Digital Phones Reviews

ATandT TL76108 5 8GHz TWO LINE Digital Corded Cordless Answering System Titanium and Metallic Charcoal

The AT&T TL76108 5.8 GHz Digital Corded/Cordless Phone with Dual Handsets and Answering System has many value-added features that make it an ideal choice for busy homes. By employing Digital Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping technology on the 5.8 GHz spectrum, the TL76108 offers better sound quality, enhanced range, and increased security compared to phones that operate on a lower bandwidth, such as 2.4 GHz phones. The TL76108’s cordless and corded handsets provide both flexibility and security, all from a single phone jack.

Both the base and the handset feature speaker phones and the system is expandable allowing use of up to eight handsets through a single phone jack. The phone also features 2-line operation. An intercom allows you to talk between handset and base, and you can transfer calls between them, as well as hold a conference with up to seven parties. The phonebook can hold up to 50 entries and the phone features lighted keypads and displays. Users can choose between 10 selectable ringer melodies, and the system has a battery backup for power failure operation. A 2.5mm jack on the handset allows for hands-free use when connected to a headset.

A built-in digital answering machine system records messages on microchips for reliable performance, instant access to messages, and the ability to selectively save and delete messages. The phone supports caller ID and call waiting, with a 50 name/number caller ID history and the option to set personalized ringers. The phone system is both table- and wall-mountable.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Good choice for home and small office
I purchased this phone as a replacement for the older AT&T EP5962. Like its predecessor, the TL76108 is easy to set up and performs well. It does have a battery backup, but you must purchase an additional battery separately to utilize this feature. I wish I could have more than fifty entries in the speed dial, but that is not a major concern. Clarity and loudness are good but not excellent. For the money, I think it’s a good choice. My EP5962 was still working after over three years of moderate use but had some wear issues. I’m hoping the replacement will do as well. I would definitely recommend the phone and handsets.

One battery is included for the handset. The base unit has a slot on the side to insert a battery for backup in case of power outage, but no battery is included for that purpose. The backup takes the same type of battery as the handset, so you can purchase an additional one and use the two batteries interchangably.

4 Stars Are we asking too much from our phones?

5/9/09 UPDATE: The phone system is terrific! Excellent sound quality, easy to use, handset never a problem. Still wish screen had a digital clock and calendar…..

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Why must buying a new phone be as complicated as buying a new car? Can’t we go back to the good old days of Ma Bell? When all phones were black and only made and received voice calls.

The search for a new, two line phone was about as painful and confusing as anything I have gone through (except a recent coffee grinder debacle Breville BCG450XL Conical Burr Grinder).

From past experience, I identified two manufacturers that make phones worthy of owning: Panasonic and AT&T. Serious phones, built to last. The rest, V-Tech and Uniden are, in my opinion, at the “disposable” level. A lot of features for not very much money but after 2 years they are ready for the trash. I am also not interested in anything made by Siemens because after spending a fortune on one of their phone “systems” several years ago, the damn thing started to disintigrate about 5 minutes after the warranty expired.

I wanted a corded base phone because after several blackouts and 9/11, at least one corded phone per household is de rigeur. I wanted at least one cordless handset because thats the only way I can get a working phone in my livingroom. I needed an answering machine that would answer both lines. I wanted a speaker phone option for those dark times when you are on hold with tech support for 5 hours. I chose 5.8 GHz because the DECT 2 line phones don’t seem to have their bugs worked out and who needs to be a pioneer/early adaptor for something that you absolutely positively need for work?

I chose the AT&T TL76108 5.8GHz TWO-LINE Digital phone AT&T 5.8 GHz TL76108 Digital Expandable 2-Line Corded/Cordless Phone w/ Caller ID and Answering System

because:

1) The price was relatively reasonable…$150 deliverd.

2) It included one cordless handset in the price. Panasonic makes you buy each handset for $89 in addition to the base station. Gee wiz!

