Mobile phone that looks like a normal 'handset and rest' phone?

GustyGardenGalaxy

Is there such a thing as a mobile phone which looks like and physically operates like a 'normal' phone with a handset and rest?

I ask as my mother has a really simple big button mobile phone for emergency use only (such as when her landline dies a death, like at the moment) but she just cannot get to grips with a mobile. She gets confused by which buttons to press and when (specifically the red and green buttons) and often ends up turning off the phone inadvertently. Having arthritis in her hands doesn't help either.

However, I'm sure if she had a mobile phone that looked and operated like a normal 'handset and rest' phone she would be fine, ie she would pick up the phone to get a dialtone and then dial, and put it down to hang up. But is there such a thing?

prowla

I have seen an Alcatel mobile with large buttons.

esuhl

I don't think so. As far as I know there is no such thing as a dialling tone on mobiles.

But there are "OAP phones" that just allow you to make calls, have large buttons, and a couple of "memory" buttons that you can program to dial certain numbers.

Not sure if anything like this would help:

http://www.watchmywallet.co.uk/household-bills/mobile-phones/2012/july/reviewed-and-rated-top-5-big-button-mobile-phones/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Button-Elderly-Senior-Mobile-Phone/sim/B003PJCXOO/2

And I'm not entirely sure how this works, but these phones have a special button that you press to speak to an operator. You then tell the operator who you want to speak to, so there's no need to dial numbers at all:

http://www.fussfreephones.com/

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks very much for the suggestions, but my mother just cannot get on with anything that even looks like a mobile phone (and that includes cordless phones). The only type that she seems happy with is the standard 'handset and rest' type of phones. I'm hopeful that there is a mobile phone which at least looks like and operates like a normal handset and rest phone.

grumbler

There are plenty of phones for elderly people that can be used with a cradle, but I am not sure that they operate the way you want.

I can confirm that Doro phones certainly don't and do require pressing green/red buttons:


For some other models do your research:




P.S. also I've heard of some bluetooth devices (bluetooth gateway?) allowing to connect a normal landline phone to a mobile one:

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks. However, have now found this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Quadband-TelePhone-telephone-especially/dp/B0084D59TW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381316833&sr=8-1&keywords=gsm+desk+phone

Which seems just the job, but I can only find one review of it.

tyllwyd

I haven't seen a phone like that - and I can't see why they would be made, so I don't think you are going to have much luck. The whole idea of a mobile phone is that they are mobile and you carry them around with you, so the idea of having one that only works when you pick it up from a base doesn't make sense. If anything, phones are going the other way and most home phones are like landlines and have red & green buttons.

If its only for emergencies, would something like this be OK (although a bit expensive)
http://easiphone.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20_21_22_1&products_id=51&zenid=9b170b93a9488eb4e3c2a896ab80f652

grumbler

tyllwyd wrote: »

The whole idea of a mobile phone is that they are mobile and you carry them around with you, so the idea of having one that only works when you pick it up from a base doesn't make sense.

Really? Why is it necessary to press the green button when taking a mobile phone from the cradle to accept an incoming call?

Why is it necessary to press the red button before placing it back to the cradle to end the call?

GustyGardenGalaxy

tyllwyd wrote: »

I haven't seen a phone like that - and I can't see why they would be made, so I don't think you are going to have much luck. The whole idea of a mobile phone is that they are mobile and you carry them around with you, so the idea of having one that only works when you pick it up from a base doesn't make sense. If anything, phones are going the other way and most home phones are like landlines and have red & green buttons.

Okay, let's ditch the word 'mobile' and replace it with the American equivalent 'cell' - the idea being that for my mother's purposes she doesn't want it to be mobile, she just wants and easy to use backup cell phone for those times when her landline is down. Due to her difficulties using a normal handset style phone she needs a cell phone that operates like a normal handset and rest phone. This looks fine but I can't justify a purchase based on one review:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Quadband-TelePhone-telephone-especially/dp/B0084D59TW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381316833&sr=8-1&keywords=gsm+desk+phone

Cisco001

Consider a mic headset ?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moshi-Handset-Mobile-Phones-Computers/dp/B0046EDK3K/ref=pd_sim_ce_4

Or this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Home-Office-Desk-Telephone-Retro-Phone-with-Handset-for-iPhone-Android-/230828219985?pt=US_Audio_Docks_Mini_Speakers&hash=item35be6f1e51

esuhl

If your mother wants a standard desk phone that doesn't need to be portable... why not just get her a landline?

I've just seen this deal with Talk Talk which gives you 1000 minutes of calls to mobiles for £5 a month.

https://www.talktalk.co.uk/boosts/mobile-calls