Casio PhoneMate Is Shipping Corded, Cordless SOHO Phones
By Martha McDonald -- TWICE, 9/7/1999
Casio PhoneMate is launching its official entry into the commercial telephone market with its new SI-460, a four-line/12-station KSU-less unit that is designed to offer sophisticated features at a new price point.
At the same time, the company is shipping a new cordless system, the MA-240, a two-line digital 900MHz system that uses TDMA technology and can support up to 12 cordless handsets.
Additional handsets rest in charging cradles and require only AC power, not a phone jack. "This allows the consumer to have a phone in any room in the home or office without additional wiring," said product manager Joe Quevedo.
The MA-240 is selling for $199 for a handset with base; additional handsets are $99.
The SI-460, meanwhile, is the first in a family of KSU-less phones that can be used together to create small business systems.
Quevedo pointed out that the SI-460 offers all of the usual office features such as paging, intercom, memory and call forwarding, but adds messaging and auto attendant, a virtual operator that answers and directs calls, and messaging at each station. Auto attendant allows the user to direct calls to up to six different levels.
"We are the only company to provide messaging features [not voice mail] at each station," said Quevedo. Other features include duplex speakerphone, call privacy, and automatic line selection. The unit is selling for about $250.
Casio PhoneMate is also planning other models that can be integrated with the SI-460.
Scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter is the SI-400, an entry-level four-line system with intercom, paging and call forwarding at $179. A 900MHz cordless model, the SI-480, that offers all of the same features as the SI-460 is scheduled to ship next year at $399.
