DEEPER DIVE INTO TECHNOLOGY

We put cutting-edge wireless technologies to work in our headsets, keeping your teams connected while protecting your hearing.

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WHAT'S IN THE HEADSET?

Every headset comes fully loaded with technology that makes your work more enjoyable.

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)

Sonetics headsets feature an EPA NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) of 24dB in both behind-the-head and hard-hat configurations.

Stereo Listen-Through

Microphones on the forward edge of each ear dome let the user detect outside sound in front versus sound from behind. This provides situational awareness. Listen-through also has a programmable volume level, and limits all sounds to 85dB to ensure compliance with hearing safety and conservation standards.

Sonetics dect7DECT7 Wireless

Talk without having to remove your hearing protection in full-duplex communication, just like a conference call, to others on the same channel. DECT7 Wireless technology provides 1,600 ft. line of sight range, which is superior to Bluetooth. It also digitally encrypts all transmissions and is interference free. Read more about cutting-edge DECT7 Wireless technology, the proven standard in voice communication

personal sound dosimiterPersonal Sound Dosimeter

An industry first, the integrated personal sound dosimeter actively measures your exposure to sound over time and adjusts headset volume to keep your ears safe. The sound dosimeter also provides programmable audible voice alerts to let you know if noise is nearing exposure limits. If those limits are reached, the system automatically adjusts to ensure compliance with hearing protection standards.

auto leveling microphoneAuto-Leveling Microphone

Automatically detects the user’s voice against background noise and provides automatic adjustments when moving from high to low noise areas.

automatic loud noise suppressoinNoise Suppression

Limits high impulse events (e.g. gunshots) from being transmitted to the user when stereo listen-through is active. This further ensures compliance and situational awareness.

wireless bluetooth technologyBluetooth Integration

Connect with other Bluetooth enabled devices. This allows you to listen to or communicate with cell phones, MP3 players, mobile radios, and computers.

Sonetics - Direct wire headsetsTwo-Way Radio Integration

Interface with any two-way portable radio via either wired or wireless connections.

DECT HISTORY

DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology) was created in the early ‘90s in response to the growing need for interference-free wireless communication for household phones. Back then, wireless phones were limited to 49MHz and 900MHz. 49 MHz was quickly abandoned because it lacked the range necessary for basic wireless communication. 900 MHz provided good range, but lacked security, required a lot of power to operate, and was limited to low frequencies.

Later, 2.4GHz became the standard for voice communication. It resolved the previous security and power issues that plagued 900MHz devices, but had less range. However, the biggest issue with 2.4 GHz devices was coexistence. The FCC mandated frequencies and power levels for 2.4GHz devices, but not protocols and requirements for working with similar devices. Some devices worked better than other at this frequency, as wireless devices became more common, so did interference.

WiFi signals use much of the 2.4GHz band and work well despite interference. That’s because it’s tough to detect interruptions in webpages loading, but in communications, interruptions result in drops and pops. When clear communication is critical, this becomes a huge concern. Without coexistence, wireless devices were doomed to intermittent quality. Wireless DECT technology requires coexistence, ensuring secure, interference-free communication with excellent range. DECT is the clear choice for wireless team communication.

OVER 1 BILLION DEVICES WORLDWIDE

DECT is the latest voice standard. With over 1 billion devices in use worldwide, it is a tried and tested technology. Sonetics has leveraged this stable and reliable technology for our customers.

DECT PLAYS NICE

Imagine a wireless protocol that plays well with others. With DECT, you never have to worry about interference with your other devices. DECT provides coexistence because it requires:

LISTEN BEFORE TRANSMIT

Every DECT device listens for other DECT devices before transmitting; if another device is using the same frequency and slot, your device will automatically select another frequency and time slot to avoid interference. This keeps multiple DECT devices from interfering with one another.

ISOLATED FREQUENCIES

DECT operates on frequencies well away from those used by other devices. In the US, 1920MHz to 1930 MHz are allocated solely for wireless DECT devices; no other device may operate in these frequencies.

US Frequencies in MHz

ORGANIZED FREQUENCIES AND TIME MAP

The DECT standard requires the use of a specific set of frequencies. In the US, there are five frequencies used for DECT. The DECT standard further slices each of these frequencies into 12 uplinks and 12 downlinks, meaning there are 60 time slots of communication available.

DECT US Frequencies and Slots

AUTOMATIC POWER NEGOTIATION

DECT devices automatically set power levels to the lowest setting required to maintain a connection. This results in lower power consumption and the ability to have more connections than available slots. While DECT is limited to 60 connections in the U.S., there is no limit to the number of connections with Automatic Power Negotiation in large, distributed facilities. This is because with distance, the frequencies and slots are reused; the limit of 60 connections still applies in small areas.

 

 

DECT 60 x 4

NEXT GENERATION OF DECT

DECT7 Wireless includes many enhancements over both DECT and DECT6 technologies.

DECT7 Wireless logo.

WIDER AUDIO BANDWIDTH

DECT and DECT6 systems typically have an audio bandwidth of 300Hz to 3.4kHz. This results in call quality similar to an old telephone what you typically hear in a cell phone call; the quality is compressed and limited. Female voices are harder to understand due to limited high frequencies, and words containing “c,” “f,” and “s” can be difficult to distinguish.

DECT7 opens up the audio bandwidth to 50Hz to 7kHz — adding both higher and lower frequencies to accommodate both male and female voices. This provides clearer communication, no matter who is speaking or the background noise.

