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FAQ
The purpose of this section is to explain and inform you, the consumer of the various options and technologies that are available to you when you purchase telephone equipment.
Caller ID
Enable customers to see the number and the name of the call. It requires subscription to the services through Bell Canada.
In addition to the name and number call display, there is a service called Visual call waiting or call waiting caller ID. This feature enables a customer to see the name and number of the second call while on the first line without having to take that call.
The newest generation of Caller ID technology is called ADSI - Analog Display Services
Phones such as Vista 350 are supporting this technology, which enables customers to have additional features through their telephone sets, such as accessing their bank account, checking the weather, checking lottery winning numbers and more. A customer must subscribe to these services through Bell.
Cordless Telephones
Cordless telephones account for over 50% of all phones sold. Manufacturers are introducing new technologies and higher end models every month.
Because cordless phones are essentially two-way radios, there are three important qualities for cordless phones: range, sound quality and security.
· Range - A cordless handset can be carried anywhere around the house or yard. However, electrical appliances, aluminum siding, metal objects in the walls and floor, and terrain can limit that range. More advanced phone technologies allow for greater range with less interference.
· Sound Quality - Some people buy a cordless phone expecting it to sound like a corded phone but are disappointed with the sound when they get home. Different features and advanced technology can improve the sound quality.
· Security - Many customers are concerned about the security or privacy of their cordless phones conversations. Radio scanners and in some cases other phones can pick up conversations on cordless phones. However, different features can prevent others from listening in on your conversations.
CORDLESS TELEPHONE CHOICES
Traditional Cordless Phones:
Traditional cordless phones operate in the 46-49 MHz range and can have up to 25 channels. This type of phone has been extremely popular due to rapidly falling prices and excellent values. Consequently, the 46-49 MHz range is getting filled to capacity. It is not uncommon to hear other peoples' conversations on the same channel while operating a traditional cordless phone. Most traditional cordless phones are limited to just the range of a typical sized house. In crowded situations like apartments or condos, a 46/49Mhz phone may not be the best choice.
900 MHz Phones:
There are three types of 900 MHz Phones:
· Analog 900 MHz Phones: This phone is identical to the traditional cordless phone, except that it operates in the 900 MHz bandwidth. This phone provides better quality sound since it operates in a less congested bandwidth and can have more channels.
· Digital 900 MHz Phones: These phones digitize their transmissions between the base unit and the handset. This allows the phones to be less susceptible to interference. Digitizing the transmission also makes the phone more secure since anyone listening in would just hear the digital noise (much like a fax machine or your modem). Range can be greater than analog phones but this will vary by manufacturer & model.
· Digital Spread Spectrum 900 MHz Phones: A spread spectrum transmission is as much as 1 to 2 Megahertz wide - up to a thousand times wider than a regular cordless phone signal. With all the extra space there's more data being transmitted, which increases the sound quality and reduces interference. Since scanners and other phones use a much narrower bandwidth, they cannot make sense of the spread spectrum signal so calls are much more secure. These phones may have as much as double the range of analog phones making them great for backyard use.
2.4 GHz Cordless Phone:
While other cordless phones receive and transmit signals in the same bandwidth, 2.4 GHz cordless phones transmit on two separate Digital Spread Spectrum frequency bands-2.4 GHz on the base (transmitting) and 900 MHz on the handset (receiving). This gives clear sound with virtually no echo. In addition to greater clarity, 2.4 GHz phones can have up to 20 times more range than analog phones, and up to 8 times the range of 900 MHz phones.
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