One Bluetooth headset, two phones - Has it been solved yet?

I know this has been discussed before but I can't find an answer, only
discussion.

Can you have one bluetooth headset paired with two (or perhaps even
more) phones so that when either phone rings you can answer it with
the same headset?

I have read that the Jabra BT500 (not yet released) has a dedicated
pairing button, but nobody explains what this is, does anyone know for
certain what it is.

Sorry to ask what has been asked before, but I really haven;t been
able to find any definitive answer to this question.

Thanks for any info

Steve

Steve Graham - typed:
> I know this has been discussed before but I can't find an answer, only
> discussion.
>
> Can you have one bluetooth headset paired with two (or perhaps even
> more) phones so that when either phone rings you can answer it with
> the same headset?
>
> I have read that the Jabra BT500 (not yet released) has a dedicated
> pairing button, but nobody explains what this is, does anyone know for
> certain what it is.
>
> Sorry to ask what has been asked before, but I really haven;t been
> able to find any definitive answer to this question.
>
> Thanks for any info
>
> Steve

No. Whereas some BT headsets can happily be paired to more than one
device they are effectively paired to one at a time. I would speculate
that a dedicated pairing button is just that - a button that pairs the
headset to other devices without having other (major) functions. If your
BT headset could answer calls from multiple phones, it would need to
either be paired to a default device to initiate calls or be able to
select before making a call.
Headset devices are currently rather dumb; the new SE Akono HBH-660
has a small LCD display which I suppose you could always ask someone
else to read for you if removing it from one's head is inconvenient
Voice prompts would be more appropriate for a device stuck in your ear
to give more functionality!

HTH

steve@steveonthenet.com (Steve Graham) wrote in message news:<115e6b64.0408191247.767d5ef3@posting.google. com>...
> I know this has been discussed before but I can't find an answer, only
> discussion.
>
> Can you have one bluetooth headset paired with two (or perhaps even
> more) phones so that when either phone rings you can answer it with
> the same headset?

Maybe. It depends.

There are a few issues:

1. Before you can consider using a BT headset with a phone, it must be
paired. Being paired means that the headset and the phone know about
each other, and have shared secret information and a special passcode
number. Most SonyEricsson headsets let you pair with more than one
phone; I believe the newest may not. Other headsets seem less likely.
No multiple pairings == absolutely impossible.

2. How do you answer the phone with the headset?

The "headset profile" was originally used for bluetooth headsets.
Newer phones usually support both the headset, and the newer handsfree
profile. Nokia phones _only_ support the handsfree profile.

Normally, when you are using the headset profile, the phone and the
headset are both on, but are not actually in communication with each
other. They're just a pair of random Bluetooth devices. If a phone
call comes in, the phone looks around, finds the headset, establishes
a link with it, and makes it ring. Pressing the button on the headset
answers the phone.

If you have multiple phones, you can answer any of them as long as
they're all paired with the headset.

The handsfree profile is different. It keeps an active link open
between the phone and the headset all the time. Since most (all?)
headsets only support one _active_ connection, even if they support
multiple pairings, you can only answer one phone at a time because the
phone expects the headset to be connective to it all the time. If the
headset's not connected to the phone, the phone won't use it.

So - if you're talking Nokia phones, you must choose in advance which
phone is going to ring the headset. If you're using other BT phones,
you need to make sure you've paired them using the headset profile. If
you're using a SonyEricsson P800/P900, that's easy since it only
supports the headset profile. With other phones/devices, I do not know
if you can force them to pair using the headset profile.

Good luck.

gopi.

In <d68e0c86.0408220050.52925b9d@posting.google.com > gopi wrote:
> steve@steveonthenet.com (Steve Graham) wrote in message news:<115e6b64.
> 0408191247.767d5ef3@posting.google.com>...
>> I know this has been discussed before but I can't find an answer,
>> only discussion. Can you have one bluetooth headset paired with two (
>> or perhaps even more) phones so that when either phone rings you can
>> answer it with the same headset?
>
> Maybe. It depends.
>

gopi.

you have a good understanding of the situation.

I would further add, if you used a SE or Plantronics bluetooth headset,
and all he phones are SE P800/900 or T6XX/Z6XX, you will be able to
answer an incoming call from any of the phones. Not true for the K700 (
or better) though.

pzboyz

pzboyz <pzboyz@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message news:> I would further add, if you used a SE or Plantronics bluetooth headset,
> and all he phones are SE P800/900 or T6XX/Z6XX, you will be able to
> answer an incoming call from any of the phones. Not true for the K700 (
> or better) though.

I assume you mean that those phones will automagically decide to use
the handfree profile if your headset supports it, and thus let only
one phone use the headset at a time?

One thing you could do is get an older headset - I like my HBH-15. It
only supports the headset profile, so it won't work with Nokia phones,
but it will work with most (all?) SonyEricsson phones, and probably a
lot of other ones too. You can probably find an HBH-15 on eBay.

As long as the HBH-15 is compatible with your phone, you will be able
to use it with up to 3 phones at a time. If you use an older Ericsson
phone, like a T39m or R520 (and maybe newer ones; not the P800/P900),
you'll also be able to get a list of the phones that it's paired with,
change its name, select the default pairing - the phone that it uses
to dial when you press the button - and check the battery power.

bb+graffiti.spam.gopigopi@andrew.cmu.edu (gopi) wrote in message news:<d68e0c86.0408221758.506b9475@posting.google. com>...
> pzboyz <pzboyz@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message news:> I would further add, if you used a SE or Plantronics bluetooth headset,
> > and all he phones are SE P800/900 or T6XX/Z6XX, you will be able to
> > answer an incoming call from any of the phones. Not true for the K700 (
> > or better) though.
>
> I assume you mean that those phones will automagically decide to use
> the handfree profile if your headset supports it, and thus let only
> one phone use the headset at a time?
>

Something like that. But what I say is true only if you use an SE or
Plantronics headset.

pzboyz

"gopi" <bb+graffiti.spam.gopigopi@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in message
news:d68e0c86.0408220050.52925b9d@posting.google.c om...
> steve@steveonthenet.com (Steve Graham) wrote in message
news:<115e6b64.0408191247.767d5ef3@posting.google. com>...
> > I know this has been discussed before but I can't find an answer, only
> > discussion.

[..snip...]
> The "headset profile" was originally used for bluetooth headsets.
> Newer phones usually support both the headset, and the newer handsfree
> profile. Nokia phones _only_ support the handsfree profile.
[..snip..]

I thought I remembered my old 6310i having a menu option to choose either
headset profile or 'loopback' (I think). That one may have been for testing,
and I don't own the phone anymore but that's what I remember. It's an older
phone and being/been phased out now due to age (>3 yrs on the market, I
waited for it to be available on my contract before I signed up cos I'm
picky about phones - a pity no more in that series cos it was lovely).

John.