Panasonic KX-TSC14W 2-Line Corded Speakerphone with Caller ID (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)This phone appeared to have everything I was looking for: a 2-line phone with phone company voicemail compatibility, including a speakerphone and an earphone jack, with caller-id/call waiting. There are few alternatives on the market with all these features bundled together, if any. But Panasonic blew it with several big mistakes.
First, there is no mute button, which is unheard of for a speakerphone. Many speakerphones "cut out" when you are making noise, like when you are on hold and typing or rustling papers, and mute solves this problem. Even if Panasonic solved this "cut out" problem, what about times when you are listening in on a teleconference and want to be a silent witness? Or want to "cover the phone" for a moment, for privacy? That's the first mistake.
Number 2: no blinking or easily visible voicemail indicator. Never before saw a phone with voicemail capability that didn't have an easily visible indicator, usually a blinking light. They bury the indicator as a little icon on the LCD panel. So you can't just pass by the room with the phone in it and glance over casually to see if there are messages waiting - you have to go right over to the phone and peer down onto the little LCD screen. Imagine an answering machine with no blinking light and you'll get the picture.
Number 3: if you like to turn down the ringer at night, you have to make a lot of noise to do so. The ringer control is buried in the menus, and each key press to navigate the menus causes a beep. Then, as you lower the ringer setting, the phone RINGS to demonstrate each setting. So you beep like 5 times and ring 2 or 3 times to make the phone go silent.
The last point I'll mention is no battery backup. The user guide admits you will lose settings if there is a power loss, though they don't say how long the memory lasts or exactly which settings you'll lose. So why not give us an optional battery backup?
This phone just cut too many corners in an attempt to cram in all these features.
There were even more things I disliked about the phone, but I'll leave it at this. For now, I'll limp along along with my old 2-line phone with separate devices for headset amp and caller id/voicemail indicator. It takes up a lot of space but does everything I need, perfectly. And it has an old-fashioned mechanical switch for setting ringer volume control; sometimes the old ways are better.
This is my first Amazon review; I was just too disturbed by the gap between how good this phone sounded "on paper" and how badly it skimped on the essentials that, like that ringer, I couldn't stay quiet about it.

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The KXTSC14W supports two phone lines, making it ideal for families and small businesses, who will also greatly appreciate the phone's speakerphone for hands-free operation. For those who subscribe to Caller ID service, offered by most local carriers, the phone's two-line LCD on the base makes screening and tracking your calls a breeze. Fifty phone numbers are stored in the Caller ID memory, acting as a virtual phone book for quick callbacks. In addition, the KXTSC14W boasts a digital answering system, with three mailboxes.
Wall mountable, the phone features basics like flash, redial, and hold, as well as a 10-number speed dialer for frequently called friends and a 90-day warranty.
What's in the BoxBase unit, tilt stand/wall mount, handset, coiled handset cord, telephone line cord, instructions, warranty information

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Panasonic BB-GT1540B Globarange Expandable Cordless Telephone w/Digital Answering System with Point-to-Point Internet Calling (US) Review

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(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!

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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-GT1540 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 GlobarangeThe Panasonic Globarange BB-GT1540 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-GT1540 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 echo's 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.
45-Minute All-Digital Answering System (GT1540): Even people who spend a lot of time away from the house or office don't have to worry about missing calls.
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-GT1540 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-GT1540 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-GT1540 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

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GE 29460GE2 2-Line Business Speakerphone with Caller ID Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this phone a few days ago. I was VERY impressed with the intelligent layout of its features. Total learning time was less than 20 minutes. Someone put a lot of thought into making it easy to use. Of the many excellent features this phone offers, I did find several disappointed me (but not enough to return it!). These are:
1) On the first and only 2-line conference call I initiated, niether party could hear the other. Conferencing with 'home' quality phones always provides low level sound for the other parties. But this phone produced no sound for these particular parties.
2) The speaker phone's output volume is quite low, even on its maximum setting. With my computer's fans, it's only minimally acceptable. The receiving party said my voice quality wasn't bad, but similar to any other speaker phone, quite echo-e.
3) The headset feature is great, but, get this, the handset is dead while the headset jack is plugged-in. You must remove it to return use of the handset. You can switch to the speaker phone though while removing the jack, but, sheesh.
4) The Flash feature switches to the call waiting line just fine. But, I couldn't find a way to conference the call waiting person with the other party on the same line, as I could with my Sony phone. I kinda miss that ability, though maybe I haven't discovered how to do it yet (no mention of it in the manual).
Overall though, this is a premium phone with wonderful clarity and a solid sounding handset microphone (not 'tinny' like some phones). I really investigated alternative phones and this was in a class for twice its ... cost. Even with these particular disappointments, I'm impressed with the phone.

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GE's 29460 supports two-line operation and has a data port for fax, modem, or external answering device. Dual ringers indicate the line on which a call is coming, and conferencing capabilities let you talk to two parties at the same time. The phone stores up to 50 speed-dial numbers that you can quickly access with a shuttle dial. The 99-name-and-number caller ID tracks your missed calls, displayed on the backlit four-line LCD for easy reading and quick callback.
The speakerphone frees your hands for more important tasks, and the one-touch redial button is convenient when you've just remembered something important to tell a friend after hanging up. Separate volume controls for the handset, speakerphone, and ringer let you customize the proper audio levels, and the phone is wall mountable to help save desk space. GE offers a one-year limited warranty.
What's in the BoxBase unit, tilt stand/wall mount, handset, coiled handset cord, telephone line cord, printed speed-dial reference card, instructions, warranty information

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GE Cordless 5.8 GHz Digital 25865GE3 Phone with 2 Lines, Speakerphone and Digital Answering System Review

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(More customer reviews)This phone has nice 2-line features but we have tried two of them in our home office and both have suffered from poor out-going sound quality.
Overall the features of this phone are very good for a home office and if GE would fix the sound issue, we would be happy to have one.
Pros:
2 independant voice mail boxes.
Can retreive VM from the handset or base.
Displays external voicemail from our phone service.
Base and handset speaker phone.
Expandable.
Cons:
Sound quality is poor (clients were complaining that our voices sounded scratchy and far away).
Poor selection of ringers.
Silly melody ringers not appropriate for a office.

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5.8 GHZ Digital 2-Line Digital Answerer Speakerphone

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