The convergence of Bluetooth and DECT technologies is finally getting some traction. Within a year or two the standard cordless home phone will almost certainly be a Bluetooth cordless phone. VTech is pushing the pace with a steady drum beat of announcements, but the pack is now catching up.
Bluetooth cordless phones have now been released by manufacturers including:
Uniden: CellLink ELBT595 cordless flip phone with Bluetooth connectivity
Siemens Gigaset: SL785 DECT Bluetooth phone
AT&T EP5632 5.8 GHz digital Bluetooth phone
GE 28128EE2 DECT 6.0 Series cell fusion phone
Panasonic KX-TH1212B Link-to-Cell Bluetooth DECT 6.0 phone
Panasonic KX-TG9381T Bluetooth cordless phone - 2 line phone
VTech differentiates it's phones by focusing on (a) sleek design, and (b) leadership in DECT-Bluetooth convergence. It's successfully established itself as a leader in cordless phone technology with this dual pronged strategy.
VTech manufactured phones are sold under several brand names in addition to VTech. It's also manufactured AT&T cordless telephones under license since 2000. That connection may explain the success of the AT&T EP5632. It was first cordless Bluetooth phone that could be relied upon to pair consistently with a cell phone. Even Panasonic's first effort - the KX-TH1212B was a hit a miss affair.
The first generation of cordless Bluetooth telephones were designed to link with one or two cell phones. That enabled cell phone calls to be made from cordless handsets. It also meant that inbound cell phone calls could be answered from any handset. The benefits of this included greater convenience and improved cell phone reception. In most cases a cell phone will automatically pair with a cordless base unit on walking in the front door. It's then possible to park the cell phone in a charging cradle and use cordless handsets until it's time to go out once again.
VTech released it's first generation DECT Bluetooth phone - the VTech LS6245 in January 2009. In addition to all the usual features offered by DECT 6.0 cordless phones, it enables users to make and receive both cell and landline calls via a cordless telephone handset. It's also an ultra sleek cordless phone.
In September 2009 VTech released a second generation Bluetooth cordless phone - the VTech DS6321. In addition to the features offered by the LS6245, it allows up to 6,000 entries to be downloaded from a cell phone address book via Bluetooth technology. It's such an obviously useful and complimentary feature it's surprising that it took until September '09 for a manufacturer to make it available. At about the same time Panasonic released a 2 line cordless phone with a similar capability - the Panasonic KX-TG9381T.
The DECT Bluetooth Phone
Cordless phone manufacturers are now concentrating their efforts on DECT 6.0 cordless phones. They're cheaper to manufacture and DECT is recognized as a global cordless phone standard. To that end we are seeing hardly any new 5.8 GHz phones with Bluetooth. Almost all new Bluetooth cordless telephones are built on DECT 6.0 technology. We are quietly confident in predicting that the standard cordless home phone within a few years will be a Bluetooth telephone.
