This new landline handset from BT claims to be the gee-whizz of home phones. Offering not only the usual abilities to call, record messages, etc, but also to surf the web, block nuisance calls and download and use apps on an Android style unit.
Having ordered online, the delivery was prompt and secure – having the choice of either standard 3 day delivery, or express next day, I chose the standard. My parcel arrived within 2 days packaged well to ensure no potential breakages.
On opening the box, there seemed to be a few unknown items in there – but don’t despair – they are all needed! Of course, there is the handset, with the stand, all the cables needed to set up straight away, and a strange black square! I must say I didn’t actually read the instructions due to my childish overexcitement at this point, so was incredibly confused!
It turns out; this “extra” part is actually a separate base unit for the phone. It enables you to plug your handset charging point wherever you’d like as opposed to using the nearest phone socket . What a bonus, my phone socket is tucked away in a corner, in the most difficult point possible, and so I can now charge the handset in the kitchen without worrying I’m not receiving any calls!
Having plugged in everything and charged the phone for an hour or so, I couldn’t wait any longer. Turning it on, it immediately displays a very handy first time start up process – it is a full step by step guide, helping you to connect to your Wi-Fi, input any telephone numbers you wish to save and ensuring the time and date are correct. And away you go!
The display actually looks more like a mobile phone than a typical landline handset. There are only three buttons – the rest of the large screen is touch-screen, with icons showing what you can do. For example, social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter are already downloaded for you, there is the ability to access emails, your BT account should you have one, a full phone book, music player, radio, alarm clock and even…wait for it… a camera. That’s right – there is a front facing camera… on a landline handset. Now my son and his friends can sit taking “selfies” to their hearts content without pinching my mobile phone!
Accessing everything is relatively easy, provided you are open to the idea of technology. It may be more difficult for those with restricted or limited motor skills in their hands and fingers as the icons aren’t that big and sometimes it’s easy to miss-dial a number (caused a few blushes on my part while I waffle on to someone who has no idea who I am!). The voicemail capability on it is great – as long as you can work out how to record your own message first, and even then, your messages appear as a voice recording, which is a little odd having been used to voicemails being a “message” rather than a “voice note”.
For the more technologically minded, the apps are okay. They’re nothing special and you do have to remember that the BT Home Smartphone S is a home phone and not an iPhone or an Android mobile. Downloading apps is a slower process. The camera isn’t brilliant – it does the job, but it’s not something with which you would want to record your precious memories.
It also doesn’t have an intercom feature, so if you had more than one handset in the house and like me on a regular basis, you forget where one is or a small child or pet moves the handset to an unknown “safe place” you are not able to use one handset to call another like a lot of other phones can. This is quite irritating having been used to that facility for so long with previous handsets.
However, with the base station of the phone being completely separate to the charging units, you can easily add and take away charging units and handsets as and when you’d like. You are able to add up to 4 charging units to one base point, and up to 6 different handsets.
The sound quality of the handset is good. There are various levels of sound both as a standard phone, and using the hands free setting, making it easier to hear your caller no matter the level of noise around you.
The option to ban nuisance callers is also brilliant. To be able to stop those irritating PPI calls or salesmen selling anything they can to anyone is a huge advantage. I can now sit down in the evenings, relax and know that if the phone rings, the likelihood is that the person on the other end of the line will be someone I actually want to speak to!
For me, this phone is fantastic. I get on well with technology and find it easy to pick up. The instruction manual is fine. It’s not always totally clear how to do things, but BT have provided a Technical support team which is available from the BT Helpdesk on Freephone 0808 100 9889 or online at www.bt.com/producthelp. The price tag of £169.99 is a little steep for a landline phone, but if you want something snazzy, with all the gadgets on it, it’s definitely one to consider.
Theresa Fisher
