DECT

DECT stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, a radio standard that operates in the 1880, 1900 MHz band and was designed to replace analog cordless phones with a secure, interference-resistant alternative. Unlike older cordless systems that used simple FM modulation on a single frequency pair, DECT uses Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to split a channel into twelve time slots per frame, allowing multiple handsets and base stations to coexist in the same space without stepping on each other. A DECT base station communicates with up to six handsets simultaneously, switching between them in millisecond bursts.

The standard emerged in Europe during the late 1980s and was formally ratified by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in 1992. It became the dominant cordless telephone technology across Europe, Asia, and Australia, though adoption in North America remained limited due to entrenched legacy systems and regulatory differences. DECT systems use frequency hopping within their allocated band to avoid interference and to provide inherent security against casual eavesdropping, a substantial improvement over analog cordless phones whose open-air transmissions could be monitored with basic equipment.

Within an office or industrial setting, a DECT deployment typically consists of multiple base stations (repeaters) networked together via Ethernet or dedicated cables, allowing handoffs as a user moves between coverage areas. The handset maintains registration with the system, and call routing is managed centrally, often integrated with a PBX or IP telephony platform. Modern DECT handsets operate at power levels between 100 mW and 250 mW and offer battery life of roughly 10 hours of talk time or 100 hours of standby.

DECT versus other wireless technologies

DECT differs fundamentally from mobile cellular systems: it is designed for short-range, in-building use (typical range 50, 300 meters depending on obstacles and power setting), not wide-area coverage. It also differs from WiFi-based VoIP in that DECT maintains a dedicated, low-latency link managed by the base station infrastructure rather than relying on shared data networks. Many industrial sites value DECT precisely for this determinism: call quality remains stable even when data networks are congested.

Reliability issues in DECT systems typically stem from inadequate base station density (leading to dropped calls), interference from microwave ovens or 2.4 GHz industrial equipment (though DECT operates in a higher band), or battery degradation in handsets. The technology remains viable for environments where employees need untethered communication but do not require mobility beyond a campus or facility. Its market has contracted in consumer segments as mobile phones became ubiquitous, but DECT persists in hospitals, warehouses, manufacturing plants, and large office complexes where dedicated infrastructure justifies the capital cost.