| In the hunt for the best cordless phones there are ten | | | | handset. |
| key features that almost everyone needs. If you | | | | 6. Handset Locator - unless you've never misplaced a |
| haven't upgraded your cordless home phone for a | | | | handset this is a feature that you must have. |
| year or two you may find this check list useful. | | | | 7. Cordless Conference Phone - most cordless |
| Cordless phone technology has progressed more in | | | | telephones enable conferencing between parties, but |
| the last year or two than in the previous twenty years. | | | | how many can join in and speak on the call. The better |
| Cordless phone problems including: interference, limited | | | | phones enable four-way conferencing, but others limit |
| range and short battery life are now rarely | | | | this capability and the usefulness of the phone. |
| experienced by users of the best cordless telephones, | | | | 8. No Proprietary Batteries Required - finally a few |
| but the improvements go beyond addressing issues | | | | cordless telephone manufacturers have listened to |
| with earlier technology. | | | | their customers. No one likes being ripped off and |
| The Best Cordless Phones - Check List | | | | proprietary batteries are a classic example. Make sure |
| 1. Talking Caller ID Telephone - in between rings the | | | | your next phone can use standard rechargeable |
| phone will announce who is calling. If it's not a good | | | | batteries. |
| time to speak or the call isn't urgent there is no need to | | | | 9. Residential Intercom System - if you live in a large or |
| stop what your doing. Let the cordless answering | | | | multi-level home an intercom is indispensable, but why |
| machine handle it. | | | | not use a cordless telephone with intercom features, |
| 2. Text-to-Speech - it's the smart technology behind | | | | especially if you have handsets throughout the house? |
| the talking caller ID telephone, but in addition it can be | | | | Limited cordless phone range was the main reason in |
| used as a talking alarm to notify users of impending | | | | the past, but it's no longer an issue with the latest |
| events from appointments to birthdays and business | | | | DECT 6.0 phones. |
| deadlines. It can even monitor battery strength on a | | | | 10. DECT 6.0 Technology is now recognized as the |
| cordless phone and give alerts whenever handsets | | | | answer to most of the cordless telephone problems |
| need re-charging. | | | | experienced in the past. It addresses issues including |
| 3. Call ID Block - is there anyone who doesn't want to | | | | cordless phone interference, range and security. |
| block unwanted calls? Once the caller's number is | | | | Conversations are automatically encrypted and DECT |
| flagged they will always get a busy signal. It's the | | | | uses far less power than older technologies. |
| ultimate solution to dealing with abusive and nuisance | | | | We've read thousand of cordless phone reviews and |
| calls. It can even be used to block telemarketing calls. | | | | invested a small fortune in finding the best cordless |
| Whenever they call just add their number to the list of | | | | phones. The best we have found is the Panasonic |
| blocked numbers. | | | | KX-TG6445T. It has all of the above features as well |
| 4. Silent Mode - enables all or any handset to be | | | | as: backlit keypads, handset speakerphones, a keypad |
| silenced during nominated times. The best cordless | | | | on the base, belt clips, programmable speed dialing, |
| phones compliment this feature with a notification light | | | | assignable ring tones, a digital answering system ... |
| on each handset that flashes whenever a call or | | | | Is the Panasonic KX-TG6445T perfect? No, it's major |
| message is received. Mothers with young children love | | | | short comings include: |
| this feature. | | | | (1) The handsets can't be named. |
| 5. Shared Phone Book - the days when each handset | | | | (2) There is no audible alert when a message is |
| had a separate phone book that had to be manually | | | | received. |
| updated and synchronized are over. The best cordless | | | | (3) It's a hopeless cordless wall phone, as it can't be |
| telephone for most of us has one shared list of | | | | mounted flush to a wall. |
| contacts that is automatically updated whenever a | | | | Bottom line, we reckon it's one of the best cordless |
| new entry is added or deleted from a networked | | | | home phones. |