3) It had more options/feature than I would probably use or probably be able to figure out when sometime in the future, it occurred to me to use them.

4) The base set can be wall mounted!

5) It was offered for sale by Amazon. This is extremely important in case you need to return the phone because it turns out to be a worthless piece of junk.

I received the phone a few days ago and I am pretty pleased with it. It is very easy to set up and the hand set registered immediately. The sound clarity is very good and there is an easily accessable volume control to make things louder or softer when necessary. The base phone is tilted up so that you can read the display screen easily. The buttons are big and clearly marked. The hand set is not as flimsy as some and the sound is clear and even, with very little, if any, static or interference.

Things I don’t like are basically minor irritants.

-The hold button is a soft key feature that only appears on the screen when on a call. There is no actual “hold” button.

-The screen is only lighted when the receiver is lifted.

-The dark screen issue is not that much of a problem as it does not even display the date and time of day…..this has always been a nice feature of phones with LED screens. Especially if you have time/space/continuum issues. Was this an oversight? Is my screen malfunctioning? No. What the screen displays when the phone is “at rest” is “BASE”. How helpful! I had no idea it was my base phone! I can go in and name it something else, like “Useless” or “My Office Phone” but why bother? I do know that if I use the intercom to reach one of the other cordless handsets, that handset will know that “Base” is calling. But really, why no time and date?

-The screen does not display the time elapsed while on a call. Also a nice feature.

-There is no way to program the use of the “1″ into the phone’s memory. You can set up your directory of #s with the “1″ as part of the # but when a call comes in and you see it in caller id…..even if you have already entered it in your directory with the “1″, when you hit the “RDL” soft key to return the call, there is no “1″ inserted. This is very disappointing! AT&T’s solution is to have you hit the “#” key after you hit “RDL” to get a list of possible # variations (with/without 1, area code, etc). This is not quite intuitive but I will probably get used to the drill or go mad in the process.

-There are three separate pairs of “Line 1″, “Line 2″ buttons on the base set (and no hold button, but I already mentioned that). There are the two “On/Off” buttons where you can, you know, turn the line on or off. There are two “Mailbox” buttons for listening to your messages. And there are the “Line 1″ and “Line 2″ buttons for actually answering the phone. Very confusing and yes, I have already pushed the mailbox button accidently when I thought I was making a call. Lord knows what my husband, who never reads the instruction book, is going to do when he tries to use the phone. Hah!

I do recommend the phone. There will be an update after I have had a chance to kick the tires a bit longer.

5 Stars Excellent solution for a less mobile person
This product turned out to be a wonderful aid for my Mother who is not able to get around that well. Remote access of phone messages means that she does not have to walk slowly upstairs to get her messages. She is now able to see the message light on the handset and recieve and return messages from the handset. The speakerphone helps her because she does not have to hold the phone with her arthritic hands. Also the operation of the phone is simple enough that the technical operation of the phone was not a problem for her.

I highly recommend this product for these reasons.

5 Stars great replacement
Purchased this phone as a replacement for an out of date AT&T model. Haven’t had any problems with it, reception is clear, cordless phone works – what more can you ask, for the price that was paid??

4 Stars so far so good
My wife and I needed a two line phone system for our home office. We’d had

an older Seimans 2420 2.4 ghz. After a few years, the hand held phones

started to be unresponsive when pushing the bottons, then the hand helds

started breaking up badly because of the Airport ( like wi-fi for you non

Apple users). I had read some reviews that wern’t very positive, but I

decide to take the leap anyway because it was the only choice that had all

of the features I wanted. Well, all I have to say is……so far so good.

All of the features work good and I’m basically very happy.

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GE Cordless 2 4 GHz 27851GE1 Cordless Phone with Call Waiting Caller ID and Digital Answering System White

Sleek styling, value-added features, robust, stable transmission and enhanced reception. Our 2.4 GHz phones provide a secure operation frequency for crystal clear, interruption-free transmissions. 2.4 GHz models support a wide range of features to fit your lifestyle, including call waiting/caller id, name and number cid memory, digital answering system, remote message retrieval, one-touch redial, speakerphone, and digital message counter.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars staying connected
Wonderful phone that works great and have had no problems. Good quality sound and ease of use.

