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From: lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Lemson)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: AT&T Cordless Phones, Security, Flexible Antennas
Message-ID: <16800@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 11 Feb 91 04:29:26 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 111, Message 5 of 12


Jim.Redelfs@iugate.unomaha.edu (Jim Redelfs) writes:

>On 30-JAN-91, Robert Savery wrote:

>> An AT&T phone is no "safer" than one of the el-cheepos.
>True ... but at least you'll SOUND better to the listeners!  :)

>[Moderator's Note: Maybe or maybe not. There was a sort of
>'Pepsi challenge'-like contest a few years ago where people recieved
>calls placed from various models of cordless phones including AT&T.
>All were placed under the same conditions; same distance from base,
>etc. They were to identify one model of cordless phone from another.
>Most of the people could not identify the specific phone being used
>and about half the people could perceive no difference in quality.
>Radios are radios are radios. There are too many variables involved to
>firmly place the blame or good points with any one model.   PAT]

Another problem with a challenge like this is that it tests the
transmission from the handset to the base only.  If I'm not mistaken
(and I'm sure people will be quite rapid to tell me if I'm not), the
base unit does a much better job receiving the handset than vice versa
due to its much better antenna.  Also, I believe that some models (or
was this just the earlier ones?) use the ground wire of the AC as an
antenna to pick up the handheld unit.

Whether or not this is technically true, I know from personal
experience with about five different types of cordless phones that
there is always much less static on the way from handset to base than
base to handset.  This once allowed me to receive a call next door,
pick it up, hear nothing by static on my end, and tell the caller to
hold on while I crossed over to my own house.  He reported no static
the whole time.


David Lemson    U of Illinois Computing Services Student Consultant
Internet : lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu   University of Illinois, Urbana