I recently purchased the Motorola DECT 6.0 Corded/Cordless system and I must say I am pleasantly surprised. I previously owned a GE DECT 6.0 phone and it was terrible. There was excessive static even with just a dial tone using their corded base phone. The phone was not around any televisions or other electronic devices, just did not work. Maybe the noisiest corded phone I have ever owned. Needless to say it was returned. I purchased this phone with a little trepidation based on the GE and there is no comparison. The corded Motorola phone has exceptional clarity with the base phone and the handsets. The static that was so much the problem with the GE, is non-existent. None of the ringtones mimic a regular telephone but I have gotten over that already. A cool feature of the phone is the ability to add ring tone music to a specific incoming number, from the preloaded selections. Haven't used the phone very long but my initial impression is all positive. Interestingly I could not find a review for the phone before I bought it so I decided to post one. Motorola DECT 6.0 Enhanced Corded Base Phone with Cordless Handset and Digital Answering System L402C
I bought model L402V of this phone Dec 2009 from Sam's Club, for about $50. There are two phones: one a corded base with an answering machine, the other a cordless phone with charger. The packaging had an earth-friendly "green" notice, which I found appealing. The buttons on both phones are comfortable and easy to press.
I did have trouble changing the base to wall mount. The "quick start" guide omitted this issue, and the extended manual contains such tiny images that I had difficulty reading it. When I tried to reverse the clip that holds the phone on a wall-mounted base, it came loose and shot across the room. Luckily, I retrieved it before the cat got it.
Discouragingly, once wall mounted, the phone hangs crooked when the receiver is hung up. I fixed that problem by putting sticky tack behind it (the stretchy stuff you use to hang up posters). Although the manual said it would have to be charged for 24 hours before first use, the cordless phone had enough charge in the battery to try it out.
The phones are slim, stylish, and mainly intuitive to use. One not very intuitive feature is that in order to make a call from the base, you have to press the "speaker" button. With the exception of the intercom feature, they mostly work as if they are separate phones, and their differences can be confusing.
The cordless phone has great audio transmission without static or interference, even in distant parts of the house. We've had trouble inside our house with previous phones. I like that each entry in the phone book can be customized with one of ten ringtones, some of which are really cute. The ringtones apply separately to each phone, so the phones will ring at the same time, using separate melodies.
A disadvantage is that it's hard to see the location of the tiny microphone on the base, and you have to speak very close to the phone when recording a memo or the outgoing message. For this reason, the audio quality of the memos and outgoing messages can be poor. However, the audio quality of the actual phone conversations is very good, and the volume is easy to adjust.
The two separate phonebooks are also a bit annoying. There doesn't seem to be a way to link phonebooks so that each time you save a number it appears in the both the base and the cordless phone. 30 numbers can be saved on each phone. Confusingly, the base will not save an incoming caller's number if it's not in the phonebook, but the cordless will do so.
The font size on the LCD screen of the base makes it easy to see the numbers and names. The base lights up only when active, which (I hope) saves energy. The speakerphone and mute features work well. For those who don't mind figuring out the quirks, this phone combination is a good purchase.
I purchased this phone as a replacement for an old Panasonic set. I was impressed by its clean design and compact size, both of which were great when I received the unit. However, the keypad on the base unit is awful. The "keys" are flat pieces of rubber, which feel flimsy and make the dialing action extremely imprecise. I had to listen for the audible beep as I dialed each digit to be sure they were entered.
Too bad an otherwise excellent phone is ruined by this simple design botch. Fortunately, the unit comes in a simple package that makes it easy to repack for return shipping.
First, I want to say that I love this phone (set). It just works, feels good in the hand and by the ear and doesn't weigh 5 pounds.
Some people have made good reviews already of this phone set but there were a couple things I thought to add or suggest.
The corded phone w/ answering system and speaker phone - for me, has too short of a cord. I bought a long black one @ Radio Shack which works better. The corded phone does indeed ring and take/send calls when there is a power outage. We had a big storm and the power went out and sure enough, it was the only phone that rang (a call to see if we were alright :). The speakerphone works about 'average' - my older Panasonic (and much more expensive) speakerphone performs much better. But for use on my desk, the Motorola is sufficient for a speakerphone. I like the style of these phones, they look smartly constructed (but not heavy).
One thing to note on the ANSWERING MACHINE - if you do have a power outage or even some kind of interruption on your phone line, then go and check if the answering machine reset to not recording messages. I found this to be the case. For example, I have DSL internet here and the tech. guy upgraded my TV/cable signal (thru phone line) and though no power went out or anything, the action still turned the answering system off. The little 'new message icon' is a bit small (another reviewer stated this with some ferocity) BUT if you do have new messages, it will state this in words on the panel saying like, "2 new messages". So no worries there. I did find it easy to listen to the messages from the cordless phone which is a nice feature. I like the feel of the keypad. OH, and this is a bonus - the answering machine voice is a FEMALE, so I used that instead of recording my own. (finally!) All the other phones I've had in the past had male voices, so this was nice as I'm a woman and don't always want my own voice on the recording. That was a pleasant surprise, not a biggie, but a plus.
The cordless phone is lightweight, has good reception about what most phones have, performs without any problems. There is not a clip on the back of the phone (like many of my other cordless phones have had) and I confess I miss that. But it's not a big deal. I just got used to sliding the phone (with a clip) on to my pants/trousers, whatever, when I wanted to be hands-free but needed to carry the phone with me (like outside). The footprint of the cordless phone in the charger is small which is great. Doesn't take up much room at all. The battery seems to last a long time, I haven't worn it out yet and I've had some long phone calls and left it off the charger. So the battery life is good. Better than average.
Four and a half stars for the less important notes I left here otherwise it's a complete winner for me. 50 bucks is an excellent value, really for all you get. I had an AT&T similar setup and didn't like it. It was only several months old. The older Panasonic cordless phone/anwering/speaker phone I still have, (was real expensive in the day), but I have that in the kitchen because the speakerphone is superb. I can walk to the pantry and can still talk and be heard. amazing. (they don't make 'em like they used to). But I digress..
This Motorola combo phone set was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a corded phone that would work in power outages, had an answering machine and speaker phone, looks nice, and is easy to use on my desk. The cordless has good clear reception, long battery life, easy to use and feels good in the hand (which is a big deal) and I use that everywhere else.
I added a few pics for your review so you can see what the phone(s) look like when not appearing like an advertising graphic. Also, the color of the screen when it lights up is not so yellow gold as in the ad photos, so I took a pic of that. It's more yellow orange, in case you'd like to know.
I highly recommend this phone set if what you're looking for is anything like what I found. - Corded Cordless Combo - Phone - Corded Phone - Motorola'
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