1 Star Do not buy this phone!
I bought this phone a year ago (Jan 08) and it recently died on me. It kept giving me the “low battery” indicator, even if I only talked for 5 minutes. I would replace the battery, but just decided the chuck the whole phone since a phone battery costs $15.00 (half the price of the phone). I’ve own three cordless phones in the last twelve years, and this is by far the worst.

1 Star Piece of Junk
I have had a few cordless phones. This one wore out the fastest. The battery when the phone is off the hook died the fastest. And it is the biggest piece of junk of the cordless phone I’ve had. I have to go out and replace mine now.

5 Stars No problems, works great for us!
We’ve had this system for over 6 months and we’ve been very happy with it. The phone and answering machine are very easy to use and work great.

What I love about it:

- You can turn off the ringer on the phone.

- You can raise the volume on the phone so you can hear better. Sometimes I want it REALLY loud and this phone does it.

- You can listen and delete your messages from the phone.

- You can put the numbers that you frequently call in memory on the phone.

- The battery lasts a long time (I’ve had the phone off the base and in use for hours and haven’t had it die on me yet).

- The date and time are easy to set (and reset). This was a problem with our old phone because whenever we lost power, I’d have to get the manual out to figure out how to reset the date and time. It’s so easy on this one! It saves me so much aggravation.

- The caller ID is easy to read.

- The answering machine is easy to turn off.

- The price!!

I would purchase this again.

1 Star Very Poor quality
This phone is really a waste for the money, the battery doesn’t last for the time expected (nor half of it), the call quality is very poor, when u just go to the next room their is so much noise, end of line try another one.

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Uniden DECT 6 0 Compact Cordless Phone with Caller ID and Extra Handset and Charging Cradle

The Uniden DECT2060-2 Cordless Phone comes with one extra handset/cradle so you can enjoy crystal clear reception and incredible sound with every call you make throughout your home or small office. Offering DECT technology for static-free reception and a host of advanced features, this user-friendly phone streamlines the process of making and receiving calls so it’s simpler and more pleasant.

DECT 6.0 technology offers better performance, security, and battery life than older 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz phones. The Uniden DECT2060-2 cordless phone offers: Wi-fi friendly DECT 6.0 technology for maximum voice clarity and call security. Expandability to 6 handsets Longer battery life allows up to 16 hours of talk time. High-capacity phonebook for up to 70 names and numbers. Clear Voice Reception Utilizing the newly ratified DECT 6.0 frequency band, the DECT2060-2 provides the clearest voice reception available and can easily be used with Wireless Home Networking (WLAN) systems without interference. This technology also ensures whole house coverage and maximum voice security. The DECT2060-2 is even expandable up to six handsets to one base, so it can grow with your family or business. Time-Saving Options Boasting a longer battery life than comparable systems, the DECT2060-2 is designed to give you plenty of time-saving options. First, it displays call waiting and caller ID numbers (note: this feature requires a telephone company service subscription) so you always know who’s calling, even when you’re already using the line. You can conveniently hold a three-way conversation between your handset, an external caller and another internal handset user–a fun and efficient option for talking to family and friends. It also features a 30 caller ID handset memory and advanced phonebook capabilities that allow for the storage of up to 70 names, as well as an alphabetical search option and your choice of unique ringers assigned to specific calling parties. Additionally, you can quickly transfer a single listing or the entire phonebook. User-Friendly Operation User-friendly and easy to operate, the DECT2060-2 offers up to 16 hours of talk time per battery charge, 10 days of standby time, and a convenient redial feature that accesses the last 10 numbers dialed. English and Spanish menus guide you through set-up and operation, and the included NiMH battery means you can set-up and get started right away. About Uniden Uniden America Corporation, the North American subsidiary of Japan-based Uniden Corporation, manufactures and markets wireless consumer electronic products including cordless telephones, business telecommunications systems, Bearcat scanners, FRS/GMRS radios, marine radios and other wireless personal communications products. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Uniden sells its products through dealers and distributors throughout North, Central and South America. Its goal is to help create a world without wires, by building products that give customers more freedom to enjoy life, solve problems and always stay connected with others. About DECT Technology Advanced DECT 6.0 technology, or Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, operates on the newly released 1.9 GHz frequency band that was recently allocated to support cordless telephony. Uniden DECT 6.0 incorporates unique “listen before transmit” technology that avoids interference with many household products, such as baby monitors, microwaves and WiFi (which operate on frequencies like 2.4 GHz). As a result, DECT phones offer consumers enhanced voice clarity and crystal clear digital sound quality. DECT 6.0 technology also offers higher security and voice protection, as well as a longer battery and battery standby life than existing 2.4 GHZ or 5.8 GHz phones. The DECT2060-2 is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great for Magic Jack
Bought tghis for use with Magic jack and it has proven to be a good investment. Great sound and no issues.

