Using a Class 1 headset with Class 2 cell phone

mikesbaker2002 · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.

Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.

Query: Will the Class 2 cell phone's range also extend to 100 meters
when paired with the Class 1 headset? I know that signal clarity will
increase due to the boosted signal, but what happens when you put the
phone down on the goal line of a football field and start walking away
to the 50 yard line? Will the signal drop beyond the 10 meter
specification of the Class 2 cell phone?

Second query: How does one identify the Bluetooth class of one's
Bluetooth-enabled cell phone? My Verizon rep directed me to Samsung
for my phone, but the tech support rep couldn't "see that information
on her screen."

Third query: If one does indeed require a Class 1 cell phone in order
to take advantage of the full range of the Class 1 headset, then there
must be Class 1 cell phones currently available in the market. Yet,
it is not easy to find out from most phone manufacturers about the
class.

I'm interested to hear the responses...

mikesbaker2002@yahoo.com

Archived from group: alt>cellular>bluetooth

Bob Fry · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 9

>>>>> "mb" == mikesbaker writes:

mb> Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.
mb> Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.

Whoa! Where did you get a Class 1 BT headset?? That would be great
for use with Skype: Class 1 BT dongle on your PC, make the connection
at the PC then free to wander the house with the BT headset.
--
I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and
give the wrong answers.
--Peter Kay

John Henderson · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 165

mikesbaker2002@yahoo.com wrote:

> Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.
>
> Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.
>
> Query: Will the Class 2 cell phone's range also extend to 100
> meters when paired with the Class 1 headset? I know that
> signal clarity will increase due to the boosted signal, but
> what happens when you put the phone down on the goal line of a
> football field and start walking away to the 50 yard line?
> Will the signal drop beyond the 10 meter specification of the
> Class 2 cell phone?

Yes. The range is limited by the class 2 device. You'll
probably gain a little extra distance using it in combination
with a class 1 device, but it'll be very much closer to 10
metres than to 100.

> Second query: How does one identify the Bluetooth class of
> one's Bluetooth-enabled cell phone? My Verizon rep directed
> me to Samsung for my phone, but the tech support rep couldn't
> "see that information on her screen."

From the manufacturer's specifications. Other than that, it's
by experimentation, although I've found a lot of variability in
the actual range of class 2 devices. My old Siemens phone
works happily at over 30 metres to a standard class 1 device,
whereas the Sony-Ericsson is much closer to the specified 10
metres.

> Third query: If one does indeed require a Class 1 cell phone
> in order to take advantage of the full range of the Class 1
> headset, then there must be Class 1 cell phones currently
> available in the market.

I'm not aware of any class 1 mobile phones. Class 2 devices are
more commonly used in industrial applications or for creating
local networks.

> Yet, it is not easy to find out from most phone manufacturers
> about the class.

Class 1 devices will usually proudly advertise the fact.

> I'm interested to hear the responses...

I find I get noticeably greater distance between my class 1
Parani SD100 Bluetooth RS232 adapter and class 2 phones by
fitting the SD100 with the optional dipole antenna (advertised
as 400 metres between 2 similarly equipped units).

John

John Henderson · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 165

I wrote:

> Class 2 devices are more commonly used in industrial
> applications or for creating local networks.

That should say "class 1" of course.

John

mikesbaker2002 · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

On Oct 4, 5:24 pm, Bob Fry wrote:
> >>>>> "mb" == mikesbaker writes:
>
> mb> Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.
> mb> Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.
>
> Whoa! Where did you get a Class 1 BT headset?? That would be great
> for use with Skype: Class 1 BT dongle on your PC, make the connection
> at the PC then free to wander the house with the BT headset.
> --
> I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and
> give the wrong answers.
> --Peter Kay

I don't have such a headset -- my questions more theoretical.

