What's the frequency ... Kenneth ... uh-huh ??
Written: Jan 31 '03
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Really koool Styling, High Tech Operation - 2.4Ghz - 2 lines - speakerphone
Cons: ATT "Death-Star" logo gives me the creeps. Made in China. M-in-Law still gets through
The Bottom Line: 2.4 GigaHertzzzzzz !! I just like saying it - it sounds - so powerful - so hi-tech - so Fasst!! HA! I LAUGH AT your puny 900MHz cordless phone!
|
|
|
| fountain-head's Full Review: AT&T 2462 2.4 GHz 2-Line Corded / Cordless Phone |
NOT - 1 Gig!! ... no, no, no ... NOT - 2 !! ... HA! ... No Sir ! My Phone broadcasts at a FULL - 2.4 GIGA-hertz BABY!
I just dare my nosy, busy-body, nextdoor neighbor to eavesdrop on my phone conversations NOW !! Oh,yea ... and he's over there right NOW ... in his garage. I can see the light. He's standing right there next to the radial arm saw ... fiddling with his scanner ... don't try to hide from me ... I can SEE you !! Can't find the frequency - huh, Kenneth ??? Wanna know why ?? Cause - Iv'e got 2.4 GIGGA HertZ "digital spread spectrum frequency hopping technology" to thwart your every attempt to eavesdrop on my conversations. Good luck trying to spread your vicious rumors NOW !
Hey Skippy !! ... why do you need a new phone ??
Thanks for asking! ... The "EXPERT" electrician - hired to design and install my state-of-the-art phone wiring ... WAS NOT ... and DID NOT !!
So instead of a nice pair of phone lines available in each of my rooms ... I've got a random mess of "cross-talk" and "static" and missing dial tones!! Arrrgghhhh!
After years of dissecting walls in a futile attempt to locate the offending wire ... I finally decided it would be easier to buy ONE good phone system, capable of handling two separate phone lines and dispense with troubleshooting my FUDGED-UP telecommunications wiring.
I must have a 2-line, portable cordless phone system. After looking around ... I discover there are only about 3 (residential) phone systems that offer 2-line capability.
Yessss ... I'm a typically "shallow" American infidel ... I chose the ATT 2462 system because ... well ... it just "looks nicer" ... than the "Siemans" or "Panasonic" systems. (The panasonic phone looks like one of my kids old power-ranger-transformer toys)
NICE BOX! ... or ... lets go shopping
Sitting on the shelf of my local Best-Stuff is an energetic Miami-Vice aqua-and-pink color scheme ... that would positively EXCITE Big-Gay-Al. Those happy colours curiously beckon me to probe the crowded display shelf and "join the party"!
The 10"x12"x3" PACKAGE offers a ~groovy~ visual representation of what lies within. Nearly all of the system features can be found on the printed on the surface of the 6-sided box:
2.4Ghz Digital Transmission
Digital Spread Spectrum, Frequency Hopping Technology
Corded/Cordless Handsets
Multi-Handset Capability (up to 8)
50 Name/Number Directory
Cordless Handset Speakerphone
"Clearspeak" Duplex Speakerphone in Base
Auto Line Selection
Announced Call Transfers
Conferencing
Data Port
Power Failure Operation (spare battery reiquired)
Spare Battery Charger
On-hook dialing
2 LIne Caller ID/Call Waiting Capability
50 Name/NUmber Caller ID HIstory
Caller ID/Message Match
Caller ID Displays on Handset and Base
New Call Indication
Display Dial
Last 5 number redial
2 LIne INtegrated Answering Machine
25 Minutes Digital Recording Time
Remote Access
2 Individual Voice Mailboxes
Menu Guided Setup
Separate Announcement for Each Line
... and a cute little visual illustrating the ability to attach up to - 8 - cordless handsets to each base (for the mere added cost of nearly $ 100.00 per copy) ... HOLY SHEET !
Yo ... Skip ... Tell me again how CHEAP you are ...
I believe it was "Trammell-Crow" ... patron-saint of evil real-estate developers who quipped "...everything is negotiable." He tells the story of "haggling" with a grocery store clerk over the price of a carton of milk ... asking for a 20% discount ... and fully expecting to get it.
His attitude INSPIRES me. Now ... I am simply incapable of purchasing ANYTHING without 1) expecting a discount 2) searching every available "comparable" 3) beating the bushes for a "deal". As some of my best friends say "...never pay retail."
So ... I cruised onto eBay to find a NIB version of the ATT 2462. Seems it was an unwanted "wedding-gift" by the seller. Excellent candidate. Click Buy-it-now, and hold my breath to see whether I just bought a lump of melted plastic. LUCKY ME !! It arrived looking just like I bought it at that store with the big glass entryway
My purchase price: $ 189.00 (including shipping, no tax) ... better than the $ 229.00 (retail plus CA usurious sales tax) from my local retailers (summer 2002 pricing). I also found two of the 2402 Cordless Expansion Handsets (on eBay) for $ 49.00/each - great deals!!
