Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Portable Phones

I am in the market to get a portable phone (as in a cordless extension to landline). I want to spend under $70 and wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions. I want to be able to carry it around our whole yard with good reception. Our lot is 1 acre. Under $50 is preferable, but I will go as high as $70.

Thanks in advance!

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-Vincent

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

Are you in the country with hardly any neighbors, or you surrounded by lots of other people?

If you don't have many neighbors a simple 900mhz should do. If you have neighbors who might have portable phones spring for a spread spectrum 900mhz.

FYI, I use a 900mhz at home, (in the country) and it's given us stellar service for a couple of years. It's just now succumbing from being tossed to the ground once too often.
At work, at the carlot, I use a 2.4gig s.s., it works alright (but it was $169 on sale). There are about 25 other people using portables at the dealership, about half using 900mhz and half using 2.4gigs.

The upside of the spread spectrum phones is that it's easier to get a clear line, the downside is that it actually will 'hesitate' sometimes when you're trying to dial out (not a problem unless you're trying to beat other guys to a sales call!). The 900mhz phones that aren't spread pick up faster, but you risk the possibility of someone eavesdropping.

Michael

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"I am a debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish."

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

Other features?

Do you need any other features? CallerID? We have two 900mHz DSS (digital spread spectrum) Unidens (a one line and a two line) and one 900mHz DSS Vtech. They all have CallerID displays on the handset. All are good phones, but even with two batteries per phone there are times when they're all dead. I suggest 900mHz DSS over the other choices which are either too expensive or get interference. Both the one line Uniden and Vtech can be purchased for under $70 I think. Get a phone that allows a battery to charge in the base, so you always have a charged battery and so you can use it during power outages.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

Good point about the batteries. Two of my phones have that feature and it's great. Sometimes the one that doesn't have an extra battery doesn't 'click' into it's charger just right and doesn't charge overnight. Not good!
Michael

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"I am a debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish."

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

Uniden 2.4GHz phones. Low Cost. High Quality.

Like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A.../visorcentral03

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Thanks for all the responses! I should have posted what features I needed. CallerID is a must--I would go crazy without it because we've had it for many years now, and it's on my mobile phone too. I love the way the Uniden phone pictured above looks. I really would rather not spend $130 though I will have to think it over. I live in the suburbs in a subdivision/neighborhood so there are plenty of other phones here.

Thanks Again!

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-Vincent

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by Vinny
I love the way the Uniden phone pictured above looks. I really would rather not spend $130 though

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You can save $30 by getting the model TRU346 ($99.99), which is the same as above but without the keypad on the base. Also if you decide to buy from amazon, you can use DEALJUNEWALK coupon to save $15 on $100 (to bump to above $100, add the Ward's supplement book for 2 cents; plus, for having 2 or more items, you get free shipping).

Looks like this:

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

I found a Unidien that matches your criteria and your budget. Sorry I don't have a direct link, but it is available atCircuit City for $69.99. There is a $20 rebate, making the final cost $49.99. You can avoid paying shipping by ordering online but picking it up at a local Circuit City, or just buying it the old fashion way--driving up to the store and buying it.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Thanks for all the replies again! That other Uniden phone with a simpler base looks like it would do great!

Carguy: I went to circuit city.com. I found what you were talking about. It was the Uniden EXS2060. It's 900Mhz and a different series than the two phones pictured here already. It is something to consider though. I really don't like mail-in rebates. They have a haibt of never getting to me. Last one I did was for my Rio 500 and I'm still waiting on it. Thanks for looking it up though!

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-Vincent

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

I'm attracted to this phone sort of too. Sam's Club has it for only $80. It's the Siemens 242. I like the internal antenna and the sleek, James Bondish utility style of it. What do you think of this one?

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-Vincent

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by Vinny
I'm attracted to this phone sort of too. Sam's Club has it for only $80. It's the Siemens 242. I like the internal antenna and the sleek, James Bondish utility style of it. What do you think of this one?

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

There's also a $30 rebate on the Siemens 242. I really don't like them--but $80 still is a pretty good price and I hopefully might get the $30 anyway.

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-Vincent

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Went around to a couple of stores today. Looks like I'll need to use the internet to buy it.

__________________
-Vincent

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Picked up a Siemens 242 today at Lowe's for $80. Will mail the $30 rebate tomorrow. Glad to have a portable phone again!

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-Vincent