Re: Home intercom newbie question

["David Buckley" <db@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Calum Morrell <calum@d...> wrote:

I too am a fan of DECT (just three phones though!).

However, none of my DECT things qualify as an intercom.  Sure, I can
pick up a phone and call another phone, and someone nearby can pick
up a ringing phonme and answer it, but this not what I call an
intercomm.

An intercom I believe must do two things:

1) I use a thing (either a handset or a speakerphone thing) to call
another speaker equipped thing somewhere else, so the person
receiving the call isnt forced to press some button to answer the
call (providing a privacy or do not disturb feature isnt set).

2) Paging - one station mmust be able to page groups of or all
stations.

2.a) Paging to external devices, ie for shouting down the factory or
the garden.

Having said that, a DECT system offers a limited flavour of
intercomms with less cost.  My DECT, and no other DECT I've seen
can't do this.  Dedicated intercom systems can (see a James Bond
movie when Miss Moneypenny is distrubed from kissing James when the
boss's voice booms out).  But this means having both phones and
intercomms around the place, which looked good in the eighties when
the number of communication things on your desk was a supposed
symbol of position, but is tat around the home.

My old experience says the two good phone systems for home use are
the Meridian, and the Panasonic.  The Meridian is the "more
powerful" system, but the Panny is cheaper, can use ordinary phones,
faxes and modems directly, and has door comms and door opening,
which most models of Meridian dont.