Cordless IP phones are still a bit of a novelty, despite the firm foothold that VoIP has achieved in both the consumer and business worlds. Berlin-based snom Technology AG yesterday announced the m3, a high-design, high-audio-quality cordless handset that uses DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) wireless technology.
DECT provides clear transmission over a range of 50 meters indoors, and up to 100 meters outdoors—a substantial performance improvement over other cordless technologies currently in use.
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The m3 is equally suited, the company says, for home, SMB, and enterprise use. While cordless phones are not common in a traditional business setting (“handsets get lost,” etc.), that’s changing in today’s increasingly mobile business environment. “With the new snom m3, we will be able to provide all VoIP users with the latest in mobility and design, without having to forgo premium audio quality,” said snom CFO and sales/marketing chief Michael Knieling.
Indeed many business-oriented features have been built into the m3.
- multiline capability
- system expandability—up to eight handsets per line/base station
- up to three simultaneous calls per line/base station
- call forwarding
- call transfer
- three-way conference calling
- hold music
The m3—which was styled by highly touted designer Sebastian Stroschein, famous for phone-related designs for German luxury cars—has a 128 by 128 pixel backlit full color screen. Its Li-Ion batteries support 10 hours talk time, 100 hours of standby. The phone has a 100-entry onboard phone book, speed dialing, and a programmable menu that “is easily configurable to meet each user’s needs and allows the option to configure remotely.”
The m3 will be on display at several upcoming VoIP tradeshows: AstriCom (going on now until Sept. 28, in Carefree Arizona), VON Europe Autumn, Sept. 25 – 27 in Rome, and VON Fall in Boston, Oct. 30 – Nov. 1. It will begin shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
