cordless phones, cordless phones buyer's guide, cordless telephones, cordless phone batteries Answering Machine - Digital:
Digital messages are stored in computer memory chips; the amount of memory an answering machine has determines its total recording time and its sound quality. Total recording time ranges roughly from 10 to 30 minutes, with about 15 minutes being most common. The total recording time is the sum of your greetings and incoming messages, as well as any recorded conversations or memos. Digital allows messages to be accessed randomly; you can easily skip, save, replay or delete a message without having to deal with rewinding a tape. Less moving parts makes digital less prone to breakdown. Click Here to browse our selection of answering mahines.

Auto channel scanning:
With this feature, the telephone automatically selects the best channel among those that are available--one not being used by someone else or otherwise subject to interference. Cordless phones usually have 10 to 32 channels.

There are a lot of additional features to consider when purchasing a cordless phone. Here’s a rundown of some of the most common and popular features available on today’s cordless phone:

Belt clip:
This feature lets you clip the handset of a cordless phone to your belt. Available for most popular models from EnGenius, Panasonic, Siemens, and more!

Built-in caller ID/Call Waiting Caller ID:
Caller ID is a service many phone companies offer that identifies the name and phone number associated with an incoming call. Along with the service, the phone company usually provides a caller ID box with an LCD screen to display the ID information. However, many phones have a caller ID decoder built in. If you also have caller ID call waiting (also called "caller ID with call waiting," "call waiting/caller ID," or "caller ID with visual call waiting") these phones can display the caller ID information for a second (interrupting) call, so you can decide whether or not to interrupt your first call.

Backup power supply:
Some base units provide a recharging port for an extra battery pack that you can put in the handset when the main battery pack runs out. In some phones, the extra battery pack can power the base unit during a power failure.

Base keypad dialing:
This feature lets you dial either from the handset or from a keypad in the base unit.

Battery life:
Cordless phones use rechargeable NiCd or NiMH battery packs. NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydrid) How long the battery lasts between charges depends on the type of battery and the transmitting power of the handset. Battery life usually ranges from 2-7 hours of continuous talking or 4-7 days on standby.

Face-up handset charging:
When you return the handset to the base for recharging, you can turn the handset face up or face down. This is handy with caller ID phones whose LCD screen shows caller ID information that you can see only when the handset is face up.

Flash:
You can use the Flash button to answer a call-waiting call or to get a new dial tone after your caller hangs up.

Handset volume:
This feature lets you adjust the volume you hear in the handset's earpiece.

Headset-compatible:
These phones let you plug in and wear a telephone headset for complete hands-free operation. This feature is especially handy with a cordless phone and a belt clip.

Hearing-aid compatible:
These phones are designed to work with hearing aids. We also carry an extensive selection of telephones for people with slight to extreme hearing loss from Walker, Mirafone, and more!

Hold button:
The hold button puts your caller on hold.

LCD displays:
Some phones include LCD displays for status and other information, such as caller ID, the last number you dialed, the contents of memory dialing, battery strength, signal strength, or the transmitting channel for cordless phones. Displays range in size from a single character to three 16-character lines.

Lighted keypad:
A lighted keypad lets you dial in the dark. Power for the lighting comes from standard telephone line voltage; however, most phones with lighted keypads also provide batteries or AC power in case the line voltage drops too low.

Low-battery warning:
This feature warns that you have only a few minutes before the battery runs out.

Memory dialing:
Also called speed dialing, memory dialing assigns dialing shortcuts to your most frequently-called telephone numbers. The number of different telephone numbers you can store ranges from 10 to 60, each with usually up to 32 digits. You can also program your memory dialing for calling card numbers, long-distance carrier numbers, and so on.

Mounting type:
Many telephones come with a bracket or adapter so that you can set them on a desk or mount them to a wall.

Multi-Line Cordless Phones:
Cordless phones are available in 1-Line, 2-Line, and even 4-Line versions.

Out-of-range indicator:
An out-of-range indicator lets you know that the handset is too far from the base. You must usually return the handset to the base, not just move closer to it, so that the base can assign a new security code number to the handset.

Page/find (with or without intercom):
This is very handy if you can't find the base. Simply press a button on the base unit and the handset starts ringing. Or, if the base unit is also a speakerphone, you can page the handset and talk to the person who has it.

Programmable ringers on handset and base:
This feature lets you choose among various ringer options--loud, soft, long, short, pleasant, or shrill. Some phones provide separate options for the ringer and the base. In order to keep other people from using their handsets to contact your base unit, and thus dial out using your phone line, your base and handset identify each other by a code number. Many base units assign a randomly selected digital code to the handset every time you return it for recharging. Others have codes preset at the factory. The random method is better than preset because it lets you change the code number at will. The number of possible codes ranges from 65,536 to over 16.8 million. Of course, there is still a small possibility that a similar phone belonging to a neighbor might have the same code as yours.

Pulse/tone dialing:
For the few households and phone systems not set up to recognize dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) touch-tone sounds for dialing, nearly all phones still simulate the old-fashioned rotary dialing pulses. However, because automated telephone services require you to press touch-tone keys, most phones also allow you to temporarily generate touch-tone sounds even if you've set the phone up for pulse dialing.

Redial:
Redial calls the last number you called. The number of digits you can redial varies from phone to phone.

Ringer volume:
The ringer volume lets you set how loudly your phone rings; many phones allow you to turn the ringer off completely.

Spare Battery:
Many cordless phones come with an extra spare battery. If your phone doesn’t come with one, you might think about buying one!

Speakerphone:
Speakerphone lets you talk to someone or wait on hold without using the handset. This is very handy for meetings, conference calling, and long on-hold times. Most cordless speakerphone base units also function as an intercom, letting you talk to whoever has the handset. A few cordless handsets also have speakers (called monitors) that you can use for hands-free listening but not for talking.