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Pendant with 2-Way Communication Feature | 101 Guide

In the heart of every medical alert system is the ability to communicate with the call center agents in case of an emergency. When a user presses the help button, a connection is made with the monitoring center where trained agents talk with the person in need in order to provide assistance and assess the situation. Proper actions are then taken based on the information obtained from the person in need. Every basic medical alert system features a base station, this is a stationary unit that has a two-way voice speakerphone built into it. This is how the communication is established once the help button is activated.  

So what is wrong with that?

Of course, the big drawback is that this speakerphone is as powerful as any other in a regular phone, which means that there is a real chance the person experiencing an emergency situation might not be close to it, thus not be able to hear or be heard by call center agents on the other side of the line. For this reason, all companies suggest that the base station should be placed in a room where the user will be spending most of his time.  

The Solution -

This is why two-way talking pendants are an excellent upgrade. There are essentially two types of talking pendants. Those made for in-home systems and those designed for outdoor usage. Click here to compare all systems with two-way talking pendants »  
  • Let's first check out those pendants which are made for in-home usage. These pendants have a speaker and microphone integrated in the help button device. The help button connects to the base station wirelessly. This pendant essentially functions the same way as a cordless phone, with the difference that it is really small and only has one button. As long as the user is within the range of the base station, he or she will be able to clearly communicate with call center agents in case of an emergency.
  • The other type of two-way talking pendants are the mobile ones. These help button pendants are designed to work anywhere where there is cellular network coverage. They have a base station hardware as well as two-way voice speakerphone built in. These pendants are light, portable and easy to use. If an emergency happens, the user just needs to press the help button and the call center agent will talk with the person in need right through the pendant itself.
 

So what options are available today on the market?

 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #1

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A wearable help button that has the speaker and microphone built into it, and so there's no need for a separate base station. You can go five days between charges with this item and use it to get help anywhere you go that has cellular coverage. This type of mobile base unit is a small device, usually available in white or black color. The device has a help button located in the center of the front plate, with the speaker located above the button. 2-Way Communication - The base unit hardware supports two-way communication, which means that the device is used for both alerting the call center agents and communication. Battery Life - The 5-day battery life is provided with all of the companies that offer this type of mobile device. The hardware comes with the charging station on which the device is placed when it needs to be recharged. It only takes 3 hours for this small cradle to fully charge the device. Connection Type - The unit uses both built-in WiFi AND cellular network to operate (Usually AT&T), so there is no need for a landline. Since the system uses cellular network OR WiFi connection to operate, the device will be operational as long as there is network coverage. GPS Tracking - This base station supports GPS tracking, which makes it a perfect on the go solution, as the call center agents will be able to detect the location of the user in need, even if the user is unable to communicate. In such cases, the call center agent can see the location of the user on the screen when the alert signal is sent, allowing the agent to help swiftly and dispatch the emergency service to the exact location where the signal from the pendant is detected. Fall Detection - Fall detection is supported by this system, but some companies include it as a part of the system price, while other companies offer it as an optional feature, available at an additional cost. Companies and plans using this hardware -
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Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #2

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This is one of the most popular type of two-way voice pendants that are supplied with the medical alert services. This particularly useful feature (two-way communication) is often integrated in pendants that come with mobile on-the-go systems. Since mobile systems are created to function on the go, besides the basic help button used to contact the call center, a user must have an option to hear and speak to the call center agents, which is why two-way communication feature is a necessary part of the unit.
  • Connection Type - The device connects to the cellular network, which means that there is no need to have a landline. In this case, the range of the device is limited by the cellular network coverage.
  • Battery - The capacity of the battery that comes with this type of pendant is 24 hours, which means that a pendant needs to be charged daily.
  • GPS tracking - GPS tracking is also one of the features included.
  • Water Resistant - The pendants are usually water resistant.
  • Fall Detection - When it comes to fall detection, some companies offer it as an upgrade available at additional cost.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
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Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #3

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Several medical alert service companies on the market provide this type of pendant with their systems. The pendant is small, easy to carry anywhere, with a small grey button in the center, used to initiate a call to the call center. The device is water resistant, supporting both GPS tracking and fall detection. What makes this device so useful in cases of emergency is the fact that two-way communication feature is built into it, allowing users to communicate with the call center agents, describe the type of emergency and ask for help. Since the pendant is completely mobile, it does not require a landline to work. Instead, the device uses cellular network, which also affects the range of the device. The pendant has 36-hour battery.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network
  • Battery - 36-hours
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - Yes.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
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Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #4

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This small pendant comes in black color with centrally located help button and a speaker next to it. The speaker is used for two-way communication, allowing people in need to easily communicate with the call center in charge of answering the calls. Apart from two-way communication feature, the unit also has a GPS tracking built into it, which is particularly useful in cases when the user is unconscious or unable to speak. The unit works by connecting to T-Mobile cellular network. This means that the device will be functional as long as there is network coverage in the area. This pendant comes with a battery which has an impressive 60-days battery life. This is a very useful feature, as there is no need to worry about charging the device regularly.
  • Connection Type - T-Mobile cellular network.
  • Battery - 60-days battery life.
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - No.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
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Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #5

