Deals.Woot

1.9 Ghz means no interference with your Wi-Fi network. Worth buying at $24 if you have a 2.4 Ghz phone.

I find it annoying that cordless phone makers release so many nearly-identical versions of essentially the same phone. The only apparent difference between this Uniden system and the Uniden system I bought a couple months ago is the buttons are more round and less square.

Anyone know how the range compares to other cordless phones?

I have a Uniden 5.8GHz and it's not great. The sound quality sucks and I feel it doesn't pick up on voices well. How does this compare?

Do they make these phone sets WITHOUT an answering machine? Who really uses one these days anyway, when voicemail is free and easy to check online and from another phone???

@skywarrior3: I don't have experience with this model, but all DECT 6.0 phones should be an improvement over 5.6ghz phones. I've used Uniden phones and they're pretty good. My current system is from Panasonic ($69 for 5 handsets, plus answering machine). It features 2 special features:
1) It reads the CallerID names out loud so you don't have to run to the CallerID display. The speech is actually amazingly accurate, unless the names are foreign. It's not great with Spanish names and completely mangles most Chinese names.
2) It has a Block List where numbers you choose will automatically get a busy signal. Great for blocking known telemarketers. Many Unidens also have this feature.

@sdc100: Thanks for the reply. I saw it had speakerphone which I am sorely missing with the current handset. In for 1.

@skywarrior3: Speakerphones are great when you're put on hold for a long time. Or must use a touchtone menu. Here's a hint: If you ever need to use the speakerphone just for listening, and/or where all your responses are done on the keypad, put your handset on MUTE. That way, noises in the room won't interfere with the speakerphone.

@kilandra: I just looked at the manual and this does not appear to be expandable. Uniden does however make several versions of this model with different number of handsets.

Here is the manual:
http://www.uniden.com/content/ebiz/uniden/resources/ownersmanuals/DECT1480om.pdf

BUY THESE.

I got one of these a few months ago from woot; paid $5 more. :( Actually, a pretty good deal. :)

RANGE: much better than the 2.4 phones they replaced. I can walk entirely around the house w/o interference!

HEARING IMPAIRED: my mother can hear much better on these phones, with or without hearing aids, than with the phones provided by the state for hearing impaired people.

SPEAKERPHONE: I use it regularly. Decent quality. I stand the phone near my computer and type while I listen or talk.

ONLY PROBLEMS:
1) I haven't read the manual to learn how to prevent using the answering machine; it's not intuitive. I'd rather pick up calls from voicemail.
2) We have lots of power outages - So Cal Edison's service is not good. We've averaged one significant outage every 2-3 months for the past three years. When the power's out, you'll need at least one corded phone to place or receive calls. Especially if you're like me, and don't keep your cell phone fully charged.

Yes, it does come with Ni-Cd batteries. However, a quick search "BT-1007" will display some sites that sell compatible Ni-MH replacement battery packs that are also more powerful than the 500mAh ones that Uniden includes.

Update: Found Ni-MH replacements for $2.49 plus free holiday weekend shipping at Overstock.com right now. In for 1 phone from Woot plus 3 replacement battery packs :)

I was going to jump on one for the parents, but they like the voice caller ID, and I see this does not have :(

Currently have an older uniden, works fine - but 2.4ghz. Not only does it break my wifi, I can't use the phone when the microwave is on...

In for one + 3x o.co NiMH replacement batteries (Thanks @dostone !)

@stoner: I believe only Panasonic features Talking CallerID. It's great to hear the phone read the Caller's name in plain English so that you won't have to run to look at the display. Plus having an actual answering machine as opposed to VoiceMail allows you to screen calls.

Here's an excellent Panasonic system:
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KX-TG6545B-Expandable-Cordless-Answering/dp/B0036D5XFA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322385036&sr=8-2

You can choose a different model depending on how many handsets you want.

@sdc100: The "memory effect" was an issue with 1970's NiCd cells but not today's NiCd cells. If you deliberately leave the handset off the charger to discharge the batteries, you will end up destroying the batteries very quickly.

I bought this set during the summer one handset is dead already guess I'll go back to Panasonic.

@satyenshah: No, there have been no major advances in NiCd technology from the 1970s to now that would eliminate any memory effects. That did happen with NiMH cells in the 1990s, however. What is true is that we now know that the memory effect in NiCd is not as bad as once believed. But NiCd has several other effects that also diminish capacity such as overcharging. And it benefits more from a deep discharge cycling (aka full discharge) than other batteries. Overall, it is a poor choice in portable electronics such as phones, and should only be used in power tools.

BTW, my electric toothbrush uses NiCds and I always leave it off the charger until the battery is depleted. My girlfriend charges hers after every use. Guess whose batteries have a longer lifespan and seem ingly larer capacity. Yep, mine.

@moro: Generally speaking, no. That's because each model has its own digital signature. That prevents your phone from interfering with your neighbor's phone, i.e. your phone ringing when she gets a call. You also have to make sure that your present system is expandable, and only buy the expansion handsets matched to your system.

I bought the four handset version of this in August for $40.

The answering machine can be turned off from any of the handsets in the setup menu.

I pretty much just one one handset at a time. I let it go all the way dead, then rotate to the next one. I consider the other handsets to be spare batteries. This one (three for $25), is a much better deal.

Sound quality is fine.

There's a short delay (less than a second) when it is loading the phone book, which I assume is stored in the base.

I use it with a Linksys ATA and Callcentric. The dialing string for my morning conference call wouldn't fit ("*275" to get to sipbroker, eleven digital for the number, seven digits for the code, and "#"), but I got around that by using a speed dial spot in the ATA.

@davidroberts6042: Glad I'm not the only one who thinks speakerphone is NOT an adequate substitute for a headset jack. I do not see that this model has one. Unfortunately, most now do not. Keeping my old Uniden 4-handset system as long as I can, even though it's not DECT.

I don't need Caller ID. What I really want is Caller IQ... so I don't have to talk to idiots.

In for one. I've had good luck with Uniden phones. My current model, though, PowerMax 5.8GHz, has three handsets with failing batteries, requiring ten-minute rotation between phones. Why yes, I could replace the batteries, but one battery would cost as much as this new set! Plus there are too many different brands, and you never know if they are going to be reliable or not, so- bye bye old phones!!

Have you ever noticed that cordless phones are one electronic device that lives on and on and on (except for the batteries)? I think I have the last two sets before the current one, still working, gathering dust. I wish all electronic devices were so reliable.

@skywarrior3: I have a similar system and it works great but you can get one on ebay with 2 handsets for $12.51 and free shipping, item 280766594752. There is one problem though, Redial doesn't actually dial. It will bring up the last number dialed but there's no way to dial it again.

@stevec5000: Generally speaking, press REDIAL and then cycle through the numbers until the one you want shows up. I believe this model has a 5 number memory, so you can cycle through the last 5 numbers you dialed. Cycling is usually done with with the DOWN button or by pressing REDIAL repeatedly. When the desired number shows up, press TALK or SPEAKERPHONE and it'll dial.

Some models also allow you to save the number to your directory.

@kwkilcoyne: All Panasonics and the better Unidens have a BlockID feature. Callers on that list will automatically get a Busy Signal whenever they call. You can manually enter phone numbers or save them from your CallerID list. Some prefer Uniden's approach because your phone doesn't even ring. Panasonic rings once. One advantage to Panasonic's approach is that you can decide if you want to pick up, i.e. you may have placed someone on BlockID temporarily but forgot to remove him/her. With Uniden, you wouldn't even know that the Blocked Call was received unless you look at the CallerID list.

While this isn't as good as "Caller IQ," it helps.