I have no desire to buy or use a Bluetooth cell phone headset, but I know most of you do. Before you buy I think it may help if you know how it works.

The way a Bluetooth cell phone headset works is quite simple. It connects with your Bluetooth-enabled cell phone or mobile phone, whatever you call it.

The goal is to make your life easy with hands-free communication. Bluetooth lets you make a personal area network or PAN. Congratulations.

This hands-free connection helps if you live where it’s illegal to drive a vehicle while holding a cell phone. Away from your vehicle, it just lets you sound like you’re talking to yourself.

How a Bluetooth Cell Phone Headset Works

The Bluetooth cell phone headset uses radio waves to communicate with other devices. The radio waves can pass through walls and other things. That lets your Bluetooth cell phone headset connect with another device without interruption. The radio waves pass through your clothing, your purse or your brief case. Having a clear line of sight between the two devices helps but is not required.

The parts that let this happen are rather cheap compared to other electronics. Since they require little power, they generate little heat. That means they can be used in small electronic devices, such as your cell phone and your Bluetooth cell phone headset.

It also means your headset will not toast your ear. The headsets get smaller and are more able to screen out background noise so callers can hear what you say.

The microchips in most Bluetooth devices communicate with each other within a range of about 1 meter. They are simple class 3 devices.

The next higher class, class 2, can communicate within a range of about 10 meters. Those cost a bit more. Most Bluetooth cell phone headsets are rated at class 2.

Class 1 devices have a range of about 100 meters. Many bases and receiving stations are class 1. A class 1 device can reach a class 2 device at 100 meters. That range can be reduced by things between the two.

A class 2 device has a greater range when sending radio waves to a class 1 device. That is due to the higher sensitivity and power of a class 1 device.

This is the technology of your Bluetooth cell phone headset. Bluetooth is far cheaper and does not require the costly equipment Wi-Fi does. However, Bluetooth has a much shorter range, and a much smaller amount of bandwidth. Both systems use the same radio frequency range.

The leading manufacturers are Motorola and Plantronics. You can choose from many models.