2 Stars Faulty Button Design
I’ve owned this base unit with two additional handsets for about a year and a half, and the middle button, which sets volume and accesses caller ID, has stopped functioning. I can no longer change volume, cycle through menu commands, and access caller ID for these two phones. I’ve contacted Uniden customer service through their web interface and received a canned message stating that they will only offer replacement up to a year, and after that a 10% discount. Since I had the problem on two phones, I have concluded that they were poorly designed, and have elected to purchase an entirely different DECT system (from a different manufacturer). Its too bad, because otherwise this was a great handset with an unmatched feature set, though the overall range wasn’t that great.

5 Stars Fantastic phone
The phone worked easily out of the box. The shortcut instructions were especially helpful. The phones easily initialize to the base, let it charge and your ready to go. I use it mostly for day to day phone calls and it works great. The only annoying thing about it is the center button which allows you to access the phone functions. It can be a little difficult to tap into the individual functions. Otherwise, I would highly recommend this phone.

1 Star The speaker phone is horrible
I bought this particular phone because I didn’t need an answering machine. This phone is horrible and I would not recommend it. I have terrible static in this phone. I have e-mailed customer service twice in the last 6 months and haven’t heard a word. I’m really disappointed in the speaker phone and the static. I have always purchased a Uniden phone and this is the worst experience I have had with one of there products.

5 Stars Uniden Cordless Phone
Excellent phone when all you need is a phone, no answering system. I’ve owned 2 other Uniden phones. They were all very good, but they just keep getting better with their newer models. I use this phone with a voip system and I can’t really think of any other features I would want or need. The phone is of excellent quality, easy to use and well built. I’ve gotten accustomed to all the fine features of this phone, so I can’t really say how it compares with other brands.

One feature that’s pretty cool is you can have a separate ring tone for different people in your phone book. Set one ring tone for you, one for your wife, one for the kids, etc. You always know who it’s for.

I’ve ordered quite a few products from Beach Audio/Beach Camera before. Prices are great, packaged very well in good condition and arives in just 2 days with standard shipping.

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ATandT TL76008 5 8GHz 2 Line Digital Cordless Expansion Handset Titanium and Metallic Charcoal

The AT&T TL76008 5.8 GHz Digital Cordless Expansion Handset allows you to add handsets to the AT&T TL76108 phone system. The TL76008 comes with a handset and a charging cradle. Since it is unnecessary to plug the headset into a phone jack, you have a lot of placement options without any need for extension cords. The phone also features 2-line operation. The TL76008 employs Digital Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping technology on the 5.8 GHz spectrum, thereby offering better sound quality, enhanced range, and increased security compared to phones that operate on a lower bandwidth, such as 2.4 GHz phones.

