Cordless Phone help

brettw22

For the first time in about 8 or 9 years I'm going to get a home phone activated. I want to get a cordless phone, but I've been outta the loop for a while and wanted to get y'alls feedback on what phones you have and have had good experience with. I think the last time I had one it was a Panasonic, but I know there's a ton out there now.

I don't want an answering machine, just a base and maybe some capability to add an additional handset somewhere in the place.

Which brands be good?

cfrizz

Funny I just posted this link to a friend of mine. I just got it myself & I'm loving it! They also have them @ Sears for 99.99!

http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-TRU9485-2-Expandable-Cordless-Answering/dp/B000E60HJO/sr=8-3/qid=1158448371/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-4371644-7400116?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

Dennis Gardner

I agree the 5.8 Mhz Uniden models are the best cordless I have ever used.

Willow

I've had great luck with V-tech and Motorola they both have additional handsets, I currently run 2.4ghz

brettw22

Feature wise,the 2 things i'm specifically wanting are a 10 key on the base and the lack of an answering machine. I suppose if I have to keep the answering machine, so be it, but I really have no use/interest in having that........

bobman1235

You rarely see them without answering machines these days. You can always just ... keep it shut off.

ESavinon

Get a v-tech, uniden or panasonic 5.8 ghz digital spread spectrum tech.
Not analog 5.8 or 2.4 ghz.

brettw22

Any of y'all use these that have bluetooth capabilities?

Holydoc

Brett,

I currently (for the past year) have used the Panasonic cordless with the talking caller ID. This saves me from having to get off my lazy butt and answer the phone if I hear it is someone I do not know. Here is a link to a bunch of them:

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelListByAttribute?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=70263&catGroupId=25039&attributeId=21319&attributeValueId=612879&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

gregvet

If you still have a corded phone, keep it as a back-up. I've had times that I was glad I had a corded phone when the power went out. The other option is to plug one cordless phone to a UPS.

brettw22

I don't have a corded phone.....not that it would do any good with the cable/telephone package. Once that modem loses power, no phone line period.

I have a cell as backup anyway, so that's a good thing

disneyjoe7

In an Emergency Cell phones don't work too well. I wouldn't rely on one for communications if all hell broke loose.

brettw22

Well if all hell breaks loose, I'm probably not gonna be chatting on the phone.....lol

audiobliss

Wow. Talking caller id? That'd be cool...

disneyjoe7

My emergency could be a ice storm in Chicago this winter when all electric is down. Cell sites don't have batteries that last forever, or transmission trunks that will handle all calls when your you or someone is making sure you're ok.

bobman1235

disneyjoe7 wrote:

In an Emergency Cell phones don't work too well. I wouldn't rely on one for communications if all hell broke loose.

Technically digital phone is just VOIP (voice over IP), and emergency doesn't work too well with that either, so it really doesn't make a differnece

Holydoc

bobman1235 wrote:

Technically digital phone is just VOIP (voice over IP), and emergency doesn't work too well with that either, so it really doesn't make a differnece

I agree with this. I have VOIP phone service and when a big wind (that is Floridian for Hurricane) comes through, electricity and Internet service goes out. My cell phone becomes my lifeline. With generators, cars, and batteries the cell phones are more reliable than you would think. I would guess that about 25% of my friends don't even have land-lines anymore. They have gone strictly cellular.

Now back to the original thread... talking Caller ID rocks! It is not always accurate on its pronunciation, but it is the lazy mans helper. Almost as good an invention as the remote!

disneyjoe7

I'm an Electronic Tech for a local Phone company, I do carrier / special / frame / mux / switch / also a Power Tech.
I do it all. I think land telephone is 98% uptime, VIOP is 78% uptime, some cell phone sites are more like 65% uptime. If **** hits the FAN I would like to be on a Land phone, that is not wireless phone but a old phone telephone. Because this needs 48volts or so to work and the "Switch needs this also, and if the electric is out then the Generator is working (I run the Generator also).


How many times when nothing is working lights / cable / network nothing.... But you pick up the phone and its working.

