Review by Mobile Network Service Provider

"A very interesting and stylish addition to the GSM/GPRS devices on the market today. I see a lot of new devices in my role as mobile data consultant but this one has delivered in all of the promised features. The Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone is very easy to configure and use and I will recommend its use in a variety of applications.

Easy to set up
Alternative devices promise a plug-and-play household phone to a GSM solution but the Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone actually works. No extra equipment was required - no cables or adapters had to be created - I was using a standard household phone as a GSM mobile (with full text messaging options) within minutes of opening the box. The addition of a display unit allows the full use of text messaging: sending and receiving is easily done and very useful to keep costs to a minimum. The display allows you to keep track of calls - all calls are logged and can be viewed through the display rather than trying to decipher LEDs as with other units. When roaming from country to country the display unit would be extremely useful to ensure that you are logged onto the correct network, as roaming costs can differ greatly depending upon the network being used. When connected to a PBX the display would prove vital in ensuring the correct network and configuration is being used by the device.

Coverage
Because the Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone has a standard antenna adapter it would be ideal in locations of fringe network coverage (eg. onboard ship - see below). Larger and more sensitive antennas can be quickly fitted to the Desktop Mobile allowing a signal boost in these fringe areas. When connected to a PBX units such as this are often situated in areas of poor coverage - many are installed into communications rooms which are situated within a building with no windows etc. - with a booster antenna connected to this unit the antenna can be installed correctly on the outside of the building with the cable connected to the Burnside phone.

Data
The Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone can be connected to a PC (laptop or desktop) and used as a GSM/GPRS modem. This will allow you to browse the internet or download e-mail at a comfortable 50-60kb/second (our tests proved that this is correct - faster than a standard home 56k modem which typically connects at 40-50 kb/second).

You can connect wherever you are without having to rely on local data services which may be costly, inefficient or even non-existent. Configuration for data was again very simple for the Burnside phone - no additional software is required - simple step-by-step instructions are provided which enable any user to quickly connect to GPRS and browse the web, using this same configuration your e-mail is easily and quickly downloaded to your PC. GPRS coverage is available around the world on most GSM networks - GPRS settings do not need to be changed from country to country - so once configured the system can connect to data services across Europe.

Example usage

Remote site offices: No need to wait to have a BT line to your Portakabin or site office. Simply plug a normal phone into the unit and you are connected in minutes - use it for voice, fax and data (GPRS) communication to keep in touch and receive or send vital information/plans.

Onboard ship: There are many ships and small boats who require voice and data access to communicate - with the Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone you can use it as a phone, or fax, or data access (GPRS) for internet and e-mail. It is important to note that many ships currently use similar devices to the Burnside phone but are often frustrated at the lack of a display when roaming.

IT departments: Many people connect GSM handsets to servers in IT depts to monitor certain events - upon a certain trigger event (eg. system crash) the server would use the mobile phone to send a pre-formatted SMS to the IT person responsible for maintenance. With the Burnside Fixed Cellular Phone this type of installation would be much more discreet and offer greater signal coverage (IT server equipment is often placed in shielded areas for fire and theft precautions)."