Finally...a phone that can take it.

We live in a big house, with a big family. For years I've been searching for expandable cordless phone system that can handle our needs. My criteria weren't extensive, but each attribute was very important to us.

First, it had to be compatible with our wireless network. Many phones operate on the same frequency as the 802.11 network. I just sold a 2.4 GHz Siemens Gigaset system on eBay for this very reason. I paid over $300 for it, and wanted to throw it out the window at least once per day.

...which brings me to the Second Imporant Attribute of our desired phone system. Durability. The day our MD600 system arrived, my 8-year-old son dropped one of the handsets out a second-story window. After gaining my composure (@^%#$%!), I found the phone had nary a scratch. Still works perfectly. Now THAT'S durability, and the main reason I give this system 5-Stars.

I can say that I like most everything about this system, except for a few things. Minor inconveniences, really.

My first dislike is the fact that you cannot retreive answering machine messages from the handset. I could do this with systems of my past, and I miss the feature. Second, you must listen to the little "Guy" that narrates the answering system menu tell you how many messages you have, and get through the time and date before you can delete a message. If you use call screening, or you're listening to old messages and you already know who you want to delete, this can be annoying. This system would be better if it had speed dial buttons on the base, for those frequently-dialed numbers. Again - just a few minor quirks, and I certainly wouldn't shy away from this system because of them.

Things I love about this system... I love the solid construction of the handsets. They feel good in the hand, with substantial (but not overly-so) weight and heft. The rubberized strips on the sides ensure a good grip (If so, then "how did it fall out the window?", you ask? Me too.)

The buttons are all easy to push, even for man with large hands, like my husband. The backlight on the buttons is a pleasing blue, kind of like runway lights. I like it. The LCD screen is easy to read and well it, and the menus are intuitive. Elderly relatives may need some assistance, but the prompts are quite user friendly.

The ring tone selection is a bit limited, but better than most of the common brands. The volume controls on the base and the handsets are excellent. You can go from really soft to really loud. I like that.

For those of you who are always searching for your handsets, the Global Page feature is VERY handy. And, like other, lesser systems, it keeps ringing until you find one. I LOVE this. The base functions as a speakerphone, even without a handset, handy for those of you above-referenced handset loosers, like me. You can dial right from the built-in keypad. REALLY LOVE this.

Oh yeah - as far as reception goes... I have NEVER heard a crackle of static, or had one single iota of interference on this system. GOTTA LOVE IT!

So, in a nutshell, the Motorola MD61 5.8 GHz system is worth the money. FAR more so than the Siemens system I just jettisoned from the house. Buy it. You'll like it.