KX-TG5050CF (Blue)
Written: Aug 08 '04 (Updated Jun 13 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: speakerphone in handset, easy to program, rebate offer, features
Cons: interference with radio station, handset does not function while in cradle
The Bottom Line: So far I am happy with this phone and would recommend it for the features. Durability may be questionable (see UPDATE) although I cannot compare this to other cordless phones.
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| mistermark's Full Review: Panasonic KX-TG5050 5.8 GHz 1-Line Cordless Phone |
We purchased two of these phones a few weeks ago to resolve some potential wireless LAN issues and also to replace one aging 2.4 GHz phone that was past its prime and one antiquated 900 MHz phone that was broadcasting our calls for our neighbours on their baby monitor (not good for “secure” corporate conference calls). While I have “tinkered” with these new phones enough to have adequate information for this review, I will update as other issues or points arise.
My wife often works from home and takes numerous conference calls from our home office. After constructing a deck and patio in the backyard, my wife mentioned that she would be interested in a wireless LAN so that she could work from the relative tranquility of our patio. Her company has rather specific requirements for the hardware that must be used to set up a wireless LAN (for security reasons) and after chatting with her colleagues, we heard from them that 2.4 GHz phones caused significant interference with their networks. Our solution: begin hunting for 5.8 GHz cordless phones.
We purchased this model for several reasons:
- It has no answering machine (we subscribe to a call-answer service so this was not needed).
- It is NOT and expandable model (see comments below).
- There is a mail-in rebate program on from August 1, 2004 to October 31, 2004.
- It is a “no-frills” model (relatively speaking) but still has the majority of features that were important to us (see comments below)
Features that we like:
1. Easy to program and use: Firstly, let me say that my wife does not read instructions so the fact that this phone is extremely easy to set-up and program is a plus. The phone has storage space for 50 numbers in the phone book. The phone book is very easy to search using the alpha-numeric key on the handset (e.g., to search for “Johnson,” one would simply push the number 5 to get to the “J” section and use the volume toggle to alphabetically though that section.)
2. Voice mail features: This phone will monitor your call-answer service and display a message on the LCD screen when somebody has left a message on your voice mail. The light on the tip of the antenna will also flash if you have a new message. This is a handy feature … no more picking up the receiver to see if you have new message. You can also program a “voice mail” button that will automatically dial your call-answer service and input your access code. The phone also lights up when it rings, making it easy to find in a dark room (a very handy feature).
3. Speakerphone: Unlike other phones we have had, this phone has a speakerphone located in the handset. This is particularly useful for my wife so that she can take conference calls from the back deck while simultaneously using her laptop to view the slide presentation for that call. You can mute the speakerphone, a feature that is not inherently obvious a first glance.
4. NOT expandable: After looking at several expandable models, we discovered that none of these systems would allow more than one person to talk on the phone at the same time. My wife and I will often both get on the phone at the same time to talk with family or friends so we needed a phone that would allow more than one person to join a call. Also, could you imagine answering a call on the back deck only to discover it was for your spouse who was in the office? Using an expandable system, one would have to march the phone upstairs to your spouse in the office rather than simply calling out to her and having her pick up another handset. I’m not lazy and I don’t mind climbing stairs… but that would be annoying! In general, the handsets for expandable systems are about $50 cheaper than the base model. However, throw in 2 X $30 rebates available on the two non-expandable phones we purchased and you are ahead $10 over an expandable system. Another point that became very important in the black out of 2003: cordless phone are useless (as were cellular phones during that blackout) if there is no power. If you rely totally on an expandable system, you may be S.O.L. is the power goes out and you need a phone. We keep one “old-style” corded phone in our bedroom for just such a purpose… and it has already come in very handy.
5. Caller-I.D. compatible: We do not subscribe to such a service but this phone is compatible with caller-I.D. services, including those that use multiple ringtones to identify various callers (see note below). There is also a call-history feature that lists the last 10 missed calls and allows you to dial them at the touch of a button or add them directly into memory. This would seem to be a handy feature.
6. Voice enhancer and signal booster: At first, I thought these features were just gimmicks. However, I received a static-filled call from my wife on her cell phone the other day and the “signal boost” feature activated automatically. I manually activated the “voice enhancer” feature and it truly made a difference. It did not get rid of the static (that was on her end) but at least I could hear what she was saying (but, see note below on interference).
7. Sends and receives in the 5.8 GHz range: Our research uncovered that some other 5.8 GHz models send signals in he 5.8 GHz range but still receive signals in the 2.4 GHz band. This is not ideal when trying to find a phone that is compatible with a 2.4 GHz wireless LAN.
Features that could be improved:
1. Ringtones: There are only three ringtones and four other “melodies” on this phone. Of these, only one is tolerable. We do not subscribe to a caller-I.D. service but this could be a drawback for those that use multiple ringtones to identify various callers. There is no option to download ringtones.
2. Interference: The aforementioned “baby-monitor problem” has disappeared but I now get interference from a local radio station when there is silence on the phone. This is a minor issue as it is inaudible during conversations. However, neither the “signal boost” or “voice-enhancer” features get rid of this interference and re-registering the handset with the base unit did not help either. Time will tell whether this is a deal-breaker that forces us to return the phones. (UPDATE: This was actually caused by a cheap corded phone in another room and disappeared when that phone was unplugged.)
3. Handset does not work when in the cradle: This is truly annoying and one has to take the phone off of the base unit to use the speakerphone feature. I have yet to truly test the battery life (Panasonic claims 5 hours of talk time – God help me if I have to endure a 5-hour conference call) but it would seem to make sense to have the handset function while in the cradle while it is charging.
(UPDATE: I dropped this phone on the floor from a standing height and now the buttons on the upper right side of the handset do not function properly. One would expect a handset to be able to withstand such a fall so this is discouraging.)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mistermark
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Reviews written: 2
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