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The BT Freestyle 710 is the latest big button cordless phone from BT, featuring extra large buttons, customisable ring tones and a large display.

The phone is 7 inches tall, by 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep. The front of the phone features a large display, with black letters on an orange background. The colour of the display is fixed, though the user can adjust the contrast. The displays text is larger and clearer than that found on many cordless phones but our testers still had difficulty in seeing it.

BT Freestyle 710

The phones buttons are large and tactile, making it easy to learn and find your way around the keypad. The number keys are half an inch square and have white numbers on a dark grey background. In addition to the number keys, there are buttons for talk, hang up, phone book, menu and back. On the side of the phone are two further buttons for increasing and decreasing the volume, and moving up and down menus.

Making a Call

You can make a call by either dialling the number, selecting an entry from the phone book (50 numbers), or holding down one of the number keys for 2 seconds to use the memory. The phone can have up to 8 memory numbers. Memory number 1 is the BT FreeStyle helpline. To programme the memory numbers you first add the entry to the phone book, and then assign that entry a memory number. This means you do need to use the display to programme the memory numbers, but not to call them. The phone book is accessed by pressing the phone book key and then pressing the down button on the side of the phone until you reach the number you want. So, assuming you know the position of the entry in the phone book it is possible to make a call from the phone book without using the display.

During a call you can adjust the volume of the person you are speaking to, by pressing the up and down buttons on the side of the phone. The buttons are easy to find, and operate during a call. The phone is also hearing aid compatible.

The FreeStyle 710’s hands free mode allows you to talk without holding the handset, or for other people in the room to listen and join in the conversation. The hands free speaker can be switched on and off during a call by pressing the talk button.

Incoming Calls

On receiving an incoming call, both the handset and base unit ring. The ringer volume on both the handset and base unit is adjustable. You can also choose from several different ringtones.

Phone book entries can be assigned to one of 7 groups, (General, Family, Work, Friends, Util’s, VIP and Others) each having its own distinctive ring tone, allowing you to identify the type of caller. For this feature to work you will need to subscribe to Caller ID (contact your phone company for further details).

Internal Calls

The 710 is available either as a single handset or as a pair of handsets. If you buy a pair you can use the intercom function to make calls between handsets. Calls can also be transferred between handsets.

The Base Unit

The phones base unit can either be desk mounted, or fixed to a wall. When placed in the base unit the phone bleeps to confirm that it has been positioned correctly,

If you misplace the handset pressing the page button on the base unit, will cause the handset to ring, helping you locate it.

Conclusion

The FreeStyle 710 is an easy to use Cordless Phone. The display is bigger and clearer than that on most cordless phones, but our testers still found it hard to see. The distinctive ringing tones are an excellent feature. The buttons are easy to locate and have a good positive feel when pressed. People with small hands may find the phone a little uncomfortable to hold.

The phone is available either as a single handset or twin handset. It is available to rent or buy from BT at £29.37 or from Argos at £29.39. The FreeStyle 750 features an answer machine and costs £39.93 from BT or £39.09 from Argos.

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