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Thread Number: 86551
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
How long do cordless phone sets last? |
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Post# 1111400 , Reply# 1 3/14/2021 at 21:06 (1,128 days old) by CircleW  (NE Cincinnati OH area) |
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I think you're lucky you got 12 years out of them. My Aunt Doris was having to buy new ones every three or four years it seemed. I know I went with her more than once to purchase new ones. | ||
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Post# 1111401 , Reply# 2 3/14/2021 at 21:11 (1,128 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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 I think our Panasonic answering system with two cordless handsets is at least 20 years old by now. I've only replaced the batteries once, maybe 5-7 years ago. One of the handsets has issues with the keypad. You really have to push on some of them. That same handset has a "menu" key that doesn't work. Other than that, I've been impressed with the entire set's longevity.
The outgoing message is in Dave's voice from before his stroke, which severely impacted his speech, so I really don't want to get rid of the set any time soon. | ||
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Post# 1111421 , Reply# 4 3/14/2021 at 22:20 (1,128 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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 I’m a third vote for Panasonic! We had an AT&T cordless w/anw. mach. that we used from 2006 until about 8 mo ago. I had to replace the batteries in both handsets about 3 times over that period of time.
I got the lowest priced Panasonic set with 3 handsets and purchased 4th handset separately. Since we have our phone over the internet and Comcast includes VM with the service I just got a base without anw mach.
The Panasonic is much better than the AT&T and like Chris said above the batteries are regular AAA rechargeable, easily found.
The sound is good and the functions are basic but adequate. I like that you can block a caller’s future calls right from the handset menu.
Eddie | ||
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Post# 1111440 , Reply# 5 3/15/2021 at 01:58 (1,128 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I third the recommendation for Panasonic cordless phones. I *think* my current system is about 15 years old. I *think* it came with three handsets, and I was able to purchase two more handsets, with one in the detached garage. The batteries ARE replaceable with standard NiMH rechargeable AAA cells. Naturally I use Panasonic rechargeable batteries in most stuff as well. Their Eneloop line is very good.
I've actually been to one of their smaller factories in Japan (MKE), on business, back in the 90's. I have no idea what they were making there, though. Or maybe I've just forgotten. It was on Shikoku. | ||
| Post# 1111446 , Reply# 7 3/15/2021 at 04:53 (1,127 days old) by beehiveboy (Northamptonshire, England ) | ||
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Post# 1111448 , Reply# 8 3/15/2021 at 05:50 (1,127 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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Thank you all very much. I will check out the price of the replacement batteries before buying a whole new system, but will buy Panasonic if I do. Tom
I googled the number and found 4 batteries for 9.99 on Amazon with sudden shipping. This post was last edited 03/15/2021 at 09:39 | ||
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Post# 1111485 , Reply# 9 3/15/2021 at 11:09 (1,127 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI) |
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Panasonic here too I have a 6 handset Panasonic phone system, 12+ years and zero issues. Replaced a few AAA batteries, a real plus since mot phones use proprietary batteries, these are NiCad an easily found. The real plus for me is the Bluetooth link so my cell rings on all the phones. | ||
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Post# 1111489 , Reply# 10 3/15/2021 at 11:37 (1,127 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Tom getting the batteries for my old AT&T cordless on ebay was inexpensive and easy. The problem was that eventually one of the handsets just wouldn’t charge or hold a charge anymore, why I have no idea. But I felt that getting 14 years of service was enough and it was time to replace the whole setup. I hope that you won’t eventually have the same problem. I wish you good luck with the new batteries giving your system back some more years of service.
BTW, I only paid $35 for my Panasonic 3 handset unit and $14.99 for the additional 4th handset, so for $50 I got a new 4 handset unit (all new) giving us phones in the den, bedroom, living room and kitchen.
Eddie | ||
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Post# 1111491 , Reply# 11 3/15/2021 at 11:48 (1,127 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 1111524 , Reply# 12 3/15/2021 at 16:08 (1,127 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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We've had our Panasonic 4 handsets for I'm guessing about 12 years now. Two of the handsets the speakerphone doesn't work which started about a year ago. Otherwise they're fine.. Each uses two AAA's.. which come to think of it I can't recall if I ever replaced them or not.. I'd not go back to one with proprietary batteries again like our old V Tech before had.
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| Post# 1111597 , Reply# 13 3/15/2021 at 22:21 (1,127 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida) | ||
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We've had a Uniden since 2005 and it still works great. They don't make phones anymore, so my vote goes to Panasonic as well. | ||
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Post# 1111737 , Reply# 14 3/16/2021 at 23:16 (1,126 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I use my Panasonic cordless system in tandem with an Ooma internet phone (nor more bills from the phone company!). It works very well, except I can't play back messages on the handsets any more. Have to go to the Ooma app on my desktop system for that. Not a big deal for me. The internet only service is via the cable company. $45/mo. Ooma is something like $10/mo on top of that. I could go cheaper with a wi-fi or ATT based internet service, but they are not all that much cheaper and the cable internet has been quite good and reliable.
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Post# 1111759 , Reply# 15 3/17/2021 at 01:53 (1,126 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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I'm seriously considering a switch from AT&T land line service. Since I have fiber service, even though the dial tone still comes from the central office, it connects through the fiber gateway that provides my internet access, and as a result when the power goes out, so does my land line.
I have maintained a land line for its nearly 100% reliability, but with fiber service, that's no longer the case. The copper facilities in my neighborhood are ancient and AT&T has given up on them. I'm sure there are grandfathered copper land lines near me, but AT&T won't provision new land line service over copper, or at least that's what they keep telling me. At the very least I'd have to quit AT&T for internet and right now I'm getting a great deal for 100+ mbps at $49/month.
