h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The thing that really annoys me is that, at the office, I have a really good (digital) phone with an array of speed dialling buttons (not involving any sort of shift key or such nonsense), perfect handsfree operation (a really good speaker and clear microphone) and a headset facility.

I simply cannot get anything like this for the office at home. Money isn't an object per se, there just doesn't seem to be anything that really works. In particular, most home phones have inadequate speakers and their microphones are hardly worth having (if, indeed, they actually have one separate from the handset). There are one or two DECT phones which come close, but I already have an outstanding B&O DECT phone and don't want to replace it.

It just winds me up!

Assumning you have a computer, a US Robotics 56k Proffesional Modem may be what you need. It will do all the things you describe in addition will recieve voice messages and faxes, even when the computer is turned off.

The speaker and mic are excellant. Once it is set up, all you need the computer for is to read your faxes and use the dialer for dialing numbers as well as sending faxes.

Just one drawback though, the supplied fax software will not work with Windows XP. Recieving is fine, sending is not possible. Windows fax works fine. No problems with windows 98.

Stuart

You can now get high spec 'office style phones for the home office.

There are 3 options here:

1) You can have an IP phone connected through your broadband to the office phone (it will have an inbound number which connects through your office) £1k + DEpending on number of users. You can even be based abroad from the office system.

2) You can have a 'hosted solution' eg a business ip (short for VOIP voice over IP) phone where your 'Telephone system' is hosted in a remote server by a hosted provider. You pay the provider line rental and sometimes features pricing, eg voicemail, auto attendant, and call recording c£20-£40 per month.

3) you can have a "system" at home such as an Avaya Quick edition. this has all the feartures of a system built into a handset, and extra handsets can be connected to increase your system. phones start at £250. you also get voicemail, screen popping to you computer database (eg big system features from Avaya business systems. www.telephonesystemlondon.co.uk or Smartinfosystems.co.uk.

Hope this helps