Professional KIRK DECT versus consumer grade DECT

Polycom KIRK handsets are tested for use in the workplace against independent third party tests and are thus extremely durable unlike consumer-grade phone designs.

The difference

The differences between a typical consumer grade (high street) DECT telephone and a professional KIRK DECT solution are described in the table below.

	Professional KIRK DECT		High steet DECT (typical performance)
No of handsets	Scalable to 1500 (Depending on system)		Max 5 (typical)
Simultaneous calls	Scalable to 1500 (Depending on system)		One (max)
Talk time	20 Hours		10 Hours
Stand by time	200 Hours		100 Hours
Coverage/Range	Coverage customised for the site		Limited
Robustness	Handsets built for constant use in the work place.		Handsets built for occasional use in the home
Reliability	Built and tested to industrial usage  standards of reliability		Reliability suited for home use
Choice	Handset designs range from styles suited for office handsets to those for hazardous environments		Handset styles designed for home use
Stability	Specified for the work place to provide a stable quality of service		Multiple base stations can interfere and cause system instability
Functionality	Adds optional functionality		Can not add functionality
Integration with PBX	Analogue, ISDN, IP interface options		Analogue
Compatibility with VoIP	Can be installed on compatible VoIP telephone systems and offers an alternative to using voice over Wi-Fi		Not compatible

Case study

Guy Salmon Land Rover in Leeds had a problem – they had a domestic DECT system which was not up to the job. They needed a professional solution – so they chose KIRK.  Read more

Choosing a DECT solution - the issues

When an organisation wants to provide workplace mobility for an employee a high street DECT telephone is often the first option it considers.  It will typically;

• Overlook the opportunity to increase productivity which a DECT system can provide
• Accept the coverage provided by a high street DECT solution as the best which can be achieved. 
• Plan to use multiple systems to provide mobility for several employees

The issues of productivity, coverage and stability are often not considered until after the high street DECT solution has been installed.  It is then that the experience of using the high street DECT equipment highlights its limitations and it becomes apparent that;

Interference between multiple DECT systems can create service problems These service problems can impair productivity rather than increase it The coverage does not extend into the key work areas In contrast a professional KIRK DECT solution provides a stable quality of service, the potential for greater productivity, and will be specified to provide a coverage which matches exactly that required. KIRK DECT solutions are scalable add-on solutions which are customised to the individual customer.  Moreover, a KIRK solution will be professionally specified and installed and can be used to deliver more than simple handset functionality.

KIRK 5020 handset

Adding functionality with a KIRK solution

A professional KIRK DECT system can deliver more than handset functionality for voice calls. It can;

• Integrate with alarm systems to automatically warn of activation of fire, entry, or machinery alarms
• Be used as a lone worker solution to provide notification to a central desk of an employee in trouble or other emergency event
• Be used as a site paging system
• Provide an inter-company text service

Professionally specified and installed

A KIRK DECT system will be specified and planned for the customer’s workplace.  A survey of signal strength and usage is the key to the design of the solution which will provide a high quality of service in doors and out and is able to handle the expected number of simultaneous calls.