Home :: Communications :: Telephones :: Answering Devices  

Accessories
Answering Devices

Corded Telephones
Cordless Telephones
Headsets
Novelty Telephones
Video Phones
Panasonic KX-TC1743B 900 MHz Cordless Phone with Caller ID, Answering Device & Speakerphone (Black)

Panasonic KX-TC1743B 900 MHz Cordless Phone with Caller ID, Answering Device & Speakerphone (Black)

List Price: $89.99
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 .. 6 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding phone (Panasonic 1743)
Review: After checking out many other phones (Vtech, Uniden, Sony, Memorex) and returning them all for various reasons, I found this gem of a phone... Everything about this phone is first class. Handset feels great, solid construction, fun to use, adequate volume, clear speakerphones (base and handset).

Unlike many of the other phones I tried this one has adequate volume on the handset. It also has clear reception which is free from echo and interference. The speakersphones are simply the best for this price...they are quite clear and have plenty of volume. The phone feels solid and is one of the more comfortable phones to talk on. Battery power is also top notch (6 hrs continuous talk time and 14 day standby). Battery power bar is displayed on the handset which tells you when is the best time to replace the handset on the base unit for charging. This phone also has a very good answering machine, unlike many of the other digital answering systems which in many cases made the incoming messages and your own personal greeting impossible to discern.

This phone seems to have all the features. For instance, a seperate caller ID button on the base flashes when you have any new calls, even calls that did not leave a message on the answering machine. After you have checked the Caller ID list it places a check mark next to each number indicating that you, or someone else, has checked the incoming call after which the blinking CID light on the base unit turns off. Handset and base units can have their ringers shut down or put on low. Another thing I like about this phone is that the handset lies down on an angle in the base unit. Alot of the newer phones only allow for an upright placement of the handset in the base unit. This becomes a problem if you have small inquisitive children who seem attracted to the upright standing phones. Additionally, a small bump to the table causes the handet to tumble off the base unit. The Panasonic 1743 keep the phone where it belongs, on a slight incline lying securely down in the base unit.

The only minor knock I have on this phone is that the Caller ID lists incoming calls from the same area code as having a 1-### before the number requiring editing of the number before calling it back directly from the listing. However, Panasonic makes editing this a simple matter by two quick presses of the handset curser.

One important thing about this 900 MHz phone is that it is digital. Many people don't realize that most of the 900 Mhz phones on the market today are analog phones. The primary benefit of digital is that it reduces or eliminates interference while also keeping your conversations difficult or impossible to monitor by your nosy neighbors who just might have a scanner at their disposal. (Note: You might be surprised how many of these scanners are out there because those who own them usually don't divulge this information in fear that they may be branded an eavesdropper). Digital processing of your conversation makes tracking your call very difficult. Plus, this phone automatically scans the entire 900 MHz bandwith constantly changing frequencies, which makes listening in on scanners virtually impossible. You never know who is listening to your conversations. I have heard that thieves or other criminals often use scanners to figure out when people may be leaving their houses so that they can break in while you're out, or worse yet determine when a vulnerable loved one is at home alone. For this reason alone you should never consider an analog phone.

If you are considering a more expensive 2.4 Ghz unit, think again. This phone has more than adequate range for any size house and it performs as well or better than most 2.4 GHz phones out there today, particualrly the analog ones. Although it doesn't have SST (spread spectrum technolgy) found on some 900 Mhz and many 2.4 Ghz units it is digital and thus quite secure. Unless you plan on talking 1/4 mile or more from your base unit there is no real need for SST anyway.

All in all this phone has it all. Performance, quality, features, ergonomics, and affordability. Plus the customer service (1-800-211-PANA) is outstanding as well. Sounds like a winner to me. Do yourself a favor and try out this phone.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A decent phone/answering machine
Review: On the whole, I'm happy with this phone, especially given the very mixed reviews of all cordless phone/answering machine combinations. (They all seem to be hit-and-miss, which argues for buying a standalone answering machine.) But I've had good luck with this one. I've had the phone for several months without significant problems. Once in a great while the handset doesn't connect to the base when you press "talk" to receive an incoming call, in which case the answering machine picks up. Once in a great while there are clicks while you're talking, obliterating small portions of your conversation. But it has never disconnected my call or had its battery die. Voice quality on the digital answering machine is not crystal clear, but it's acceptably audible. And contrary to another review here, this phone can be hung on a wall plate. Mine is. It sticks out a bit, but doesn't fall.

Things I like about this unit:
1) When you pick up the handset from the base, you don't have to press a button to answer the call.
2) You can precisely set the volume and the number of rings before the answering machine picks up.
3) If the answering machine picks up before you do, you can interrupt it simply by pressing "talk" or picking up the handset from the base.
4) It tells you exactly how many messages have been left, and blinks if you haven't listened to them yet. And there's a time-date stamp.
5) You can dial a number "off-line," read the number on the display to make sure it's right, and THEN press talk to speed-dial it, or do it the traditional way (get your dial tone first, then dial).
6) The speakerphone on the handset works very well. My 2-year-old twins can talk on it simultaneously.
7) There's a plastic belt clip for the handset. Handy if you have infants.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Phone, Would give it 3.5 stars though
Review: I've been visiting epinions, amazon and other sites trying to find the skinny on a good cordless phone for a while. This one pretty much does it. Pros:

- Good price, though only [$] or so less than most Pan 2.4 Ghz phones

- Very solid handset. Feels nice to use one that doesn't feel too light or to small

- Calls pretty darn clear

- Very easy to set up

- Better handset speakerphone than the VTech ones I've used

Cons:

- DEFINITELY need one extra level of loudness on the handset. It's nearly loud enough--but when the other party on the phone is talking low, I wish I could blast it up another notch.

