In case you've forgotten, cordless phone keep you connected while moving around the house by using a handset with a short radio connection to a base unit that's linked to a land telephone line.

    But other electronic devices that emit radio-like frequencies such as baby monitors, microwave ovens, WiFi and some security hardward often interferred with reception

    At least that was the case until September, when vendors started offering cordless phones based on technology called DECT 6.0.

    DECT stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, and relies on dedicated bandwidth not subject to interference by any appliances and has been used in Europe for about 10 years.

    Specifically, the American version uses a bandwidth between 1920 and 1930 megahertz that was abandoned by the Pentagon in 2005, Vincent Buet, marketing manager for phones at Philips, explained to LiveScience.

    DECT technology also includes digital signal processing, encryption, and protocols to boost sound quality. Thanks to digital processing, battery life is about double that of previous technology, he added.

    Another feature possible with DECT is the user can put multiple base units around the house or yard, and the handset will link to the nearest one as the user moves around, much like a cell phone in a city. Uniden America, for instance, will be coming out with units later this year using the DECT roaming feature, explained spokesperson Amanda Shannahan.

    Buyers apparently appreciate DECT. The Swiss-based DECT Forum predicted that 634,000 DECT 6.0 phones would be sold in the United States in 2006. But in early January they announced the real figure had been closer to a million, with at least 35 manufacturers lining up to offer them.

    Retail prices range from about 50 U.S. dollars to 200 dollars, with the high end offering additional features like built-in answering machines and PC connectivity. Philips also offers a feature called High Def Voice that prevents the voices of callers from sounding tinny.

    (Agencies)