Home > Consumer Reviews > Uniden DECT 6.0 Cordless Digital Answering System with Caller ID and 2 Extra Handsets and Charging Cradles

I just rec'd this system (w/total of 5 handsets in the set: #2080-5) a few days ago from a different vendor and so far I am very happy!! I had been using the Uniden TRU9485 and loved that phone system with one glaring exception: Two of the four phones furthest from the base kept cutting out constantly, with the message "out of range" on the screen despite only being maybe 50 feet or less from the base in my one-story home. Made those 2 phones virtually unusable. This was a 5.8 GHz phone but it was no good for me!

So, here I am with the new DECT 1.9 GHz version and so far, no problem. It has virtually all the same features as the TRU with slightly different cosmetics. The Uniden 2080-5, with the 5 handsets (we have a larger home) do have a cute little addition: two of the silver/black phones have a brightly colored frame: one in metallic red, the other in met. blue - kinda kicky. Xln't sound, including the speakerphones, which is a feature I use 70% of the time. Phone directory holds 70 listings and can be auto-dialed with a quick press of the button. Enter your phone numbers and names just once and you can then send it to all the other extension phones without having to retype them in individually. Each phone can also add their own entries. Has intercom bet. the extension phones, Caller ID, which I don't use, the usual digital answering machine with up to 4 min. message allowed per caller. But, book says when retrieving your messages remotely, after listening to 4 min. of messages, machine will stop and require you to push 2 buttons if you need to hear more messages: a bit of a bother, but 4 min. of messages IS quite a lot for most, unless you have a lot of wordy friends who read to you daily from War and Peace. Keypad and screen light up nicely for night viewing by pressing any key. Each phone has a little light on top that will flash to let you know an unheard message is available. You can then play back that message from any of the extension phones, a nice convenience so you don't have to go to where the base is located to retrieve them. Ans. machine will emit a message beep if there are any new ones for you or you can turn that alert off. A lot of options with these phones: individual volume controls for both earpiece and speakerphone, method of answering the phone (press any key to answer or automatically have it connect with caller by just picking up the phone from the charger or base) - are just a few. Most important to me: the distance from base doesn't seem to affect the connections - yay!! A very long talk time is present - 12 hours stated, I believe. I've talked a couple hours without the battery signal even stepping down. Book says can leave phone off the charger for up to seven days, but I'm more conservative.

Oh, for those of you that don't know - another wonderful feature: Only the ans. machine base needs to be plugged into a phone jack. All the extensions only need an electrical outlet, no phone connection! Little complaints: too few choices for types of ring when receiving a call, wish there were a couple more letters allowed when entering the names & nbrs. into the auto-dial directory (16 letters/spaces allowed). But, those are petty. This is an excellent phone or my name isn't Bill Gates (okay, just kidding about the name!); you'll be pleased! ... Arline

This is our second set of DECT 6.0 phones, the first being similarly featured Panasonics. This phone is comfortable to hold and so far has good clarity and battery-though I would not claim to be an extreme phone talker.

A few features I find annoying:
1. I go to the troulble to program in the Phone numbers with names etc... but every time my friends call it pulls up their caller ID off bellsouth network, in otherwords it doesn't show the name I assigned to the phone #. Very annoying given that my 2 brothers, my mom and dad all have cell phones that show up under my dad's name, not their individual names like I programmed.

2. Once you program a # in the phone book, if you want to edit the #, you have to delete everything up to the point you are changing. That means if you want to add a 1+areacode, you delete the whole # to add it. You can't just scroll to the beginning of the # and enter it in.

3. The individual phones show time/date on the caller ID, but not on the main screen of the phone when not in use- this is minor, but it's just a nice feature.

4. The menu is not at all hard to navigate, but it's not particularly intuitive. You'd think with all the cell phones on the market now, one of these geniuses would just look at the menu on their own cell phones for some ideas.

Anyway, it's a good phone, I can't decide if the issues are important enough to me to return the set or keep it and suck it up. I really liked the panasonics we tried but we had to return 2 sets of them after 2 weeks of use each because the base station just quit working and the handsets were useless when the base is jacked up. We thought the first time was a fluke, but then the same thing happened the 2nd time, so despite loving the Panasonics, quality control seems to be a pretty big issue. I have used Uniden for a long time and have never had quality control problems, just wish they could figure out some of these minor kinks to make a really solid product.

I have two VoIP lines at home. I've had a Panasonic phone with 4 handsets, and a clumsy ugly uncomfortable GE phone with 2 handsets. Both were seriously damaged by the dog, so it was time for an upgrade. Replacement Panasonic handsets are $70, and besides, I wanted more than 4 handsets which was more than Panasonic model supported. So, I went with this Uniden model.

