A phone booth or modular room stands free on the floor: no building work, but an enclosed spot.
Dimensions: how many people, and will it fit?
A phone booth is a small space that you place inside an existing space. That makes two sets of dimensions matter: the external dimensions, for the spot where it will go, and the internal dimensions, for whoever sits inside. The product information often gives both. Compare them.
Virtually all booths are around 230 cm high. So measure the clear height under the ceiling as well, and allow for lights, sprinklers or a suspended ceiling above the spot. Think about the route there too: the Kameleon K4 and K6 are delivered flat-packed and, dismantled, fit in a standard lift.
Unsure between one person and more? Look at what happens now. If it is mainly individual telephone calls and video calls, several single-person booths are often more useful than one large one. If two or three people confer on the work floor, a booth for more people is the answer, such as the X-Pod meeting for two to four people.
Sound: ask which figure it is
Various sound values are quoted for phone booths, and they cannot be compared with one another. Three examples from the product data:
Belcel BNR+: an Rw value of 37 dB for the glass. That says something about the glass wall, not about the whole booth.
M+ Room: sound insulation of the wall of Rw 41 dB, and a calculated attenuation of 35 dB. The wall is built up from upholstery, 15 mm recycled insulation material, MDF, an air cavity, MDF again, insulation material and upholstery.
X-Pod meeting: sound insulation of approximately 28 dB.
For the Kameleon booths the manufacturer quotes no dB value, but does give the build-up: 12 mm acoustic laminated glass with acoustic film and internal panels of 12 mm sound-absorbing PET felt.
The question to ask: is this figure measured or calculated, and does it apply to the glass, to the wall or to the whole booth? A higher figure for the glass alone says less than a lower figure for the complete booth.
The inside counts too. For the Cell Space Sitland points out that woollen and textured fabrics dampen better than smooth polyesters, and those in turn better than faux leather. If you use the booth mainly for telephone calls, choose a wool blend.
Ventilation
An enclosed booth quickly becomes warm and stuffy. Ventilation is therefore not an option but a requirement. Look at how much air is exchanged, and how the system switches on and off:
Belcel BNR+: ventilation with motion sensor, 125 to 770 m³ per hour, externally adjustable.
X-Pod phone booth: 5 m³ of air per minute, adjustable. The X-Pod meeting exchanges 10 m³ per minute with four fans.
Kameleon: the internal air is completely exchanged every 26 to 50 seconds, with a run-on time of 5, 15 or 30 minutes and a speed that you set from 15 to 100%.
With the Belcel BNR+ you put together the ventilation, lighting, glass walls and electrics yourself. So ask what your version includes. Pay attention to the noise of the ventilation itself as well. A fan that hums is a disturbance in a video call.
Power and light
A phone booth without a socket becomes a spot where people cannot charge their laptop. Ask what is included as standard:
Belcel BNR+: 2× 230V and a dimmable LED spot with sensor.
X-Pod phone booth: twice 220V plus USB-A and USB-C chargers above the worktop, and dimmable LED lighting. The worktop is electrically adjustable from 76 to 116 cm, so that you can stand in the booth as well.
Kameleon: one socket, two USB-A chargers and a CAT6 network connection. LED spots, dimmable, which switch on via a motion sensor. A 3 metre power cable as standard, with a connection at floor level.
That last point is a practical one: there must be a socket within reach of the spot where the booth will go. Check that before you choose a spot.
Moving and reconfiguring
A phone booth stands free on the floor. How easily it can be moved does differ, though. The X-Pod has four swivel castors and levelling feet; the Kameleon booths come on castors and levelling feet as standard. Two people assemble the K1 in about 40 minutes.
The M+ Room goes further: it consists of wall, ceiling and glass panels that you put together in size and detailing. The parts are designed for full reuse, so that you can reconfigure a room later. On the Kameleon the internal and external panels can be swapped without tools.
The M+ Room: configurable in size from 120 to 300 cm wide.From the M+ Room Phonebooth series: glass wall and door in a black steel frame.
Sustainability
Ask what the booth is made of and what happens to it at the end. The M+ Room from ROFA is designed and produced in the Netherlands, from sustainably certified timber and recycled acoustic insulation material. CO₂ passports are available for the basic elements. The internal panels of the Kameleon are made of PET felt from 100% recycled polyester.
A phone booth is configured and then delivered. The exact delivery time depends on the model and the options, and we confirm it with the quotation. Installation on site usually takes one day. Our own fitters deliver, assemble and set everything up, including tidying away the cables.
We deliver and install phone booths throughout the region, including in Rotterdam and The Hague. Is a phone booth not needed and will a wall do? Then we say so. In office acoustics: which solution fits where? you can read which solution suits which situation.
Advice, floor plan and showroom
Tell us how many people work there, how often calls are made and where the booth could stand. We advise on type, size and location, and draw a 2D or 3D floor plan free of charge. You can view the models in our 1,000 m² showroom in Moordrecht, by appointment. Delivery and installation are handled by our own fitters.
No. A phone booth stands free on the floor. It does need power, though, and a spot with enough clear height. If you rent the premises, consult the owner or managing agent.
What is the difference between a phone booth and an M+ Room?
A phone booth has a fixed size. The M+ Room is built up to size from panels, from 120 to 300 cm wide and 100 to 510 cm deep, from a calling spot to a meeting room. The Belcel BNR+ is a fixed size from the same series.
Can I take a phone booth with me when we move?
Yes. The booths stand free and many models are on castors. The parts of the M+ Room are designed for full reuse.
From Moordrecht we deliver and install throughout South Holland. About the showroom by appointment, the free floor plan, lead times, installation by our own team and the removal of old furniture.
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