Solid Uniden expandable 5.8Ghz phone deserves a try

There comes a time in everyone’s house hold when you have to add more phones because you have either lost the primary handset or lost it in the couch covers. Cordless phones are a must as no one likes to be tied down to 1 sitting position while on the phone. You never know when you need to dig something out of the closet or run to the next room and get something. So why on earth would someone buy a phone that isn’t cordless? In my case, I needed one just in case of power failure. If the power ever went out all the cordless phones would essentially go out but my 1 corded phone would still be operational. The neat thing is that this phone is expandable and my package from Costco came with the base and 3 cordless phones.

Features:
• Answering System - with Handset Access
• Caller ID
• Call Waiting
• Speed Dial
• Call Waiting - 4-Way
• Speakerphone - Dual
• Intercom - 10 Number at Base
• Expandable - Up to 10 Handset
• DirectLink - 2-way Radio Communication
• Caller Log - 100 Handset/Base Programmable
• Phone Book - 100 Names (2 Numbers per Name)

Usage:
So what do people primarily want from a cordless home phone? How about clear calls? I do believe 5.8 GHz are giving way to these new DECT 6.0 phones as more wireless traffic is crowding the airways. My current home has a 802.11G so there should be no real conflict there so the newer DECT 6.0 shouldn’t be a problem. I actually bought the Vtech 6053 DECT 6.0 and that set broke real quick. I don’t have a long history of using off brands like Vtech or Uniden but the Uniden has gotten some good reviews from consumer reports and the price seemed about right.
First off, the reception and voice quality is good. I wouldn’t say it’s better than the DECT 6.0 system from Vtech but then again it works and is clear. People who seem to think the newer technologies are better for voice quality really need to compare a good 900 mhz phone to a 5.8GHz phone. I’ve run 900mhz for the longest time because they are cheap and don’t interfere with my 802.11G network which is 2.4GHz. I think the only advantage I can think of is that 5.8GHz has a better range and is expandable. The range is nice as I can be in my backyard or in my car in the front drive way and still get a very clear reception. My 900 MHz would have problems outside the house. Expandability of the phone is important for homes that want to put phones in rooms that don’t have a phone jack. I have this case and having these small separate charges makes it easy to set a phone anywhere.
So, what cool features does this phone have? What I really like is the phone book sharing. You can basically input a phone numbers into one handset and have them transferred to other handsets. I’ve had some multi system phones that don’t have that and you’re basically left with some spare handsets with no phonebook because it is such a drag to input phone numbers over and over again. There is this monitoring system feature where you can basically set a phone in a room and link to it and listen in. I use this feature as I have one phone next to my printer. I can link to that phone and listen in to see if my printer is printing remotely. This function takes standard 2 way radio features a step further since you don’t have to be on the other end to accept a request listen/speak. So I can use it as a remote listening station.

The speaker function was not as good as the Vtech system I had but it works. The phone is a bit round and seems a little fragile but it has survived a couple short falls on carpet and working strong. All the standard features are present and the large display on the base is very nice. The orange tint in the screen is a bit weird but it’s a change of pace I guess. Voice answering service works as expected and isn’t over complicated like some other brands. Phone functions like phone book, redial and others work like any other which is a good thing since so many phones today you might take for granted the ease of use to navigating a menu system.

What I don’t like:
The buttons on the phone are a bit small. It doesn’t seem like the phone is that small so the digits on the phone could have been a bit bigger. The labels on the keypad are already starting to fad and wear. I don’t think it’s from pressing it too much. I get the feeling it’s from having my face rubbing up against the keypad. Not like it would be a major problem but makes the phone look more worn and used. I haven’t had the phone that long and it looks like one of those phones that have been through heavy use when it really hasn’t.

The ringer volumes on the phones really need more increments. I find that it’s either too soft or way too loud. This isn’t a fun thing to have in the bedroom at max volume as it does get very loud. I find it at times too low on the next lower ringer setting.

I don’t know what the deal is with this love of the orange color but it’s not the most attractive color to have on a phone. All the lights are illuminated in this orange tint. I guess it’s a bit soothing when it rings at night but I guess it’s a matter of preference as most phones will not have that color. Most will go with a lighter color like a light blue or soft white.

Paid $90 at costco with base and 3 extra handsets.
Usage: 4 months