The BT Relate SMS is a pleasant phone to use, having good sized controls and a large LCD screen showing the number dialled or that of an incoming call. Unfortunately, it does not have handset amplification or an inductive coupler, but the similar BT Relate 2100 (£40) does have these useful features.

To use the texting and number directory features means using a new menu-driven system which can be quite confusing to start with, but you soon get used to it. After a while most users will find it reasonably straightforward to read and send text messages. These cost 12p per message and you can text any other SMS compatible phone, either on a landline or mobile network, and most recipients will be able to reply to you easily.

Note: you have to subscribe to the BT Caller Display service in order for the caller display and SMS features to work.

The BT Relate SMS and Relate 2100 are now available from the RNID Shop.