- Maybe all digital answering machines are poor clarity, let's just say this one is no exception

- Very rarely, 1 out of 30 calls, I hear occasional clicking

- Their customer support team knows NOTHING. No I'm serious. They're clueless

Overall I like this phone. Wish it had multiple mailboxes like the VTechs.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good runtime & features, but many dropouts
Review: I've used this phone for about 4 months. I'm comparing it to two older Sony 900Mhz (SPP-961 and SPP-965) that have served me well for 2 years plus. What sold me on the Pana 1743 was the great feature bundle - callerid, speaker phone, backlite keypad. But after living with it a few months a couple good and bad things to report.

On the goodside, the runtime is great. It can stay off the cradle for a week or more and still have plenty of talktime power remaining. The speaker phone on the handset is incredibly convenient... on hold with a helpline, just activate the speakerphone where ever you are (don't have to be right next to the baseunit): fantastic. Also nice is that when a call rings through, the callerid shows the person's name in larger letters initially for easier viewing.

On the downside, two irksome issues. First, the handset volume is not very loud. Even at its maximum, the volume is much lower than other phones. This is really odd, since when using the speakerphone, the volume covers a much higher range. Second, the phone suffers from numerous dropouts. While talking there is a lot of clipping - lost partial words, popping sounds, etc. Part of the issue is that my home is full of 900Mhz and 2.4Ghz devices (2 other 900 Mhz phones, 900 Mhz wireless headphones, a WiFi network) that may be interferring; but while the Pana1743B has problems, my other two older Sony 900Mhz are as clear as a bell. I find that I often answer a call on the Pana, but quickly switch over to one of the older Sonys. Not a good sign. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great phone at reasonable Price. A Recommended Buy.
Review: I was on the market of cordless phone and was debating between 2.4ghz vs 900mhz. I went with 900mhz because it's cheaper and preventing interference with my 2.4 ghz home network that it may cause. I don't think there is a big difference in sound quality between 2.4ghz vs 900mhz. As far as I've been experienced, my kxtc-1743b is crisp and clear and works well around the block.

The answering machine and caller ID work great. It does what you will expect with basic features, simple to use and set up.

The speaker phone on the handset is convenience and great to have but it consumes more battery power.

On the down side, there is no mute button, the volume on the handset shoud be louder at maximum setting, battery does not last long as advertised.

Overall this is an excellent all-in-one phone. It does what you will basicly need most of the time. I highly recommend this phone if you just need basic features of a cordless phone, want it to take massages and be able to see caller ID. But if you need a sophisticated and advanced answering system, this is NOT the device to get. In my opinion, Panasonic makes BEST cordless phones. They are very reliable. You can't go wrong with this phone.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Panasonic KX-TC1713
Review: I would like to buy your phone. Can you send me the price and details of it. Can you send it to Belarus and how much does it cost postage? Do you have the same model with Automatic determinant of number?

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Battery power sucks!
Review: I thought this phone was great when I first got it, but just a few months later I am now learning that the battery is terrible. Even if I do not use the phone all day, If I leave it off the base over night it is dead in the morning. I can not believe how bad this battery is. All the other features of the phone seem nice. It is a shame.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: caller id problems
Review: for over a year this phone has been fine , none of the problems i have read in other reviews. i am having a problem with the caller ID window.it has become imposible to read. then one day it started working again, and now it's not . anybody have any solutions?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great features
Review: This is a great phone. It has handset speakerphone, the most useful feature. Other important feature I rate high is keypad on base. It is annoying at times when handset is not accessible, one cannot call from the base, for example, when the battery goes dead. This phone has full functionality on the base including keypad, speakerphone (except CID).
My only complaint is that I have to hold the handset close to my face so that the person on the other side can hear me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Get it while you can!
Review: This model is being phased out (as are all the 900MHz phones).
Everyone is going to the 2.4 or 5.8 --for greater distance.
If you will be using this phone in your home or apartment or small office, you do NOT need a more powerful phone. Plus the newer 2.4 and 5.8 powered phones do not have clearer sounds---just longer range. So if you really want long range--get a cell phone instead.
I bought this phone used/refurbished. It came with the original manual. I love this phone. Very clear sound. Period. Lots of (easy to use)programmable options: ringer loudness, # of ringers before answering machine kicks in, day/date/time stamp, speaker phone, etc.Also has caller ID ready, Call-waiting ready.
I think this model was one of Panasonic's last 900MHz phones: so they have already worked out any 'bugs'. But like I said---get one soon as they are going out of stock. I ordered mine from refurbdepot.com and got it in just a few days.


<< 1 2 3 4 .. 6 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates