Telephone Reviews

ok i got this phone after i saw my brothers, i thought wow that phone is the coolest soo i got it for my birthday ,but the one i got had a stick for a intena, what happened was oveer time the intenna started to bend and on day simply snapped off!! no i have a phone with no intena and can now only go tto the other room. on monday i plann to buy the panasonic 2.4gig for my birthday hpefully this will be a sucses and the intenaa wont be a stick

This Vtech model is ergonomical to use. It has simple controls. The voice commands are helpful in programming its many features. Also the battery life of the unit is good, as is the recharging speed. The only problem I had was with the answering machine. When I listened to the outgoing message, its sounded a little garbled, but it was understandable.

I really like all the features this phone has to offer. My favorite one is that you can put a spare battery in the base unit and it will charge it. The best thing about this is that if your power goes out, it will use that battery as a power source and you can still use your cordless phone. I'm still looking for another phone that does this.

The problems: 1)The screen starts going out one line at a time. A friend of mine has one that did the exact same thing.
2)The antenna bends very easily. I thing mine came loose inside the phone because now sometimes it shuts down to channel search. Especially when someone is trying to call and you can't answer because the phone won't work at all. (This is probably my own fault for letting my one year old get a hold of it.)

If Vtech could fix these problems, I'd buy another phone from them. I've had this one for over 3 years and have never had to replace the battery.

I bought this dual handset cordless phone when my Sony cordless died. This phone has numerous problems. First, there is a really annoying echo that comes and goes when using this phone. The "1" button on one of the phones has now died, and the caller id is confusing. Instead of registering the calls in order to review later, you can only review the phone numbers of callers who are not already stored in the caller id memory, and the caller id memory is not even in chronological order by date. I am never buying a GE phone again.

The reason I purchased a dual phone system was to avoid wiring a second wall jack to my bedroom.

I chose this particular phone system mainly because it was priced better than other similar phones. The better security of the 2.4 GHz frequency and especially the DSS (Digital Spread Spectrum) security feature were also a deciding factor.

My biggest concern is the sound quality. Though it has great range, I register a slight hiss as though I'm calling long distance. I also hear a few clicks now and then, though very infrequently. I cannot rule out my immediate environment as a possible cause, but since I am not in a densely populated area, I find my environment an unlikely candidate. The quiet hiss is present between handsets as well as on calls, ruling out my phone line. I've turned off all my electrical equipment with no improvement. The hiss is so slight that it is easily tolerated.

This would be a good phone system for both business and home use. However, I believe it is not expandable beyond two handsets. Both units have a nice small footprint. You can page both handsets from the base to find them. It has the typical functions of flash, redial, mute and hold. You can transfer calls from one handset to another, telling your co-worker who is on the line before he or she accepts the transferred call. Intercom and conferencing are also possible. The number pad and talk buttons are big enough for ease of use. The special function buttons are a little small.

There is a special walkie-talkie mode that allows you to talk to each handset independent of the base unit. The only benefit of the walkie-talkie mode over the intercom function is that it allows you to communicate between each handset even if your power is out.

Each phone is programmable independent. You can select from six different rings, or no ring at all. You can adjust the volume (four levels) during a call, though the volume control buttons are small and hard to adjust without taking the phone away from your face. You can label each handsets display (IE - Upstairs, Downstairs, John, Mary etc.).

It has 40 caller ID records and 50 programmable speed dials (max of 24 digits each). The 24 digits are not really a limitation however since you can cascade the speed dials (IE - press DIR 01 to dial your calling card 800 number, then press DIR 02 to dial your calling card access code and then DIR 35 to dial your party). Unfortunately you cannot toggle through the directory list after the first speed dial. In other words, you can toggle through the directory list to your first number (your calling card 800 number) but you have to remember the second and third speed dials by their corresponding number (02, 35).

The directory does not list the speed dial numbers alphabetically; the numbers are listed by their corresponding speed dial number (01, 02, 03, etc.). This is typical of business speed dials. You, of course, can edit the list to be alphabetical, but this is a hassle.

There is an interesting security function call registration, de-registration. This function allows you to de-register all handsets in case you lose one, then re-register only the remaining handset.

I was worried that my 2.4 GHz wireless router for my computer would interfere with this 2.4 GHz phone, but I found no related problems with the phone. However, I have not yet throughly tested my router/computer connection to see if the phone might interfere with it. I want to reiterate here that I disconnected all my electronic equipment in hopes of stopping the quiet hiss, to no avail. I hope this review was helpful.