Given the gateway situation, it makes no sense to pay for supposedly traditional land line service when it would fail just like VOIP in a power outage. I've stopped using the land line for long distance. One long distance call that costs less than 50 cents will generate $12 in taxes and fees. No wonder people are abandoning their land lines.
I'll have to investigate which VOIP services will support rotary dialing. I love using my indestructible vintage Western Electric telephones and don't want to give that up. | ||
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Post# 1111791 , Reply# 17 3/17/2021 at 09:22 (1,125 days old) by kb0nes (Burnsville, MN) |
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I still use my 1987 Sony 2 channel 49Mhz phone at home for my Google voice number with my OBI End point. It is hard to find batteries for it anymore, I have to solder the connector wire onto batteries sourced from DigiKey. It has had two PCB solder joint repairs, one in the hand set and one in the base, apparently something was slightly amiss when the board was wave soldered back when it was made.
I have some 2.4Ghz AT&T phones at work that are about 18 years old now, likely VTech manufactured. They have been apart for cleaning twice in their life. They continue to haul the (voice) mail to this day just fine. | ||
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Post# 1111815 , Reply# 19 3/17/2021 at 11:55 (1,125 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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I ditched AT&T about 6 years ago and haven’t regretted it. The VOIP phone service from Comcast is superior in many ways. I get Caller ID included at no extra charge and in todays world this is an essential service to avoid answering scam calls. It includes unlimited nationwide Long Distance, AT&T charged for every LD call and it wasn’t cheap.
At first I could still use the phone jacks in our home, as I’d back fed the Comcast VOIP signal through the jacks. But about a year ago the jack in the kitchen stopped getting the signal, then eventually all three of the old jacks ceased to receive the signal. I’m not sure but I think that in someway Comcast must have changed the signal strength so that it no longer sent a strong enough signal through the old copper wire jacks to support our old corded telephones.
This was the actual reason I went to all cordless phones, and even though I liked using the old phones I got over it. And the wi-fi from Comcast is lightening fast. We get 500 mbps, the crappy AT&T DSL was only about 20 mbps, and it went down several times a week. Plus I was constantly having to replace line filters and had to replace the modem THREE times between 2003 and 2014, and at my own expense.
AT&T is dead to me!
Eddie This post was last edited 03/17/2021 at 12:23 | ||
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Post# 1112069 , Reply# 20 3/19/2021 at 17:39 (1,123 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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Yeah, I don't much trust AT&T or SBC (same I guess). I've been tempted to switch from Comcast internet to ATT fiber internet only, but not sure if that would be more or less reliable. About the same cost, probably. There are some wifi type internet services out there, but I suspect there can be problems with signal strength, and security.
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Post# 1112083 , Reply# 21 3/19/2021 at 18:55 (1,123 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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I can't complain about AT&T fiber internet service. More reliable than what we had from Comcast at our other house. Fiber is new, and I presume AT&T has budgeted adequately to keep it well-maintained. Just the opposite of copper, which they would love to completely abandon. They have petitioned the PUC to do just that, but I don't know what, if anything came of it. It likely wouldn't happen right away even if the PUC, which is a questionable entity comprised of appointed individuals who seem to be utility sympathizers, did approve it. | ||
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Post# 1112089 , Reply# 22 3/19/2021 at 21:34 (1,123 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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I installed the batteries and let them charge for over 24 hours, but the problem persists. I plugged a corded phone into the other phone jack on the back of he modem and calls were still dropped so I think something has gone wrong with the modem. | ||
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Post# 1112090 , Reply# 23 3/19/2021 at 21:47 (1,123 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Tom, | ||
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Post# 1112134 , Reply# 24 3/20/2021 at 16:25 (1,122 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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Thank you, Eddie. | ||
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Post# 1112135 , Reply# 25 3/20/2021 at 16:44 (1,122 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Post# 1112142 , Reply# 26 3/20/2021 at 17:29 (1,122 days old) by Paulg (My sweet home... Chicago) |
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Panasonic | ||
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Post# 1112170 , Reply# 27 3/20/2021 at 22:44 (1,122 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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Eddie, nobody has called. | ||
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Post# 1112171 , Reply# 28 3/20/2021 at 23:31 (1,122 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Post# 1112376 , Reply# 29 3/22/2021 at 16:21 (1,120 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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Comcast tech arrived at 1:00 and left after 3. He replaced the wire from the pole into the house. I replaced the modem and called Comcast to get it activated and just finished that now. Thank you for your concern and helpful advice. I am glad I ordered the Surfboard modem yesterday and had it delivered this morning. | ||
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Post# 1112378 , Reply# 30 3/22/2021 at 16:47 (1,120 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Tom, I’m so glad this ordeal is over with for you! Sounds like the wire outside may have been part of your problem with the dropped calls due to an intermittent connection from damaged/old wires. Hope you are back in business now. I’m glad I was able to be of some help. Good luck with the new Surfboard modem.
Eddie | ||
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Post# 1112401 , Reply# 31 3/22/2021 at 19:38 (1,120 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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The old cable had water inside it. That happened a few years ago, too, thanks to squirrels. Thank you again for the good wishes. | ||
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Post# 1112498 , Reply# 32 3/23/2021 at 16:20 (1,119 days old) by LowEfficiency (Iowa) |
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 Even if an old cordless phone lasts forever, or its batteries are still available, anyone still using one might still want to consider replacing it. The older phones, and many "not-THAT-old" cordless phones used analog radios with no scrambling or anything to prevent eavesdropping. Many either overlapped the AM radio bands, or were close enough that just a common radio (such as a car parked in the street) could be tuned far enough on the dial to listen to your phone calls. | ||
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Post# 1112499 , Reply# 33 3/23/2021 at 16:23 (1,119 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI) |
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