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Archive through January 07, 2004

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions: 2004 May - July: Buyers Banter (ARCHIVES): Decision about 5.8 GHz phones: Archive through January 07, 2004 users admin

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Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Okay all you smart and helpful people -
I want to buy a 5.8 GHz cordless phone - possibly with answerer. I am a phone nut - I love phones. I don't know why LOL
Anyway, there are 3 or 4 brands that I have seen around - basically around the same price, with pretty much the same options (caller ID, speakerphone, etc.)
AT&T
Panasonic
Uniden
VTech
I would like some opinions. I have had Panasonic phones before, but not the others.
So, let me know what you all think. Thank you :)

Jagger

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I know nothing about the AT&T or the VTech phone but I have owned several of the Uniden and was not too pleased with them, however my roommate swears by the Panasonic phones.

Maris

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a Uniden Gigareach and I hate it. Looking to replace it.

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
what is a gigareach? Is it 5.8 GHz???
Keep it up this is the kind of imput I need

Wargod

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I love my Panasonic and the only problem I've ever had with it was dropping the cordless in a sink full of water. Hasn't worked right since, but it was fully my fault and not the phone at all, lol.

Maris

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
That is the model name on the phone, dont ask me what the GH is. The problem I have with the phone is that regardless of how clean I keep the contacts sometimes I have to jiggle the phone part (receiver) to make sure the green light is lit (charging). Also, the charge seems to drain very fast so I spend a lot of time using the speakerphone. I would not recommend a Uniden.

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Maris, I like Panasonic too, but was wondering about others. Anyone have any experience with AT&T cordless phones? I actually hate AT&T the company, but was wondering about their phones.

Mack

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We use Panasonics now but have had Uniden and AT&T. Never would go back to the Uniden but the AT&T cordless with answering machine was really pretty good. Only reason we stopped using it was it didn't have caller ID. The Panasonics (we have 3 cordless) have performed well. Haven't had to wiggle the handset in the cradle to get the contacts to work for the recharge.

Texannie

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have an AT&T cordless with speaker, answering machine, Call waiting/caller ID and really like it.

Tishala

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 1:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a VTech and I think it is the worst piece of crap I have ever gotten. The battery wasn't long-lasting when I first got it--about 9 months ago--but now it only stays charged for about 20 minutes before it dies. It's also supposed to block out all the unwanted calls from phone solicitation, but that's become redundant since the phone anti-spam law. To top it off, and this might be a problem with digital phones anyhow, voices seem to lack "humanity" on the phone and I go get my 900MHz phone when I stay on for more than a short time. Please stay away from VTech unless you want to contemplate a new phone very soon ofter your purchase (as I have).

Maris

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 1:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ginger I expect you to post results for whatever phone you buy (translation: I am waiting to see what you buy and if it works before I replace MY piece of crap)

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 1:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL ok Maris, it seems like it will be between AT&T and Panasonic. I will decide this week. This is amazing to me, usually I am just impulsive and buy.

Myjohnhenry

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 2:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a GE cordless with Caller ID and love it...best phone I have ever had.

Froggiegirl621

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 2:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just got an AT&T expandable cordless phone with answering machine, caller id, speaker phone, etc. Cost me around $100 and I love it!!! Before that I had a Uniden...had great features and it was very easy to use (storing #'s in memory and retrieving them, etc) but only lasted me about 2 years and I spent well over $100 for that piece of crap!

My vote is for AT&T...but I have also heard great things about the Panasonics. It was between Panasonic and AT&T for me and the only reason I went with AT&T was price, I got more bang for my buck!

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 2:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Froggie is it the 5.8 GHz?

Froggiegirl621

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It's a 2.4 GHz. Sorry, got caught up in the thread and forgot you were looking for a 5.8 GHz. I went from a 900 MHz to the 2.4 and really notice a difference in the clarity and range. The 5.8 expandable systems (with all the bells and whistles I wanted) were a bit out of my price range, so that why I went with the 2.4.

This is a pic of the phone system I have on sale at (my) Sears for $119.99.
1,phone

Froggiegirl621

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
phone

Tishala

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
If I can pile on this, I HATE that I can no longer find a phone with caller ID that shows the "1" at the beginning of the incoming (long distance) number...I can't go to that number and press "dial" because here in L.A. at least, you have to dial "1" + ten digit number. Does anyone know a phone that does THAT? Shoot, we have 5 "local" area codes here and it makes me crazy that even LOCAL calls can't be returned with just a simple press of "dial" when I go to the number ID. And no, I won't be leaving L.A. to solve this issue!

Sorry for the potential highjack, Ginger.

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Okay, so do you have more than one handset? And more than one cradle for the handsets? How do they work if they are not plugged in. How do they keep a charge (the handset cradles I mean)

Ginger1218

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The prices seem to be the best at QVC believe it or not. I have checked Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, lots of places, but QVC seems to have the best prices.

Froggiegirl621

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The main set with the answering machine plugs into the wall outlet and the phone jack. The second handset just needs an outlet, no phone jack. This was ideal for me as I desperately needed a phone in my kitchen but was not equipped with a phone jack in that room.

QVC does have great prices, but we were in a bind since our Uniden crapped out on us. We NEEDED a phone and couldn't wait the shipping time.

Hope I'm helping a bit!

Froggiegirl621

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
A few more tid-bits about my system:
There are three "mailboxes" on the answering machine so if you have a multiple person household you can each have your own mailbox and leave your own outgoing messages. I'm not 100% sure how that all works, as we are just using the one mailbox since it's just me and the BF.

Also, when you program the memory with all your phone numbers and such, the other handset automatically gets programmed, so you won't have to take all that time programming each one individually.

Same thing with the caller id. Once you check your calls and you go to delete the numbers, the other handset's caller id numbers get deleted too!

It's a pretty cool system!

Bob2112

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Tishla: The 2.4 GHz Panasonic cordless phones (and I would assume the 5.8 GHz do too) support what you want, as long as you program in your local area code. You are able to toggle through all the possible combinations of dial-1 and with/without area code to get what is correct for your area. You set this up once and it applys to all numbers.
Did you set the area code in your phone?
I would assume for this feature to work in any phone, the phone would have to know the local area code.

For example, all of the following are possible, depending on what you program for the local area code and whether or not you need to dial one for long distance:

555-1212
1-555-1212
800-555-1212
1-800-555-1212

We have many different local area codes here in the Chicagoland area and my Panasonic handles all of them and long distance correctly.


Note about 2.4 GHz: If you plan on using a wireless network near the phone, you would probably be better off with a 5.8 GHz phone. The 2.4 GHz phones often interfere with the wireless network and will drop your internet connection while you are talking on the phone. Not every call drops, since the channel the phone uses is typically shifting for better signals and security reasons, but the 5.8 GHz should never interfere with the current wireless technology.

Bob2112

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ginger1218: Usually each handset will come with its own charging base. All you have to do is plug it into an outlet and it will work just like any other cordless phone and talk through the base unit. The base unit is the only thing that needs to be connected to the phone line.

Many of the multi-handset systems also allow you to page from phone to phone, which is perfect when trying to get the attention of teenagers in their rooms or me when I'm out in the garage.

Tishala

Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 3:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Mr. Bob!