Cordless landline phones - question

Charlton_King

Probably a naive question but can anyone help?

For a moment the other day I thought I'd lost the use of both upstairs extensions of our downstairs landline. Eventually I worked out the problem and they're both now back working - but it gave rise to a thought.

If ever the line serving them does break, I'd hate to think of the shenanigans involved in re-wiring through half a dozen walls and floors to get it all back in working order.

Would replacing the handsets with cordless phones or something like them be the simpler solution? Can cordless phones operate in that way?

psychic_teabag

Yes. You'd plug the base unit into the master phone socket downstairs. (Or any working socket.) Then the handsets communicate with the base station by radio.

You do of course need a power outlet near the phone socket. (My neighbours frequently complain that they can't go cordless because of that.)

One other minor thing - I believe that my cordless phones were interacting with wifi when router and phone base were close together (inevitable when they are plugged into same phone socket). Behaved better when phone base was relocated to an extension.

Charlton_King

psychic_teabag wrote: »

Yes. You'd plug the base unit into the master phone socket downstairs. (Or any working socket.) Then the handsets communicate with the base station by radio.

You do of course need a power outlet near the phone socket. (My neighbours frequently complain that they can't go cordless because of that.)

One other minor thing - I believe that my cordless phones were interacting with wifi when router and phone base were close together (inevitable when they are plugged into same phone socket). Behaved better when phone base was relocated to an extension.

My highlights. Thanks for that... I believe I'd be having precisely the same problem. Was it a serious matter?

agrinnall

It'll work, but I recommend also having a phone available that will still work even if the power is off (which your cordless ones won't).

kwikbreaks

Any interference is going to be very much down to being very close because they operate on entirely different frequencies. My cordless phone base is within 4 feet of my router and I get no problems whatsoever.

Chrishazle

We have 5 cordless phones scattered around the house and my workshop, all work well. Base station has my router right next to it, have not had problems. However, as stated above, if you have a power cut the cordless phones don't work, so I also have an old corded phone plugged into the master socket as back-up - in a power cut you can't recharge your mobile either, but the corded phone will work.

Biggus_Dickus

OP,
I've had a set of 4 Panasonic cordless phones since Jan’13 and they all still function perfectly,...the handsets even have the original AAA rechargeable batteries and the ‘talk-time’ is still amazing. My set is very similar to this.

The ‘base station’ must to be plugged into a mains socket at all times, otherwise none of the handsets will work. The ‘base station’ also needs to be connected at all times to your BT phone line,...it will work if it is connected to your BT master phone socket or connected to an extension phone socket in your bedroom for example, (as mine is).

Each of the other handsets comes with its own cradle, which needs a mains power socket. All the wireless communication (i.e. phone calls) is between the handsets and the ‘base station’;...the cradles are merely battery chargers and play no part in the communication process.

The signal quality has never been less than perfect; no hiss/crackle/fade etc,...it’s always loud, crystal clear and the range is very good. I can use a handset when I’m in my back garden, shed, garage etc with no degradation in signal quality.

However, I can’t comment on the ‘potential??’ problems with broadband interference because I use Virgin fibre broadband which is totally separate from my BT phone socket.

I agree with previous posters that it’s a good idea to keep an old corded phone as an emergency back-up in the event of a lengthy mains power failure.

The above is purely my own personal opinions based on 6 years usage;...however, reading some Amazon reviews it appears that cordless phones don’t suit everyone’s home.

Hope this helps.

LHW99

We have been using a panasonic set for around 6 years too. I would comment that - if you have thick walls beware. We tried a new BT set recently, that were advertised as "long range" and they wouldn't even work with one phone upstairs directly above the main base station. We have a wireless extender (for the panasonics), but it is a pain to get set up if it loses contact for some reason, and is only barely enough to get a signal to our outbuilding.

Charlton_King

Thanks to all who replied. At the moment the wiring is fine and we're power-cut proof. I was just thinking about what to do in the future if the cable leading upstairs ever gets into trouble. I think you've been kind enough to give me some pointers.

J_B

LHW99 wrote: »

We have been using a panasonic set for around 6 years too.

Pah!


Ours are mostly 12 years old ... :rotfl: