My wife and I just purchased this phone and we love it! It's packed with features to please the most stubborn phone critic. Yeah, it's pricey but that goes for any new electronic gadget. The price will drop or just wait until it goes on sale.

Pros:
The range is excellent but not noticeably different from the 2.4 GHz phones. The base transmits at 5.8 GHz and the handset at 2.4 GHz. The only advantage I see by using 5.8 GHz is enhanced voice clarity not necessarily range since the handset is limited to 2.4 GHz. If they come out with 10 GHz models, I don't think I would get one. At that high frequency (high-end microwave) range starts to decrease dramatically since RF is absorbed by walls and atmospherics. Also, I've never experienced any interference or bleed-over from 2.4 GHz wireless devices such as modems even on my 2.4 GHz Panasonic cordless. Just make sure you get a phone with Spread Spectrum Technology which this phones does use.
About Frequency Hopping Technology (5801 handset), I'm not so sure this phone truly has it. Yeah, it may be a variation there of but the technology is extremely expensive and only available in military radios and certain civilian applications.
As for the features, I love them all. Fifty phone numbers is more than plenty. Unfortunately, you have to program the base and handsets separately and they do not update each other (very laborious). Caller ID Smart Dialing is wonderful - no more writing down the number on a separate sheet of paper if you want to edit it. The Visual Message Waiting Indicator (VMWI) is useful if you have service for voice messaging with your local phone company. Don't let this fool you - it does not work with the answering machine on the base. They conveniently wrote that on the bottom of the box where it's easily visible! The intercom feature is very cool. Now my wife can page me from anywhere in the house to get her her glass of ice water with apple juice. You can conference from handset to handset without the base unit - haven't tried the range though. There are 8 different ringer tones to choose from. They sound somewhat similar. This doesn't excite me too much. And you cannot download ringers as their website states. I believe you can with the 5801 handset. The NiMH battery is a big plus - no more memory effect. You can also answer the phone by any key not just the talk key. Good for if you answer the phone at night. The handset has a clock with both a digital and analog display. And last but not least, you get 3 mailboxes!

Cons:
There are some quirks that if fixed, it would make this the ultimate phone. We already talked about the inability to program the phonebook simultaneously to all units. There IS a slight echo on the handset. I couldn't notice it but my wife says she did. Just simply turn down the earpiece volume a tad and it goes away. This is mostly due to audio feedback between the microphone and earpiece in the handset. All speakerphone equipped handsets required sensitive microphone circuitry in order to pick up your voice at a distance. You cannot access your mailbox from the handset. Flimsy battery holder in the base.

Frank

Recommended: Yes