Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Ok, so we're not ready to totally cut the cord yet and go fully VoIP. We still want the local POTS phone service in case of (knock on wood, hopefully not) an emergency where we need 911. VoIP does not give you real 911 in your city, you get connected to some call center in who knows where. No thanks.
We were paying AT&T $15/month for unlimited long distance, which was a good deal a few years ago, but now with the cell phones we don't use long distance at home much. Only a few hours, it shouldn't be more than $5/month.
The Globarange is one of the only devices available in the US that lets you use your regular home phone, has an answering machine, and lets you make long distance calls over the Internet with VoIP.
I did not sign up for a JoIP plan other than the pay as you go. It is very reasonable, it's like 1.5 cents/minute in the US for long distance (and free to call other JoIP users; I am trying to get my family to sign up). I have a family member moving overseas this summer and it is only a few cents a minute more for overseas calls to him. If he gets a JoIP phone there, it will be free :)
The phone is easy to set up. You plug it into your router and into your PSTN (regular phone jack). I have mine hooked up to an Apple Airport Extreme base station I am using in "WDS" mode because I don't have a phone and internet jack in the same room. Works fine, no problems.
Voice call quality is excellent over both the VoIP and PSTN modes. The VoIP mode (internet call) connects very quickly. I have a high speed internet connection from Comcast (15mbs down, 1.5-2 mbs up) and have not noticed any quality problems.
The phone itself is easy to use (we came from another Panasonic cordless, the interface is similar). The answering machine works. It is easy to choose either IP or PSTN based calling (orange button or green button).
I would highly recommend this phone system for people who want to benefit from the MUCH cheaper long distance and overseas rates possible with VoIP but do not want to give up their regular phone service for various reasons (911, etc).
I tried the Skype dual mode phones but they are awful. The sound quality is awful, the phones are very slow to respond, and they do not have an answering machine. Skype is a great deal at only $3 for unlimited long distance (ie what they used to call SkypeOut) but the standalone phones are NOT ready for prime time.
I have heard there are issues with Panasonic/JoIP customer service but I have never called them.
The only downside of this device is you are locked into the Panasonic/JoIP branded VOIP service. You cannot use it with any other SIP provider that may have better rates to where you are trying to call. Actually, however, if you are highly technically inclined, do a google search for "globarange and asterisk" and you can manage this issue. Not worth it to me, personally.
Right now in the US there are no alternatives to this device. Overseas, Phillips sells a very well regarded phone line called Gigaset IP that has a dual mode IP + PSTN phone including answering machine that you can use with any VoIP provider you want. But it's very expensive and not available in the US right now.
The Panasonic can be had for $60-70 and the extension handsets are only $30.
I am very happy with this purchase and cannot recommend it highly enough! Get one!
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Panasonic BB-GT1500B Globarange Expandable Cordless Telephone with Point-to-Point Internet Calling (US)Do you want the convenience and flexibility of both a landline and peer-to-peer internet calling in one easy to use cordless phone? With the revolutionary new Panasonic Globarange BB-GT1500 cordless phone system you get both a regular landline phone and an peer-to-peer Internet phone line--utilizing joip telephony service--that lets you make free domestic and international calls between Globarange phones around the world for three years with joip service.1 That's a total of two lines: one landline and one peer-to-peer Internet phone line.2
Learn How to Buy and Ship the Correct Globarange Phone from Amazon.com
What is Panasonic Globarange The Panasonic Globarange BB-GT1500 is a next-generation hybrid (dual line) cordless telephone that combines a peer-to-peer Internet phone line with a traditional landline. The Globarange BB-GT1500 sports many of the same easy use features and quality you are accustomed to as a standard Panasonic cordless phone like:
Handset Speakerphone: You can listen and share calls with your family using the high quality speaker and microphone in the handset with no echoes or noise.
Multi Lingual: English and Spanish Menu prompting options
Conference Calling: Conference between you Globarange and Land Line
Call Transfer: When making international calls from your mobile phone, you can do it very cheaply by using call transfer to go through your home Globarange phone
Expandable up to eight Handsets: The system can be expanded to include up to eight handsets. This is an important feature for people with large families or small office/home office (SOHO) users.
Ringer ID: Choose from selectable ringers to link to your preprogrammed phonebook data. The preprogrammed ringer will sound when the corresponding Caller ID information is received from an incoming call.
Phonebook Sharing The phonebook can be copied among handsets to make all of the handsets easy to use.
Caller ID: Can display the information of incoming callers. Up to 50 names and numbers can be stored in memory for easy retrieval and direct callback.5
100-Station Phonebook and Dialer: Up to 100 numbers can be registered in the phonebook for quick and easy calling.
LCD Backlit (3-Color) Display: Incoming IP calls are shown in orange, landline calls in green, and the menu screen and other operations in white. The LCD backlit 3-colour display makes Globarange even easier to use.
What sets the Panasonic Globarange apart from other cordless phones on the market is its second line, a peer-to-peer Internet line, which lets you make completely free calls between Globarange phones and people who subscribe to with joip accounts3--both domestically and internationally--for three years. Now you can call friends and family who also have a Globarange phone as often as you want and talk for as long as you want.
The Globarange BB-GT1500 cordless phone is a perfect tool for people who work or go to school far away from their family, or for businesses with offices scattered around the country or world. With Panasonic Globarange, keeping in touch has never been so easy and economical.
How to Set Up Your Globarange Phone Setting up and connecting your Panasonic Globarange phone is easy and similar to traditional phone set up. All you have to do is connect the Globarange phone to a power outlet, and then to a broadband router, modem, or switch. There's no need for any of the hassles of conventional IP phones--like installing software on a PC, using a microphone, or other additional equipment, or having to register at the service providers Web site2. On the back of the Globarange phone you will find two cords. Connect one line to your regular telephone plug and the second line to your internet connection. After about two minutes, you will see a "Welcome to joip!" message on your handset or base LCD readout. You can now call anyone who has a joip number as much as you want, for free,3 as well as make regular telephone calls using your landline.
What is joip? How Does Globarange Utilize joip? joip is a cutting edge communications solution created by industry leaders Panasonic and deltathree. This service enables regular phone owners to enjoy two different worlds of communication, the "traditional" known world telephone service" and the new and exciting world of point-to-point Voice Over IP (VoIP). Using the joip line on your Panasonic Globarange BB-GT1500 cordless phone, you can make and receive free calls to and from any other joip number in the world, creating a huge--and free--communication community. With joip, family members in different countries can now talk as much as they like for free. It will no longer cost you and arm and two legs to keep in touch with your family and friends.
Also, with joip, business people can talk free with their overseas counterparts, while students far from home can keep in touch with friends at no cost. In addition, joip offers a wide variety of calling plans for calls to traditional phones at extremely low rates, with a huge range of telephony features, and tons of innovative new services such as online joip account management, Phonebook, ring tones, and more. Additionally, joip offers a wide variety of calling plans for calls to traditional phones at extremely competitive rates, with a huge range of telephony features, and tons of innovative new services such as online joip account management, phonebook, ring tones, and more. joip is changing the way the world communicates.
Some of the joip services compatible with the Panasonic Globarange BB-GT1500 include:
Text messaging to Globarange Phones: You can send text messages to Globarange phones from the free PC Softphone and the handset will indicate when you have a text message.
Call Waiting: Call waiting will alert you of an incoming call while you are already on the phone.
Community Directory: Community Directory lists the numbers of joip users. You can search for your friends and check their personal cards.
Real Time Account Management, Download ring tones and Phonebook: Lets you manage your features, download ring tones and manage your phonebook .
Caller ID: Caller ID enables you to see the phone numbers of those calling you.
With joip Service, You Can Also Call Non-joip Numbers and Landlines Worldwide A variety additional calling plans are available for purchase from joip that allow you to call non-joip numbers, and landlines, all over the world at extremely low rates.4 The calling plans include an additional telephone number anywhere in the world and well as many other useful and time-saving features exclusive to joip. You can choose your additional number from selected international and local area codes and talk with friends and customers overseas at the cost of a local call. For low cost service after the first three years please visit www.joip.com to view a complete offering of optional Globarange features and domestic and international service plans.
Free PC Software for Remote PC Calling to Globarange Phones If you're traveling or you want to share Globarange calling with someone who doesn't have a Globarange phone yet, you can download free PC phone software for your PC or Laptop. This software available at www.joip.com. You can even use your PC as a remote phone extension. You also get phone accounts with additional service plans, so you can use them for different purposes.
Restrictions Currently, the Panasonic Globarange series of phones work in 12 countries with more to be added in the future. Each of these 12 countries, has a special Panasonic Globarange phone built to regional specifications. Amazon.com currently sells and ships Globarange phones to the following countries: Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Ireland, Unites States, Mexico, Australia, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Amazon.com can sell, but not ship Panasonic Globarange phones for the following countries: Canada, Russia, and Brazil. This means you can purchase Panasonic Globarange phones that will work in Canada, Russia, and Brazil from Amazon.com and have them shipped to a United States address. At that point, the individual is responsible for delivering the Globarange phone to its final destination.
1. Calls between Globarange phones are totally free for three years and extremely low cost after that. Calls between joip line and landlines worldwide available at competitive prices. Visit www.joip.com for more information and rates. 2. To utilize the landline you will still need to sign up and pay for a landline from your local telephone company. You will need a broadband connection to utilize the point-to-point Internet line. 3. Calls between Globarange phones are totally free for three years and then available at an extremely low cost after that. For more information visit www.joip.com. 4. For more information about joip rates visit www.joip.com. 5. Requires subscription to name-and-Number Caller ID, Call Waiting and/or Voice Mail service
What's in the Box?Globarange phone, AC adaptor for base unit, telephone line cord, battery, handset cover, ethernet cable (category 5E straight cable), belt clip
Click here for more information about Panasonic BB-GT1500B Globarange Expandable Cordless Telephone with Point-to-Point Internet Calling (US)