THE SYSTEM
The ATT 2462 phone system consists of a base station and multiple remote handsets. The base includes an integrated digital message machine, and many many features and plugs into the wall with 1-Power cord, and 2-phone lines. The portable handsets do not require phone lines ... so I am free of my @#3#**$@ wiring
All-in-all ... YOUR phone is just ... another BRICK in the wall ...
Most all cordless phone handsets are big clunky BRICKS compared to these tiny, sleekly-designed ATT 2402 Handsets. Nearly identical in size to my NOKIA cell phone. The slightly-folded profile of this handset is studded with tiny little buttons (slightly tough maneuvering for my genetically-inherited German-sausage-sized fingers ... FINGERS !! ... what did you think I was gonna say?). A stubby-little antenna tops the handset (virtually unbreakable). It is comfortable, sleek and palm-sized.
The handsets can perform nearly every feature as the base unit. A set of "soft" keys, and LCD screen, allow you to scroll through your call history, mailboxes, and handset-settings. The function is simple, intuitive, and easy ... even for the technologically-challenged such as myself.
The handsets rest in a very small rechargeable cradle - somewhat "tulip" shaped. The cradles must be plugged into a wall outlet. I usually keep one of the portables floating around on my desktop. Even out of its recharging cradle ... I can get several days worth of use out of the battery storage.
I like the small, sleek design of the handset - only 2" wide x 6" long ... but for some reason the industrial designers at ATT decided to make the earcup ... a big goofy looking chrome disc. Goofs-up the whole look of the phone.
Stylin !
The overall system design is quite unique in comparison to all of the other competing cordless phone systems. Each component is much smaller, more ~~~~streamlined~~~~~ and seems to be consciously - intentionally designed to retreat from the awkward, clunky look of most phones.
The compact 8"x8"(footprint)x4"(tall) base is a two-toned, two-textured (dark blue/black & "gun-metal" - how un-PC) two-plastic, soft-edged, streamlined telephone set. It seems a "softened" version of the old commercial "Merlin" phone system ... with a human-scaled earpiece at the top of the handset gently tapering to a delicately-scaled mouthpiece. Won't collect all those - ickie germs -
Say what!! ... I can't hear you ... speak-up !
Failing eyesight, gray hair(s), ear hair (ewwwww) ... and hearing loss ... I have not escaped NATURE's cruel jokes of aging. HA !... but YOU think YOU CAN aerobicise, yogacise, garden-vegetable-blendercise, and botoxercise ... yourself out of aging's annoyances ??? GOOD LUCK !
So ... perhaps it is my erosion of hearing that makes me belive that the sound from these handsets is less than great. What ! WHAT !! can you speak-up!! ATT anticipated my distress and includes the ability to increase the volume on the hand set (sometimes still not good-enough). The sound is fine for most calls ... but a little background noise of bickering children (probably not a problem in YOUR Ozzie & Harriet household) and I'm running for a broom closet.
Hands free !! ... uh, excuse me ... can I please see your hands ...
BOTH the base and portable phones have a speakerphone feature. Fairly common feature on a base station ... but I have never had it on a portable handset. I really like it alot ... since my hands are usually busy with other important tasks - don't ask ...
Can you (still) hear me ??
The range of the handsets is everything I could want. There is no corner of our 3000 SF two story house or our little suburban yard that cannot be reached by these portable handsets. I have even taken the phone to the end of the cul-de-sac (9-houses-away) without losing phone contact.
I no longer have to "fake-it" ...
Caller-id: SBC/Pacific Bell is my local-bell ... the system works perfectly ... Now when my mother-in-law calls ... I see her ID ... and let "the message center" listen to her prattle-on about all she learned from Oprah this afternoon. No more do I have to feign interest in her Oprah-induced fear of "mad-cow" disease, wooden cutting boards, salmonella diseased chickens ... My little electronic drawbridge is making my castle more comfy each and every day.
We can't ALL be perfect
My biggest gripe about this system is the inability to mount the base on the wall. How hard would THAT have been. I really miss my old 12 foot culy-cue phone cord stretching all over my office.
Alas ... I guess I just have to join all my really kooool friends and use the portable headsets which can be plugged into the handsets. Add a belt clip and - voila - I'm fully mobile !! And ... I'll look really COOL and IMPORTANT ... buy!/sell!/buy! ... come to think of it SELLLLLLLL!!!
NEGATIVE EPINION REVIEWS ???
It is highly suspicious to me that EACH of the overwhelming negative reviews of this phone system come from "mystery" reviewers with only a single review to their name. Gee ... they couldn't be employees of competing telecom equipment companies ... or disgruntled-former-employees ... trying to skew the ratings ... could they ?? YOU MAKE THE CALL !!
I would recommend this phone system for anyone needing a TWO-LINE, portable phone. The remote handsets are very small and convenient. The sound quality, function, battery-life, and range of the units is GOOD ... not GREAT ... but GOOD. I have no complaints and no regrets with this phone system. It replaced an old (very kool at the time) Sony portable phone system. The ATT 2462 is a significant improvement.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
fountain-head
|
|
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 9 members
About Me:
"... Who is your daddy ... and what does he do?!"
A.Schwartzenegger
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.