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What are Cordless Wall Phones?

Ken Black
Ken Black

Cordless wall phones are phones that have wireless handsets connected to bases with landline connections. Unlike mobile phones, cordless wall phones must be used in close proximity to the base. Cordless wall phones come in a variety of frequency ranges. The most common range is from 900 MHz, to 2.4 GHz, to 5.8 GHz. Cordless wall phones may be attached by a mounting base to the wall or the base may simply have cord plugged into the wall.

While the choices may seem somewhat confusing at first, cordless wall phones operating at higher frequencies offer some advantages. For example, a cordless wall phone at 5.8 GHz has less of a chance of being interfered with by other wireless devices, such as radios, wireless computer networks, and other such signals. Therefore, some consider the higher frequencies to be very important when considering cordless wall phones.

Cordless wall phones have a wireless handset and a base unit with a landline connection.
Cordless wall phones have a wireless handset and a base unit with a landline connection.

Higher frequencies often mean greater ranges as well, though there is more to the range of a cordless phone than just one factor. Still, a 5.8 GHz cordless wall phone may be able to go as far as 2,000 feet (0.6 km) and still be able to communicate with the base. Generally, cordless wall phones will never be taken this far from their bases.

There is a disadvantage to those higher frequencies as well. Transmitting signals at higher frequencies requires greater amounts of power, meaning that the battery life of a cordless wall phone is diminished at higher frequencies. Still, for those who make sure their phones are recharged frequently, this should not be a major problem.

Cordless phones ultimately send signals across landlines.
Cordless phones ultimately send signals across landlines.

Cordless wall phones at the 5.8 GHz range may also not transmit totally at that range. Some phones have a 5.8 GHz transmission from the base to the handset only. Transmissions from the handset to the base operate at the more common 2.4 GHz. This helps conserve battery life but may not be acceptable to those who demand a true 5.8 GHz transmission. These types of phones are called dual transmission phones.

While the basic technology behind cordless wall phones has not changed much over time, there have been some improvements. For example, spread spectrum technologies have made it harder for others to listen in on private conversations that may be in range of other types of receivers, such as radio scanners. Also, the frequency ranges have gone from under 50 MHz to the current maximum of 5.8 GHz. Still, the basic function of the phone has not changed much at all.

Discussion Comments

animegal

One of the coolest things I have seen with cordless wall mount phones is one that looks like the old rotary dial phones. I love retro phones and novelty phones but they are usually so bulky that I never end up buying them for my place.

With the replica rotary phone I found the designers clearly put a lot of thought into making it authentic looking while still keeping with modern materials which are much lighter and more practical. I think that replica cordless phones can do a lot for the design of a room. You don't have to get stuck with boring looking phones.

MrSmirnov

@manykitties2 - A lot of wall mount cordless phones have a different expected battery life but on average you can expect the phone to last several hours. We have one of those inexpensive Panasonic cordless wall phones and ours last nearly 4 hours of constant talk without needing a recharge. The phone is quite old and can really hold up to our teenage daughter's talk marathons.

One think that makes cordless phones handy is that they tend to beep when their batteries are running low. You shouldn't have to worry about running out of power if you know to charge when you hear it beep.

manykitties2

I recently broke down and purchased a wall mounted cordless phone as I still had a really old phone that my phone company had given me eons ago. I am really surprised at how convenient the new phone is compared to the one I replaced. I never realized how much of a bother it was dragging a cord behind me.

I am curious though as how long I should expect my battery to last once I take the phone off of the charger?

I am not used to having one of these cordless wall mounted phones and the phone packaging didn't answer my question. I don't want the phone dying in the middle of my calls.

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    • Cordless wall phones have a wireless handset and a base unit with a landline connection.
      By: Michael Shake
      Cordless wall phones have a wireless handset and a base unit with a landline connection.
    • Cordless phones ultimately send signals across landlines.
      By: Rhonda Roth
      Cordless phones ultimately send signals across landlines.