My Ears are Ringing
Written: Aug 06 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It does ring when there is an incoming call.
Cons: It also rings when there is NO incoming call.
The Bottom Line: Undependable product, slow customer service, frustrated customer
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| makmcm's Full Review: Switchboard For Receiving Calls & Faxes While Onli... |
I bought the Emerson Switchboard because the modem that came with my HP PC does not detect call waiting while I am online. I have AOL, which has a feature to enable call waiting so that the user is disconnected when there is an incoming phone call. Since my modem does not recognize the beeps, I would miss all calls.
The premise of the Switchboard sounds good: if the user has call waiting, and a call comes in while the user is online, the Switchboard will ring. The user can then take the call for a brief time without losing their internet connection. I figured it was worth a shot.
Installation is not difficult, but creates yet another mess of cords under my desk. Although the Switchboard can run on batteries, I decided to use the included DC power cable. Then the phone cord running from the PC is plugged into the "modem" jack on the Switchboard, another phone cord runs from the Switchboard's "phone" jack to the wall (this cord comes with the Switchboard), and a phone must be hooked directly to the Switchboard as well. Therefore, there are three phone cables and a power cord running from the back of this box. There is also a jack for a fax machine. The box itself is pretty compact, about 5 1/2" x 4" x 1 1/2"H.
I tested it by signing online, then calling my phone number with my cell phone. Lo and behold, the Switchboard rang (rather, it emitted a loud, shrill beeping sound), I picked up the phone attached to the Switchboard, and was able to take the call. However, my internet connection was immediately lost. Emerson's literature does state that the duration of the connection depends upon the ISP, so I just figured that AOL does not allow any "grace" period, which was fine by me.
I was pretty pleased with my purchase, until about 15 minutes later, when the Switchboard rang again. I picked up the phone, only to hear the dial tone. I figured someone must have hung up. This continued to happen every 5-10 minutes, knocking me offline each time. I decided to e-mail their customer service to see if they could help. About a week later, they responded, saying I should only use corded phones with the Switchboard. The phone I was using does have a cord, so I replied back asking for more advice. Another week passed, and they responded saying the unit might be defective, so I should take it back to where I bought it for an exchange.
Here is the problem: I bought it off of ebay, final sale. I know that buying from an auction has its risks, so I'm willing to chalk this up as a loss. However, I thought about it, and realized that if I had purchased this unit from a brick and mortar store, it took Emerson over two weeks to tell me to return the unit. Many stores only allow returns for 14 days, so I would have been stuck with the unit anyway.
I'm thinking that the problem might be interference on my phone line (i.e. static, etc.), as it seems more of a problem during daylight hours when the squirrels are using the phone lines as a jungle gym. So I'm not convinced that even a fully functional Switchboard would have been able to keep me online during this type of interference.
Therefore, if you wish to try this product, I would buy it from a reputable store that allows returns, not just even exchanges. If your phone line has less interference than mine, you might have great luck with this product. But if you have a situation like mine, be prepared for your phone bill to skyrocket, as you will need to redial into your ISP a few times an hour since the Swichboard will keep knocking you off.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
makmcm
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Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 1 member
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