digital vs. analog

What's digital? What's analog?
 Does it matter?

When the Panasonic KX-TD1232 digital phone system came out in 1993, it got a "D" in its model number to distinguish it from earlier analog 1232 phone systems. "Digital" was an important buzzword in the mid-1990s, just as "solid state" was in the 1960s, and "radio" was in the 1930s.

When Panasonic debuted the KX-TA624 in the late 1990s, the company said that the "A" stood for "advanced," but most dealers regarded the letter as an indicator that the system used ANALOG technology. Later on, the KX-TA1232 was thought of as another analog system, even though it is based on the KX-TD1232. It has digital guts, but it can use only analog phones.

The KX-TAW848 presents a similar problem. It's nearly identical to the digital KX-TDA50, but it can't use digital phones... except for the digital wireless phones.

• Since digital is newer than analog, techno-snobs tend to think of digital as better than analog. But Panasonic's "analog"  KX-TA624 and KX-TA1232 have more advanced Caller ID features than the digital 308, 816 and 1232; and the TA1232 could handle four door intercom speakers when the KX-TD1232 could handle just two.
• On the other hand, if you want T1 service or Direct Inward Dialing, digital is the way to go. 

Back in 1995, AbleComm's business was 5% analog, and we assumed that by now it would be 0%. We were wrong -- our business is now about 25% analog.

For most people, digital vs. analog simply should not matter. It's a distinction without a difference. In a business or home phone system, one technology does not sound better or provide more reliable telecommunications than the other. Digital phone systems have some analog components. Analog phone systems have lots of digital circuitry. AbleComm is going to gradually stop describing phone systems as analog or digital, and we recommend that you make your decision based on features, esthetics and price, not buzzwords or snobbery.

(8 NOV 04)