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Dual Mode DECT Phones There has been considerable interest in the concept of dual mode GSM/DECT phones. Such phones allow the user to use the wide-area GSM cellular network whilst out of the office or away from home, whilst also using the same handset at home or via the office PABX when in range of a DECT basestation - "one phone anywhere". Extensive trials of dual mode systems have been undertaken by the Swedish operator, Telia. Other operators who have demonstrated and trialled dual mode have included some of the new German telecom operators, as well as Swisscom, and Telstra in Australia. In the UK, since the announcement in 1997, BT has been undertaking its 'Onephone' trial in the London area. More information on Onephone has now been made available on the web - see BT's Onephone site - see also our June '99 feature article on this topic. Trials are also anticipated during 1999 in Germany and Switzerland, with commercial interest also in the Netherlands. At present there is little available in the way of commercial dual mode telephone products, other than the product from Ericsson. Some believe that DECT/GSM dual mode phones will be an important niche market in the coming years, but differ as to when the market will take off; others see the possibility of in-building GSM as sounding the death-knell of such products - however, these too have been slow in coming. Given the size and continuing growth of in-building DECT business systems, and the interest of major players such as BT, it may be too early to discount dual mode .... Ascom TH688 GSM/DECT Dual Mode Phone is a phone that offers the freedom of a GSM mobile system but with the cost savings of a DECT cordless phone. Ericsson TH688 - no longer available at Ericsson but still available through Ascom. (see above) Sagem
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