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DECTnews Archive - 4Q01

Telrad launch DECT Cordless Phone
The Telrad Tenecs group have released the Avanti Companion 3400 cordless handset. This DECT device is designed to provide freedom to talk around the enterprise.  

Israel Ronn, CEO of Telrad Tenecs group, said: “ the Avanti Companion 3400 cordless handset brings digital quality and high value to the cordless handset market. Its full integration with the Unite family enables Telrad Tenecs to offer the Avanti Companion 3400 cordless handset for new installations as well as upgrading installed systems. Avanti Companion 3400 cordless handset elevates the Unite family to a new level, where a digital telephone system is complemented by straight forward, easy to use cordless handset solution that enables Telrad Tenecs to offer a new set of solutions to our customers.”

The Avanti Companion 3400 cordless handset is available across Europe from November 2001. The same cordless handset with the same features, transmitting in 2.4GHz license free frequency and complying with FCC regulations, will be available in the USA shortly. The handset and base station, with built in power supply come with vibrating NiCd battery and can be purchased through Telrad Tenecs dealers.

For details see the original press release.

MNC introduces new DECT-based Internet Modem/Fax Product
The French company Multimedia Network Computer has announced the imminent launch of its WIMO product  a DECT based wireless modem.   For more info...

UK consults on opening up DECT spectrum - Threat or Opportunity ?
The UK spectrum regulator, the Radiocommunications Agency, is seeking views on opening up the DECT and other licence exempt bands for the provision of unregulated public telecoms.  At present the 1.88-1.9 GHz band is reserved exclusively for DECT but the Agency appears open to considering a range of possible new scenarios, including ones which could be good or bad for DECT.

One of the driving forces for the consultation is the desire to allow wider use of wireless to provide wireless Internet access.  Given DECT's inherent strengths in this context such a development could open up major new market opportunities for DECT manufacturers, who could roll out DPRS based products to ISPs and domestic consumers, to provide high rate web access.

On the potential downside, talk of moving to a technology-neutral approach is fine, as long as other technologies do not cause interference to established services.  DECT is actually extremely robust, with its dynamic free channel search capability, but overall system capacity would be reduced if spectrum were shared with other technologies, as was demonstrated in the Hong Kong DECT/PHS co-existence trials a few years ago.

Let the UK regulator know what you think on this important issue...you can find the consultation document on their website

Binatone launch Micro DECT telephone at entry level price
Binatone, has designed and launched the world's first Micro Dect cordless telephone at an entry level price point. 

Following extensive research into consumer demands, Binatone has created a specially designed, completely new range of Micro Dect cordless concepts. For this price category they are the smallest, just 12 cm (4.75") yet are still packed with the latest technological features. The new range comes in various configurations along with many expansion options and has so far been introduced to the UK and German markets only. Due to the instant success of the products in these two markets, Binatone was unable to supply other markets. Capacity has now been increased to meet the overwhelming demand and hence, these products are now available for sale in other countries too, from December 2001. 

For further information please contact Binatone Hong Kong. Binatone's Group Sales and Marketing Director, Dino Lalvani from their Hong Kong Head Office said, "The first step was to make Dect more affordable. The second, was to make them exciting. Landline phones have moved into their next phase and we expect to be launching next year even greater facilities and services then ever before."

Inventel launch DECT phone with SMS, and DECT stack for SMS
Inventel has launched on the market a DECT phone with the capability to send and receive SMS over the PSTN - some view the SMS feature as soon being mandatory on all high end models.  SMS DECT phones offer a route to new revenue generation for the Telcos and creates added value for service providers. The 

The Inventel SMS DECT protocol stack is also available separately. It is compatible with the Philips ABC-Pro DECT chipset. The stack is compatible with both ETSI standards. 

Details of Inventel's products may be found on the Protocol Stack Page

$20 BoM DECT Phones 
The cost of DECT phones continues to fall apace.  Inventel have announced that a BOM (Bill of Materials)  below $US20 is now possible using the Philips ABC-XS baseband processor and its DECT stack, now available to third party customers. This stack supports a product with 7-segment display, multiple handsets, caller ID, paging, call transfer and intercom. 

Details of Inventel's products may be found on the Protocol Stack Page

Wireless Conferencing with Multichannel DECT Module 
New applications are now running on the smallest DECT module available in the world, the Inventel’s MDG701 DECT module.   The module can now handle 3 voice channel simultaneously. This is unique in the industry,  cost-effectively enabling applications like conference systems and multi user intercom.

Details of the MDG701 DECT module are on the Modules for DECT, RF and OEM page.

