5.8 GHz digital spread spectrum operation * multi-handset operation (add up to 3 optional cordless handsets for a total of 4) * Voice Enhancer Technology (adds lost frequencies back to voices)Panasonic's KX-TG5230M utilizes a digital spread spectrum signal on the 5.8 GHz band for increased call security and range and for reduced interference. Expandable, this system comes with one handset but can accommodate up to four. Caller ID/call-waiting-ready, the phone stores up to 50 calls in memory for your review; access and quickly dial them through the handset's three-line backlit LCD.
The phone also features talking caller ID, which audibly announces who's calling through the handset and base speakerphones. A separate feature, Caller IQ (where available), allows you to receive updates on weather, sports, horoscopes, and more; the information is sent directly to your telephone and displayed on the handset screen. (Caller ID and call waiting require subscription through your phone company. Caller IQ is a fee-based information service that requires registration.)
The KX-TG5230M allows you to pre-program frequently called numbers, even numbers required for chain dialing (ideal for automated systems that require a series of numeric inputs). The handsets have a short, light-up antenna that flashes when new calls are received and when you have a new voice message waiting. The handsets offer a variety of ring tones and melodies to choose from.
What's in the Box
KX-TG5230M handset and base, AC power adapter, phone line cord, belt clip, NiMH battery, user guide, warranty information
1 So close, but for one fatal flaw
I really liked this phone, it has a lot going for it. However, as other folks noted on here, the handset was useless when I got within 5 feet of the base. Useless!!! At one point I was dialing a number on the handset, and right in the middle of connecting the phone shut off without completing the call at all. Other times when on the handset and sitting at my desk (near the base unit) people said they couldn't understand me at all. Since I need a phone that works while sitting at my desk, I reluctantly had to return this unit.
I purchased a Motorola MD-671, which has no problems with the handset operating near the base unit. For the benefit of other readers, I'll do a compare and contrast of these two phones, as from what I found, if you want a cordless 5.8g phone to use with phone company provided voicemail (as opposed to the digital answering machinge option) then these two models are probably what you want to choose from. To put my review in perspective, I use my phone for my home office. I spend hours at a time on conference calls. This means I need a phone where I can put the base unit on my desk, next to my computer, and it must have a speaker in the base and handset. Most of the time I am sitting at my desk, but the handset has to be able to travel with me around my house, and also must have a speaker in it.
First, I like the panasonic's big number buttons on the base unit. It really makes it easy to dial numbers. The Motorola has very small keypad and is much harder see.
Next, the Panasonic has a nice button that lets you access your voicemail with a single press, allowing you to program your local access number into the phone. One press and it turns speaker phone on and dials into your voicemail. really nice. The motorola doesn't have this option, leaving you to manually dial your vm account. Both systems have a vm light that notifies you when you have vm, both on the base and handset.
The panasonic offers you four different, pleasing songs to choose from for the ringer tone, while the motorola only offers different pitches of the same ring tone - no songs at all. Also, the panasonic default is for both the base and handset to play (ring) with incoming calls. Quite a cacophony when the handset is charging in the base, as they are both going off at the same time, slightly out of synch with each other. The first thing I did was look for a way to shut-off the base ringer. There is none! You can only turn off the handset. I would have preferred the ability to turn of the base (wherever the handset is, I will be, whereas not true with the base). The Motorola does not have this problem, as when the handset is in the cradle only the base rings.
Panasonic has no backup battery charging in the base unit, which means when your handset battery goes dead, your stuck with the base speaker phone. With the Motorola you can purchase an additional battery and stick it in the base unit, so when your handset gets low, you can switch out batteries and carry on.
