Corded Phones

"Corded" Phones

Even if you don't want a corded phone as your "main" phone system, you should have one around just in case the power goes out.

  "Standard" phones get their power from the phone line and don't need electricity from an outlet to work -so, in the case of an emergency, that standard old $11.99 phone set could be a great asset.

However, if you're looking to purchase a "plain, old" corded telephone for your home based business, there are a few things you should think about - even if you aren't going to spend a lot of money (relatively) on this purchase.

• Does the phone support the local telephone features you've order from your local voice carrier?
  • Caller ID
  • 3 Way Calling
• Does it have a speakerphone?  A speakerphone can be very handy when you're on one of those long, boring conference calls.  Just hang up the handset, put the phone on mute and do your email!
• Does it support more than a single line?  You never know, as your business grows, you might need more than one line, and having a phone ready can be a time saver.
• Does the phone support redial and/or busy redial?  Real time savers when you're trying to reach a number that is constantly busy (like customer support for some of the vendors listed on this web site!).
• Is it durable?  Cheap isn't always better.  Home offices tend to attract accidents - dropping, spilling, you name it.  Make sure your phone can stand up to you or you'll just be back at the store (or web site) buying another one.
• If you must have an answering machine (against our advice) - does it integrate a good one?  If you are totally against using the services of your local telephone company for voice mail and just have to have an answering machine - make sure it's one that you want your customers to use.

  Web Home Office Reports

That's about it!  Let's take a look at the 'corded' phone options that are available to you.  For details on all of the manufacturer's models see our product matrix Corded Phones.

"Corded" Phones Review

"Corded" Telephones"*

(Rankings - best, 5 symbols, worst, 1 symbol)

* A = Amateur, R = Rookie, P = Pro

AT&T

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the AT&T phones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, set the time, your answering machine or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$

AT&T makes five corded phones.  They make one single line and four multi-line phones priced from $29.95 to $129.95  Their phones are priced competitively based on feature/function.   For complete details, see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pppp

AT&T telephones carry a one year warranty.  The tech support area on the AT&T web site includes a FAQ and manuals.  If you need more help, you can email tech support or call them on their "800" number Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 7 PM Central time.

Features - iiii

AT&T  offers four phones with multiple line capabilities.  The two four line models also include two data ports and can be combined to construct a system that is expandable to 16 stations sharing the four lines.  Selectable ring tones, conferencing, headset compatibility and chain dialing are all nice features on these phones as well.

Overall Rating - %%%%

If your home business requires multiple lines (and most do!), the AT&T solutions are definitely worth investigating.  Hard to go wrong buying a phone from the company that made them from the start!

Coby

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the Coby telephones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, your answering machine or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$

Coby makes seven corded phones that range in price from $4.88 to $42.00 (including a combo Caller ID phone and CD player/clock radio and combo phone and clock radio).  Their phones are priced competitively based on feature/function.  For complete details, see our product matrix Corded Phones. 

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pp1/2

Coby corded telephones carry a 90 day warranty.  There is no technical information on their web site (except for resellers).  If you need help you can email Coby or call them (no "800" number, you'll pay long distance charges where they apply), Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern time.

Features - iii

Very limited capabilities - no multi-line phones.  But, if you need a clock radio/CD player and phone, the CD-RA185 is inexpensive and is a good "combo" device.  Coby also makes a combo phone and clock radio (CT-P650).

Overall Rating - %%%

We would recommend a Coby phone only as a phone for use in case of a power outage where you'll need a "line-powered" versus outlet-powered telephone.

ConairPhone

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the ConairPhone telephones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, set the time, your answering machine or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$

ConairPhone makes thirty-nine corded phones that range in price from $7.99 to $64.12.  Their phones are priced competitively based on feature/function.  For details see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pppp

ConairPhone telephones carry a one and two year warranties.  The tech support area on the ConairPhone web site includes a FAQ and Quick Reference Guides.  If you need more help, you can email or call tech support on their "800" number Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM and Saturday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM Eastern time.

Features - iii

ConairPhones makes basic phones with a consumer focus.  You won't get a good multi-line phone from them, but they're great to back up your cordless system (line powered) in the event of a power outage.

Overall Rating - %%%1/2

If you just want a cheap phone, ConairPhones provides lots of options.

