Recommendation: Uniden TRU8860 5.8ghz cordless... awesome.

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Nov 10, 2004 Posts: 28

I purchased the Uniden TRU8860 phone with an extra handset (it apparently supports up to ten handsets) and it works flawlessly with Vonage service. This phone is replacing my aging Siemens Gigaset which was always flaky, had issues with my wireless network, and awful battery life.

Caller ID and CIDCW - Both work flawlessly
Voicemail light - works flawlessly on both phones

Other features that are extremely useful:
-Clarity and volume are excellent, doesn't get "ticking" noises from my wireless LAN.
-Handsets each have speakerphone which is exceptionally clear.
-Bright orange display and keypad backlight.
-Decent battery life, and uses a NiMH pack unlike some of the cheaper phones that are still using NiCd.
-Supports intercom between individual handsets, even WITHOUT the base station in range. Kind of a cheesy 2-way radio feature, if you will.
-Seems pretty durable. Doesn't squeak or flex when squeezed.
-Ringers are numerous and pleasant. A few polyphonic holiday songs if you're into that sort of thing.
-The base station itself isn't much bigger than the extra handset's charging base.
-Allows direct entry into phonebook from caller ID.
-Handsets can be named, this shows up on the screen (like the Siemens).
-Headset port.

One big flaw, however:
Time doesn't appear to be set from the CID info, you've gotta set it yourself.

So far this phone's been great. If it starts to suck, I'll update the post.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 30, 2005 Posts: 2

I also have the Uniden TRU series (8865).
Ditto on all above plus I also like the button you can program to access your Vonage voice mail. Using the pause in the setup you can set it dial through all the prompts into you new messages. Very Happy

Posts: 81 · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject:

I just picked up the TRU8885 with 3 handsets. Does this have the same feature to program it to retrieve Vonage voicemail? How do I do this exactly?

Also, I know it has a built in answering machine (which I turned off cause I have voicemail) and the indicator light shows if there are any messages on it. But is there a way to program it to show the indicator light when there are new voicemail messages instead?

Thanks.

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 3:18 pm Post subject:

not according to the manual.

edit: if you wanted that feature you should have gotten a device without an answering machine (the why buy something you don't need, don't want, and interferes with what you do want dilemma). any of the TRU series that don't have an answering machine should work fine for you, such as the one already discussed or the 8860 (mine) and several others. here is a link to the website for the 5.8ghz digital line that uniden offers. you can do research here beforehand so you can buy something that does what you want.

http://www.uniden.com/product.cfm?cat=Cordless%20Phones%205.8%20GHz%20Digital

Posts: 81 · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject:

Well, I did do research before I bought and didn't really mind the answering machine being on there. In my case, price was the deciding factor. Costco had the TRU8885-3 (with 3 handsets) on sale for $159 so I jumped on it. No regrets, was just curious if this was a feature on this model as well.

Thanks for the response.

Posts: 2 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:13 pm Post subject:

Dorky question, but...I have exactly the same situation as egeller--Costco TRU8885-3 with no functioning vmail light. I gather from this thread that there is no hope of lighting up our Vonage lives (pardon that awful 70s pop reference), but I am wondering if there's any kind of Radio Shack or similar gadget that does nothing but detect a waiting vmail. If there is, could you place it between the Vonage box and the base station and have an independent way of seeing a vmail?

Having the double answering system is just cumbersome -- the call goes to vmail if I'm on the phone, so you have to check both the machine and the vmail or else turn the machine off and remember to keep checking vmail. Would love to solve it without buying new phones.

TIA

Posts: 217 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:54 pm Post subject:

It's great to see this thread since I have been looking at the tru8885. What the main difference between the 8885 and the tru8860? Is it just the base has the built in answering machine?

Posts: 9 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:09 pm Post subject:

i know the 8865 is the one without the answer machine, because its the one i have. excellent piece of kit. Cool

Posts: 22 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 22

i have 8885 and it's great. i use the built in answering machine instead of Vonage voicemail... BUT.... i have Vonage voicemail set to pick up after 40 seconds... that way... if i get call waiting and choose NOT to answer it.... then Vonage voicemail will pick up and it goes to my email. otherwise, i prefer to screen calls and it's quicker to use built in answering machine. i recommend costco 8885.

Posts: 8 · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:24 am Post subject:

I also have the 8885 and I love it. There is one annoying quirk though: If you delete a CID entry from one handset, it DOES NOT delete it from the others. You have to manually delete them from all of the handsets.