Client & Project
BT - DECT Phone Range
Product & Category
Home cordless telephony hardware and user interface design
Services Delivered
deployed_code
Product design
phone_iphone
UI design
factory
Design for manufacture
Brief
BT asked Alloy to rapidly redesign its DECT phone range in response to post-Brexit currency shifts, with a sharp focus on cost reduction while preserving a premium brand feel. The challenge was to deliver a full product refresh under intense time and cost pressure—without compromising usability, quality, or brand perception.
Outcome: A value-engineered DECT phone range delivered at pace, achieving significant cost reductions through smart material selection and design optimisation while maintaining BT’s premium positioning and market leadership.
Key Outcomes
0
Models launched
Six DECT phone models launched as part of the redesigned BT cordless phone range.0
Material cost reduction
Achieved a 25% reduction in material cost through value engineering, material optimisation, and part consolidation.0
Design awards won
Ten design awards won across the BT DECT range programme, reflecting premium fit, finish, and user experience.
20 years of market leadership in fixed-line phones
DECT Range ‘fast track’ re-design - The 2016 Brexit result led to an instant, large, devaluation of the pound. This would have led to a similar downward impact on BT’s margins, after their currency hedging provisions expired. Alloy’s task was as simple as it was challenging: get to market, fast, with an entire new range to mitigate the effect of the devaluation. We considered costs dynamically, as an integral part of the process and achieved the cost-down, in record time by exceeding targets for reduced material usage. A key challenge for us was how to focus on cost cutting measures while maintaining a premium feel across the whole range of devices
We use our significant control over the balance of perceived-value and cost to create win-win approaches to business and sustainability.