First, the good. The phones are comfortable to hold, very good voice quality, and long range. My adapter is in the garage, and I have no problems on the second floor.

Somebody complained about inability to add 1 for redial or storing from Caller-ID. But, as was explained here, pressing * adds 1 in front of the number. Weird, but it works. One time, I tried to add an international number (that came across on Caller ID, but without any 011 prefix) - and I couldn't. But at least, it adds `1'

One unique benefit if you have two sets. You can set *all* 6 handsets to *both* bases and easily switch between them. So, in the end you get a two-line phone system.

Other good things (but no better than old Panasonic): ability to copy address book, comfortable keypad, bright LCD screen, blinking VM light from answering machine or service provider.

Now the annoying part. Most of those have been described by others. One that I will miss from Panasonic - CallerID voice feature. The phone was "reading" out loud Caller ID name between the rings, so I knew when to ignore kids' friends' calls without getting off the couch.

UPDATE: One more annoying feature. When I am using Intercom feature - the *calling* handset rings as well. What were people thinking?! I am trying to locate a missing handset that is making faint noise from under the bed - and the ringing in my hand is louder than a rooster!

Matching the incoming call with the directory (ala cell phone), bluetooth, computer integration (for address book, CallerID, and additional ringtones).

Bought this phone at Circuit City last week. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to set everything up and to get it working. The phones seem to work very well, good reception and voice quality is good. The phones also support a wired headset, a must in my book. The redial function allows you to redial several of the last numbers that were called; very handy. I like the built-in intercom to page between the phones. I also like the functionality of the answering machine. It seems to do what you want it to do without any unnecessary complexity. It is easy to record a custom greeting, easy to pick up messages, and easy to delete messages. I also like the fact that it is a lightweight unit that can be wall mounted.

The Good:

1. Looks great. Unlike Panasonic, keypad lites up (also, keys have a nice tacky feel... very good quality). Base looks really cool at night.

2. Sounds pretty decent. Wide range of volume control. Has tone control (high, natural, low). Speakerphone sounds great. Reception is fantastic.(Be very sceptical of bad reviews in this area, either that person works for Panasonic or they have a lemon.)

3. Nice features (worth noting): Transfer individual entries or whole phonebook to other handsets. Assign ring tones to saved entries (yes, the caller id will probably come up different than your entry, but the phone will recognize the number and use the assigned ring tone). Label "banner" to each headset (ex. kitchen, bedroom, etc.). Led blinks when there is a new voicemail or answering machine message. Access answering machine messages thru headsets.

The Bad:

1. No bluetooth. Who the heck uses wired headsets anymore? (There's a headset jack.)

2. Some ring tones are not very loud. The default is loud enough (wouldn't hurt to have the option of turning it up a little louder though).

3. Only 2 handsets can be used at the same time.

The Ugly (I can't believe nobody else mentioned these yet):

1. The speakerphone cannot be used during intercom use. ????!! How can you call it an "intercom" without the speakerphone functionality. That's how the original intercoms worked... like speakerphones, not having to hold a handset up to your ear. Also, as mentioned by another, the "calling" handset rings (loudly) until the "receiving" handset picks up. So basically, you have to hold the phone with your hand over the speaker on the back until it stops ringing at which point you bring the phone up to your ear to say "hello" to your spouse (even though you didn't hear her say hello because you had the phone away from your ear when she first answered). How stupid!

2. Only the base rings on the first ring. The handsets don't ring until the second ring. If your base is in the bedroom like mine and you don't hear it because you have your stereo on (I keep the base turned down so we don't have a heart attack when a wrong number calls in the middle of the night), then that's that much less time to answer the phone before the caller hangs up or it goes to voicemail (or answering machine). For us, this is particularly inconvenient. We have Vonage and my wife has her cell phone set up to ring at the same time as our home phone (Vonage feature called "Simulring"). Only problem with simulring is when she tries to call home, it's as if she's calling her own cell which of course brings up her cell voicemail. Fortunately, the home phone (the base) will ring once before going to voicemail. If my cell phone is turned off or in my coat pocket in the closet, this may be the only way she can get ahold of me when she's away and I'm at home. If I hear the phone ring once only, I know it's her and I can be ready to answer when she calls back. This worked fine with my old Vtech but now I will be forced to run a new phone line (for the base) to the place where we keep our kitchen handset.

I emailed Uniden about these last two concerns and here's a quote from their response. I also asked if there is anyway of updating the firmware:

"1. Intercom is to be used to call another handset. It has no ability to work on speaker phone.
2. It will be normal for the base to ring first then the handset.

There is no way to update the phone. These feature are stored in a chip that is nonupgradable."