Even though cordless telephones made their public debut in 1980, their design precedes that date by more than a decade. During the early 1960s, an inventor named George Sweigert was working on a model that would eventually lead to a patent. In World War II, he had served as a radio operator in the South Pacific. During his tour of duty, Sweigert created a system for radio signal transmission that would dramatically improve communications in the field. After the war, he further developed the technology. In 1966, he submitted his design to the U.S. Patent Office, which granted him a patent in 1969.

Sweigert’s early model was built upon a full duplex wireless concept that leveraged two-way radio signal transmissions. It would eventually lead to the introduction of the cordless phone.

In this article, we’ll describe the introduction of cordless telephones and the early limitations which plagued them. We’ll also take a look at how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) solved the original problems. Lastly, we’ll briefly explain the emergence of a new cordless technology called Digital Spread Spectrum.

Early Adopters And Limited Functionality

One of the first cordless models was the Carterphone. It was simplistic, but served as the front-runner for the industry. By the early 1980s, major electronics companies such as Sony began mass production of a better design. Unfortunately, these early models could only function at the 27 MHz frequency.

The low frequency was incredibly limited; signal clarity was poor, especially if a person was surrounded by other electronics. Another problem at the 27 MHz band was a lack of privacy. It was relatively easy for others with cordless phones to eavesdrop on conversations due to there being few available channels.

The FCC Bumps The Frequency Band

The FCC recognized that market adoption of the technology was growing. In 1986, they set aside a higher band of frequencies for the phones: 47-49 MHz. While the higher range improved signal clarity and reduced the level of ambient interference, there were still problems. The clarity of the calls was far from perfect. Plus, telephone traffic across the band was quickly increasing, which created overcrowding. Soon, the 47-49 MHz frequency range was overwhelmed. In 1990, the FCC once again bumped the frequency band – this time to 900 MHz. Eight years later, it was moved up to 2.4 GHz.

The Rise Of Digital Spread Spectrum

The first digital cordless phones began to appear in 1995. They used the Digital Spread Spectrum to eliminate dead areas of transmission when sending signals between handsets and base units. The spectrum was less crowded and the signal transmission was far more secure from eavesdropping. Unfortunately, like most new technologies, the early models were expensive; few people could afford them. Eventually, prices declined and the consumer market began to replace their analog models with their digital counterpart.

Today, you can still purchase both analog and digital cordless phones to use with your residential landline service. As you might suspect, there are advantages and drawbacks to both, which you should weigh when choosing between the two technologies.

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Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: cordless phone, cordless telephone, digital phone, savvy shopper, purchasing a phone