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Rating: 
Summary: Horrible phone
Review: I have this phone and have purchased about 8 of the corded version (IBM 412CID) over time as one by one they have failed. Here are the problems:(1) After about a year, buttons -- like "hold", "line 1", etc. --start to go dead on the phone. (2) There is something strange about the electronics because occasionally, for no apparent reason, the telephone will pick up on speakerphone, so that you find a dialtone blaring into an empty room. (3) Sometimes the cordless version will insist it has a low battery even though the battery is fully charged. There is an arcane procedure in the manual to fix this. (This may account for the other reviewers' comment about dead batteries.) (4) Generally, it is very hard to use and program. You have to punch in an amazing number of codes to do simple things like changing the ringer. (5) The phone is stupid about basic things link disconnecting if you hang up -- you have to push "End" or it stays connected even on the cradle, and if you put someone on hold and pick up in another room, the original phone will keep ringing to remind you that someone was once on hold.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible phone
Review: I have this phone and have purchased about 8 of the corded version (IBM 412CID) over time as one by one they have failed. Here are the problems: (1) After about a year, buttons -- like "hold", "line 1", etc. --start to go dead on the phone. (2) There is something strange about the electronics because occasionally, for no apparent reason, the telephone will pick up on speakerphone, so that you find a dialtone blaring into an empty room. (3) Sometimes the cordless version will insist it has a low battery even though the battery is fully charged. There is an arcane procedure in the manual to fix this. (This may account for the other reviewers' comment about dead batteries.) (4) Generally, it is very hard to use and program. You have to punch in an amazing number of codes to do simple things like changing the ringer. (5) The phone is stupid about basic things link disconnecting if you hang up -- you have to push "End" or it stays connected even on the cradle, and if you put someone on hold and pick up in another room, the original phone will keep ringing to remind you that someone was once on hold.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible phone
Review: I have this phone and have purchased about 8 of the corded version (IBM 412CID) over time as one by one they have failed. Here are the problems: (1) After about a year, buttons -- like "hold", "line 1", etc. --start to go dead on the phone. (2) There is something strange about the electronics because occasionally, for no apparent reason, the telephone will pick up on speakerphone, so that you find a dialtone blaring into an empty room. (3) Sometimes the cordless version will insist it has a low battery even though the battery is fully charged. There is an arcane procedure in the manual to fix this. (This may account for the other reviewers' comment about dead batteries.) (4) Generally, it is very hard to use and program. You have to punch in an amazing number of codes to do simple things like changing the ringer. (5) The phone is stupid about basic things link disconnecting if you hang up -- you have to push "End" or it stays connected even on the cradle, and if you put someone on hold and pick up in another room, the original phone will keep ringing to remind you that someone was once on hold.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't tell which line is ringing on handset
Review: I just discovered a big problem for me, after having the phone company come and install more jacks for this phone. I had two 4 line IBM-412CD phones, and encountered the same problem as the last reviewer... if you picked up on a line, using another make of phone, your main/base phone would keep reminding you that it was on hold, even if the call had gone away from the other phone. Now that I have the cordless IBM, I can't tell what line is ringing... there are no indicator lights on the handset to tell me. I answer some lines one way (business) and others just "hello" (home line) and now I don't know how to answer the phone when the handset rings and I'm not near the base phone to see. Really irritating, and I'm stuck, since these phones are not compatible with other makes. Thanks, IBM. (not)
Rating: 
Summary: Battery problems
Review: I ordered one through Amazon.com, but when I received it I couldn't charge the battery (left it there for 15 hours). Then I returned it and asked for another one. Amazon.com was nice enough to send me another one 2nd day delivery at no charge, but UPS was not good enough and delivered the item to me after 7 working days!!! The new one has exactly the same problem. The handset is DEAD. The battery is not charging at all and it seems this IBM-4900 caused me enough problems to the point where I think I will return this one; go to an electronic shop and will pay double but I WONN'T BUY IBM again!!!
Rating:
Summary: No luck with headset; phone not compatible with other mfgrs.
Review: I purchased this phone to use it with a headset. But when I walk around the house, the party I'm talking to always hears some sort of noise due to the phone or headset chord rubbing agains this or that. Maybe I had a bum headset or phone. But the clincher for me was this phone is not compatible with other mfgrs. I have some phones mfgrd by VTech & daily heard random ringings & beeps from the IBM phone. I called the mfgr (TT Systems or something like that is the mfgr, IBM is just the name on the phone), TT said this 4-line phone can not be mixed and matched with other mfgrs. Well, I don't want to toss out my existing V-Tech phones. So I'm getting (2) additional V-Tech phones for my home office. My situation is I have 2 lines for work & 2 lines for home; and want all 4 lines in my office. By the way if you want a chordless phone with headset I definitely recommend looking at V-Tech, we've had 2 of their phones and their the best chordless I've found. Other than that the IBM is loaded with features (4 line, speakerphone, DND, Caller ID, Mute, Redial, Transfer, Paging, Conference, Intercom, mute) that V Tech didn't offer. If you are in a position to use one mfgr for all your phones; and if the chordless headset problems are just a fluke; or you don't want a headset; I would recommend considering the IBM. Also for Telecom novices like me, if you call the phone company to do the wiring, there are 3 jacks in this phone, L1/L2, L3/L4, and Data. So in my home office the phone company set up 2 wall jacks, L1/L2, and L3/L4...I think the wall jacks called RJ14 wall jacks instead of the standard RJ11.
Rating:
Summary: Where are the phones designed for 4 line home offices?
Review: I've read all five reviews. I've been looking for a well designed, affordable and reliable 4 line phone for over a year! I think I'm going to pass on the IBM 900 MHz Cordless, not only because of the problems identified but also because I, like some other reviewers, already have one four line phone (purchased as a make do strategy until I could find a phone more to my liking). I'm struck by the lack of variety and the extremely small number of manufacturers that offer 4 line cordless phones. I also find it amazing that features I've come to take for granted on l and 2 line phones (lighted displays, blinking lines, etc., seem to be lacking on the few 4 line cordless I've reviewed. If anyone knows of other brands, please let us know.
Rating: 
Summary: 4 line IBM cordless phone
Review: This phone works well for a small office with 4 lines or less. It is a little complicated to set up (impossible) if you lose the instruction book. Codes must be entered to number each extension, shut off the ringer, etc. These work best if you have more than one of them. If so, you can transfer calls from one extension to the other. Otherwise, if you use this phone to answer a call and put it on hold, then pick up the held call with another (non-IBM) phone, the IBM phone think's it still has a call on hold, even though you have hung up with the non-IBM phone. The IBM phone will continue to ring every 30 seconds to warm you that you have a call on hold until you pick up the "dead" line and hang up. Individual lines can have their ringers shut off. There is a station-to-station intercom, and an all-stations paging.There is also a "do not disturb" button to shut off all the ringers on that extension. The hook up is with 2 standard household phone jacks. The headphone plugs into the end of the handset and seems to work OK. Overall, this is a good phone, but most of the advanced functions will only work from one IBM phone to another. With these or the $100 corded versions you can set up a mult-line phone system without an expensive dedicated junction box or specialized wiring.
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