# Need cordless phone advice (900 MHz and 2.4 GHz) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904 "2001-01-13T21:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/1 "2001-01-13T21:31:15Z")
Does anyone know about the performance of 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz cordless phones? I have a cordless right now (neither 900 MHz nor 2.4 GHz), but would like one with longer range. How is the range of each? Will either go 1/4 mile? 1/2 mile? How well do they perform through walls? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/2 "2001-01-14T00:02:24Z")
900MHz and 2.4 GHz have about the same range. Just make sure you get a DSS model for security. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/3 "2001-01-14T00:28:35Z")
[this](http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-4035-FF9D968-3A020F09-prod2) is the link for my info above. [this](http://www.connect-9.com/giga.htm) link is critical of the ads touting distance claims. Good info. I love a quote from this site > [@](#): > > Early predictions of a mile or more were not accurate. Open-field testing is apparently not a reliable indication of real-world results, unless you live in an open field. ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/4 "2001-01-14T02:44:55Z")
I know 2.4Ghz go up t-/over half mile, my friend and I would take it when we go fishing on the Mississippi… but we have a 900Mhz at home, and it’s rpetty cool too ---
**Author:** ![ren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@ren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ren)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/5 "2001-01-14T02:54:26Z")
I had a 2.4Ghz phone in Chicago…not exactly an open field. I could get about a block away before the signal died. That’d be about 1/8 mile. Only worked when the batteries were fresh, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/6 "2001-01-14T15:03:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*[this](http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-4035-FF9D968-3A020F09-prod2) is the link for my info above. > > [this](http://www.connect-9.com/giga.htm) link is critical of the ads touting distance claims.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/7 "2001-01-14T15:08:29Z")
Thanks, **Zen**. I originally had both links correct in one message, but got screwed up with using a quote with " " later and it caused one of my links to disappear. From there, it was all downhill. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-cordless-phone-advice-900-mhz-and-2-4-ghz/49904/8 "2001-01-15T21:33:24Z")
One of my college roomies had a 2.4 GHz phone that was good three stories down and across the building, which we both thought was pretty good seeing as how it was a big ol’ concrete and steel type thing that’s usually not good for any kind of reception at all.