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Gigaset introduces cloud-based services for landline telephones
13. February 2020 Published by Raphael DoerrThe new CL690A SCB has an Internet link to the Gigaset cloud, providing functionality previously reserved for smartphones. This includes access to the entries in the dastelefonbuch.de online directory, for example, or use of Smart Call Block, the first intelligent tool to protect against unwanted calls. Ralf Schweitzer, Senior Product Manager at Gigaset, gives an interview on the new opportunities in landline telephony.
Over 38 million households in Germany have a landline connection1, but fewer and fewer people actually have a phone connected to this line. So why should people still be opting for an IP landline phone?
Ralf Schweizer
Ralf Schweitzer: The stability and quality of calls made via landline phones is still unsurpassed. Modern IP telephony allows completely interference-free calls in HD quality. And, unlike mobile phones, reception is good no matter where you are in the home. What’s more, cordless phones also emit far less radiation: In standby mode, our ECO DECT handsets are even completely radiation-free.
Following its L800HX smart speaker, the first voice-controlled, hands-free telephone with Amazon Alexa integration, Gigaset is now launching another worldwide innovation. Its latest landline phone recognizes unwanted calls. What was the motivation behind its development?
Ralf Schweitzer: Landline users often find certain calls a real nuisance, whether it’s a utility company call center or an opinion research institute calling. They want to at least know what to expect when they see an unknown number on the display. We wanted to find a solution to the problem. We got together with tellows to develop Smart Call Block, the first cloud-based call protection service for landline phones. Depending on the rating for the number making the call, the phone either rings in the normal way, doesn’t ring at all, or the caller immediately hears an engaged signal.
How does the service work?
Ralf Schweitzer: The tellows online community rates unknown phone numbers every day according to specific criteria. It’s like a traffic light system: Calls are categorized as trustworthy, neutral, undesirable or dangerous. The new Gigaset CL690A SCB (or a Gigaset phone with GO-Box) has access via the Internet to the entries in the tellows database, which means it can show the stored information straightaway on the display. The members of the tellows community ensure that entries are kept up-to-date, and owners of Smart Call Block can also rate unknown calls via their handset.
Thanks to Smart Call Block, the call recipient knows what to expect even before they pick up the phone. How much does the service cost?
Ralf Schweitzer: For owners of the CL690A SCB, nothing at all to begin with. Every new CL690A SCB receives the service free of charge for the first 12 months. Once this period has expired, the Smart Call Block service costs €9.99 per year, the equivalent of a monthly fee of just 83 cents.
The integrated phonebook that comes with the CL690A SCB is completely free of charge – something else that’s also somewhat unusual for a landline phone.
Ralf Schweitzer: Being able to look up and immediately call a number is something we take for granted with a smartphone. And we see no reason why people should do without this convenience on a landline phone. That’s why we’re collaborating with Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH and offering access to all entries in the dastelefonbuch.de directory. Users can search for phone numbers by city, last name or address – simply via the handset. And when someone calls who’s listed in the directory, the CL690A SCB also shows the caller’s name, even when they’re not stored in the local address book. When the device is linked to the Gigaset cloud, the possibilities are virtually unlimited – such as free calls to other CL690A SCB’s and Gigaset GO phones anywhere in the world.
An Internet connection is required to use the online services of the Gigaset CL690A SCB. The device is connected to the Gigaset cloud via the Gigaset Smart Home app for Android and iOS. The Smart Call Block service is provided free of charge on the CL690A SCB for the first 12 months. Continued use after this period costs €9.99 per year. Moving forward, Gigaset also intends to make this service available for users of its GO products. The CL690A is available from September in the Gigaset online shop and at stores at the RRP of €89.99.
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