Old-fashioned telephone service isn't so old-fashioned anymore.
Developers at Gigaset Commuications said their new landline phones might even be attractive to "cord cutters," those who rely solely on their mobile phones.
Gigaset spokeswoman Courtney S. Thompson said the company is making the home phone relevant again.
"A lot of the services that you're accustomed to with your mobile device that a lot of the cord cutters have come to know and love -- like Internet services, being able to chat, do instant messaging -- we're actually offering the opportunity to be able to do that on a home phone," Thompson said.
Thompson said the handsets have high-definition sound that sounds much clearer than traditional landline phones. She said users can also chat and use instant messaging and social networking and many other things you can do on a cell phone.
Users need a phone line and a broadband connection. They would not be charged extra to use the features, unlike many cell phone plans.
Product manager Tony Stankus said other cool features of the Gigaset include a room-monitoring feature, which will call a cell phone if it detects a noise in the house, an alarm clock that stays on if the power goes out, a calender, e-mail notification, an answering machine and multiple handsets.
