This phone is remarkable. If you call someone who has one, and if your number is programmed into it, the phone will answer in handsfree mode so you can talk to the person you are calling even if they are unable to come to, or operate, their phone.
David Robson MD of Burnside Telecom, which has just launched it, said that when he asked all sorts of people ‘in the know’ in the telecoms industry, in the RNIB, Ricability, etc. he was surprised to find that know one knew of a phone with this function – so they added it to their existing desktop wireless phone (the same one that is in use in the offices of – but not sold by – duh! – Sainsbury’s and Tesco supermarkets).
Care homes (in the UK, at least) should be queuing up to get their hands on these wireless phones to provide to their residents to help them avoid the horrendous cost of installing/relocating/reconnecting landlines in their rooms. When residents change, pop in a new SIM and away they go!
Read more in the Burnside Telecoms press release.
Remarkable new phone
It is worth noting that the auto answer feature, the ability for the phone to automatically answer a call from a pre programmed telephone number, has been a feature available in the Lifeline Connect+ home unit since its launch in November 2007.
The feature supports monitoring centres to remotely programme units without needing to disturb the user. However it can also be used in the same way as described in the article where a user cannot get to or use their phone.