Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 17:32:13 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (Patrick A. Townson) Subject: Summary: 900 MHz Cordless Telephone Information My thanks to Mr. Franklin for sending this in and I apologize that it sat in my inbox for close to a week before there was time to get around to it. PAT From: wrf@speed.ecse.rpi.edu (Wm Randolph Franklin) Subject: Summary: 900 MHz Cordless Telephone Info Date: 14 Jun 1996 19:17:05 GMT Organization: ECSE Dept, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, Reply-To: wrf@ecse.rpi.edu 900 MHZ CORDLESS TELEPHONE INFO Here are the results of my extensive research into 900 MHz cordless telephones. There is surprisingly little info available. I'll save a copy of this in http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/wrf/900MHz_phone.html Contents: 1. An edited summary of the responses to my query posted to comp.dcom.telecom on April 21. 2. Summaries of postings not in response to me. 3. Other Usenet and WWW articles. 4. Other, non-Internet info. ------------------------June 1996 Wm. Randolph Franklin wrf@ecse.rpi.edu http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/wrf/ +1 (518) 276-6077; Fax: -6261 ECSE Dept., 6026 JEC, Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst, Troy NY, 12180 USA ================================================================ 1. This is an edited summary of the responses to my query about 900 MHz cordless phones. Thanks to the following respondents: Evin E. Beck J. DeBert dulnev@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu (Jason Dulnev) kucharsk@netcom.com (William Kucharski) larso170@maroon.tc.umn.edu (Greg Larson) David E. Myers, dem@imonics.com ray.normandeau@factory.com (Ray Normandeau) bpatil@bnr.ca (Basavaraj Patil) J E Plagenz <73232.3103@compuserve.com> rgsoni@.iup.edu (Ramesh Soni) Feng Chi Wang ---------------------------------------------------------------- I'm quite happy with the Escort Courier 9600 I recently purchased via mail order directly from Cincinnati Microwave, even though it carries a somewhat steep $249 price tag. I put a premium on maintaining the privacy of my conversations, and this phone appears to fit the bill. Relevant features: 900 MHz Digital Spread Spectrum Modulation Nominal 1/2 mile range Small handset Battery lasts for 4 days idle / 4 hours of talk time Base unit can keep an optional second battery charged and even use that battery to power the base in the event of a power failure. 10 speed dial memories 30 day money back guarantee The sound quality is "OK". It's not as good as any of my corded phones, but pretty good for cordless. There are two volume levels, which generally work well. Note that this is the high end Escort unit. They sell two models below this one, and Damark is selling factory reconditioned units of a model below these for something like $149. ---------------------------------------------------------------- If you are interested in the typical cordless phone for the home or office, but in 900MHz, I can at least give you one personal opinion, although I don't know of any reviews. The phone that I have experience with is the Uniden EXP9100. It is a 900MHz, digital spread spectrum device. At least that is the way it is advertised. For all I know personally about digital devices (other than computers) and RF, it could be just a high powered analog device and I wouldn't know the difference. But I can tell you is the following: I have used many cordless phones in the past, along with what I am sure is the average number of corded phones a person will use in a 30 year lifetime. The Uniden is my only experience with 900MHz, however. The performance of this Uniden phone is FAR above what I have found on EVERY other cordless phone. The sound quality, voice clarity, etc. is better than ANY other cordless that I have ever encountered, and better than quite a few corded phones I have used. Standing outside in the parking lot of my townhouse, about 100 ft. away from the base, through a few walls, the clarity is better on this phone than on any other cordless I have used while one is standing NEXT TO THE BASE UNIT of the typical cordless. My girlfriend has the same phone. She lives in a house along a typical suburban street. She has talked to me on hers while she has walked out of the house, out to the street, and gotten into her car and shut the door. I could not tell on my end that she had moved from the interior of the house, except for the fact that I could hear a car pass by hers while she was sitting in it. As far as features, I cannot complain there. It has two volume settings for the earpiece, which seems typical. It has two ringer styles, both fairly annoying, but effective. Each style has two volume settings. The handset can be set to ring (with the same style as the base), I THINK with two different volumes, or operate silently to save the battery [I don't recommend this unless you ALWAYS leave your phone in the same place, for obvious reasons. The battery lasts long enough with the phone echoing the base ring]. I have gotten probably 2 hours of continuous talk time from the phone without the battery needing recharging. The keypad lights up for a few seconds when you activate the phone, and any time you press any of the buttons. It has an intercom mode with the base unit, and a