I purchased this dual handset system about a year ago, and for the money it has performed much better than I expected it to. In fact, it works better (less static and clicks, clearer sound) than many other more pricey cordless brands I have owned in the past.
I recently purchased another of these systems (at half the price I paid originally), hoping that I could register the 2 new handsets with the old base unit (this is not a documented function) - and it worked! Now, I have one phone outlet and four handsets - for less than what other expandable systems cost for only 2 handsets.
GE has recently replaced this model with a new updated model, but the older model can still be found if you search the 'Net. I read the online documentation for the new system, and it looks like the only changes are cosmetic and the menuing system is different. So my guess would be that you could use 4 handsets with the new one as well.
Overall, this is the best, most versatile cordless system I have owned. Many easy to use features, decent styling, and it works!

My only complaint is that the battery life is very short. We even replaced the battery. The new battery was strong for one day & then reverted to the incredibally short life of the first battery.

This is my second Panasonic 2.4 gig phone & both phones had the same problem. The battery life problems started after the return period. I didn't look into warranty repairs as I hobbled along on the week battery of both phones & made sure to charge at all times except when in use.

When straight out of the cradle I can have as long as one single 1-hour phone call - but with any additional calls, the battery drops the call. It can barely sit out of the charger for one evening (after work & until bed) It absolutely can not sit out over night.

Ever since my wife dropped our Sony 49mhz cordless phone on the kitchen floor and shattered it into several chunks, I have been on a quest to replace it with a reliable model. It had great talk time and a clear sound, and that is a hard combo to purchase these days (even from Sony!).

After purchasing several cordless phones since then and being dissappointed with them I decided that my problem was that I was not spending enough money.

So I bit the bullet and spent a lot of money on this phone and was dissappointed. It is already unplugged and sitting in the garage, replaced by a lower priced Uniden.

What didn't I like?

#1 complaint had to do with the talk time. It seemed every time I picked the phone up it was needing recharging.

#2 complaint was an excessive amount of noise that I could not get rid of, no matter if I changed the channels or walked to a different part of the house. It would come and go, in and out, and made the phone unusable.

It could be that my heavy electronic gadget laden house had something to do with it, but I think it had more to do with another feature of the phone: dual communication channels.

Notice the dual antennae on the base station?

That is because what you say is transmitted at 2.4ghz but what you hear is at 900mhz. This occurs simutaneously and is supposed to provide a clearer conversation because the two frequencies do not interfere.

One interesting artifact concerning the range is that when you are far from the base what you can hear begins to drop out before what you are transmitting does.

It does, however, have a long range and I am able to walk up and down the block with the phone and use it (call out and take calls).

I do suspect that the noise had something to do with my house because it was clearer once I was outdoors, but maybe your house has as many speaker wires (and wireless speakers), video transmitters and other gadgets as I do.

I usually have good luck with Panasonic products, but this phone is now unplugged and I have returned back to a Uniden 900mhz that is my favorite phone yet. I may try a *true* 2.4ghz in the future.

After several inexpensive cordless phones went by the wayside, I went back to Panasonic,the one phone that has always lasted. I guess I wanted to try the cheaper phones to see if there was a difference, and the answer is a definitive yes!

My favorite feature is the caller ID and message lights that lets me see someone has called without picking up the phone. (We have voicemail through the phone company, so previously we had to pick up the phone to know someone had called.)

We have dropped it several times and have no problems to report. My husband and I both love this phone. This is my first time writing a review and the first product I have felt warranted my time. Past reviews helped me find this phone in the first place, so I figured it was time to give back!

My only complaint is that the battery life is very short. We even replaced the battery. The new battery was strong for one day & then reverted to the incredibally short life of the first battery.

This is my second Panasonic 2.4 gig phone & both phones had the same problem. The battery life problems started after the return period. I didn't look into warranty repairs as I hobbled along on the week battery of both phones & made sure to charge at all times except when in use.

When straight out of the cradle I can have as long as one single 1-hour phone call - but with any additional calls, the battery drops the call. It can barely sit out of the charger for one evening (after work & until bed) It absolutely can not sit out over night.

Ever since my wife dropped our Sony 49mhz cordless phone on the kitchen floor and shattered it into several chunks, I have been on a quest to replace it with a reliable model. It had great talk time and a clear sound, and that is a hard combo to purchase these days (even from Sony!).

After purchasing several cordless phones since then and being dissappointed with them I decided that my problem was that I was not spending enough money.

So I bit the bullet and spent a lot of money on this phone and was dissappointed. It is already unplugged and sitting in the garage, replaced by a lower priced Uniden.

What didn't I like?

#1 complaint had to do with the talk time. It seemed every time I picked the phone up it was needing recharging.

#2 complaint was an excessive amount of noise that I could not get rid of, no matter if I changed the channels or walked to a different part of the house. It would come and go, in and out, and made the phone unusable.

It could be that my heavy electronic gadget laden house had something to do with it, but I think it had more to do with another feature of the phone: dual communication channels.

Notice the dual antennae on the base station?

That is because what you say is transmitted at 2.4ghz but what you hear is at 900mhz. This occurs simutaneously and is supposed to provide a clearer conversation because the two frequencies do not interfere.

