Why would my old 900mhz analog cordless phone have better range than the new 5.8 gig digitals?

Question

I have bought two new ones and taken them both back because they get static-y the second I walk outside, while my old 900mhz can go all the way to the end of my backyard with no static. Is this normal? Do you think if I buy another analog that it will work well like my old one, or do you think it's just a fluke? I'm tired of returning phones !

Answer 1

A lot has to do with antenna placement, no mater what frequency the phone is on. The antenna that is the one to worry about is on the base station. The older 900 meg unit had a bigger antenna (older cordless base stations had a small whip antenna that pulled up to about 10"'s long!!). A typical 2.5 gig has one about an inch long (on the hand set, the base antenna is inside the case). By the time you get up to 5 gigs there is no antenna sticking out of the phone due it is so short. (the higher the frequency, the shorter the antenna) . You will have to experiment with your base station as to where to set it to get better range around your property. If you can have it near a window it will work better than near an inside wall.