PhantomOG

Does anyone even have non-wireless land-line phones anymore? I love all those ATT/SBC/etc commercials talking about how when the power goes out, your phone will still work... not for me and most people who exclusively have wireless telephones :P

disneyjoe7

I have a cordless phone the base has a battery also. Some wireless phone base have a battery optional, but you need to get another battery for this.

disneyjoe7

I also have a non-wireless land-line phone for emergency but most times I at work.

cfrizz

I just unplugged my landline in my bedroom. But after hearing all of this, I think I will keep it right where its at just in case I need it!

But I love being wireless in the bedroom for a change!

Early B.

Another vote for talking caller ID. We love it.

dorokusai

What the hell is a cordless phone...pffft.

cfrizz

FREEDOM BABY!!!!:D

dorokusai wrote:

What the hell is a cordless phone...pffft.

Holydoc

disneyjoe7 wrote:

I'm an Electronic Tech for a local Phone company, I do carrier / special / frame / mux / switch / also a Power Tech.
I do it all. I think land telephone is 98% uptime, VIOP is 78% uptime, some cell phone sites are more like 65% uptime. If **** hits the FAN I would like to be on a Land phone, that is not wireless phone but a old phone telephone. Because this needs 48volts or so to work and the "Switch needs this also, and if the electric is out then the Generator is working (I run the Generator also).


How many times when nothing is working lights / cable / network nothing.... But you pick up the phone and its working.

I think those statistics are way off in my part of the country. Your statistics state that approximately 4 out of 10 calls from my cell phone would be down. You are also stating that 2 out of every 10 calls from my VOIP would be down.

Examining my bill from August for my cellular phone, I had 535 calls with 1 dropped call and 0 non-connects. That is about a 99.9% reliability rate.

July bill shows 496 calls with 0 dropped and 0 non-connects. That is exactly a 100% reliability rate.

Though I have no doubt that a landline is more reliable during a catastrophic event. Which would you rather have if you were sitting on the top of your roof in New Orleans, a landline under the water or a cell phone in your hand?

Just remember to consider what the stats are saying before we half hazardly throw them around.

*** I apologize for the off-topic soapbox. ***

disneyjoe7

Cell site as in where you're at if home then it maybe what I stated or better. You're in a fixed spot so you're relying on the trunks out (think paths, so cell sites have a limited number of calls it can carry at once) and the battery power of site. When hurricanes of 05 blow here many times cell phones didn't work well or at all. Where I never loss my Land line.

disneyjoe7

Holydoc wrote:

Though I have no doubt that a landline is more reliable during a catastrophic event. Which would you rather have if you were sitting on the top of your roof in New Orleans, a landline under the water or a cell phone in your hand?

I doubt either worked at that time, but I'll place my bet on the land line.

dorokusai

When it's catastrophic, good luck. The wireline used to be a great idea, now it's just a good idea. The copper days are slowly coming to a close.

Holydoc

disneyjoe7 wrote:

I doubt either worked at that time, but I'll place my bet on the land line.

I would of took your bet, but alas I did not travel to New Orleans. However in Biloxi when we were delivering clothing, food, ice, and water, cell phones were the only communication we had. The storm had completely wiped out the coastal community including power, landlines, and many homes. Luckily the inland towers still stood and communication between relief efforts was achieved.

The truth of the matter is that there is a place and time for everything. For non-castatrophic events (like the winds I have been through... knock on wood) landlines, as Steve has alluded to, have been one of the first items up and running. However, in my experience in a catastrophic event, cell phones was our lifeline and the lifeline of many people who needed help or coordination efforts.

VOIP is a different story. Currently there are so many variables (power, internet connection, bandwidth, etc.) that it is just not a reliable item for an emergency scenario. I use it because of the cost (about half of what it costs me for a normal landline). I use the cell for on-the-go communication, travel, emergencies, etc.

*** Bah... I went off topic again. Brett, just ban me from your thread, friend. ***

disneyjoe7

Holydoc,

How do you think Cell Phones or anything for that matter works? I can tell you if the cell sites worked the CO was operating, and most likely making their own power doing it.

Or do you think cell sites work just by being in the field they don't connect to anything just work from thin air.