what do you think about VTech IP81002 Cordless VoIP Phone

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 05, 2006 Posts: 7

I'll throw my vote in for the Vtech phone. The only think I would like is that it had the light for messages on the handset instead of just a message on the screen, but I can live with it. I do like the feature of caller id using the phonebook name.

Posts: 168 · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject:

jdlittle wrote:

I'll throw my vote in for the Vtech phone. The only think I would like is that it had the light for messages on the handset instead of just a message on the screen, but I can live with it. I do like the feature of caller id using the phonebook name.

I agree, but keep in mind the base unit does flash. In addition you can get email messages when you have voice mail, even check your voice mail by email.

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 05, 2006 Posts: 16

msaeger wrote:

Second can I just buy one of these or has Vonage progressed to being like cell phone companies where you have to sign a contract just to get the phone ?

You can buy these at stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot, to name a few. They only work with the Vonage system, so you have to sign up with Vonage, but as far as I know, you don't need to sign a minimum service contract. I just bought the V-tech 8100-2, along with a third handset, and am very pleased with it. Set-up took about 5 minutes and has worked flawlessly.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

My personal suggestion would be to get an RTP300 (Vonage ships these for $29 (activation fee)) and the Uniden TRU8xxx phones. If you're a heavy downloader/web user, add a Linksys WRT54GL to this to handle the extra internet traffic and provide clear Voip under load.

The main advantage to going separate boxes is that you'll be able to use any telephone with Vonage, including TiVos, fax machines, existing cordless & hardwired phones, etc. I'm not a VTech fan...had two of their phones (not the IP phones 'though) and hated both of them. Cheap build quality, even cheaper sound quality. The Uniden phones have been great.

Posts: 168 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:37 am Post subject:

VonageTPA wrote:

My personal suggestion would be to get an RTP300 (Vonage ships these for $29 (activation fee)) and the Uniden TRU8xxx phones. If you're a heavy downloader/web user, add a Linksys WRT54GL to this to handle the extra internet traffic and provide clear Voip under load.

The main advantage to going separate boxes is that you'll be able to use any telephone with Vonage, including TiVos, fax machines, existing cordless & hardwired phones, etc. I'm not a VTech fan...had two of their phones (not the IP phones 'though) and hated both of them. Cheap build quality, even cheaper sound quality. The Uniden phones have been great.

True, and one of the reasons I did not get Direct TV recently was because I couldn't hook my Vonage V-tech phones up. However the new DTV DVR's will not be TiVo software and will not require phone hook up.

Uniden has never been that great a phone either, I would put it in the same category as V-Tech. However the V-Tech phones for Vonage are quite good and I have noticed that there are not nearly as many issues they seem to have as opposed to people who have taken the hard wired units.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:57 am Post subject:

I wasn't always a Uniden fan, but I've been very impressed with the Tru8xxx series phones. They prompted me to pick up a $15 900Mhz analog Uniden cordless for my workplace, and for $15, it's one hell of a phone. Sure, there's occasional static & such, but I'm getting ~300-500' of range out of it, which isn't bad. And, if anyone steals/damages/mutilates my $15 phone, I'll just buy another.

The IP phones are definitely the fool-proof way to go, and there's fewer things to go wrong and account for. I think many of the problems we see with the analog terminal adapters are related to people using their household wiring, which is usually installed almost as an afterthought by the electricians when they build the houses.