Fixed line home phone users will be able to make free VoIP calls as well as ordinary landline calls with Panasonic's new range of Globarange cordless DECT and VoIP phones. Three new Panasonic Globarange dual VoIP and fixed line DECT phones were announced today. The Globarange phones are digital cordless phones that can be used to make regular fixed line calls or VoIP internet calls to any user, without the need for a PC.
Panasonic revealed its new Globarange models alongside a new VoIP service, joip , from deltathree that will be the exclusive VoIP provider for Globarange phones. Panasonic is aiming to create a global community of Globarange users, with the joip service enabling unlimited free VoIP calls to be made between all Globarange users around the world.
The three Globarange phones include a home office model, the BB-GT1540 with a numberpad equipped base station so calls can be made from the handset or with the base station's speakerphone. It has a 45-minute digital answerphone too. So does the BB-GT1520, a similar model but without the numberpad. The third model, the BB-GT1500 has a similar handset but doesn't have an answerphone or numberpad. All three DECT cordless phones have an indoor range of up to 50 metres.
The Globarange phone base stations connect to a normal fixed line phone socket in the same way as any cordless phone. The user also connects the phone to their broadband router. The phone is then ready to take or make fixed and VoIP calls in the same way, with no need for a PC. The phones will come with a unique joip number supplied, which will act as the VoIP number for any other Globarange joip user. The joip service will also be offering users additional premium services, including VoIP calls to non-joip users, voice message notification via email, online phonebook management , and more
Panasonic's Globarange fixed and VoIP DECT phone rane will be on sale in 12 coutries from August. The BB-GT1540 will cost £129.99, the BB-GT1520 £99.99 and the BB-GT1500 £79.99. As a special promotion, anyone pre-ordering Globarange phones will receive a free BB-GT1500 phone. The Globarange series of phones will initially be available exclusively for 1 month from John Lewis stores.
