LONDON: The JCB Toughphone Sitemaster is being claimed as the toughest phone in the world. But is it?

Apparently, it can survive underwater for eight hours; can endure heat of 75 degree Celsius and below freezing temperatures of – 30 degree Celsius; and is able to withstand extreme vibration and compression.

Although it's primary target audience is people who work outdoors – on building sites or farms, that's not to say it doesn't have any mod-cons. It plays music and videos, offers Bluetooth connectivity to other phones and computers and has an FM radio, reports the Daily Mail.

Here are the various tests it was put to:

1. Swimming pool claim: Even inside water, the sound quality is pretty good. The line is slightly muffled, but it's easily good enough to have a long conversation.

2. Steam room claim: After ten minutes in the steam room the phone – though still a bit steamy inside – works fine.

3. Hot sauna claim: the sound quality is a little muffled – the phone is clearly not entirely watertight – but still, one can make himself heard perfectly well.

4. Steam roller claim: After being placed under the wheel of a 1.6-tonne Saab and driving over it back and forth five times, the screen remains crack-less only with a tiny scratch on the back.

5. The big drop claim: the phone is flung from a first-floor window on to the patio, 12ft below and twice the height claimed by JCB. It bounces and is fine.

6. In the freezer claim: It goes into the freezer, with the frozen peas and ice cream for two hours. It's fully functional after it's taken out.

7. The hot spin claim: The Toughphone has survived torture with water, heat, dirt and soap. But sadly, it fails the washing machine test.