Speaker phones for both are very clear and loud enough, and both phones have mute for both base and handset, although the mute button on the panasonic base is a little too close to the speaker on/off button. There was a couple times I hit the speaker button when I meant to hit the mute button, thus ending my call when all I wanted to do was mute it. The Motorola has the speaker on/off in the lower middle of the base unit, and the mute is in the upper right lcd display, so no chance of accidentlly hitting it by mistake. The speaker on the handset for both systems were good, although the Motorola was great: nice and loud, I could hear it from the other room! One oddness: The Motorola handset speaker will NOT operate when a headset is plugged into it, while the panasonic will. I usually leave my headset plugged into the handset, but sometimes I want to temporarily put the speaker on while I am doing something. This makes it a pain with the motorola handset.
Phone books: The panasonic has shared phone book for base and handsets, while the motorola has separate ones for each handset as well as the base (If you key a number into the base unit, you will also have to key the same number in each handset as well! That's a pain in my book.)
Range: Both had good range, I could easily walk around my two-story house and never lose signal.
Belt Clip: Motorola handset's battery cover juts out, and you have about 1/16th of an inch space between the belt clip and the battery cover. I found it hard to clip the unit onto my pants, as the battery cover interfered quite a bit.
Misc: Motorola has a time display on the handset, but, oddly enough, not on the base unit (which has a nice LCD display window), while the panasonic has no time display at all. Both displays are clear and easy to read for the most part, with motorola choosing the nice cobalt blue ligthing, while panasonic goes for the more common yellow-orange kind of lighting.
Summary: Overall, both systems appeared to be very nice. If you can handle the handset not working near the base for the panasonic, then I'd say either system is good.
2 Defected Phone
Its true what other reviewers posted, There is a defect with this phone, if you use it within 6 feet of the base it will break up your conversation. Why havent these defective phones been pulled from the Market by Panasonic? Why does Amazon continue to sell these defected phones?
3 Where's the Intercom??
This is a great phone system. My only complaint is the ease of use of the intercom. My very old Panasonic cordless has an intercom that you can push a button from the handset and begin talking, so I can call the kids from anywhere in the house. Otherwise this is a terrific phone system.
4 Good phone with nice features.
SO FAR this phone has been the best cordless phone I have owned. The sound quality has been very good for me. I do not get static or broken communication while on the handsets (I purchased an additonal handset). The speaker phone on the base is not always that clear unless you are right next to the base. The handset reciever's speakerphones are ok though. The best thing about this phone is that it works correctly with my voice mail service through my local telephone company. All other phones I've had do not. In my area FSK is not available. Only the stutter dial tone is available to me. All other phones I've purchase do not monitor the phone line, and most manufactures do not even understand this concept (I contacted others before seeing this Panasonic model). The message indicator lights always work when I have messages and goes off correctly when I do not. Also the range is much greater than previous 900 mhz & 2.4 ghz phones I've had. I would recommend this phone to anyone with voice mail service. However I would not recommend this phone for frequent use of the base for a speakerphone. The talking caller ID is nice, but as I expected it may not announce listings correctly that have initials or abbreviations. The manual discusses this, and it can be turned off if you desire. However, I can always recognize who the caller is even if it does not speak it properly.
5 All the features I wanted but it didn't work.
I have read other reviews that complain about the problematic nature of 5.8 GHs technology, so maybe they are right. In any event, my phone had tons of static from the start. At first I thought my phone line was at fault, but then the phone stopped working entirely. People complained that I was breaking up and impossible to understand. I didn't believe them, so I left myself voice mail messages at work and found out that I was incomprehensible my voice was breaking up so much. I tried an old phone on the same line to discover it was crystal clear, so I knew it was my Panasonic phone and not my phone line. I returned the phone and purchased a 2.4 GHz AT&T phone (I now don't trust the 5.8 GHz.) I had a 2.4 GHz Panasonic phone I loved. I have a Panasonic TV I love. But I now don't trust the 5.8 technology. And I was even more disappointed because the Panasonic phone had all the features I wanted. My new phone doesn't.
6 Don't Buy this phone - it won't work if you are within 5'
I have been trying many different phones trying to have a clear signal so my customers will hear me clearly. Tried a Uniden it buzzed all the time. On-line reviews verified this. Bought this Panasonic based on a consumer web site review, and had I looked in this web site on Amazon, I would not have bought it. If I am within 5' of this thing it cuts up bad like you are on a cell phone in the middle of nowhere with a bad analog signal....well you get the jist.
Look at the other reviews, there are at least 5 others, and I have the exact same issue. Since I work in an office in a cubical, and need to be close to the base unit this will not work for me. Back to the store it goes! Too bad too, as it had a ton of features that I really liked (talking CID, base unit speakerphone, etc).
7 So Far So Good
In the first place, I must comment about the weirdness of product reviews on the Internet. Some people love a product, other people hate a product. Can't be the same product, can it? Who knows. These 5.8 phones are no different. Given the contradictory nature of the reviews, it seems difficult to make an informed decision.
Yet I will cheerfully add my opinion to the mix.
Having recently had my prior phone system die, I decided to step up to 5.8 to avoid interference with my wireless network. Not that I ever had interference before, but hey, you never know, in the future I might. A little preventative paranoia never hurt anyone.
After reading countless Amazon reviews and getting fed up with the love-it hate-it paradoxes, I paid a visit to my local brick and mortar electronics store to actually look at these things in person. Feeling more informed though I wasn't really, I decided to order the new Motorola 761 and one expansion handset. It looked cool, felt rugged, and sounded good. But it had lousy range and after three days the expansion handset died. So I decided to try a different brand.
That's when I bought the Panasonic 5230 (and one expansion handset). As far as I can tell, all the phones in the 5200 series have basically the same guts with a few different features. The 5230 has a speakerphone in the base and a button that automatically dials my voice mail. The talking caller ID feature seemed appealing too, but as other reviewers have pointed out, you'll end up turning it off because it just sounds so silly. Though it may come in handy for a few quick laughs at a party.
Overall, so far so good. The phones sound great at both ends. Now how can this be when so many other reviewers say otherwise? Inconsistent quality control seems the most likely possibility. Or maybe there was a consistent problem that Panasonic just recently fixed. Or maybe some users are getting interference they aren't aware of. Who knows? My handsets both sound great at both ends, and I've tested them thoroughly.
I also don't have the problem described in some reviews of poor sound quality when I'm near the base. In fact, I had someone else stand literally inches from the base and call me at work. Then I had them move around. Nothing changed the superb sound quality at both ends. However, I'm not using the voice enhancer or clarity booster features. I wonder if those features are causing some people problems.
Now again I ask - why is it that my phones work fine right next to the base when so many other reviewers have had this type of problem with the 5200 series? Again the same possible reasons apply. Honestly I have no idea. To paraphrase Lee Iococca: mine works fine, to hell with you. (Lee said something similar about the very first Dodge Viper, VIN #1, which he took for himself. But I'm just kidding.)
The other aspects of these phones I think most reviewers agree on: great features, ease of use, blah blah blah. Quality seems to be the problem for Panasonic right now, so maybe I just got lucky with a rare good pair of phones, or maybe some people are just getting unlucky with rare bad ones. Bear in mind I've only had this system for three days, which was exactly how long it took for the Motorola expansion handset to commit hari-kari, so who knows, I may be back with a follow-up review denouncing Panasonic quality control as a corporate manifestation of Satan himself.
But so far, so good.
8 Great phone with wireless network compatability
Summary: This review is for those trying to buy a cordless phone with a wireless network (802.11 b/g) in mind, not a feature review as this was my main purchasing consideration.
There is a lot of conflicting information on the web regarding compatibility between 2.4 GHz cordless phones & wireless network. Manufacturers seem not to publish specifications on exact frequency ranges & power output.
My trusty old Panasonic gigarange 2.4 GHz (FHSS) phone was great, clear reception & excellent range. However it completely killed my 802.11b wireless network. A replacement was necessary.
