Corded Phones: Make the Most of Your Landline
It’s tempting to think of corded phones as relics of a bygone era, artifacts from a time when the Moonwalk was tearing up dance floors and the King of Pop owned a throne at the top of the charts. But just like that stash of killer 80’s albums you absolutely refuse to get rid of, corded telephones are as relevant as ever and just keep getting better with time. They’re reliable, offer crystal-clear sound, and usually come packed with features.
While it may not replace your smartphone, a corded phone is a great option for your home and an absolute must for any office or business. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, read on for a quick look at what to consider when shopping for a corded telephone.
Corded Phones vs. Cordless Phones
There’s no question, cordless phones are extremely convenient. You can walk-and-talk around your house or apartment, or gab on the phone while lounging in the sun on your patio or in your backyard.
But cordless phones can also be unreliable. Wander too far from the base unit and you might lose reception on the handheld. You also have to worry about the batteries running out, so you find yourself instantly returning the handheld to the base unit for charging anyways. Corded phones, by contrast, offer crystal-clear sound every time you make or receive a call, and will never run out of battery power.
If you want the best of both worlds – reliability and portability – you can always opt for a corded telephone that either comes with a cordless handset, or one that can be used in conjunction with compatible cordless handsets.
Features to Consider When Shopping for a Corded Telephone
When you’re shopping for a corded phone, consider how and where you’ll be using it. Is it for a business? Are you expecting to get lots of calls at once? Do you want to be able to quickly block telemarketers? Here’s a look at some of the main features to look for in a corded telephone:
Multiple Lines
If you need a corded phone for your home office or a small-to-medium sized business, you should consider a model with more than one line. This will allow you to field multiple calls simultaneously, or place callers on hold, without tying up your phone line.
Built-in Answering Machine
Back in the day, your answering machine took up as much space as your home phone (if not more). Plus, you’d have to rewind the cassette tapes every other day. Today, many corded phones come with built-in digital storage for recording messages from incoming callers.
Call or Message Forwarding
Not home? Out of the office or away from your desk? No big deal if you have a corded phone with call and message forwarding features. These phones can be programmed to push calls and messages directly to your smartphone, so you’re never out of the loop.
Caller ID
There’s nothing more frustrating than rushing to the phone only to discover it’s a telemarketer on the other end. Or, maybe you just want to avoid calls from a certain someone. With Caller ID, you can see who’s calling before you decide to pick up.