Panasonic - KX-TGF575S DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone System with Digital Answering System - Silver

This Panasonic KX-TGF575S was a replacement for an older Panasonic cordless phone system. After several days of use, I"m very satisfied, and impressed with the engineering and useful features. Voice quality is good, and I really like the Link2Cell feature. I don't like to cart my cell phone around when I'm at home, and as a result I either miss calls or have to dash from one end of the house to the other to grab the phone. Link2Cell lets us easily handle our cell phone calls throughout the house. I found the user manual on-line and read it prior to deciding on my purchase, so I was pretty familiar with the features. As a result, setup was pretty quick and easy. I found it helpful to initially plug all the handset chargers into an outlet strip and do the system setup with all the handsets and base together on one table. Some things need to be set up on each individual handset, and this let me complete all that work in an organized manner without running around the house. One area where I had a small problem was with text message alerts from my iPhone. I couldn't get it to work, and the Panasonic user manual wasn't helpful. It pointed me to a web page with setup information for iPhone and Blackberry. However, the only thing I found there was info on setting up the Android app. After a bit of experimentation, I did find the solution... in iPhone settings, Bluetooth, for the Panasonic device, turn on "Show notifications." One other small complaint is that the handset charger base is hardwired to its AC adapter. Our old Panasonic charger bases had a connector into which the AC adapter cable was plugged. I have one charger where I need to route the cable through a confined space, and with a bulky charger base on one end and a bulky AC adapter on the other, it isn't possible. For now I've placed the charger base in a different, less than ideal, location. Eventually I may cut the cable and install a 2-pin connector that's small enough to let me route the cable where I need it. I can't comment much on the digital answering system. We already have a corded phone with answering system that we like, so we're continuing to use it. However, I did set up the Panasonic answering system, which took about 3 minutes or less. I think when we're travelling I may switch to the Panasonic system to take advantage of its ability to call my cell phone to notify me of a new message. In summary, I'm satisfied with this system, and I don't think you'll be disappointed either.

This is basically the same phone system I bought five years ago and eight years ago, with little in the way of technological advancement, except perhaps the frequency, encryption, and blue tooth features. This still has the same GUI, the same ring tones, same back-lit LCD screen, and the same memory as nine years ago. Look what has happened to cell phones in that time, and yet this seems to be a technological dead end. Why? Come on, Panasonic, get with the times! Sure, there is now a "Call Block" button, making it easier to block a live call, but there are still only 250 numbers that could be blocked!!! These telemarketers and scammers have thousands of phone numbers from which to call, so my phone should allow me to block thousands of phone numbers. The block list of the Panasonic phone system I bought five years ago was full after only three months in operation. After six months, none of the new scam calls were being blocked because they switched numbers. Also, the OS on the phone prevented me from being able to wipe the phone's block memory. Yet, this is still a good phone system. I work from home, so I use it for conference calls, and because each handset has a clip, I can wear the phone around the house while calling into a conference bridge. This feature brings great freedom of movement while moving. The range is even good enough so that I can go out into the front or back yard with minimal signal degradation. My biggest issue working from home is the constant barrage of phishing, scam, and telemarketing calls, and an effective call block feature is vital, in my view. This is why, despite all of the other great features of this phone, I only rated it 2 of five stars. I hope someone from Panasonic sees this review so they can improve their designs. I like this phone, but not much has changed in nine years... it needs to evolve.

Needed to replace a similar phone that was very old & dying. Love having handsets all over the place. Even better: the phone announces who is calling so I don't have to jump up, find my glasses, and run to the phone to check Caller ID. I also love that I can set a ring tone to alert me to a few callers, but I don't particularly care for the selection of ring tones, and, sadly, there aren't that many. I love having the answering machine...wish there were more stock answering phrases to choose from (minor issue). And you don't hear the message announcement...just silence, as you wait to hear if someone is going to leave a message, which seems a bit weird. The phone sound quality is not as good as our previous phone, which was not as good as when we had a land line. We now have a Verizon gadget that receives calls via cell service which goes to this phone. We're getting used to inferior quality and it's not a big deal anymore. I'm non-techy and didn't have any trouble getting it set up and in use, instruction booklet in hand. We haven't had any problems, and I'd repurchase if needed.

The exception in my full satisfaction relates to how the answering machine and hand units handle voice mail notifications being held on my service providers account. While it is true it lets me know a voice mail is waiting, I would have liked to have a blinking light or a beep, something that reminds me to check. The current message on the hand units does nothing to catch your attention. The last issue is with the phone book groups. The Home, Cell1 and Cell2 in my case are a waste and would prefer to be able to change their group names. I would also like to be able to change the sequence of these groups such as Family, Friends, Healthcare, Emergency, etc. now you must plan this all out prior to setting up your groups and shame on you, if you come up with a new group later that needs to be first.

I bought this system as a replacement for a collection of various phones acquired over the years and did so without really learning about the system in advance. After using it and learning about features over time I am amazed at the number of useful features. For example, the system can pair automatically via Bluetooth with our two cell phones so that when a call comes in on either a cell phone or the landline it rings on the whole system so that you don’t have to run and find your cell phone. Also, the handsets have an intercom system that rings all the handsets throughout the house so you don’t have to hunt to find your spouse in that big house, multistory house, garage, workshop etc. There are other features, but you get the idea. It just isn’t just a bunch of cordless phones.

This phone has all the bells and whistles of the other Panasonic phones plus two more, the ability to block up to 250 pest callers with the push of a button. The others block numbers but you have to go into the menu which is no big deal unless you’re my wife. To me the most important feature is the ability to block specific area codes and combinations of numbers again up to 250. This becomes particularly useful as election season is almost upon us and I will be blocking the 202 area code (Washington DC). You get the picture. As far as I know this feature is pretty much exclusive to this particular model.

The good: Able to link cell phone up to it. Set up different ringer for the cell phone (to differentiate landline/cell). Can name each phones to it's location. Good reception throughout the house (Ours house have cement walls. Phone base is at the end of the house). The bad: Speaker phone is pathetic. All of them. And, the base speaker phone is the worst of them all. Ringer volume can only be changed by pressing menu. Ex: Menu, #105, arrow up or down. A lot of changes can only be made that way. Need a cheat sheet just to operate a phone. Yes!!! Speaker phone is very important to us.

This is our fourth phone system of this type. Panasonic has been more reliable than AT&T, with our Panasonic systems outlasting the AT&T system (our first). We've had to change 4 times because eventually, a few of the phones stop working (screen dies/batteries need replacing [we we do]). We like this system because of its large, lighted buttons and very visible screens. The phone # blocking feature is nice, too, as is the talking caller ID. This type of system is great because we don't use cell phones in our house, and we don't have a lot of phone outlets.