Understanding the Differences Between
900MHz and 2.4GHz Wireless Headset Systems
A Plantronics White Paper - December, 2003
Overview
When it comes to deciding on the right communications products
for business, the key to finding the ideal solution lies not in
"speeds and feeds," but rather in finding the device best suited to
fit a company's needs. In telephony, the best device is the one that
most cost effectively and efficiently meets those needs.
Increasingly, companies are turning to wireless headset systems
to help their employees go completely hands free, and to add new
freedom to the way they currently conduct their business. The
mobility afforded by
wireless headsets and the ability to multi-task
contribute to a much more productive workforce.
Trying to decide which wireless headset system to buy shouldn't
come down to 900MHz headsets or 2.4GHz headsets based on frequency
alone, because neither frequency is necessarily better than the
other. Each headset and its corresponding frequency are different,
and the overall quality of a wireless product is not directly
related to frequency.
Companies should decide which wireless headset system to purchase
based on what they need it to accomplish for their business. The key
to being able to make this educated choice lies in understanding the
importance of features such as range, audio quality, talk time,
comfort, security and their associated benefits.
Frequency
When we talk about 900MHz devices and 2.4GHz devices, we are
talking about the signal in which the device transmits—a signal that
is made up of frequency and a modulation.
Frequency represents the number of times, or cycles, per second
that a wave cycle occurs. Higher frequencies have more cycles in a
given time period and can affect range, talk time and user density.
Modulation is the method of transmission, or the addition of
information to a signal carrier, and is independent of the
frequency.
Here are some basic points on 900MHz and 2.4GHz:
In wireless products, the length of an antenna is inversely
proportional to the frequency; the lower the frequency, the longer
is the antenna, and the higher the frequency, the shorter is the
antenna. Typically, the longer the antenna, the more energy
efficient the device.
Lower frequency wireless devices can have better range and
provide better obstacle penetration than higher frequency devices.
Lower frequency devices can have longer talk times and require
less power than higher frequency devices.
All other things being equal, 2.4GHz devices work in a larger
frequency band and they can offer more channels and greater
potential density than lower frequency devices.
2.4GHz devices operate on a frequency band that is a worldwide
standard, which is increasingly becoming a business standard.
Examples of wireless technologies utilizing this frequency are
Bluetooth and 802.11b (WiFi).
Density
Another important aspect to consider in helping to make the right
wireless headset system decision is user density. User density
refers to how many wireless units can be used in one space before
interference begins between those units. This can be a critical
issue in environments where a large number of employees use wireless
units within close proximity of each other.
Higher frequency devices are becoming increasingly popular in
larger, enterprise-level businesses—a popularity that could
potentially make wireless headset solutions using the same frequency
a liability. For example, 802.11b (WiFi) is the standard for
wireless Ethernet and is included in a growing number of laptops and
personal digital assistants (PDAs). Bluetooth is the specification
for a small-form factor, low-cost radio solution that provides
wireless connectivity between computers, mobile phones, headsets,
PDAs and other portable handheld devices. Both 802.11b and Bluetooth
devices operate at the 2.4GHz frequency. As these devices continue
to multiply in the work place, 900MHz wireless headsets could have
less potential interference with these other technology products
than do 2.4GHz
wireless phone headsets.
In Summary :
A mix of different frequency devices has less potential to cause
interference than a quantity of devices using one particular
frequency.
Density is also dependent on the environment, with each
situation being unique. A building's layout and employee
distribution within a defined space is a key determining factor.
What Plantronics Offers
Frequency is not a feature or user benefit. It is simply a
technology, which is used in combination with other technologies to
create a solution for a company's needs. For example, frequency does
not affect features such as basic audio quality, security or
authentication. Nor does it affect talk/standby time and overall
product usability. Comfort, reliability and durability are also not
dependent on frequency. All of these features are of importance to
the customer, but frequency, as an underlying technology does not
play a central role in determining if these features meet the
company's needs.
Ultimately, what matters most in helping to guide companies
toward making the right decision concerning which wireless headset
to purchase, is remembering what the company really needs. In a
typical office environment, a quality wireless hands-free
communication product focuses on four basic needs:
The ability to be mobile and multitask
Quality audio
Secure conversations
Headset comfort
While keeping this in mind, consider Plantronics and its new CS50
Wireless Office Headset System. When talking about overall quality
of a wireless headset solution, consider that a quality wireless
office headset solution is dependent on many factors, such as
acoustic design, human factors, system engineering, electrical and
software design.
In addition to introducing the first lightweight communications
headset in 1962, Plantronics is today the world's leading designer,
manufacturer and marketer of lightweight communications headset
products. The company's new CS50 Wireless Office Headset System is
the latest quality addition to this legacy.
With its use of digital 900MHz wireless technology, the CS50
Wireless Office Headset System gives customers wireless hands-free
communications, the security of digital encryption (64-bit DECT) and
the ability to roam up to 300 feet—all in a comfortable headset
design that meets the needs of most companies. And depending on what
the company needs, the CS50 Wireless Office Headset System may
indeed be the best device—by offering the most cost effective and
efficient solution to the company's business challenges, regardless
of the technology.
