Huge disappointment

Reading the manual with these phones is a much. So many of the functions are there but not intuitively. You have to know how to use them to even know they exist.

I've read the manual, and I've set the settings. Even so, this phone fell way short of my expectations.

LCD screens are difficult to read. On both the base and the handsets, the LCDs are extremely difficult to read. If you wear even weak glasses, you won't be able to read it without them. The screen is too small, the text size is too small, the contrast is pathetic (even after I adjusted the contrast settings).

LCD Information timing is poor. The information you want to see is frequently replaced by useless status messages. You have to be quick in reading that difficult to read display because information you want, such as who is calling, is replaced with useless messages such as "handset in use" the instant anyone answers the phone (on any handset or other phone).

Frequently limits me to a single handset in use at a time. If I try to use any other phone (even another model), it somehow blocks that phone from connecting. I just hear dead silence. This doesn't always occur. I haven't been able to figure out why it occurs one time but not another.

Insufficient volume. In every category. I know this will make me sound deaf, but I'm not, and this is the only device we have that we experience troubles with the volume level. The handsets, the answering machine playback, the speakerphone, all have insufficient volume. Most notably the answering machine playback (see next).

Inaudible messages.Incoming messages are frequently recorded at such a low volume that they are completely inaudible. I've noticed it is not random, it is always the same callers who are recorded at the inaudible volume. If I answer their call, the volume is fine. But if the answering machine answers their call the volume is super low.

Talk button isn't sufficiently recessed. I've hung up on callers when I accidentally pressed the "talk" button with my face. This problem isn't as bad as it is with some phones I've used, but it has still occurred occasionally.

2 of the 3 rings are annoyingI like change, but when I switched this phone to one of its alternate ringers, my whole family complained (and I admit with good reason). I would rate the standard ring tone as very good, the second ring tone as bad, and the third as very bad.

Poor placement of handset volume controls. They are on the face of the phone (that is against your face while talking) which means its impossible to adjust the volume while on the phone with someone without removing the phone from your ear.

Button placement isn't intuitive. The placement is adequate but, other than the standard 0-9,*,# buttons, the rest are not intuitive at all either in placement or in ease of understanding their use. I have to search for the "flash" and "redial" buttons every time, and the rest are so infrequently used or difficult to understand that I ignore them.

These phones do have some good points:
I give it a five-star "feel" rating. The feel of the phone in your hand, against your face, etc. is superb.
Each handset has separate ringer shut-offs.

No need for phone jacks for the handsets which make them perfect for rooms where no jack exists.

Loud Ring volume (Surprising considering the other volume problems!)

Easy and well fitting charging basePhone will set properly and begin charging when placed in its charging base with absolutely no jiggling required. Phone "beeps" to let you know the charging has started.

Handset locator works well Though I wish this and all other cordless phones would utilize a separate rechargeable button battery for this purpose. The locator function doesn't work so well when the last person who used it set it down when it went dead.