Siemens Back In U.S. Phone Market

By Greg Scoblete On Jun 4 2007 - 6:00am

After an on-again, off-again relationship with U.S. retail, Siemens has introduced a line of new DECT phones for consumer and small-office use.

The company saw an opportunity to re-enter the market with the emergence of DECT phones and "the initial convergence between voice and data," said Mark Nietubyc, North American marketing director, Siemens.

"We had some challenges getting the infrastructure in place," Nietubyc said of earlier efforts. Now, the company is testing the market with Amazon.com and upscale, boutique electronics retailers with two lines of DECT phones, a rugged series and feature-rich series.

"We're not looking to slug it out in Wal-Mart," Nietubyc said.

Both the rugged GigasetE450 and the S450 support up to six handsets and four base stations. The phones feature caller ID, handset speakerphone, call transferring, color displays with icon-driven menus, a 150-number directory and room-monitoring capability.

The E450 retails for a suggested $129, while the S450 retails for $99.

The company also has an IP phone, capable of supporting up to four VoIP clients, which it will sell through service provider channels. "Retailers have told us they don't have interest in carrying Vonage-type products," Nietubyc said.