DECT Wireless Phone Link
To be known as the Airplug, another new product from Inventel is a DECT wireless telephone socket. The Airplug allows the use of different telephone terminals in places where it is impossible to route a normal wired  phone socket.   Airplug is intended for consumers and professionals.  It can be used with DECT PBX or private DECT phone with fax, payment terminals, set top box, answering machines or low speed modems. It is GAP compatible. At present, Inventel is looking for distributors.  

If you are an interested Distributor and can help, please contact them.

Kirk Telecom present distributor for the UK
KIRK telecom A/S and Icon plc signed an agreement concerning the distribution of KIRK products in the UK. KIRK telecom A/S, is a Danish company, a leading manufacturer of wireless telecommunications solutions based on DECT.

”We have been searching for the right UK distributor for quite some time” explains Lars Kersting, Export Manager of KIRK telecom. ”We are very strong within telecommunications and it has been important for us to find a partner with experience from the PC business. We believe that KIRK and icon make a perfect match in order to be able to penetrate the UK market with our present product portfolio and with future convergent telecommunication and IT solutions.”  

For more details go to the press release.

Details about Icon will be added shortly to DECTweb.

Arkon Technologies announces 2002 DECT turn-key reference designs
Arkon Technologies Inc. has announced its 2002 DECT and WDCT digital cordless turn-key reference design platforms for the European and North American markets.  These new reference designs have been engineered with a primary objective of a low bill of material cost,  to enable licensing partners to aggressively enter new markets and increase market share in established markets.

The 2002 product line will comprise of an entry level VS (value) series, a mid range GS (grande) series and a high end EX (executive) series.  Ranging from single and dual handset systems for a new entry level segment in the DECT market, to high end systems with ultra slim and smart designs, the complete product line is designed to cover the full range of any product deployment.  Newly developed technology highlights behind the product development includes a Non-GAP protocol, Short Messaging Service (SMS,) voice activated dialing and more.

“The 2002 DECT product line is the most exciting and comprehensive product line Arkon has ever created,” according to Brian Ho, Vice President of Business Development.  “We are achieving record breaking development cycle times that will enable our licensing partners to enjoy the benefits ultimately.”

For details more details see Arkon's original press release.

RTX Telecom signs agreement with LitePoint Corporation to promote in US
RTX Telecom has signed a representation agreement with LitePoint Corporation to promote the services and technologies of RTX Telecom in the United States. Wireless Partnerships, a LitePoint division, will be promoting RTX Telecom's development solutions in the US market within the areas of Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, DECT and CDMA, as well as other emerging wireless technologies.

Go to the RTX press release.

Ascom launch Intrinsically Safe Basestation
Intrinsically safe DECT handsets have been round a while, but there's not so many basestations to match !  Thus the launch of Ascom's intrinsically safe BS340 EX basestation should find some takers amongst the hazardous industry sector.

Check out their system on our Intrinsically Safe Products Page

SYSTEMES G upgrades to provide Portable DECT Monitoring
Till now, SYSTEMES G has provided the DECT community with DECT monitoring systems which are particularly useful to help pinpoint complex protocol problems, offering a capability of  listening to all the bearers of a DECT system simultaneously.   On user request, the RP’SIM-dect unit has been modified to be easily fitted in a car for on the field checks -  system can be battery operated and driven by a portable PC.  

Check out their products on the Test Equipment Page

Siemens release Gigaset 200
The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (IC Mobile) revealed the Gigaset 200. This DECT device is designed to provide value and freedom to talk around the home. The Gigaset 200 has the highest talktime and standby time in its class.

The phone has a 30 meters range from the base station indoors and 200 meters outdoors. It uses CLIP (Caller Line Identification Presentation – depending on country and network) lets users know who is calling and the alphanumeric display consists of 12 characters and one line for pictograms. It has a multilingual menu in 14 languages It has a eight-day standby time with up to 15 hours talktime.

Christoph Caselitz, President Cordless Products within the Information and Communication Mobile Group, said: “The Gigaset 200 brings digital quality and smart value to the budget oriented cordless phone market. Building on the success of its predecessor, the Gigaset 100, the new Gigaset 200 takes mass market DECT technology to a new level, where clear design is complemented by style and straight-forward, easy to use functionality.”

The Gigaset 200 is available across Europe from September 2001. The price is available locally. The Price range is similar to its predecessor the Gigaset 100. The midnight-blue colored handset and base station (with plug-in power supply) come with two rechargeable NiCd batteries (AA) and can be purchased through Siemens Gigaset range retailers or online from www.my-siemens.com.

Go to details on the Gigaset 200.

Go to the Siemens press release.


