Panasonic KXTG4000B 2.4 GHz DSS 4-Line Cordless Phone with Caller ID and Voicemail
From Panasonic
Panasonic's vision of the digital future is driven by the needs and aspirations of its business customers and millions of consumers around the world who use Panasonic products every day. Panasonic shares their dream to live a fuller life by providing ways of working smarter and enjoying the rewards of technological advances.If you need a multi-handset cordless telephone system for your home or office, this is definitely the unit to buy. Equipped with voice mail and an automated attendant, this system can handle up to eight handsets for four incoming lines. Some of the features supported include 50-number phone directories, 30-number caller ID logs, pager notification, 10-number redial memory, intercom, remote access, call transfer, conference calling, and speakerphone. One of the best features is the automated attendant that answers incoming calls and directs them to the appropriate extension(s).
Brand: Panasonic Model: KX-TG4000B Dimensions: 30.00 pounds
Give your small business or home the productivity-enhancing features of a business telephone system without the high price tag. The KX-TG4000B four-line cordless telephone system accommodates up to eight handsets, while the all-digital voice mail system with auto attendant can be occupied by up to four users simultaneously. And dual caller ID with call waiting lets you see who's calling on either line.The KX-TG4000B base unit and each cordless handset communicate in both directions using 2.4 GHz frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) transmission. FHSS technology improves calling range and clarity, and eliminates crosstalk. Because it rapidly changes transmission frequencies within the 2.4 GHz bandwidth, this cordless system helps reduce the possibility of eavesdropping.The KX-TG4000B operates via cordless transmissions, so no expensive (and messy) wiring or installation is required. Simply hook up the base to your phone lines and plug it into an AC outlet. Then, set up the included KX-TGA400B handset in the desired location and plug in the recharging stand. Up to seven more optional KX-TGA400B handsets can be added to the system.The convenient, reliable, all-digital voice mail includes many advanced features. The KX-TG4000B offers a general delivery mailbox on the base unit, plus up to eight personal mailboxes--one for each handset. Each user can record a personal greeting, and can access individual mailboxes from any system handset or an outside line. You can set the voice mail system to automatically answer all incoming calls with a recorded greeting, and to route callers to a desired extension or mailbox. The KX-TG4000B allows for four separate voice paths, so four system users can access voice mail at once.This phone system also includes a digital duplex speakerphone with an eight-step volume control. Digital circuitry in the base unit helps reduce echo and the dropout effect for more natural-sounding conversations.Dual caller ID with call waiting lets you view the name and number of all incoming callers on either the base unit or handset LCD--even if you're already on the line. This caller ID feature also stores up to 50 names on the base unit (up to 30 names on each handset), with direct callback capability. And thanks to caller ID pager call, you can even program the phone to notify your pager when you've received an incoming call, and to forward caller ID data to your pager's display. (Subscription to caller ID services is required.)Other features include two-way intercom/paging, lighted handset keypad, headset jack in the handset, and a belt clip. The handset offers up to eight hours of talk time and up to 96 hours of standby battery life.
