Cordless Phones - DECT 6.0

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RMO87
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Location: Kansas City, MO

Cordless Phones - DECT 6.0

Post by RMO87 »

Hello,

I was shopping for a new cordless phone to replace the one I've had for 8 years (a 900 Mhz DSS).

I've noticed that practically all cordless phones on the market today are DECT 6.0. Will any of these DECT phones work on a landline that is not digital (I believe it is referred to as a POTS connection)?

Thanks in advance for your info!
Ryan
linuxizer
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Post by linuxizer »

There's no such thing as a landline that is digital. All of the DECT phones plug into a phone line just like your old 900Mhz cordless phones do. They use a different wireless frequency, and there's some digital communication between the base and the handset.
centrifuge41
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Post by centrifuge41 »

Agreed,

Like any other phone, DECT phones have the same old RJ-11 phone plug that your 900MHz phone has, or a corded phone has.

POTS = plain old telephone service. This is if you get your landline from your normal provider, rather than through a Voice over IP or fiberoptic service.

So yes, a new DECT 6.0 phone will work great. The standard has become common partly because it actually uses the 1.9 GHz band, avoiding interference with 2.4GHz wifi routers.
Topic Author
RMO87
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:11 am
Location: Kansas City, MO

Post by RMO87 »

So then, what exactly are the benefits of obtaining "digital phone service" over my current AT&T POTS service?

I don't necessarily plan to switch (especially now that it looks I can use a DECT 6.0 phone with my current POTS connection), but curious how POTS vs. "digital service" differs.

Thanks again!
Ryan
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Cloud
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Post by Cloud »

RMO87 wrote:So then, what exactly are the benefits of obtaining "digital phone service" over my current AT&T POTS service?

I don't necessarily plan to switch (especially now that it looks I can use a DECT 6.0 phone with my current POTS connection), but curious how POTS vs. "digital service" differs.

Thanks again!
Ryan
Digital phone service? You mean VOIP? Costs....
sommerfeld
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Post by sommerfeld »

linuxizer wrote:There's no such thing as a landline that is digital.
Not quite true.

There are at least two digital landline technologies:

ISDN (rolled out in the late 80's, clobbered by the internet. now mostly dead. I once got network service via ISDN but stopped once cable modems became available).

VoIP (voice over IP).

VoIP to POTS ("plain old telephone service") adapters (sometimes called TA or ATA) are the most common way to use VoIP, but you can also use software as a phone and there are desk phones with an ethernet jack which speak VoIP directly.
centrifuge41
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Post by centrifuge41 »

Cloud wrote: Digital phone service? You mean VOIP? Costs....
Agreed - costs is the biggie, but features is another reason to get VoIP (see paragraphs 3 and 4 below).

Assuming you have capable broadband (say, cable internet), VoIP should generally be a lot cheaper than plain old telephone service. Some providers, such as Viatalk, let you have service for $11 + tax a month, after you buy the adapter box.

Other providers, such as Ooma, let you have free service (you pay ~$3.5/month in taxes/fees) after you buy a more expensive adapter box (normally $160 to $250 one-time cost of box).

I remember back in the day we had plain landline service. Local calling only, no fancy features (call waiting, caller ID, 3 way), and paying "$15/mo" that ended up being $25/mo after taxes.

With VoIP, you generally get those features thrown in for free, along with long distance US (and sometimes Canada) too, yet still typically comes out to less than $25/mo.
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FrugalInvestor
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Post by FrugalInvestor »

Cloud wrote:Digital phone service? You mean VOIP? Costs....
If you're saying that it costs a lot, that is not necessarily true. I pay less than $10 per month for VOIP service with all the bells and whistles and unlimited long distance. Now, if I purchased it from my cable provider it's about $40/mo, I believe. My old basic landline with no extra features was costing me over $20 per month.
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
Auream
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Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Auream »

FrugalInvestor wrote:
Cloud wrote:Digital phone service? You mean VOIP? Costs....
If you're saying that it costs a lot, that is not necessarily true. I pay less than $10 per month for VOIP service with all the bells and whistles and unlimited long distance. Now, if I purchased it from my cable provider it's about $40/mo, I believe. My old basic landline with no extra features was costing me over $20 per month.
He was saying that it costs less. IOW costs is the advantage.
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