Multitone bullish for DECT
Traditional wisdom says that the introduction of new technologies (such as Bluetooth) inevitably means the demise of others, however this does not seem to apply in the case of DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony).

Multitone's Marketing Director Ron Wray is ebullient about the future of the technology. He says, "In the time that DECT has been available, we have only scratched the surface in terms of what it can do."

Nor is Wray worried by the impending development of Bluetooth to the market. He says, "Bluetooth is essentially a consumer item and does not therefore threaten DECT in the business market sector. In addition, because DECT is not network-specific, it offers businesses a way to incorporate legacy systems such as paging and other forms of messaging into future proof solutions".

To check out Multitone click here.


Bluetoothweb gathers Pace 
Since its launch 2 months ago it seems Bluetoothweb is gathering pace. The site design has been based upon its older brother DECTweb, with some improvements which will be migrating to our own site soon.  At the beginning of November the first issue of Bluetoothnews was sent out to the growing subscriber base. 

The past month has seen a number of additions to the site, including a company directory, and many new companies and products added.  If your company is into Bluetooth as well as DECT, now is the time to make sure your company gets added to Bluetoothweb, this can be done by e-mailing Bluetoothweb.

To check out Bluetoothweb go to www.bluetoothweb.org. 

DECT quietly and confidently developing to compete with Bluetooth & 802.11b
This article has been compiled from several others which have appeared on the Internet over the last few weeks. It appears that the industry pundits are finally waking up to some of the things that we've been saying here on DECTweb for the past two years...

The ETSI standards group is working to increase DECT's 2Mbit/s bandwidth to 20Mbit/s, above the 11Mbit/s of 802.11b and 721kbit/s of Bluetooth. This, combined with a much longer range, a clearer radio frequency spectrum and low-cost components, could make broadband DECT a powerful, reliable and low-cost technology for local and wide area wireless networks.

Bill Pechey of consultancy firm Computancy said DECT is superior to 802.11b and Bluetooth in many respects, but its success will depend on hardware manufacturers adopting it. "If it were just down to standards it would be a one-horse race. DECT is a complete solution that does everything that 802.11b and Bluetooth do," he said.

Over the years, DECT has quietly developed into a complete wireless telecommunications system with a wide range of data capabilities. The voice capabilities are enhanced for use with PBXs and include roaming between access points  'fixed parts' in DECT parlance.

DECT may also be used to provide Wireless Local Loop (WLL) services and ranges of up to 17 kilometres are possible with special antennae. This capability is reflected in the fact that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has accepted DECT as one of the five technologies for accessing 3G networks. However, the work on data capabilities is driving DECT into the areas where 802.11b and Bluetooth are strong.

Let's take a look at the problem areas of Bluetooth and 802.11b, and see how DECT measures up. The 802.11b standard has suffered from criticisms of the strength of its security systems. DECT uses a scheme very similar to that used by GSM, which has never been seriously compromised. Bluetooth has no workable mechanism at present for hand-over between access points. DECT has had a tried and tested scheme for many years.

Many people are worried about interference in the 2.4GHz band that is shared between 802.11b, Bluetooth, microwave ovens and many other systems. DECT operates at 1.9GHz, in a band allocated solely for its use. The only interference is from other DECT systems and DECT has the ability to swap channels to avoid such interference, although there could still be problems in areas of high traffic.

While it is one thing for a standard to have the right capabilities, it is quite another to make that standard a success in the market. The semiconductor industry has a lot of experience with making low-cost low-power DECT chips and many of the current Bluetooth designs can be traced back to technology developed for DECT. As a consequence, technology problems are unlikely to be a barrier to success.

There are now hundreds of companies working on Bluetooth designs and, perhaps, dozens working on 802.11b. This represents a considerable momentum and those companies are not likely to change direction. The traditional DECT manufacturers may seize the opportunity to compete by taking advantage of DECT's strong points and there could well be some confusion.

In the end, I expect that DECT, Bluetooth and 802.11b will find their own riches but there are bound to be areas of overlap. 

Pace demo DECT and 802.11b Home Gateway at IBC2001
Pace Micro Technology used the occasion of the recent International Broadcasting Convention, IBC2001, September 14-18th, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to demonstrate their Home Gateway product incorporating both DECT and 802.11 wireless networking technologies.  Pace used the event to demonstrate how its 802.11b and DECT-enabled Gateway Expanders provide wireless connectivity from the home gateway to multiple electronic devices in the home - PCs, telephone handsets and hand-held devices. Pace has the capability to integrate both 802.11b and DECT wireless standards into one Gateway Expander, enabling simultaneous communication with the widest range of devices.

For more details see their Press Release 

Earlier news may be found in the DECTnews archive