Wired Versus Wireless Headsets? Which Should You Get?

When choosing a headset for yourself or your workers, should you choose one that is wireless or one that connects via a wire? While most people probably prefer wireless headsets, some that use a cable have advantages too. Here are some of the differences.

Advantages to Wired Headsets

Despite the trend toward wireless, some offices want to remain wired. They have control and security when they use a wire. If a physical connection is needed to access the corporate network, the business is in full control of who and what gets online. While this has obvious security benefits of keeping unauthorised visitors out of your network, it also means your network will not be overloaded with non-business critical traffic.

Wired headsets are more cost-effective because the price of cabling is inexpensive. The headsets also are less expensive.

Usually, when you have a wired connection, you get more speed and reliability. You have more than a wireless infrastructure. For businesses that regularly need to move a lot of data around, a wired set-up is the best way to go.

Employees who sit at their desks, but don’t need to move throughout the office, are fine with a wired headset. They don’t have to worry about tripping or accidents or other injuries due to the wire. They don’t need to move much while wearing them. They can take off the headset for trips to the bathroom, kitchen or boss’ office.

Advantages to Wireless

While a physical infrastructure may be good from a management point of view and offer an inexpensive option, having all those wires running throughout a building can be costly and awkward to maintain. When employees are added, those new workers will need to get physical connections at their desk for the new headsets. These connections need to be created manually. And, technology personnel will have to fix any wires that break or headsets that break because of the wires manually. This takes time from other chores.

With the explosion in mobile devices over the last few year, many workers are bringing their own devices into the office. These devices include headsets. You need to make sure your employees have access to your network and that the headsets are compatible with your network.

Wireless infrastructure and headsets means employees don’t have to stay at their desks when using them. They can move around the office. You often see these in restaurants because wait staff members are constantly moving from place to place. Stores are the same. They could go from desk to desk or meeting room to meeting room without leaving their headset on their work station.

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A wireless headsets are cleaner and more professional-looking, eliminating unsightly cables that usually run around an office.

Disadvantages to Wireless Headsets

Operation time is a problem. Wired headsets supply their own power via the cable and can operate continuously for as long as is necessary. Wireless headsets have limited operation time because eventually batteries need recharging. This can cause downtime in your office. Depending on how long the headset will be in continuous use, this can be a minor issue or a serious one. If your employees will be using the headset for a long time, as in a customer support call center, operation time for a headset can be a serious consideration.

Mobility is limited. Most wireless headsets have restricted area to work properly. They can be too far away from their signal hub, meaning leaving an office or cubicle may result in signal loss. However, if something within the office yet not reachable due to wired connections, a wireless headset will make it easy for the employees to retrieve the document.

Wireless headsets are more prone to electronic interference than their wired counterparts. The causes of this interference can come from signal traffic and the infrastructure in the building. When a large number of wireless signals are sent near each other, the result is interference, diminished audio quality and even complete loss of signal. Signals are sent from a number of electronic devices: mobile phones, headsets, tablets, wireless Internet routers, devices with radio frequencies and other electronics.. If any of the headsets are operating on the same frequency, you can even get small amounts of crosstalk between the devices. The construction of a building and arrangement of major duct work and furniture can also have an effect. Metal can create interference for wireless devices. Because wired headsets are directly connected to a computer, they face none of these interference issues.

Wired headsets generally don't incur much ongoing cost. They are self-sufficient and need only to be connected to the computer. However, wireless headsets have additional costs. If the headset utilizes batteries, you'll need to purchase them regularly to keep the headset working. If the headset uses a charger, you will see a spike in your electric bill. You also will have to replace chargers when they are lost or stolen. In either case, you also have to expect eventual hardware failure from basic wear and tear. Wired headsets will have to be entirely replaced, while wireless headsets may require only the wireless hub or the headset itself to be replaced.