needing to boost the power. The DECT standard fully specifies a means for a portable unit such as a cordless telephone to access a fixed telecom network through a radio signal, but unlike the GSM standards does not specify any internal aspects of the fixed network itself. Connectivity to the fixed network (which may be of many different kinds) is done through a base station and a gateway to connect calls to the fixed network. This platform has been set aside exclusively for cordless phone use, which means that DECT 6.0 models have superior sound quality and do not suffer from interference created by wireless networks. This reliable technology has been used for a number of years in Europe and has proven to provide brilliant quality of voice and sound, high protection against eavesdropping and better range than 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz phone systems. In the end, DECT 6.0 is more affordable and efficient, with better call quality, but its coverage is considerably more limited to local use in proximity to cordless base stations.