VTech announces that its new Avant 5000 model cordless VoIP phone has become the first handset in the world to be certified as compliant with CAT-iq 2.0, a certification programme introduced by the DECT Forum only in December last year. The programme tests devices on protocol, radio frequency level and especially on audio quality, one of the key drivers of CAT-iq.

CAT-iq stands for Cordless Advanced Technology - internet and quality. It was developed to meet the demands of the new generation of IP-based services and devices. The technology enables transport of voice via broadband, making it sound more natural and "true-to-life" than the standard Plain Old Telephone Network and 3G mobile communication. The DECT Forum is the international association of the wireless home and enterprise communication industry and has been offering certification of CAT-iq products at laboratories in Germany and Norway.

The big step forward with CAT-iq 2.0 is that it enables customers to make end-to-end VoIP calls with all the extras that come with SIP telephony, including wideband voice quality, multiple lines, caller ID and synchronisation of phone books and system settings. Certified CAT-iq 2.0 handsets from different system vendors can also be used on the same certified base station. They are inter-operable with other CAT-iq handsets and gateways, and are also backward compatible to certain other DECT products.