mikesbaker2002 · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

On Oct 4, 3:14 pm, John Henderson wrote:
> mikesbaker2...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.
>
> > Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.
>
> > Query: Will the Class 2 cell phone's range also extend to 100
> > meters when paired with the Class 1 headset? I know that
> > signal clarity will increase due to the boosted signal, but
> > what happens when you put the phone down on the goal line of a
> > football field and start walking away to the 50 yard line?
> > Will the signal drop beyond the 10 meter specification of the
> > Class 2 cell phone?
>
> Yes. The range is limited by the class 2 device. You'll
> probably gain a little extra distance using it in combination
> with a class 1 device, but it'll be very much closer to 10
> metres than to 100.
>
> > Second query: How does one identify the Bluetooth class of
> > one's Bluetooth-enabled cell phone? My Verizon rep directed
> > me to Samsung for my phone, but the tech support rep couldn't
> > "see that information on her screen."
>
> From the manufacturer's specifications. Other than that, it's
> by experimentation, although I've found a lot of variability in
> the actual range of class 2 devices. My old Siemens phone
> works happily at over 30 metres to a standard class 1 device,
> whereas the Sony-Ericsson is much closer to the specified 10
> metres.
>
> > Third query: If one does indeed require a Class 1 cell phone
> > in order to take advantage of the full range of the Class 1
> > headset, then there must be Class 1 cell phones currently
> > available in the market.
>
> I'm not aware of any class 1 mobile phones. Class 2 devices are
> more commonly used in industrial applications or for creating
> local networks.
>
> > Yet, it is not easy to find out from most phone manufacturers
> > about the class.
>
> Class 1 devices will usually proudly advertise the fact.
>
> > I'm interested to hear the responses...
>
> I find I get noticeably greater distance between my class 1
> Parani SD100 Bluetooth RS232 adapter and class 2 phones by
> fitting the SD100 with the optional dipole antenna (advertised
> as 400 metres between 2 similarly equipped units).
>
> John

The Motorola RAZR manual (PDF) states it uses a Class 1 radio. I
haven't read it with my own eyes, but apparently the new Blackjack,
Palm Treo, and the Moto SLVR have Class 1 radios.

mikesbaker2002 · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

On Oct 5, 3:20 pm, mikesbaker2...@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Oct 4, 3:14 pm, John Henderson wrote:
>
>
>
> > mikesbaker2...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > > Given: Class 1 Bluetooth headset has a range of 100 meters.
>
> > > Given: Class 2 cell phone has a range of 10 meters.
>
> > > Query: Will the Class 2 cell phone's range also extend to 100
> > > meters when paired with the Class 1 headset? I know that
> > > signal clarity will increase due to the boosted signal, but
> > > what happens when you put the phone down on the goal line of a
> > > football field and start walking away to the 50 yard line?
> > > Will the signal drop beyond the 10 meter specification of the
> > > Class 2 cell phone?
>
> > Yes. The range is limited by the class 2 device. You'll
> > probably gain a little extra distance using it in combination
> > with a class 1 device, but it'll be very much closer to 10
> > metres than to 100.
>
> > > Second query: How does one identify the Bluetooth class of
> > > one's Bluetooth-enabled cell phone? My Verizon rep directed
> > > me to Samsung for my phone, but the tech support rep couldn't
> > > "see that information on her screen."
>
> > From the manufacturer's specifications. Other than that, it's
> > by experimentation, although I've found a lot of variability in
> > the actual range of class 2 devices. My old Siemens phone
> > works happily at over 30 metres to a standard class 1 device,
> > whereas the Sony-Ericsson is much closer to the specified 10
> > metres.
>
> > > Third query: If one does indeed require a Class 1 cell phone
> > > in order to take advantage of the full range of the Class 1
> > > headset, then there must be Class 1 cell phones currently
> > > available in the market.
>
> > I'm not aware of any class 1 mobile phones. Class 2 devices are
> > more commonly used in industrial applications or for creating
> > local networks.
>
> > > Yet, it is not easy to find out from most phone manufacturers
> > > about the class.
>
> > Class 1 devices will usually proudly advertise the fact.
>
> > > I'm interested to hear the responses...
>
> > I find I get noticeably greater distance between my class 1
> > Parani SD100 Bluetooth RS232 adapter and class 2 phones by
> > fitting the SD100 with the optional dipole antenna (advertised
> > as 400 metres between 2 similarly equipped units).
>
> > John
>
> The Motorola RAZR manual (PDF) states it uses a Class 1 radio. I
> haven't read it with my own eyes, but apparently the new Blackjack,
> Palm Treo, and the Moto SLVR have Class 1 radios.

Of course, this means those of us who *must* have a 100M range BT
headset will essentially be "wearing" a cell phone with a 100 mW radio
right on their head, thus soaking up plenty of RF goodies. I liken
this to folks who refuse to wear motorcycle helmets by saying "I
prefer to let evolution take its course."