Cordless Landline Phone Suggestions?

[Cowboy6032]

Any suggestions for a cordless phone I can get my parents? They need one w/ 2-3 handsets and an answering machine. Several months ago, (8-10?) I bought them one w/ two handsets, but it seemed like there was always static on the line. I think I noticed one time when I was there that they got a new one...and I believe it was the new Dect 6.0, but the static/interference seems HORRIBLE on that phone too!!!

What doesn't make sense...they are not technogeeks...so I don't know what is causing so much interference. My only guess is that the phone they got sucks...their house isn't huge, but the longer the range, the better I would guess.

Any 'testimonials'/suggestions (specific make/model?) would be appreciated.

[aaa]

Most cordless phones come with a channel button. Tell them to switch to a channel with less interference. Since this problem spanned multiple phones I don't think getting a new one will help either. Well actually, there are different frequencies that different models use, like 2.4ghz vs 5ghz, so I guess switching to the opposite kind of what they have now would make a difference.

[RealBlackStuff]

If Dect 6.0, then Siemens or Philips
If digital 5.8Ghz, then Uniden or Panasonic
Don't bother with 2.4Ghz and 900Mhz, they are old hat and overcrowded.

[dsigma6]

I have a 5.8GHz Uniden, and next to the VTEC I had when I was a teenager, it's the worst phone I've ever used.

I can't even make a call outside my front door, with the base located only 10 feet inside the house. Yikes. My old Sony 2.4GHz used to let me walk a few houses down the street without any distortion.

[RealBlackStuff]

Is that an analog or digital 5.8Ghz phone? The older analog version had that problem.
I have a Uniden TRU9380 with an extra TCX930 handset.
Both are digital, with frequency hopping, and I can walk all of my 2 acres while on the phone!

[dsigma6]

It's digital...

I never had problems with Uniden before, it's just this one. Maybe it's the huge antenna down the street!

[JHEM]

I've gone all 5.8GHz Panasonic for the house phone (base unit and 5 handsets) and (BION) am still using my ancient 900MHz Panasonic for my office phone. Never regretted my choice.

Wife is using a Siemens system in her office at home, although 99% of the time she's on her Pacific Plantronics wireless headset.

Regards,

James

[Cowboy6032]

Thanks for the info...they had a 900 that worked for /years/, but when the battery wouldn't hold a charge, I decided to get them one w/ 2+ handsets as the replacement...hasn't been the same since...lol I was reading online that the 5.8's drain batteries and/or have shorter range b/c the frequency is so high? Apparently not, if you guys are satisfied w/ them...2 acre range is good...almost decided on a Panasonic anyways, but wanted to wait for more feedback. Thanks everyone.

[skitty4gzus]

since you said they aren't very tech, meaning there probably isn't a whole lot of interference through the house. i would go with a 2.4ghz SST(Spread Spectrum Technology) phone. always good reception, very good range, oh and go Panasonic. IMO they make the best cordless phones for the price. Yes they aren't cheap, but they last forever. they are like the Honda of cordless phones.

[rkawakami]

"Panasonic", huh? I've had two Panasonic cordless phone handsets that gave out after about 4 or 5 years due to the rubber buttons that were used in there. After a little while the conductive rubber buttons didn't and would not register a push, even if you pressed it really hard and after I cleaned off the oil/film that builds up from those types of buttons (don't try cleaning the rubber with anything too strong otherwise you may disturb the conductive coating). So I give up on that technology (conductive rubber) and went with a 5.8Ghz Uniden system that has tactile feedback buttons. So far after 6 years they haven't had any problems with the buttons but I do sometimes get interference from my 802.11b (2.4Ghz) wireless system. Not sure if the 5.8Ghz is only one sided; I'll have to pull the specs out one of these days. The interference only occurs when using the handset inside the same room as the access point but I have a corded phone in there so it's rare that I have the problem.

[BeeJayEmm]

Ray, my experience is very much the same. I had the non-functioning Panasonic button issue (sometimes, for variety, it would double push). I dropped it for a Uniden TRU448 (2.4 GHz digital), which to my knowledge has never interfered with my wireless G network. We needed additional phones and this Uniden was not expandable, so we recently added a Uniden Dect phone (the 2080). No interference there with either the old phones or the network and the voice quality seems very good. I also have a corded phone in the router room. Hm, Ray, what's your shoe size?

Brian

[rkawakami]

I had the non-functioning Panasonic button issue (sometimes, for variety, it would double push).

Ah, yeah... had that problem too. Push, PUSH the button and you'd get two (or more) digits. Made it real fun dialing numbers because those units didn't have displays on them.

Ray, what's your shoe size?

Hmm... that's getting TOO personal .

Pulled the Uniden specs. Had to ask the wife where the instruction manual was (she knows where almost everything in the house is kept ). It's a DXAI 5588-2 which is advertised as a 5.8Ghz system but it actually uses 900Mhz as well. Using one of my wideband scanners, I found the dial tone being broadcast . That would explain, to some extent, why I get a buzzing in the handset when I'm next to my wireless access point. I think that the transmit channel from the handset is digital at 5.7Ghz, but the receive is definitely analog centered around 926Mhz. Even though I have an 802.11b (2.4Ghz) system, it's still possible that I'm hearing the bursts of digital noise down in the 900Mhz band. So, if you are buying a cordless phone that is advertised as using a certain frequency system, there's no guarantee that you will be safe from interference on other frequency bands unless you check the fine print in the specs. 2.4Ghz is used by 802.11b/g and microwave ovens. 5.1 to 5.2Ghz is used by 802.11a. Cordless phone systems seem to be up around 5.7 to 5.8Ghz.

Since most answering systems sold today now use digital storage, as opposed to cassette or smaller tape cartridges, you may also want to see if you can test out some recordings prior to committing to a purchase. Quality seems to vary widely as I've had AT&T, Bell Phone, Panasonic and now Uniden answering machines. The best one out of those was the AT&T 9452, which I'm actually still using on my DSL line. I'd rate the Panasonic and the Bell System phones as a second place tie and my current Uniden as a close third. Sometimes I have to play back the recording on the Uniden a couple of times to figure out what was said.

[Purcy]

Well after using a Uniden cordless system for about 18 years, it finally crapped out. I got a Panasonic 2.4Ghz system that has a built in answering machine and extra handset and charger. Our ancient built home only has modular phone jacks in the kitchen and one bedroom and basement, so the extra charger base comes in handy for having a phone in our livingroom. I haven't experienced any interference that I can tell from my 2.4Ghz DSL access point and have even talked on the phone sitting at my computer desk. I have already used the phone at the end of our backyard with no loss of connection. This system is only 2 years old, so I guess I'll see in a year or two if the buttons stop working. But for $40 it wasn't a huge purchase.

The one big selling point though with this system, is being able to call the other handset, as DH likes to travel around the house with the handset, since he can never hear me calling him