How strange it is that we are still holding telephone handsets to our heads some 150 years after Alexander Graham Bell yelled "Watson, come here! I want to see you!" As a consequence of his invention we became adept at one handed eating, drinking, dressing, cooking, working... even love making. Progress has been slow, but finally the cordless headset phone is catching on.

The cordless headset phone is not to be confused with a simple cordless phone headset. It's a wearable cordless phone that comes with a headset. The package almost always includes a compact dial pad that can be tucked into a pocket or hooked onto a belt. It's a liberating hands free device. After more than a hundred years of using telephones, we can finally use them while walking about and multi-tasking with "both" hands.

The first generation of cordless headset phones were little more than a cordless phone on a belt clip. The most popular were 900 MHz GE phones. The GE cordless headset phone had a cult following. Sadly the cult didn't grow fast enough for GE and they abandoned the space. Other manufacturers subsequently filled the breach. They released 2.4 GHz and DECT 6.0 hands free phones.

The DECT 6.0 wireless headset telephone is a major advance on the cordless home phone of even a few years ago. It enables business executives, working mothers and home based business operators to move about and use both hands while speaking on the phone. DECT 6.0 technology is a key factor. It not only eliminates cordless phone interference, but also extends battery life and cordless phone range. The Plantronics cordless headset phone - CT14 is in a league of it's own. It has hardly any direct competition. It combines good looks with comprehensive functionality.

The next generation of headset phone is a hands free cordless phone that can be used almost anywhere. It's Bluetooth enabled headset is compatible with DECT 6.0, cell phone and VoIP networks. It can be used at home, in the car or in the office. No need to switch headsets or earpieces. The benchmark is the Plantronics Calisto Pro, but similar phones are also made by Jabra, GN Telecom and AT&T.

It's taken a while but we are almost there. The hands free cordless phone is about to become ubiquitous.