Just got the Panasonic KX-TCD210 Cordless Phone as my trusted SHARP cordless phone and answering machine kicked the bucket.
This is a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) phone with GAP (Generic Access Profile) compatibility.
For people who are confused, here is a primer: DECT is like having a mini GSM network in your house. You need to connect only ONE phone in a network to the external phone line. Other phones in the network will ’’collaborate’’ and you will be able to receive calls from any of the other DECT phones you may have. You may make intercom calls between handsets. What GAP does is it enables copying of phone book entries and profile settings between compatible handsets.
In future, you will be able to make and receive local calls from your GSM phones when you are around a DECT base station (and ’’registered’’ to it). This is because both GSM mobile phones and DECT cordless phones use similar technologies and frequencies to operate. If such a technology is not already available, it is ONLY because of the stupidity and churlishness of phone manufacturers; nothing to do with feasibility!
There is a caveat though, the GSM base station CONTINUOUSLY transmits upto 250 mW in its operating frequency. Not really a problem with so many devices in our environment transmitting radio waves, but it has been suspected to cause health problems... In any case, this technology is approved for use in Europe (don’t know about the US)
OK, now about the phone itself... It is among the lowest cost DECT phones available in India, there are other expensive phones of-course, with colour screens and better features. The phone, from its design, looks to be made for the European market; it’s sleek and build quality appears to be on the better side of average... (8 on a 1-10 scale). You may feel that it is small too - almost like a large mobile phone - if you are used to the cordless phones of old. There are no antennas poking out anywhere on the handset and base unit.
There are only a few things that you should expect of a phone:
Voice quality: Good to excellent...
Size: Small, occupies less space on the table (or on a wall, if wall mounted)
Caller ID: Yes, and it works in India, and it is a necessity these days with ICICI banks all around! And the display is on the handset, not on the base unit (in-fact the base unit does not have any controls other than a ’’paging’’ button).
Some other features that I found interesting:
- Phonebook with 200 entries
- 16 hours talk time/ 170 hours standby (claimed, but I don’t see an issue with this).
- SMS capibility (not tried it yet)
- There are polyphonic ringtones if you are so inclined (but you can’t download your own)
- A ’’night’’ mode that supresses the ringer at preset times everyday - but it can be made to ring if the caller holds a call for a sufficient period of time (e.g. in case of emergencies)
Now, the kicker... it uses Ni-MH AAA batteries (included, of course!) A higher end model has an answering machine too, but my experience is people are shy of leaving messages on them, and besides, BSNL offers (an expensive!!!) voicemail facility.
Some people have had problems with a DSL (broadband) line, but I faced no problems. A good filter should fix any problems that you may have.
Can’t say anything about the range... my guess is, it is 10 meters or so which is not really good if you are an Indian politician and live in a 1000 room mansion or a farmhouse.
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To answer queries on the cost of the Panasonic KX-TCD210, I bought it on eBay from ’’nisha_online’’ for a ’’Buy It Now’’ price of Rs. 2800/- (includes Rs. 200/- shipping). The item was delivered within one week of payment for the item.