After much research there were a few alternatives: 900Mhz, 1.8GHz DECT (not US), 2.4GHz or 5.8Ghz.
In general obstacle penetration range decreases with increasing frequency. ie all things being equal a 900MHz phone will have superior range through obstacles to a 5.8Ghz phone. However this is not quite the complete story as this is for a given transmission power. Manufacturers, however have ways of increasing the power output. One of these techniques is DSS or Digital Spread Spectrum. My understanding is that the authorities allow greater output by DSS phones. DSS also increases security.
So logically a 900MHz DSS phone will have the best range (best penetrating ability, best power output & security). However where I live there are no 900MHz DSS phones on the market any more.
So, the alternatives were 2.4GHZ Uniden WDECT, Panasonic 2.4GHZ DSS or Uniden/panasonic 5.8Ghz models.
I tested both the 2.4GHz models & whilst both did not affect the wireless network, the wireless network causes poor reception / clicking / pops when downloading large files. The wireless network also decreased the range of the phones. As such I could not recommend either phone with a wireless network.
Therefore my only choice was a 5.8GHz model, and based on price the panasonic was a winner.
My empirical observation was that it performed as well as the old 2.4GHz panasonic. This is probably where the decreased penetrating ability is offset with an increase in power output utilizing DSS.
The phone itself is crystal clear using the handset (at both ends of the conversation). Range diminishes significantly after passing through 4 brick walls. This is probably a better guide than 'line of sight distance' which is likely to be 1 Km (0.6 statue mile) in the open.
Overall an excellent phone, however, it is very expensive compared to the 2.4Ghz range considering the features (single phone, no answering machine etc). However if wireless networks are your issue the manufacturers have you over the proverbial barrel. The reason I gave it four stars was because of this lack of value only.
9 Poor Phone
Panasonic used to be one of the best electronics makers bar none. Now everything they make is extremely watered-down using the cheapest parts available and shoddy labor.
I bought two of these phones based on the best buy salesman's recommendation and sure enough it was pure junk.
The reception is terrible! People could not hear me whenever I got within 5 feet of the base. That is not something that should happen for $150 phone that is supposed to be "state of the art." My advice is buy the Uniden and you will be much happier.
10 A nice expandable system with lackluster sound quality.
After researching the options in expandable systems I narrowed my choices to Panasonic KX-TG5230M and Motorola MD-671. So this review is also a comparison of the two.
Handset Sound Quality: I found Motorola to have the best sound quality of any cordless I've ever used. It was rivaling the sound of a corded phone and it was much better than the good sounding 900MHz and 2.4GHz phones I currently own. Panasonic, on the other hand, while not terrible - had a muffled sound and the callers on the other end found its sound muted compared to my other phones. I even exchanged the first set thinking that it could be defective. The voice enhancer provided only a marginal improvement.
Speakerphone Sound Quality: Both bases were excellent. Handsets performed identical to earpiece mode.
Range: I was disappointed with both. I would estimate it at about 80 feet. Both units lost the signal as I approached the front of a neighbor's house. Panasonic did a little better but not by much.
System Wide Features: Nether system excels but this is one area where Panasonic is a clear winner. With Motorola the concept of the phone system appears to be an after-thought. Essentially all it has is an intercom between handsets and a base and the ability to transfer calls. But you cannot rename the handsets, so you have to memorize where Handset N is. Everything else is individual to each piece. There is no way to share phonebook entries between handsets and only the base has the voicemail indicator.
Panasonic expands on Motorola with a room monitor feature and voicemail indicators on handsets. In addition, the handsets IDs are customizable. While I would prefer the base as a central phone book repository, Panasonic at least has the ability to copy phonebook entries between handsets.
