Cingular Go Phone: Panasonic KX-THA19S Expandable Digital Cordless Handset Review

I've been looking for a better cordless for some time. I wanted to go to a system ( base and remotes) instead of several line connected stand land alone units as now exists.I stumbled across this Panasonic KX-THA19S purely by accident as I had no idea such a product existed. It caught my eye and as I read the features my eyes opened.This is not your typical inexpensive base and extra remote set system.Most of our outgoing calls at home are long distance relative to our home service.Hence, cell phones are typically used for most outgoing calls and some incoming.The bulk of incoming are on the landline phone.This meant having the two cell phones lying around readily available addition to the land line cordless pending where you are settling down.Having several common/identical phones (these new Panasonics) throughout the house is handy. With remotes needing only ac power for the charger vs an actual phone line to answer incoming either under the normal phone line or either of two cells is a Bonus.Being able to call out with the cordless acting like any of the cells or base landline is a blessing. You dial the number directly (or use the internal phone book)...then you select which phone you want to go out with by one button push.I have the base unit, plus 3 remote handsets in the house and one more remote handset in the detached garage so 5 total ( plus the base has keyboard so it's almost like an extra.You can program the system with any one headset and then send the data to the others. You can have the system use a different ring tone as well as handset color light up (LED) pending which way the call is being received.All headsets indicate if you have messages at the base voicemail unit which you can access from any of the remote headsets.With any headset, you can have an individually intercom discussion with any one which you select, or you can room monitor activity at any of others which you select.You can establish your own three way conversation using a combination of land line and cell phone for connecting the other two parties.The sound quality is very good on earpiece or speakerphone... especially with some of the available quality options engaged.You can link up to 5 different Blue tooth phones.OK for summary of the pluses though there are more.Now a few negatives. The far distance reception is good but not quite as good as I hoped for (ie weak at about 400 hundred feet away outdoors at mailbox.Similarly is so reception WITHIN (vs outside the remote garage (only being ~ 100 feet from the base).So distance and or barriers will limit useful range.You expect that, abut I was hoping for noticeable better range than my 15 yr old 900Mhz phones.It was marginally better at best.Establishing the blue tooth link when you arrive home (once programmed initially) is pretty easy. You select the phone link you want and then confirm it.But I have not found an easy way to disconnect the link other than taking the phone out of range from the base.You can go through a button push disconnect process but then need to reprogram that phone before it being selectable again.That is a pain.So a simple disconnect button similar to the connect button would make much more sense.Maybe there is a way to make it easy, but I haven't found it.Also, it appears the headset should accept a belt clip holder but none come with it.And lastly the price.My set-up/system has one base unit and 4 remote headsets.It was a lot of money in total.But this did offer some unique solutions and conveniences I never thought would be available.The build quality and performance plus features do make its hard to swallow higher cost acceptable.As the saying goes- you get what you pay for... and though I'm a picky engineer, I'm quite satisfied that I did get my monies worth... even though I wished it was a little less money.

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Panasonic KX-THA19S Expandable Digital Cordless Handset

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