Recommendations for Best Cordless phone (merged)

BexTech

BT ones are hit and miss, depending on which model you get as BT use various manufacturers, some awful, some very good.

Stompa

I'd stick with Panasonic, they have a pretty good reputation - definitely not Binatone which are seriously cheap and nasty.

Rjohnmatt

I would second Panasonic,very good clarity and battery life.

BritBrat

I am another fan of Philips.

But things I would look for are good battery life. (Not nicad)

Ease of use, seems a strange item but trust me some are not that easy.

Apart from that pick a philips anyway.

I have a Panasonic connected here as well but they hardly get used as the functions are more complicated than the Philips..

skinnerneil

Does anyone know if a cordless phone exists that will display when you have 1571 messages?

i.e. a visual indicator to save you having to pick the phone up and listen if dial tone has changed?

The only phones I can find with this are corded ones.

I find 1571 way more useful than built in digital systems as it will take a message while you are on the phone.

Heinz

skinnerneil wrote: »

Does anyone know if a cordless phone exists that will display when you have 1571 messages?

i.e. a visual indicator to save you having to pick the phone up and listen if dial tone has changed?

I find 1571 way more useful than built in digital systems as it will take a message while you are on the phone.

Despite my hatred of 1571, I'll tell you that Orchid's Ranger 400 does that - the LED on the base unit flashes when a message is waiting (well, when the dial tone changes to interrupted actually - so, although I don't have 1571, it flashes when I have my calls diverted to my mobile). I don't think they're available any more though.

miniemma

skinnerneil wrote: »

Does anyone know if a cordless phone exists that will display when you have 1571 messages?

i.e. a visual indicator to save you having to pick the phone up and listen if dial tone has changed?

The only phones I can find with this are corded ones.

I find 1571 way more useful than built in digital systems as it will take a message while you are on the phone.

I have just bought these: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5524897/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice%2C+PCs+and+phones%7C10198997/c_2/2%7Ccat_10198997%7CTelephones%7C10198998.htm and the instructions claim to do what you want but I have yet to receive a message (billy no mates) to prove it works

They are a fantastic set of phones.

miniemma

To satisfy my curiosity, I have asked a friend to leave me a message, which he has. There is no indication of this on my new phone

Stompa

skinnerneil wrote: »

Does anyone know if a cordless phone exists that will display when you have 1571 messages?

Oddly there don't appear to be any DECT ones, just a few ancient analogue phones. Would something like this:

http://www.connected-4-less.co.uk/acatalog/Accessories.html

do what you want?

miniemma

This very speedy reply from Panasonic may go some way to explaining why there are no DECT phones advertising the 1571 display feature:

"In response, the particular feature where an icon will appear when you receive a message via your telephone provider's answer service is not a guaranteed feature as it relys entirely on a particular signal being sent to the phone. The reason for this signal not being received by the phone can be due to a number of external factors i.e. the signal not being sent, outside interference with this particular signal, an item connected to our telephone line interfering with the signal.

I suggest to check the following points:

1. Ensure that you are using the line cord that was supplied with the telephone to connect to the telephone socket
2. If there are any other products using the same telephone line, try disconnecting them as they may be blocking or interfering with the dialling signal
3. If you have had broadband on the same line, try connecting your new telephone to a telephone line that does not have broadband on as it may be broadband data interfering with the phone. If this is the case, your internet service provider will need to supply a new ADSL filter."