My next cordless phone system - You may want to look at this (1 Viewer)

[ScottHH]

Ron,

You sold me, with a review of a product you haven't even used!

The best price on the Uniden Tru8885-2 I found was at Amazon. But they're backordered. They're even more backordered on the TCX800 handsets. I found an insane deal on these: Officemax.com is selling the TCX800 handsets at the lowest price I found $50 each, but there's a kicker, they're buy one get one free.

So I ordered 2 handsets to get 4, to go with the base which is coming in early January. It'll be hooked up to Cablevision's VoIP system early next year. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Hi, Scott!

All I can tell you is that I did a lot of
research on these phones and the Uniden came
out on top -- even over Panasonic.

 

[SarahG]

Again, I second the the the remarks on the Uniden. We got ours free when we signed up with our Sunrocket voip service. I guess I was a little skeptical at first, seeing as how they were coming free with sign up, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. Very good phones.

Scott - the buy one get one free deal you got is great.

 

[ScottHH]

My VOIP was installed last week, and I've got the base unit in the office next to the cable modem. I have 5 other handsets strategically placed throughout the apartment. (kitchen, living room, my night table, my wife's night table, and the future baby's room).

The phone works great, it sounds great and isn't getting any interference. It's nice and light and small, I can slip it in my pocket if I'm walking around with a headset on. I've set all the phones to a very low unoffensive ring tone (it's called soft alert), which I really like. And yes, if someone is on one of the handsets you can pick up the call on another.

My only gripe is the phonebook. You can store a number on any handset, but then it is only on that single handset's memory. Then you have to copy it to the base and/or any handset individually. It would be nice if it had the ability to copy to all the handsets and the base at once.

If you don't need bluetooth and flip phones, I too would recommend this system, I am extremely happy with it. Ron-thanks for the Tip.

 

[Peter Kim]

Craig is correct. Bluetooth runs on the 2.4 GHz frequency. So while it won't intefere with the adjacent 5.8 GHz transmission from the Uniden, it could wreak havoc with your wireless network, depending on the wifi spec.

If you're currently running a 802.11 b or g network, you might experience the same problems you see now with your current cordless phone/wireless network setup.

If your wireless network operates on the 5 GHz frequency (802.11a), you still might encounter hiccups since it will then vie for space with the 5.8 GHz Uniden. But I'm not so sure about 802.11a compatibility.

I used to sync my Palm with my iMac wirelessly using bluetooth. Since I installed a wifi (g) network, I noticed hiccups in my connection. Once I disabled the bluetooth radio (only using it when necessary), my wifi connection remained stable.

CNN - Wireless Life

 

[KeithAP]

Now that is interesting. What can you do with the USB port on this phone?

-Keith

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Scott,

Can I have more information on your VOIP?

Not sure I'll go that route, but would love to
see photos of the phone and setup.

I am still most likely going to buy the Uniden
system due out in April. I understand the concerns
about bluetooth operating on the 2.4 frequency, but
for the most part, I'll be using the 5.8 frequency.
I'll worry about the possible bluetooth problems
when I get to it.

For me, I look at buying a phone system an investment
for the next few years. It's not something buy every
year or two. For that reason, I want the BEST that
can be bought. Right now the upcoming Uniden model
looks to be a very curiously interesting product.
I'll be looking not only for the "hype" of its release
but also the initial reviews.

Will keep you all informed.

 

[MarkHastings]

I just bought a Uniden EXAI5180 5.8GHz phone and it doesn't seem to work as far as my 2.8GHz (Panasonic) did.

I live in an in-law apartment (behind my parents house) and when I go to my parents house (i.e. the main house), my old 2.8GHz phone used to be quite staticy. I bought the 5.8GHz figuring it would work better, but I can't use it there. It's funny because the phone will ring, but when I try to answer it, it won't connect the call.

FYI, neither one of us has a wireless network or anything else wireless. My parents have the Panasonic 2.8GHz phone, but that's about it. I have to go downstairs and practically within 100 feet of my place before I get the phone to connect (and get a dial tone).

Any ideas? I thought these phones were supposed to be powerful? Like I said, the odd thing is, my 2.8GHz phone used to work (very staticy), but it DID work at my parents.

 

[ScottHH]

Ron,

Cablevision is my local cable company. I got their triple play, which is digital cable, cable modem and VoIP. They installed a Motorola SBV 5120 Modem. It has an ethernet out, which is connected to my router. There is also a standard RJ-11 telephone jack, which is connected to my Uniden Tru8885 base. It is so simple there is nothing really to take a picture of. The modem is next to my computer and router on the floor, and the phone is on my desk.

More about Cablevision VoIP
Interestingly, if you go to the Motorola link, the modem is capable of handling two phone lines, but Cablevision only offers one phone line and one of the jacks is covered with a white sticker. I have caller ID which I never had before and it has some other advanced features. But my favorite is the flat rate for all domestic calls.

More about distributing your VoIP
I found this link which explains how to disconnect the phone company's line from your house. This is because voltage from the phone company can destroy your VoIP hardware. Because telephone jacks are wired in parallel, once you've plugged your VoIP modem into one of the phone jacks in your house, all of the phone jacks will access the VOIP.

VoIP's Downside
*The phone will go out if cable is out (which seems to happen more often than the phone company going down).
*Power outages will disrupt your phone service (there is a discussion earlier in this thread about UPS back-up power).
*Alarm/monitoring systems might not work correctly
*Cablevision does provide your information to Emergency 911 service, some VoIPs do not.
*Also, if you are considering adding an internet VoIP provider, there may be issues with modem downloading traffic interfering with your phone. Since mine is integrated, they say it won't happen. Others should know if this is a real issue or not.

 

[SarahG]

Are more and more cable companies going to the expanded deal where you are able to get cable, internet, and voip? Seems to be the way things are moving. I wonder if these companies are going to be able to offer good service for all products. I guess they're going to have to.

As far as the 911 thing goes, our voip provider allows us to register our address so when/if we call 911, our address automatically pops up at the dispatcher. That should not be a problem.

 

[Greg*go]

Mark,

I used to work in a retail store and someone had a good explanation to your question. I'm just not sure if it is true...

Apparently the higher the frequency the further distance the phones can travel, BUT it becomes less permeable with walls. The higher frequencies have a shorter wave length which causes them to bounce off the walls back into the room, whereas the lower frequency phones would be able to penetrate. So the range thing with phones is a tricky matter.

That sounds like it makes sense, doesn't it? Whenever I told someone that they would always nodd in agreement.

I've been using Panasonic phones for years now and have never had a problem with them. My girfriend's parents just bought some Unidens and they feel like play phones when I hold them. But that just could be because of my big head.

 

[SarahG]

I've read recently that there is some talk about cordless VoIP phones that have the ability to pick up signals from the LAN in your house. Is this any different than what I have set up with my expandable cordless phone system in my house now that I use with my VoIP? I know there is also talk about mobile voip phones that will pick up wifi signals. Anybody know anything about this?

 

[ScottHH]

Quick update:
I've had the Uniden Tru8885-2 for 2 months now, and I was very happy with the system. In the past week or so the handsets have intermittently said "out of range" when I tried to answer the phone (even when sitting 2 feet from the base station).

I called customer service, and they had me reset the whole system. The problem has gotten progressively worse. It is now completely out of service: the base is stuck in the "Welcome Please Wait" screen (it won't boot up).

I did a search for "reset uniden phone", and found 3 others with my problem.
link 1
link 2
This makes me question their quality control.

It seems to me that if I were able to find others with my problem in a few seconds on the web, their customer service should have been a little less clueless. Now I have to send the almost brand new phone(s) to them for service.