From single cell to multicell: Which system is the best fit for your cordless office?

8. December 2017 Published by Raphael Doerr

Whether your employees need to move around the office frequently or not, mobility at the workplace offers great benefits in terms of productivity and efficiency. For example, take the flexibility needed by employees in a warehouse, retail environment or large office. Thanks to cordless telephony, they are able to work at multiple locations in the building and still being reached without any difficulty. In addition, cordless business telephones often offer advanced features to fully support your business activities. Are you looking for a cordless telephone solution but don’t know where to start? We’ve listed some options to help you make the right choice of communication solution for your company.

Mobile or DECT?

More and more companies around the world rely on smartphones and mobile phone networks as their main business communication solution. It’s a great solution for promoting mobility, but certain problems still arise with mobile phone communication, such as coverage and voice quality. That’s why a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications solution (DECT) is worth considering instead. It provides coverage across the entire building or site, even in factories or warehouses with thick walls or steel constructions. In addition, you’re not dependent on your service provider for good voice quality, since your DECT base station provides the best signal coverage. DECT also enables you to connect handsets to both local telephony and Internet-based services, so you have access to all the features you need, such as the central phone books that are connected to your business, for instance. Finally, DECT handsets last longer than smartphones. The battery has a longer life and, if the rugged DECT handset is dropped by an employee, there will hardly be any damage.

Single cell for your SME

For using DECT, there are two options: single cell or multicell DECT solutions. A single cell solution is a local radio network for your cordless DECT handsets. It is often used for a home or small office, with no more than 4 to 6 handsets. The solution comprises a base station and several handsets; its coverage can be extended with repeaters. Because there’s no difference in functionality between a single cell or multicell solution, the biggest advantage of a single cell solution is its price: A single cell base station starts at around one hundred euros.

Multicell for growing companies

Does your company make intensive use of its communication solution? Do you work in a building where the range of a single cell system is insufficient due to the building’s size or construction? Or do you require a lot of handsets or make many simultaneous calls? In this case, you’ll be better off with a multicell DECT solution. With a multicell solution, you can create a local DECT cordless telephone network to make and receive calls; this network can include up to 100 handsets and 30 base stations. When employees move through the office, their DECT handset automatically connects to the base station with the best signal strength, to make sure they are always available. Multicell solution prices start at around five hundred euros, and the system is easy to upscale or downscale with base stations and handsets.

Fit for the future

At Gigaset pro, we’re working on expanding our multicell solution. That means you’ll be able to expand your system to include up to 250 handsets and 60 base stations. Are you looking for a more comprehensive solution? Then you’ll need to add a server to your multicell solution. It will allow you to connect multiple multicell systems to create one big system with up to 6,000 base stations and 20,000 handsets. The perfect solution if your company has multiple locations. When you combine a multicell solution with a Linux server, for example, employees can take their handsets to different locations where they will automatically connect to the available base station. So if you need more capacity for your company, a multicell system with a server is the ideal solution for you.

From single cell to multicell systems, with or without a server, with a DECT system you can be assured of a reliable, high-quality communication system for your employees – no matter where they are in your office.