A Bluetooth Headset for Your Office Phone

By Gerry Morris

I spend an awful lot of time on the phone. During just about every call I need to write something down, type a note, or otherwise use my hands for something other than holding the telephone receiver. My natural impulse had been to cradle the receiver between my shoulder and the side of my head. But, the fatigue and neck aches caused by this contortion motivated me to find another way to free my hands while using the phone.

Most phone systems now come with a standard 2.5mm headset jack. My Panasonic wireless handset is no exception. I tried using a standard wired headset but was always getting up from my desk with it on and dragging my phone off the desk. By far the better solution, in my opinion, is a wireless headset.

There are several wireless headsets on the market made especially for desktop phones. However, after some experimentation I decided to go with a setup actually intended for cell phones without built in Bluetooth capability. I use a Bluetooth transmitter unit that plugs into the headphone jack of my handset. It’s the Jabra A210 Bluetooth adapter. A description and specs can be found at www.jabra.com. The adapter can be paired with any Bluetooth earpiece. This means that you can use the same type of lightweight Bluetooth earpiece with your office phone that you use with your cell phone. I use the Jabra BT250 earpiece, a behind the ear unit. The transmitter and receiver can be easily purchased on Ebay for under $100 total. If you want to pay retail, it will cost you about $175 for the pair.

Initially the transmitter and headset must be paired by following the included instructions. This procedure simply sets both units to the same operation channel so that they can communicate with each other. After pairing, when the receiver of the desktop phone is lifted either to place or answer a call the Bluetooth earpiece is automatically activated. So, to answer a call, I simply lift the handset (or press the talk button on my portable handset) and I immediately hear the call in my Bluetooth earpiece. I carry on the conversation just as I do when I use my Bluetooth earpiece with my cell phone. When I place a call, I lift the receiver or press the talk button and I hear the dial tone in the earpiece. I place the call and talk. My hands are free to write or type and I can get up and walk around my office as long as I stay within about thirty feet of my handset.

The difference in the way I feel after a day of talking through my Bluetooth earpiece versus squeezing the handset between my shoulder and ear is dramatic. This simple setup is extremely important to my overall comfort during the work day. The comfort and convenience of the Bluetooth setup is worth the minor irritation of occasional technical difficulties. The A210 goes into its dormant battery saving mode after it has been idle for some time. Occasionally, after a dormant period, the unit will no longer transfer the handset signal to the earpiece without pressing the answer button on the earpiece a few times or turning the transmitter on and off. I haven’t figured out how to eliminate this problem but it’s not significant enough to outweigh the benefits.

The transmitter and earpiece each come with AC chargers and a charge will easily carry me through a day’s worth of conversations. I place the earpiece back in its charger when I’m not in the office and the transmitter will actually function with its charger connected. The transmitter has three different settings that regulate the sensitivity of the unit. You should experiment to determine which setting yields the best results.

The sound quality is not quite as good as holding the handset up to your mouth but it is far better than a speakerphone. The party on the other end hears slightly more background noise when I use my Bluetooth earpiece. This may be a function of the model of earpiece I use. You might try out a couple to see which one gives you the best result.

E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com .