As for the looks, I prefer Panasonic multicolor design and overall shape. Motorola looks good by itself but next to Panasonic it appears cheap. However, if you plan to wall mount the base Panasonic's design is less than optimal. Ergonomically I found Motorola slim but long handset very comfortable. Panasonic was also good but for longer conversations I preferred Motorola. Both phones rely heavily on menus and soft keys but Panasonic offers more essential hard keys its menus are more intuitive and easier to navigate. Panasonic's base is shallow on features with no LCD and thus no phonebook ability. I don't think talking caller ID compensates for this omission. Motorola's base has its own LCD and phonebook, but lacks the programmable key to call voice mail. In addition, Motorola base can accepts an optional backup battery that allows the system to operate during power outages.
Motorola systems can be extended to six handsets. Panasonic is limited to four.
In the end, I cannot recommend either system. Motorola's gets kudos for the excellent sound quality but falls short on system wide features and clunky interface. Panasonic's poor sound quality nullifies the otherwise nice expandable system.
11 A good phone
The Panasonic is a good phone. I tried Uniden and it didnt work, so I tried Panasonic. I actually thought this had an answering machine, but was wrong. Don't get it if you need an answering machine. A good phone, a little pricy, but it's worth it.
12 Great Phone
I needed at 5.5 GHz phone to work with my wireless network. I do thorough research on these types of items and I'm happy I chose the KX-TG5230.
I looked at it originally because I like the looks, affordable price (it was one sale) and most of the features. When I went to stores to compare it I liked it even more. The Motorola phones are not attractive and the AT& T models are quite a bit heavier. And I didn't like the Uniden or or VTech models as they just looked and felt cheap. This is just my opinion, decide for yourself.
Getting the phone for a very long house I immediately checked the range, even going outside. It works as good or better than hoped for and I'm very happy with my purchase. My internet works much better now without the 2.4 phone and I don't have any problems with people hearing me; and this is in a 1920's era house.
I think the Voice Enhancer feature is fantastic - it's like talking to someone face-to-face. I also like the message waiting feature where the tip of the phone blinks.
I really like this phone and look at my other reviews (and the other reviews here) to see if I'm legitimate or just a plant. I don't need a phone to be important to me - I just need it to talk to people without any problems. I've had it over a month and am VERY happy with it. Good bang for the buck.
13 Best Range of all 5.8 GHZ Expandables
Save yourself the time and trouble - over the past month (August 2004) I have tried the latest models of just about every major brand that offers 5.8 ghz multi-handset cordless phones - Uniden, V-Tech, AT&T (made by V-Tech), Motorola, and Panasonic. Each of these phones is nice in its own way, but only the Panasonic had enough range to receive and send clearly from one end of the house to the other. Granted my house is a little large (3,600 square feet, all one one level), but the other brands maxed out about 2/3rds of the way through the house. I do have a WiFi network in the house, and had no interference issues from that with any of these brands. I do wish the Panasonic could expand to a total of more than just 4 handsets, but that is a minor issue. Those big honking twin antennae on the base unit seem to actually work.
14 Great phone with no major complaints
I tend to read a lot of reviews and take my time when shopping for a product. I read a lot of sour reviews of every phone out there, and take each of them with a grain of salt. You never know who is reviewing these products being sold. With the cordless phones interference is probably your greatest issue. With that in mind, I considered 900, 2.4 and 5.8 phone options. I didn't need great range and was looking for the fewest interferences issues, so I choose 5.8 GHz. I still use two older vtech and sony 900 mHz phones and like them, but they lacked caller ID and a few other functions.
Enough with those thoughts, what I am getting to is that I feel this phone was an excellent purchase and I have no great issues with the design. We haven't had any interference issues with static. The positives that come to mind are the NiMH battery, backlit display, flashing antenna, on phone speaker phone, size (big enough to hold and cradle in your shoulder) and good voice quality with 5.8 GHz speaker and receiver.
