Finally! 900 MHz phones for cheapskates
Written: Jul 11 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Works as advertised
Cons: No special features
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| Randall_Newton's Full Review: Vtech VT 9111 900 MHz - Cordless Phone |
When I buy a technology for the first time, I buy at the bottom of the price/performance curve. I don't invest in "high performance" until I know the device (VCR, computer, etc.) is something I can use. For two years I watched the prices for 900 MHz cordless phones slowly drop. Finally, last Christmas Wal-Mart offered the VTech VT9111 900 MHz Cordless phone for under $45. I snapped it up, wrapped it and put it under the tree for my wife.
Right now I'm sitting in my office, at one end of our rather long house. I'm the only one home, so I have the phone handset sitting on my desk. The phone base unit is at the other end of the house, one floor up. If the home phone rings, I can answer it here. But if I sneak away from work to go pull weeds in the garden for a few minutes, I can still take the call. This would be impossible without 900 MHz technology.
The VTech VT9111 is a basic unit. The only frill is that it comes in a choice of colors. But it works, and has never failed to do exactly what it is supposed to do -- give you cordless telephone use.
If you spend more, you can get units with stronger batteries, more powerful signal strength, an answering machine, etc. But for under $50, this phone is just fine thank you.
The phone offers a search feature. Press the button on the base unit, and the handset starts to beep. In my house, with eight kids plus Mom, Dad and a steady stream of other people's kids, we use the beeper quite often.
Be sure to follow the installation directions TO THE LETTER when you unpack the phone. You must charge the battery for a day before first use. I am sure that if you don't do what the manual asks, you will pay in poor performance.
Some people claim that 900 MHz cordless phones are good for 1/4 mile or more. Not this unit. The best I've gotten is about 160 feet. The loss of signal is progressive, but not sudden. You realize as you are talking to someone that you need to move a little closer to the base.
I would not hesitate to buy another VT9111 if we needed another phone. But I wonder how two of these phones would work in the same household. Part of the standard operating procedure for 900 MHz phones is that they can use several frequencies to avoid overlap with other phones, so I would have to assume two of these phones in one household would be fine.
I would recommend this phone to anyone ready to spend apx. $50 on cordless phone technology.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Randall_Newton
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Member: Randall Newton
Location: Okanogan County, Washington
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 6 members
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