DECT7 vs DECT frequency range

IMPROVED SOUND QUALITY

DECT7 allows for easier to understand communication in high-noise environments. It also provides enhanced ability to work with voice recognition systems.

BROADCAST CAPABLE

Small team communication is our specialty. With DECT7, you can now accommodate up to 100 users on a single Sonetics communication system using our Broadcast mode technology. Headsets in broadcast mode change from full duplex communication to a listen-only connection. This is perfect for tour groups.

While headsets are in broadcast mode, power is reduced to increase battery life. And in case people want to ask questions, the headsets are able to transition to full-duplex on demand.

LOWER NOISE FLOOR

It’s hard to communicate in a high-noise environment. Compared to our previous DECT and DECT6 headsets, our DECT7 headsets decreased the noise floor by over 18 decibels. The result is increased intelligibility with less sound fatigue.

FULLY SCALABLE

Our DECT7 wireless systems grow with your business. They can be deployed as small team systems, but have the capability to expand into full enterprise systems that can cover up to a million square feet of interference free, continuous communication for up to 100 users on unlimited channels.

THE ADVANTAGES OF DECT

EXCELLENT RANGE

With a 1600 ft. range, DECT wireless is perfect for small team communications on work sites. At 30 times the range of Bluetooth, DECT devices are sure to provide coverage throughout the job site or facility.

FULL DUPLEX

DECT is just like being on a conference call. No time delays, no waiting your turn to talk and zero buttons to push. Everyone can hear and be heard when they have something to say.

SECURE COMMUNICATIONS

All transmissions through DECT devices are digitally encrypted, so there’s never any worry of unwanted listeners hearing your conversations.

COEXISTENCE

A wireless protocol that works well with others. DECT always finds the cleanest channels to prevent interference, as do any other nearby DECT devices. DECT always works, even when others are using DECT. Learn more about how DECT coexists to ensure optimal communication.

NO LICENSE FEES

Sonetics includes frequency licensing as part of every DECT communication device we offer. This means there are no license fees, no paperwork, and no monthly fees. There is nothing for you to setup; just turn your headsets on and get to work.

HOW DOES DECT COMPARE

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DECT VS. BLUETOOTH

Bluetooth was designed as a short-range wireless standard. While this is great for connecting a cell phone to an earpiece, Bluetooth is not optimal for team communications. Here are just a few reasons why DECT wireless is superior to Bluetooth:

SUPERIOR RANGE

DECT provides 30 times the coverage area of Bluetooth, ensuring interference-free communication – even at large job sites or facilities.

CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Bluetooth was designed for data, not voice. When data transfers slowly, it’s not always a big deal, but with voice, slow-downs result in dropped calls and interference – nothing you want taking place while in the midst of crucial communication.

COEXISTENCE

Bluetooth is positioned in the ISM band from 2.4Ghz to 2.5Ghz. This is the same spectrum used by all kinds of common devices, including WiFi routers, cell phones, security systems, baby monitors and garage door openers. Do you really want your team’s important communication to risk interference from such a wide-range of competing devices?

Rather than using this overcrowded spectrum, DECT operates on frequencies well away from those used by other devices. That’s because these frequencies have been allocated solely for wireless DECT devices, and no other type of device may operate in that spectrum. This means that you don’t have to worry about interference and can be sure that your important communication is heard clearly.

DECT VS. CELL PHONES

When compared to cell phones, DECT technology is the clear choice for both cost-effective and reliable wireless communication.

COST

Cell phone usage is expensive. Monthly voice and data plans are required, and in many cases, there are overages with open lines. With DECT, there are no fees outside of your initial equipment investment.

Reliability

In an emergency, your communication system needs to be solid. Cell phone networks typically fail when they are needed most. In times of emergency or disaster, they are easily overloaded.

DECT technology operates on a separate frequency spectrum that is separate from cell phone congestion. This means that DECT devices keep working during all conditions – and especially during emergencies.

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DECT VS. TWO-WAY RADIOS

DECT is the proven voice standard in wireless technology. Here are a few reasons why you should choose DECT wireless devices over two-way radios:

FULL DUPLEX COMMUNICATION

With simplex or half-duplex communication, only one person can talk at a time. That’s okay for simple instructions, but what if somebody needs to interrupt radio communication in an emergency? With two-way radios, you can’t.

SAVINGS ON LICENSING

Two-way radio licensing is expensive and time-consuming. So-called “free” channels are unusable for serious applications.

DECT frequency licensing fees are prepaid and free to you for the life of any Sonetics product. You can even change locations or job sites without changing radio frequencies or relicensing. Use the savings to outfit more of your team with Sonetics wireless equipment.

NARROWBANDING

To make more radio channels available, the FCC mandated “narrowbanding,” which means less usable frequency to talk and be understood. Certain sounds have become indistinguishable, like “s” and “f.” In the future, even less bandwidth will be allowed, making communication even more difficult.

DECT is not affected by narrowbanding. DECT wireless devices operate on a frequency spectrum designated specifically for DECT, so there is no risk of interference from other non-DECT devices. With DECT, you can hear and be heard just like a high-quality phone call.

SIMPLE COMMUNICATION

With DECT, you won’t have to learn a new language or specialized techniques to communicate. No more, “Copy that,” or “Over.”

PUT OUR TECHNOLOGY TO WORK!

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