Typical product marketing - leave you wanting for the sequel I purchased this phone for my home office. I liked the ability to have access to all the lines (including my fax line) on one system. This system has excellent functionality based upon the attendant and call routing. It also has better range in our 4,500 sf house than the Siemens 2420 system, which only is only a two line phone (more later). This system has large programmable memory locations, intuitive interfaces on the extensions as well as the base station.HOWEVER, the primary purpose for acquiring this phone was to use the base station as my primary office phone with the capability to roam throughout our three story house. As a base station, this system is severely lacking. Although the speaker phone is great, it has NO MUTE! If you participate in conference calls, you need a headset with a mute switch to have an offline discussion or even sneeze. Also, using two friends as guinea pigs, the sound quality was pitiful on two different units of this same model thinking it was a fluke. According to my unscientific testing, the sound quality of the cordless handsets was poor as well. Finally, the handsets are huge. While the antenna makes the range a little better, it is a large unit that makes me feel like I have a Motorola Brick phone next to my head. Ergonomics are not Panasonic's strong suit, but the lit keypad is nice for using in the dark (although I prefer doing other things than dialing someone while in the dark).I tried these units in direct comparison to the Siemens 2420. I've never been a VTech fan and didn't even consider them. The Brother was too cumbersome so I excluded it too. So, based upon my personal, and time consuming, experiences, I chose the Siemens because it had better sound and, of all things, a mute button for the base. The range of the Siemens compared to the Panasonic may not be great and I had to replace the NiMH with Li batteries, but taken as a whole I liked the Siemens better.If Panasonic had put a mute button on the base of this system, I would have kept it in spite of the sound differences. Funny how one litte feature made my decision. Battery life weak and important feature missing... Battery life rated at 8 hours talk time on Panasonic web site but believe me, it's closer to 2 hours. We've had to switch handsets in mid conversation more times than we should. Also, when talking on the phone, incoming calls are not put into voice mail automatically, they are ignored. Such an obvious feature overlooked (if it is possible, we can't find it explained anywhere in the manual). Also, when listening to messages, you can not save the message on the base unit, you have to transfer it to a handset/mailbox or lose it. Best feature is that you only need one phone jack for 8 handsets, you can put the handsets anywhere you want (near an electrical outlet). Handsets not very comfortable for long conversations. Overall, we wished we'd waited for shortcomings to be worked out. Lots of reasons to buy, these are some reasons to wait or look elsewhere. critical flaws - no mute, only 1 handset / line, poor sound. I purchased the Panasonic KX-TG4000B as a replacement for my old Siemens Gigaset 2420. I'm really disappointed with the Panasonic KX-TG4000B, and I'm considering trashing it and returning to my old Siemens Gigaset 2420.The Panasonic KX-TG4000B has some critical flaws:(1.) the sound quality is not great - just as BAD as the Siemens;(2.) there is NO mute - no mute on the speakerphone - and no mute on the cordless handsets;(3.) only one handset per line (I'll explain details later); and(4.) cordless handsets cannot be assigned "names" (like "kitchen" or "master bathroom") -- the handsets only have pre-assigned numbers.The problem with the "one handset per line" is basically that you CANNOT join a conversation ... you get "line busy". For example, if the base unit has a call going on line #1, and you try to join that call from one of the cordless handsets, then you get a "line busy" error message and a busy signal. So, if someone else in the house in on the phone with Gramma, and asks you to "pick-up the phone", ... basically, ... YOU CAN'T. You try to join Line #1, and you get a busy signal. The only way to get another cordless handset to join the call is for the current caller to "conference" the an additional handset onto the call. And, that's difficult because you cannot assign a "name" to the handsets (like "kitchen" or "master bathroom") -- the handsets only have NUMBERS!If preventing you from joining a call in progress is some kind of "security" feature (e.g., might be appropriate for an office setting), then they ought to have some kind of configuration option that will let you turn it OFF (especially in a home setting).A minor annoying aesthetic is the base station number keypad that you use to dial the phone -- the number buttons are BIG and GOOFY looking, not professional, not backlit. The cordless handsets have nice transparent number buttons with a backlight. Panasonic should have used the same number keypad on the base unit.The inability to join a conversation (because you get a busy signal when trying to join a line with a call in progress), combined with the lack of a MUTE capability (neither on the base unit nor the cordless handsets), the inability to assign names to handsets, and the poor sound quality make this a disappointing phone with a very large price tag.So, my question for other shoppers is: If the Siemens Gigaset and Panasonic KX-TG4000B both have problems / drawbacks / feature flaws, ... then, ... what's the answer --> What is the best cordless, multi-line, multi-handset telephone system? Which frequency gives better voice sound quality: 900MHz or 2.4GHz? Or, are they the same? Does FHSS (Frequency-Hopping Digital Spread Spectrum) provide better voice sound quality? What's the best?