monitor mode. The monitor mode is one way (you can only listen) but is very useful in these days where one can call in to most places and initiate operations using DTMF signals. Or calling in to the local cinema to see what is playing. About the only thing that I DON'T like about the phone IS the battery. The phone comes with one, which is good because I haven't been able to find a spare. It is different from every other one on the market, it appears. You can order another one directly from Uniden, which I guess I will have to do someday. So far, I have had no problems with the phone in about 8 months of use. I hope that answers a few of your questions, at least regarding one phone. If you have any other questions, ask away via my e-mail, and I will be happy to answer if I can. ---------------------------------------------------------------- We have been very happy with the AT&T 2-line 900 MHz cordless phone -- sound and volume have been virtually indistinguishable from corded. I also have two reports of total happiness with the Uniden 2-line 900 MHz cordless. I have been surprised that the market is totally dominated by non-900 MHz cordless phones even though they are obviously far inferior. I wonder if manufacturers made ten billion of those phones before 900 MHz became available and are still selling them off? Or if those are far cheaper to make? Or if users just don't care? Idle musings ... ---------------------------------------------------------------- I have a VTech Tropez and a Uniden EXP 400 (?--the model with a headset). I would like to find something better: The sidetone on the Vtech is almost non-existent and the transmitter level is so low that no one using an "electronic" phone or one of those cheapo headsets can hear me. The sidetone on the Uniden is so loud that background noise wipes out the caller's voice--you can't hear who you're talking to unles it's very quiet. I had a Plantronics LiteSet--49MHZ, though--that was the best cordless and headset phone I've ever had. I'd still use it but I cannot get it repaired. ---------------------------------------------------------------- I am trying out a Muratec CP900 900 MHZ cordless phone. I am finding it to have a bit of background noise. Is this normal for a 900MHZ, or should I get crystal clear sound? The slight hiss is always there, even when using the intercom. Also, for some reason the phone goes off the hook even when I'm using it in intercom mode (the 'operator' eventually comes in). Is there some other reasonably inexpensive 900 MHZ phone without so much annoying hiss? How do Unidens stack up? ---------------------------------------------------------------- It's not normal to have a background noise. Buy a Sony 900MHz phone (only $149) and you'll get cristal-clear sound and the most comfortable handset. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Just an extremely short capsule review of the Tropez 980 Regency spread spectru m 900 MHz digital cordless phone (whew!): Nice features, nice ergonomics, funky color (beige?), EXACT SAME SIDETONE PROBLEM as Tropez' other phones. In short, if you like a digitally raspy version of your voice echoed back to your ear as you speak, you'll love this phone. If not... Anecdote: ========= My local Tropez dealer is a consumer electronics company that allows 30 day satisfaction refunds, and is also honest enough to mark returned phones as such and offers an additional 10% off such "open box specials." I only saw TWO (out of about twenty) Tropez boxes in their cabinet that were NOT returned units with the "open box" sticker, including the boxes for the newly released Regency. I wonder how Tropez stays in business/why this dealer continues carrying them... Note that the price at this retailer was $239. For that price, if you really, really want a 900 MHz digital cordless phone, and the fact that it also has sidetone problems doesn't bother you, I'd get an Escort Courier. Except for the sidetone problem (which is least objectionable on the Escorts, but is IMHO still extremely annoying), the Couriers are the best units I've tried so far. So, to sum it all up, IMHO there STILL isn't a decent 900 MHz digital cordless on the market. I'm beginning to wonder what happened to the "$100" phones the Rockwell 900 MHz spread spectrum chip set introduced last year was supposed to bring us; still no sign of them on the horizon (nor of Sony's EXTREMELY pricy 900 MHz digital models, featured in the last few issues of "Sony Style"...) ---------------------------------------------------------------- -> I've heard rumors that there are supposed to be some new technology -> 900 Mhz phones on the market soon (like by the end of May). Anybody -> know if there's any truth to this, and if so, what enhanced features -> the new phones are going to have? This is the new PCS phones. Already in use around Washington, DC area. In NYC there will be as many as 5 competing services. I am guessing that rates in NYC will be as low as 25 cents a minute. Figure on late 1966 early 1977 for NYC. ---------------------------------------------------------------- I have a Uniden 900MHz Digital Spread Spectrum phone that is REALLY clear. No static at all up to 200 feet, and the buttons are well designed for everyday use. Costs around $270 at Service Merchandise. I would buy another one if I needed it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Have you tried the 900 MHz digital phones? Take a look at the Toshiba 900 MHz model. It may be just what you are looking for. It's a bit more pricey than the old analog cordless phones though. ---------------------------------------------------------------- I got a panasonic cordless for about $65 from a discount store to replace my Toshiba. I am extremely happy with it. Now, all phones at my house are Panasonic (cordless or otherwise). ================================================================ 2. SUMMARY OF OTHER POSTINGS I won't quote them since I don't have permission, but have included enough info to locate the postings on DejaNews. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From wenhou@ml.com Mon May 13 12:28:30 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: The under $70 Toshiba sounds as good as a cord phone. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From sherrick@bbn.com Thu May 16 17:28:59 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: agrees. ---------------------------------------------------------------- misc.consumers From yelnats@BLUE.ocis.temple.edu Mon May 13 12:28:41 EDT 1996 Message-ID: <4mubn1$l8o@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu> likes the Sony SPP-A60, albeit within 50'. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From ellinj@virtual.union.edu Fri May 17 19:32:48 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: <319b5932.7530185@paperboy.ids.net> likes Panasonic KXT9500, but not the low cost Sony model. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From sfzdv22@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us Wed May 29 15:19:18 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: <4oa3tk$t3m@ns1.thpl.lib.fl.us> likes Sony best. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From brawnerm@netten.net Wed May 29 15:20:23 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: <4ocgtb$c7m@pine.netten.net> likes Uniden 9100 a lot, but for short battery life. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From rskoss@coil.com Fri May 31 14:06:59 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: <31ac6bea.9640376@news.coil.com> likes Uniden 9200 but for dying battery and low volume. Others (<4ovpvb$iae@fireman.arrowsmith.com>) have found Uniden batteries to die soon. <4pd6e8$79q@decius.ultra.net> agrees that the volume is too low. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From mraker@mrj.com Tue Jun 4 15:31:37 EDT 1996 misc.consumers Message-ID: <4ourfq$36s@turtle.mrj.com> bought a Toshiba but thinking of returning it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From martin51@aol.com Tue Jun 4 15:33:19 EDT 1996 misc.consumers.house Message-ID: <4ovjfk$51q@newsbf02.news.aol.com> doesn't like the SONY ER101 automatically changing channels, so got a Uniden EXP 900 which works fine. ================================================================ 3. OTHER USENET AND WWW INFO: I'm unsure of the ethics of reposting whole articles, so here are citations. Use DejaNews to find the source. Subject: Re: [Fwd: Cordless Phone Security] From: rpo3352@uta.edu (Paul Opitz) Date: 1996/05/03 Message-Id: <4mdiql$gr5@utaipx02.uta.edu> Newsgroups: rec.radio.scanner "There are five basic types of cordless phones being sold today:..." - excellent, better than anything in print. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "My Quest for a Secure Cordless Phone" http://www.deltanet.com/users/ace/phone.html ---------------------------------------------------------------- AT&T page on 9100 and 9120: http://www.att.com/phonecenter/cordless/900coscr.html ---------------------------------------------------------------- RELEVANT YAHOO CATEGORY: Business and Economy:Companies:Telecommunications:Equipment ---------------------------------------------------------------- BUSINESSES: http://www.sound.net/~ne/cordphon.htm National Electronics. Online catalog of some Tropez and Uniden. (e.g. 901 @ $167). ================================================================ 4. OTHER, NON-INTERNET, INFO - Consumers Reports has a good review article in Dec 94. They like the AT&T 9100 best, tho its handle is uncomfortable. They also like the Uniden digital a lot, tho it echoes somewhat. - Nevertheless, AT&T has terrible marketing. Their Web page is doesn't list many models, they don't answer their announced email address, and their posted 800 number is obsolete! - Because of the above and because there are large discounts from list price, I suspect that AT&T may be selling off inventory and getting out of the business. Pity, since their phones are good. Another alternative is that AT&T is planning a new product. - I've checked the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature and the online Infotrac system. There is essentially nothing else, just some product announcements, and one other review saying that digital phones have a longer range than analog ones. - Opitz's article, mentioned above, is better than anything in print. - One Wiz salesman told me that they were sending all their AT&T 9120s back to the warehouse, perhaps because a new model was about to come out. Other Wiz salesmen had never heard of this story, and sold me one, for $200. Lechmere wanted $300 for that. ================================================================