The handset features a built-in Speakerphone, allowing you to talk wherever is most convenient. The handset allows you to intercom with the base, as well as with other handsets. Calls can be transferred between handsets, and you can hold a conference with up to seven parties. The built-in phonebook can hold up to 50 entries, which are is easily readable on the large lighted display. The phone supports caller ID and call waiting, with a 50 name/number caller ID history with the option to set personalized ringers. A 2.5mm jack is built-in for use with headsets. The TL76008 is designed to fit snugly and comfortably in the hand and has a lighted keypad for visibility in the dark.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars SOS FAR SO GOOD
We have only had them a short time but so far they appear to work well. We did have a previous model that was very similar and they worked well for several years and we are very hard on them.

5 Stars Good Sound and Long Battery Life
This is my second two line phone system. I have the corded desk model with two cordless expansion handsets. The first system I owned (different mfgr) had terrible sound, and the battery life on the handsets was terrible. I have been on 2 hour conference calls on the handset, and the battery has gone down just one bar. This AT&T system has great sound, I can plug in a headset to the base unit or the handset. Love the speakerphone. No complaints.

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Siemens 4000 Gigaset 2 4 GHz Supplementary Handset Silver with Black

Create Harmony… Voice your thoughts… Be inspired… with the handsets that have it all from Siemens! From inspiration and vision comes innovation – innovation that has been designed into Siemens family of Gigaset 2.4GHz expandable cordless phone systems. Each cordless handset offers superior voice quality, many versatile features, the highest level of security, and the latest in digital technology from the #1 cordless brand in Europe.Siemens Gigaset 4000 series cordless phone system has it all. The revolutionary buttonless base design puts all the controls in the handset. All system functionality is accessible from any Gigaset 4000 cordless handset anywhere in the home. Only one base system and one phone line are needed to cover the entire home. Gigaset models support cordless extensions without needing another phone jack – no additional wires, no more hassles, and the freedom to have a handset in any room of the house. As your family grows, so can your phone system. The Gigaset series of cordless phone systems from Siemens is an innovative communications partner for any household. Make it your business to stay connected.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Don’t buy these if you have a wireless network
I have a set of three of these 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.

3 Stars Good overall, but one key problem.
I just discovered in another review here that there truly is no mute function. I had been searching the Web for advice on how to do just that. With small children and regular concalls, I need to be able to mute. Ack.

I am happy with this phone otherwise.

1 Star Thumbs Down (Low Headset Volume, No Mute,Other Shortcomings)
I really wanted to like this phone, but here are the problems:

1. When a headset is plugged in, the volume (for listening) is too low and can’t be turned up sufficiently. (This is not a problem with the headset.)

2. No mute button. Terrible if you use the phone for work/meetings.

3. Limited speed dial. I like to program access codes (like mailbox number and password), since I use my phone for work purposes. I can’t do that with this phone.

4. The buttons are not very responsive and there is a delay until you hear a “beep” indicating that you pressed a button. Sounds petty but the result is that, when dialing, you often miss a number but don’t realize it until it’s too late. Then you have to start over.

5. The size and shape of the phone are not conducive to holding it between your head/ear and shoulder.

4 Stars clear voice quality and nice features
I bought the 4000 as a remote to my 4210. It was a mistake. The 42XX series will automatically download your adddress book. The 4000 does not have this feature. You will have to input you phone numbers again. The 4200 adds voice dialing and called ID. For a basic remote in a Siemens phone network, this phone will be fine. I use mine with a Vonage VOIP (cable) phone system and it works great. It broke my heart to say goodbye to Verizon. NOT!

5 Stars One of the most stylish 2.4 Ghz phone out there!
I have been using this phone for almost 2 years now and the only problem I have encountered is with the base charger refusing to charge if the phone is not placed exactly upright. Otherwise, reception is always crystal clear, range is incredibly FAR! I live in second floor, I took my phone to the basement through elevator and the only static I heard is after I got into my car! Every time my friend came to my place the look with awe at this stylish phone. I would recommend this to everyone who wants a quality phone that doesn’t have those geeky style in it.

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