Big buttons, big sound - the RNID's review of corded phones

29/01/2009

 As most people age, progressive deterioration of both hearing and eyesight is quite common, which can be especially problematic when using a telephone - either at home or at work.  So, in conjunction with the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), we have reviewed the current products on the market that would be particularly suitable for people with mild to moderate losses in both hearing and sight.

 

Like it or not, phones are now a crucial part of our everyday lives - whenever landlines or mobile. Whilst corded phones may not be quite as popular these days as wireless ones, there are a number of current models that have ideal features for people who can’t hear or see as well as they used to. Additionally, many corded phones have amplified handsets and work well with hearing aids set on ‘T’. And if your eyesight has deteriorated, there are a number of ‘big button’ phones available with large controls and large labelling with strong colour contrast. For this product review we have decided to give loss of hearing and of eyesight equal importance - and consider other problems associated with a loss of manual dexterity or lack of familiarity with new products.

 

The tests

 

We put all the phones through a range of technical tests with RNID and RNIB experts. We then selected a "user panel" of people with moderate hearing and sight loss aged 70-plus for further feedback: 

some wore hearing aids and they all regularly used the phone.

 

Powertel 58 (£70)

 

A new phone with very high amplification, a sound equaliser (with five different tone patterns) and sockets for a headset and vibrating pad. There are also nine ringer melodies, spoken announcements, you can record your own ringtones, and a display with variable contrast and a phonebook feature.

 

User panel: Listening through the handset, this phone was the "best on test. The volume is extremely loud and speech very clear and natural, with or without hearing aids. The speakerphone was quite loud but sounded a bit muffled. Answering machine messages were satisfactory from the speakerphone and very loud and clear through the handset. The controls were a satisfactory size, but had poor colour contrast and labelling, making them difficult to read and use.  The ring tone was loud and the flashing light easy to see.

 

Verdict:  Good choice for hearing loss - but may be difficult to use 
with more than mild sight loss.

 

 

Doro HearPlus 317C - highly recommended (£80)

A new, high-end phone with very high amplification and many useful 
features, including adjustable headset and ringer tone, a large 
digital display, sockets for a headset and vibrating pad and speech 
amplification.

 

User panel: The volume is very loud and speech sounds very clear and 
natural, even at maximum setting. With hearing aids on ‘T’ this was 
the best phone on test – it sounds very loud and clear. The handset 
is quite large but the panel liked it. The number buttons are large, 
well separated and easy to operate. Our volunteers liked the memory 
buttons - but users with manual dexterity problems might find the 
slider controls tricky to adjust. The labelling is large and easy to 
read. It’s easy to identify an incoming call because the ringtone is 
loud and there is both an orange flashing light and bright strobe light.

 

Verdict: Very good performance - especially with hearing aids - lots 
of features and easy to use.

 

 

Geemarc Dallas - highly recommended (£10)

An easy to use, big button phone that is great value. Has three speed 
dial buttons, variable volume and amplified outgoing speech function.

 

User panel: The volume is loud, there is a good volume range and 
speech sounds very clear and easy to understand - both with and 
without hearing aids. The handset is quite small, but comfortable to 
hold and a good weight. The large number buttons, with clear 
labelling and good contrast, were popular with our panel. Users liked 
the simple operation of this phone and its uncluttered layout. The 
volume was quite easy to adjust, but it might be easy to knock by 
accident and the small controls on the side weren’t easy to see or 
operate. Good indication of an incoming call thanks to a loud ring 
tone and four bright, red flashing lights.

 

Verdict: A good, simple phone, popular with our users. Our good value 
choice.

 

 

 Mybelle 650 picture phone, £41

Has nine large speed dial buttons into which you can add your own 
pictures or labels. Features include very high amplification, headset 
socket, speakerphone, variable ring tone and an extremely loud ringer

 

User panel: Extremely loud maximum volume and a wide volume range. 
Some distortion at maximum but clear speech at middle volumes. The 
speakerphone was probably the best we have ever heard – very loud, 
crisp and clear-sounding. The handset is comfortable and users liked 
the picture speed dial buttons. The number buttons were a good size 
but let down by poor contrast and labelling. The volume and tone 
controls were easy to use. It’s difficult to miss an incoming call 
thanks to the extremely loud ringtone and bright, red flashing lights.

 

Verdict: Good performance, an excellent speakerphone and useful features

 

 

Doro PhoneEasy 311c.( £17)

A compact phone that has large number buttons, three speed dial 
buttons and is good value.

 

User panel: There is a good volume range - the maximum is loud and 
speech sounds very clear and natural. With hearing aids, the volume 
was okay but speech didn’t sound quite as clear. The handset is quite 
small, light and comfortable to use. The number buttons are large, 
easy to use and very clearly labelled. The triangular shaped volume 
controls are on the front but users thought they could be larger and 
better labelled. Additional controls were small and not very clearly 
labelled, but still okay to use. The ring tone was loud but the 
flashing light was small and not easy to see.

 

Verdict: Performs quite well and is easy to use - a good simple choice.

 

 

 

Buying advice

Basically all of the phones tested performed well. Which model you 
choose will depend on your requirements and how acute your hearing or 
sight loss is. All of these products, except the Doro PhoneEasy 
Record and Geemarc Dallas, are available from RNID’s online shop on 
www.rnid.org.uk/hearingsolutions , via mail order or by calling 01733 
232607.

 

 

 

Initial information supplied by Sarah Summerfield, Royal National 
Institute for the Deaf (RNID)