GE

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the GE telephones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, set the time, your answering machine or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$1/2

GE makes thirteen corded phones that range in price from $5.99 to $54.99 (web pricing) including four phones that support two lines.  Their phones are priced competitively based on feature/function.  For details, see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - ppp

GE phones carry a one year warranty.  The tech support area on their web site has an interactive troubleshooter and a searchable resource library.  If you need more help an online form is your only option.

Features - iiii

GE makes a good variety of phones and more multi-line (4 accommodate 2 lines) choices than most other manufacturers - better for business!

Overall Rating - %%%%+

We like the GE phones.  They are durable, functional and well designed for the home office environment.

Northwestern Bell

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the Northwestern Bell phones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, set the time or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$

Northwestern Bell makes fourteen corded phones that range in price from $7.99 to $52.95 (web pricing).  For details, see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pppp

Northwestern Bell provides a one year warranty on their phones.  The technical support area of the web site includes a FAQ and product manuals.  If you need more help you can email tech support or call them on their "800" number Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM Pacific.

Features - iii

Basic, inexpensive corded phones.  Only one has multi-line capability - and it doesn't include Caller ID functionality.

Overall Rating - %%%1/2

Basic corded phones from a company that has been making them for a long time.  Don't look for multi-line capabilities or other more "office-centric" functions, but good for backing up a cordless phone system.

Panasonic

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All the Panasonic telephones are simple to use - even the ones you can "program" to speed dial, set the time, or accept, erase or log Caller ID's.

Cost - $$$$

Panasonic makes twelve phones that range in price from $14.95 to $179.95 (Panasonic web pricing) including seven multi-line phones (2 and 4 lines) and a conference speakerphone for $599.95.  For details, see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pppp

Panasonic telephones carry a one year warranty.  The web site contains operating instructions and FAQs.  If you need more help you can fill out and submit an online form or contact Panasonic technical personnel at their "800" number.

Features - iiii

Panasonic's corded phones deliver good functionality at with seven of the thirteen phones supporting more than one line.  More than the normal number of choices for the home-business requiring more than a single line.  Panasonic also offers a conference speaker phone with 8 microphones, Caller ID and the ability to record up to 120 minutes of a conference.

Overall Rating - %%%%+

Panasonic delivers a product set more tuned to the home business than most.  Panasonic, along with GE offer the best solutions in our mind for the home business owner.

Plantronics

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All of the Plantronics phones are easy to use.

Cost - $$$$

Plantronics makes two corded headset phones priced at $109.95 and $129.95.  For details see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pppp

Plantronics phones carry a one year warranty.  Lots of data is available on the web site, downloads, manuals, a searchable knowledge base, a tool they call QuickWeb which gets you fast replacement of a broken device and live Internet chat.  You can also email them or call them on their "800" number if you need more help.

Features - iii1/2

Plantronics' phones have a single feature - they're "headset" phones.  If you want or need to a phone with a headset and not a handset....

Overall Rating - %%%1/2

If you are on the phone all day and don't want or need a handset, Plantronics' headset phones are for you.

RCA

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹¹

Goodness!  Who can't use the telephone?  All of the RCA phones are easy to use.

Cost - $$$1/2

RCA makes five multi-line phones priced at $89.99, $129.99 (2), $159.99  and $199.99 and a conference phone at $249.99.  For details see our product matrix Corded Phones.

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹¹

O.k., it's a telephone.  Please tell me how you'll do business without one?

Ease of Use - @@@@@

You've probably been using telephones since, well, since before you can even remember!

Works With - YYYYY

Hard to make an incompatible telephone!

Support - pp1/2

RCA phones carry a one year warranty.  The web site includes a resource library and instruction books.  If you need more help, they have a service center locator to find local dealers to repair/help you - but you can't search for a service center for the telephones.  Email is your only recourse.

Features - iii1/2

RCA's phones are built for small businesses.  Multi-line, data ports and even a competitively priced conference phone.  All also include headset jacks, speed dial and conferencing capability.

Overall Rating - %%%1/2

Solid multi-line and conferencing phones.  Worth a look for 2+ lines in your home business.

Decided that maybe wireless is for you?  Check out Cordless Phones.