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The wearable pendant such as this one is provided by several companies. It is water resistant, so it is recommended that users wear it all the time, even when showering, as many falls happen in the bathroom. The pendant supports two-way communication feature through its speaker on the front side. There is also a large help button used to call help in cases of emergency. This pendant looks a bit like a mini walkie-talkie. Since it has a rather large antenna, the range is quite impressive (around 500 feet). This pendant can also be used to answer incoming phone calls, if the base unit supports such functionality.
  • Connection Type - Comes with a landline connection base unit.Device optimal range is around 500 feet from the base unit.
  • Battery - 60-hour battery.
  • GPS tracking - No.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #6

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This type of pendant comes in black color, with grey or blue elements as well. The black help button is located on the front, together with the speaker which supports two-way communication, allowing users to communicate with the help center when there is an emergency. The unit works by connecting to AT&T's or T-Mobile cellular network, which means that the range of the pendant is determined by the cellular network coverage. The pendant has GPS tracking, but the device is not water resistant. The battery that comes with the unit can work up to 72 hours on a single charge.
  • Connection Type - AT&T's or T-Mobile cellular network.
  • Battery - 72 hours.
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - No.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
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Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #7

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A small pendant that comes with several monitoring systems can be worn as a necklace or a bracelet. Since the unit is water resistant, it is advisable to wear it everywhere, especially when showering, as there is no way to predict when an emergency might happen. The device features a 720 mAh battery that provides power throughout the day, but users will have to recharge the device daily in order to make sure that the device is functional all the time. The unit uses cellular network to operate, which means that wherever there is network coverage, the user will be able to get in touch with the call center. The pendant supports two-way communication feature, which is used for communication with the call center agents. GPS tracking is also supported, which means that the user can expect to be protected when on-the-go, as even if the call center agent is unable to communicate with the user, because he might be unconscious, the information about the user's location will be available through GPS tracking data.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network.
  • Battery - Users will have to recharge the device daily.
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - Yes.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #8

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This is a mobile medical alert system in form of a wearable watch. All the components of a typical system are inside this device. This watch is both a base station and a help button pendant. There is a two-way voice speakerphone built-in, so that a user can communicate with call center agents in case of an emergency. As the device is worn on the wrist, it is easy to both hear and talk to the emergency call center agents. The device will work anywhere where there is cellular network coverage. This mobile unit has a battery life of up to 48 hours, before it needs recharging. This pendant does not support fall detection but it has built in GPS locating capability. When there is an emergency call being made, a call center agent will be able to see the exact location of the person in need - right on the screen.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network.
  • Battery - 48 hours.
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - No. Optional: water resistant version available for an additional cost of $5.99 per month.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #9

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This pendant comes in white and there is a big speaker in the center of the unit with a small microphone at the bottom. There is also a grey help button in the middle. A person wearing the pendant can communicate with call center agents from any room in the house, not worrying if he will be able to hear the agent or be heard. Two-way talking pendant such as this one is really easy to use and makes a standard medical alert system much safer as it ensures proper communication in case of an emergency. The pendant is water resistant, and it is recommended that a user never takes it off as we never know when an emergency situation might happen. Also, wearing the pendant while in the bathroom is highly recommended due to all the slippery surfaces.
  • Connection Type - Comes with a landline connection base unit.Device optimal range is around 600 feet from the base unit. There is an optional upgrade to cellular connection.
  • Battery - 30-hour battery.
  • GPS tracking - No.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #10

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Here we have a stylish pendant made by Philips that features two-way voice capability. When there is an emergency, a user can press the help button and communicate with call center agents through the pendant. This pendant comes in white with curved edges and a grey help button on the top. There are discrete openings for the speaker and microphone at the bottom of the unit. Pendant is a part of a mobile system and it has a battery that lasts up to 7 days before it needs recharging. Connection Type - Both landline or AT&T cellular network connection are available. Battery - Up to 7 days. GPS tracking - Yes. Water Resistant - Yes. Fall Detection - Yes.   Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #11

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Help button pendant like this one is a great solution for those who are not looking for a full medical alert service. This pendant is designed to dial local 911 emergency response services at the push of a button. In this case, there is no special monitoring center available, rather all calls are directly to 911. The pendant comes in white with a big red button in the center of the unit. There are speaker and microphone components built-in which allow two-way voice communication with 911 operators. The battery life is significant, it lasts for up to one year before it needs replacing.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network.
  • Battery - Up to one year.
  • GPS tracking - No.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #12

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This mobile help button pendant is really small (only 1.75'' by 2.75'') and features a central help button. A speaker is installed at the top of the unit and there is also a microphone. This mobile pendant supports two-way voice functionality. When there is an emergency, a person using the system will be able to communicate with call center agents right through the pendant itself. The battery lasts up to 10 years and there is GPS tracking built-in which makes it easy for call center agents to determine the exact location of the person in need, in case of an emergency.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network.
  • Battery - Up to 10 years.
  • GPS tracking - Yes.
  • Water Resistant - Info not available.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 

Two-Way Voice Pendant | Type #13

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Monitronics provides modern looking medical alert systems that are integrated into standard home security solutions. This system comes with a pendant that features two-way voice capability. Both the pendant and base station look stylish with base station featuring a touch screen. The pendant is water resistant and can be worn while in the shower.
  • Connection Type - Cellular network. We haven't found the info about the optimal range from the base unit.
  • Battery - Info not available.
  • GPS tracking - No.
  • Water Resistant - Yes.
  • Fall Detection - No.
Companies and plans using this hardware -
 
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