One interesting artifact concerning the range is that when you are far from the base what you can hear begins to drop out before what you are transmitting does.

It does, however, have a long range and I am able to walk up and down the block with the phone and use it (call out and take calls).

I do suspect that the noise had something to do with my house because it was clearer once I was outdoors, but maybe your house has as many speaker wires (and wireless speakers), video transmitters and other gadgets as I do.

I usually have good luck with Panasonic products, but this phone is now unplugged and I have returned back to a Uniden 900mhz that is my favorite phone yet. I may try a *true* 2.4ghz in the future.

After several inexpensive cordless phones went by the wayside, I went back to Panasonic,the one phone that has always lasted. I guess I wanted to try the cheaper phones to see if there was a difference, and the answer is a definitive yes!

My favorite feature is the caller ID and message lights that lets me see someone has called without picking up the phone. (We have voicemail through the phone company, so previously we had to pick up the phone to know someone had called.)

We have dropped it several times and have no problems to report. My husband and I both love this phone. This is my first time writing a review and the first product I have felt warranted my time. Past reviews helped me find this phone in the first place, so I figured it was time to give back!

I have a set of three Siemens 2.4 GHz phones (my mistake to buy all at once). They have had problems from Day One. I have had to return them to Siemens -- only to get the same problems back. None of their recommended fixes have worked. And worst of all, customer support has been atrocious. I recommend not buying these. I bought two other 2.4 Ghz phones from AT&T, and they have been flawless in the exact same environment.

I run my business from my home as does my wife. We have two teenagers and 4 kids total. I originally bought the 8800 series because I do lots of conference calls and needed a digital duplex speakerphone. This phone offers so much more however. One feature that we didn't know existed but have used constantly since we purchased is the voice announce for caller ID. I can be in the kitchen and the phone rings and then my voice comes on and annouces "The Smiths" from the base station. We answer that one. Or "Caller ID Unknown". Probably a salesman, no need to get up from dinner for that one. It has caller ID based mailbox routing, call barring (to prevent the phone from ringing at all if someone calls who has deliberately blocked their caller ID from being seen), individual phone intercom, 'all house' intercom, and the room monitor with call forwarding works great as well. There are too many features here to learn in one sitting. We have had two problems. Every once in a while the headset on the cordless has a clicking in the background which I believe to be related with some other 2.4 GHZ appliance interference. If you could manually overide the channel selection, I think that would not occur. The other problem has been just finding two more cordless phones. These are hard to find. I would highly recommend this phone.

I've owned the Gigaset 8825 system and 4 8800 cordless phones now for about a year. In general, I'd agree with most of the reviews. It is a great phone system and generally, I really like the features. I have only one big problem. I can't find 3 of my cordless phones. With two teenaged daughters, the phones seem to be popular after school (and into most of the night). The thing is, they seem to forget to put them back in the charger. The standby power on these things is not all that great. The specs say 80 hours, I'd give it a little more than 8. I've replaced the rechargable batteries a few times, but that doesn't seem to help. Usually, I find these things, but for some reason, they are being very illusive. When they have power, the intercom Call All feature lets me find them easily, but when the power is gone, they are small enough to hide in sofa cushions (looked there), under beds (looked there too). I'm about to offer a reward, teens always need money.

I am very disappointed in this phone. It has been totaly unreliable and I will need to replace it after only 3 months. Sometimes it works fine but mostly it cuts off my calls in mid-stream. I would never purchase another GE phone.

I am quite pleased with this product. I found the price very affordable. The design is attractive, or so I think with my black model.

The [ringer] volume settings are OFF - LO - HI. I find the LO too low and the HI too high, but maybe it's just my hearing.

My biggest complaint is concerning the lack of lighting for the Caller ID screen -- quite a hassle when the phone rings at night and a night lamp is not near by.

Regardless, I've kept the phone, and in the end, I think that is what counts.

Great fit on my big 'ol head, and the volume is more than loud enough for a moderate volume environment.

Setup was very easy, and anyone who can program a universal remote control, or use a microwave should have no troubles.

It's unfortunate that you need batteries, seeing as how many caller ID phones can draw power from the phone line, but it's a small price to pay for a cheap brand-name second phone with caller ID.

Suddenly, after 16 months of use, the phone just stopped working. Neither the handset nor the speaker phone works and the LCD display has gone blank (but the LEDs light-up). I called the customer support line and they recognized the problem. But they will not replace or fix the phone without charging me ... since the one-year warranty period ran out four months ago. Obviously I am not going to pay ... for a refurbised phone, especially since I was never really happy with it. Its duplex feature never quite worked well and the mic was not sensitive enough and the speaker volume never went high enough. Overall, the quality of Polycom's home products are drastically inferior to its office products.

