Siemens S56 Phone (Cingular)

Rating:
Summary: love this phone, 4.5 stars!
Review: Hello, I am adding this to my previous review: I have noticed that a lot of people are having huge issues with this phone. I have owned one since July and I still love it. I have only had a few of the minor problems such as it shuts off while navigating menus but that has only happened twice and all my phone book entries were deleted once but if you put them on your SIM chip (have to specifically choose that option) instead of in the phone they are easily recovered. My phone still has all the buttons including the earpiece (I have never majorly dropped it though), gets good reception, and I have not had any echoing problems in the earpiece. I do however find it strange that so many people are having problems with this model when I have had none. Sounds like Siemens needs to work on the craftmanship and warranty coverage of their phones since some of this model seem to be poorly done.
I just got this phone after a lot of searching (it has been discontinued in my area) and I love it. It is a great size for me but not for someone prone to losing things. Also important to note, it is a bit outdated compaired to new phones coming out. Screen graphics are not up to par with newer phones nor are the ringtones so if that is what is important to you, dont get this phone. It is packed with some great features, more aimed at a business person but works for others as well (I'm a grad student). I love the organizer feature, it will remind you of appointments minutes, hours, or days in advance with an alarm even if the phone is off! Does birthdays/anniversaries too! It also let you see the time in various cities around the world, has two cute games, and easy ways to personlize the display. It is true that the ringtones are not very loud and is the one thing I would change about the phone, the choices in the phone are awesome and unique, but there are some great ones available for download at siemens-mobile.com, along with more wallpaper pictures (the wallpaper choices already in the phone aren't that great). At first I was disappointed in the battery but if you read the manual it says to completely charge and discharge five times for best battery life so I did that and now the battery life is excellent (had it on for two days straight with normal usage and only a fourth of the battery meter is down, I use the engery saver setting instead of the screensaver though). I was also a little concerned with signal meter since I don't get a full signal at my house so before my 15 day exchange period was up, I drove through a section of a neighbouring town where cell service is typically not possible. I took three different friend's phones with me (a nokia, a LG, and a motorola) and surprisingly the siemens did the best! At one bar I could still make a call clearer than the other three phones and no drops. I asked the person who sold me the phone about it (she has had for a year and loves it) and she said that three bars on this phone means it is a good signal and rarely will you get all five. One warning, after you make a call with only one bar and disconnect, it will do a network search but it holds onto a signal while you are using it, I've never dropped a call but had it go dead for a few seconds after a call has ended. All in all I am very impressed with this phone, lots of great features packed into a small, stylish unit. You have to consider that the phone I was coming from was not very good so this phone is a relief to me, I'm probably biased.

Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this phone
Review: I have had this phone for 6 months and I am about to have to spend more money and get another phone because I can't deal with this one anymore. The ringtones are not loud at all, it is constantly "network searching" which means I get no signal, even sitting in my living room. But what topped it off for me was last week, when it erased all of my phone numbers and address that I had programmed into it. I called Siemens and they said that this model Number has a tendencey to do that, it goes corrupt and starts deleting everything and I would have to reenter all of my numbers, well I don't have all of them now because some were just entered as I would see someone that I hadn't seen in a while. I asked if there was a recall on this phone and they said there was nothing they could do for me. So I would never recommend this phone or any Siemens product to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this phone
Review: I have had this phone for 6 months and I am about to have to spend more money and get another phone because I can't deal with this one anymore. The ringtones are not loud at all, it is constantly "network searching" which means I get no signal, even sitting in my living room. But what topped it off for me was last week, when it erased all of my phone numbers and address that I had programmed into it. I called Siemens and they said that this model Number has a tendencey to do that, it goes corrupt and starts deleting everything and I would have to reenter all of my numbers, well I don't have all of them now because some were just entered as I would see someone that I hadn't seen in a while. I asked if there was a recall on this phone and they said there was nothing they could do for me. So I would never recommend this phone or any Siemens product to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: S56 great phone for me
Review: I've had the Siemens S56 on AT&T Wireless since June 2004 and have had no problems whatsoever with the phone. If I can, I plan to get the phone unlocked so I can use it on the Cingular plan when we have to switch plans due to the Cingular takeover. This is actually my second Siemens phone and I would recommend the brand.

Rating:
Summary: It 's an okay phone
Review: I've had this phone for a year and so far it's been okay. The volume could be better and the speaker phone feature is useless because of it. The memo key is a pain because it's sensitive. It gets ready to record everytime I pick it up.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best phone out there...
Review: I've had this phone for about a year, and I have not been pleased with its service. The number keys are small and have a tendency to stick. I have to punch the number several times before the number acutally dials. None of the "special" features are worth anything. In my opinion, there are much better phones (for the same price) out on the market today.

Rating:
Summary: Siemens S56=Crap
Review: If you are thinking about purchasing this phone please do not. I currently have one and only after a few months of owning it the power began to shut off at random times and when I would turn the phone back on all my Ringtone settings will have been changed. Many times the phone will ring and no one will be calling and the only way to get the phone to stop is to turn it off and turn it back on again. Another extremely annoying problem is that after about a month of owning the phone the top oval shaped button fell off and now, having had the phone for nearly 10 months, the one, two, three, five, and six buttons have completely fallen off my phone. Though still on the warrenty, Siemens tells me that if a button falls off they cannot do anything about the phone being a piece of crap. I could continue you on with the numerous problems I have had with this phone but take my advice and if you are ever buying another cell phone do not buy a Siemens. Spread the word.

Rating:
Summary: Cingular is deceptive!
Review: My review is on Cingular. I bought a phone w/service and was told I could return for full refund and only charged for any air time used. THEY LIE. THE PHONE DID NOT WORK IN MY AREA AND I CANCELLED THE NEXT DAY. THEY ARE CHARGING ME FOR ACTIVATION even though it never worked in my area. If you are uncertain you will keep the phone and service, DON'T BUY from Cingular. Amazon will also do nothing to reimburse.

Rating:
Summary: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO BUY THIS PHONE!!!
Review: Seriously this is the most dreadful phone EVER!
I bought one over a year and a half ago, first the internet stopped working, then the address book went, along with all the names and addresses i'd stored in it, i brought it into the shop where it remained for an entire month, when i got it back both problems remained unfixed also all my photos had been deleted, (photos are absolutely terrible quality by the way).
My phone lived in the shop for a further 2 months, when it was returned to me again it just kept shutting down for no apparant reason. Eventually i got a new one of the same model, not my choice, anyway i'd had it for about a month when the buttons started to fall off. Not a happy chappy!

Rating:
Summary: Run for your life.
Review: This is the worst phone I've owned. The chrome plastic piece covering the speaker fell off on its own after one month and I had to superglue it back on. Then the buttons started falling off. Fortunately my Cingular plan allows me to upgrade.

Match these mechanical failures with the overly complicated operating system, and you have an expensive door stop.

I will never purchase anything made by Siemens again.