Snom Brings VoIP DECT Phone To U.S.
German VoIP telephone maker Snom on Monday released its latest IP DECT handset in North America, joining a handful of other device makers and telecommunications companies bringing the phones based on the wireless standard to America. DECT, short for digital enhanced cordless telecommunications, has been widely used in Europe, but has yet to take firm hold stateside as an alternative to IP voice over Wi-Fi. Snom joins the ranks of others like Polycom, Nortel, Avaya and Aastra that have brought DECT-based devices to North America.
Snom’s latest DECT handset, the M3, is now shipping in North America through Snom channel partners and distributors. The handset, designed for home offices, SMBs and enterprises, is designed for on-site mobile workers in industries like retail, manufacturing and health care. DECT technology can be deployed as a multi-cell solution for handover between access points. It differs from Wi-Fi in that
it’s designed specifically for voice, where Wi-Fi is designed primarily for data. Voice over Wi-Fi requires software applications for inter-cell handover and offers minimal power management which can result in lower talk and standby times. DECT, however, has native support for inter-cell handover and power management; offers a larger range than a typically Wi-Fi access point; and uses the 1.9 GHz frequency, cutting down on the interference of Voice over Wi-Fi, which uses the crowded 2.4 GHz frequency.
According to Mike Storella, director of business development for Snom North America, the M3 features a 128 by 128 pixel backlit display with more than 65,000 colors. The lithium ion battery pack offers 10 hours of talk or 100 hours of standby and the device has a range of 164 feet indoors and 328 feet outdoors. The M3 also offers 12 numerical keys, five navigation keys and two function keys; speakerphone on the mobile handset; automatic handset registration; and a separate charging cradle for the handset.
Original post by Dal