I echo many of the comments of others. I do think it's a great speakerphone. Others say it's too bassy, but I think most speakerphones are too tinny. I like the bass sound of this phone. I love the separate handset, speaker, and headset buttons. It allows me to go from handset to speaker to headset without missing a conversation and without anyone noticing. The conference feature works very simply and allows callers to be added or dropped very easily.

I do think the speed dial and caller id functions are cumbersome and less useful than many other phones. The single-line caller id is less than optimal. The ringer tone is also quite odd. If you've ever heard a Polycom conference phone ring, it's the same type of ring. It's not offensive, but it's not my preference.

Finally, I did have one problem with the phone. When conferencing two parties, the two conferenced parties couldn't hear each other well, though I could hear both of them just fine. Though what I consider to be a great sounding speaker was reason enough for me to keep the phone, the fact that I can't conference folks together is enough of a reason for me to return the phone.

The quality of the conference phone is not near as good as the Polycom phones on your conference room table. You have to be pretty close to the phone and speaking into it for others to hear you clearly. If all you want to do is listen to others talk on speakerphone then it is fine....good for listening to conference calls on speakerphone.

While Panasonic is consistently the most highly recommended cordless phone by electronics salespeople, this is my THIRD failure with Panasonic. While I have few problems with the corded wall mount unit, the handset has not held a charge for more than a 10 minute conversation after approximately 3 months old (after the store warrantee expired) and I am unable to say more than 'hello' on it now, before it dies out now. I have returned the phone once within the store warrantee and I have replaced the batteries twice in 2 years, which are hard to find and costly. Panasonic customer service has been neither helpful nor sympathetic to my problem. I am now researching a variety of less 'recommended' cordless phones...

I thought I was getting a bargain by purchasing this, because it included the cordless handset as well as the base unit. Boy, was I wrong. I've had this phone for about a year, and I've replaced the battery twice already. Even with a brand-new battery, the handset is only good for about 45 minutes before it needs to be recharged. A big waste of money.

I'm buying this phone to replace my Sony SPP-A2480 (GREAT PHONE!! NO PROBLEMS! Just broke it) Well I bought this phone today and I plan on returning it tomarrow! It does sound GREAT!! But there are things that bother me about it to much to keep.

1. You can't add numbers to the Directory from the base you have to use the cordless.

2. BAD menu layout kind of confusing at first.

3. Time it takes for the cordless to access the CID and the directory. Not real long just annyoing.

4. You can't scan a call from the cordless.

5.It has features nothing that makes it stand out from others! not worth the price. Most of them are kind of useless (turning off the speaker on the answering machine or setting up how many numbers the caller ID displays) or not something the average person would use (setting Thee flash length or setting the line mode..anyone know what that means?)

In all I'm VERY disapointed in this phone So I'll be out to find another one tomarrow! Make sure you keep your reciept if you buy this phone. Looks good on the outside but it's kind of rotten when you bite into it.

I have had such a horrible experience with this Panasonic phone I REFUSE to buy another telephone made by Panasonic. "Dropout King" is right, if you want your conversations interupted with faulty equipment use this phone. The buttons on the handset fail with use. Calling long distance is hard when the "1" button does not work. The answering machine is difficult, if not impossible to use with no backlight to the number of messages and having to reverse your way thru older messages. Finally, the base has given up charging the handset, so our phone is dead...

I purchased this for the security of digital DSS, and was pleased by the feature set. After several months use, though, I'm looking for a new phone. The features are still a good match for what I need, but the ability of this set to keep a clear connection from handset to base is very poor.

When the connection is good, it's very good, but it often decays as you converse, whether or not you're moving. The incoming sound begins to break up and you're required to manually search for new channels by pressing a button on the handset. This includes a noticeable delay during which you cannot hear the calling party, and they can't hear you.

Given the ballyhoo about 900 MHz and DSS, one would expect this to phone keep a clear, steady connection - but it doesn't, even when you're in the same room as the base! The supposed superiority of this system, and the extended range it supposedly provides is useless without being able to handle the simplest of situations. Perhaps other manufacturers have better implementations of 900 MHz DSS? One can only hope.

The features are okay, but it suffers from two main performance problems:

--Volume is too low on the caller's side, and there's no way to improve it. They simply have a hard time hearing you.

--Range is poor, compared to other 900mhz digitals, and it suffers from dropout, up to a second or two, even when close to the basestation.

Noisy reception. Horrible UI. Stop charging the handset after 1 year.

The Sony phone/answering system we purchased has the caller ID on the handset itself. The phone is the best phone we've ever had. However, the digital built in ans. machine is the worst. It is very difficult to understand what people said because it is very muffled and "digitized."

I've had this phone for more than 3 years and have had no problems with it. It has never ran out of battery. Answering maching sounds fine and the menu isn't that hard to use.