Again, I have had no voice quality issues with the phone. I do not use the voice enhancement function. I run wireless 802.11g without any interference. When using the on-phone speakerphone, you really can't have it anywere but within a few feet of you. This is OK, as the base unit has a more responsive mic. My wife loves the feature and uses it for her teleconferences with great ease. The battery life seems to be quite good and I like having the three bars to let you know when you are talking on borrowed time. One gripe I had with other phones in the past was bulky clips, the one on this phone is very subtle and funcitional. Overall I highly recommend the phone.
The few gripes I have are the lack of ability to talk into the base unit without someone answering it first. Not being able to hear that a message is being recorded until someone is leaving their message. The last one is that when someone is calling and you bump a number, it automatically answers.
Again, I reallly like this phone and plan on getting a second base in the future.
15 Horrible reception
Do not buy this phone. I received this phone and started to call my friends. Most of them told me they could barely hear me and that my voice was breaking up as if I were out of area service on my cell phone (I was actually a few feet away from the base). I am returning this phone today.
16 Don't Sit Too Close
I bought this phone a few days ago for my home office and immediately started getting complaints from clients that my voice sounded garbled on the phone--as though I were under water. I left myself a voicemail message from this phone, and sure enough, I could barely understand my own voice. I called Panasonic and to make a long story short, I was told that using the handset too close to the base station can cause distortion, static, and the like. I walked 20 feet away from the base station and the Panasonic dude said I sounded better.
OK, let's break this down: I sit at my desk all day. The phone is on my desk. To use this phone without static and interference and distortion, I have to either put the base station in another room of my house (stupid) or make all my phone calls from another room (stupid).
One-word review: Stupid. It's going back.
17 I love Panasonic Phones
I used to sell phones over 10 years ago when I was in high school and I remember we always got the least amount of returns on Panasonic phones. I've been waiting for them to expand their 5.8Ghz line so I can use the phone with my wireless network and they finally came out with one I like.
I only have one complaint. My old Panasonic cordless had a seperate LED indicator for new calls that were missed and messages that were left in my voice mailbox. Now I have to be sure to look at the display on the handset when I walk passed it on my way in. Hopefully with the second handset I just purchased, I'll notice it more as I plan on putting it right next to my computer monitor.
Everything else seems to work great... especially the speakerphone on the handset and I've always liked there voice mail button which allows you to program the number to access your voice mail. I even used the pause feature to include my voice mail password and the command to start listening to my new messages... so all I have to do is press a button and the phone does the rest.
As far as mounting on the wall... I agree, it looks a little silly having it stick out horizontally... but I don't mount it on the wall. I wouldn't use that as an excuse not to buy it. Put the base somewhere else and mount an additional handset!
18 Great Cordless for Those Who have Voicemail Service
Just bought it last weekend. I love this phone. I wanted to buy a 5.8 GHz cordless without the answering machine because it already comes with my phone service. This phone is geared perfectly for that purpose. It has a voicemail button to access voicemail. The caller ID works great. The range is good, my front yard is 100 yards and the reception is clear at least to 100 yards. If you buy an expandable phone, the two phones can also act like a baby monitor. The phone also remembers the name and number of the people that call you, much like the Call Register feature on mobile phones.
19 stay close
I ordered this phone because part of its title was giga range.I assumed that meant it had a decent range of usability from the base set. I cannott walk in the yard and get a clear signal. forget about going to the garden. over fifteen years ago I bought two escort brand cordless phones.Their range was at least ten times the panasonic.Sadly all escort makes now days is radar detectors.I kept one of them going as long as I could. Now I need a phone with some range.This phone goes back.
20 Not really Wall Mountable
DON'T buy this phone if you want to mount it in your kitchen. Panasonic advertises the phone as "wall-mountable," and it comes with an adapter. In truth, it is a terrible design. It mounts horizontally -- so it sticks out like a shelf. It looks ridiculous. And if your wall mount is four feet or higher, you will have a very hard time reading a display.
