Panasonic KX-TG6700B 5.8 Ghz Cordless Phone Two-line Expandable Phone System

Having just bought and installed the TG6700B after hours of research, I thought my preliminary take might be helpful to others.Where I'm coming from: I've owned cordless phones almost as long as they've been around. I was looking to replace a VTech model, bought just a few months ago, that truly sucks.My needs: are pretty basic. Two-line service plus an answering machine, two extensions. I don't use Caller ID, Conference Calling, Call Waiting or any of the dozens of other advanced features of modern telecommunications, and I'm too polite ever to put someone on hold to answer the other line!In the past, I've always met my needs with a three-box solution: two separate cordless phone systems plus a dedicated A/M. The TG6700B is what you might call a 1 1/2-box solution: a main base unit and A/M in one under its own handset, plus an extension handset that relies on the same base unit. I had reservations about going with an expandable system: I was afraid the integral A/M would be second-rate compared to a dedicated machine, and I was worried that the extension handset, not having its own hardwired connection to the phone lines but relying on the radio signal from the main base quite a distance away, wouldn't work well.I didn't even know there were expandable systems until I did this research. I learned that there isn't a huge choice, these days, in 2-line cordless phones -- less choice than ever, it seems to me -- and that there isn't any one system that users are wildly enthusiastic about. I also discovered that RCA has just launched the first 2-line DECT phone, but I didn't consider it for long -- I'm not convinced DECT is the answer to cordless prayers that it's hyped to be. I know that, in countries that have had DECT a while, health concerns are beginning to emerge regarding the technology; I also know that the sound quality, incoming and outgoing, of the DECT phone my mom has had for a year or so is horrible.In the end I went for the TG6700B because it seemed, overall, to be earning better online user reviews than most other models. Also, I've owned Panasonics in the past and found them reliable.The TG6700B has a sleek, compact design and a digital A/M with 60 minutes of recording time, which is pretty much state-of-the-art. The A/M does NOT have multiple mailboxes. A year ago, when I bought my last A/M, I would have considered that a big disadvantage -- I live in a 3-person household, and also work from home. But in fact we'd found that most callers didn't understand -- or were too lazy to use -- the discrete mailboxes we'd set up on our AT&T machine, and that it was no big deal for any of us either way.What the TG6700B DOES have is a sound quality that is the best I've ever experienced, both on the A/M (incoming messages and the computer-voice instructions) and on the handsets -- even the extension handset, which is parked on a different floor and about 30 feet away from the main base, and is typically 40-45 feet away from the main base in use. Assuming that holds up, it makes the TG6700B a winner in my book.Finally, a few words about the typical criticisms of the TG6700B you'll find on the web:"You can't turn the handset volume up high enough": I've had no trouble hearing callers at the default volume (i.e. without turning it up at all). Maybe the critics have hearing difficulties."The construction is cheesy": It's true that the base and handsets are compact compared to earlier cordless phones -- that's the trend in consumer electronics. But they're not unattractive, and they don't seem to me to be particularly fragile or prone to breaking. I have no trouble working the buttons on the handset, and no one has ever accused me of having dainty fingers."Setup could be easier": Perhaps. I can't speak about setting up the bells-and-whistles features; as I've said, I don't use them. There are one or two ways basic setup could be more user-friendly, but in the end the difference is between spending 5 minutes and 10 minutes on a onetime activity."The user manual needs improving": True. I had a problem with one setup issue, and couldn't find the solution either in the manual or on Panasonic's website. Had to call tech support. But I got a toll-free agent quickly, and she solved the problem inside of a minute."The handset is too small to hold between shoulder and ear for hands-free use": Maybe so. As someone who has never been big on getting cricks in the neck, I prefer to hold my handsets in my hands. This one does fit comfortably in the hand.All in all, I'm very happy so far. I'd be surprised if there was a better 2-line cordless on the market. And particularly if you need more than one extension...

Overall I find this phone works well. The progamming features are easy to understand and impliment, the voice clarity is great but... If you live in old style construction as I do where walls are plaster and lathe, not sheetrock, the signal from handset to base does not carry very well. I have 3 extra hansets of which 2 work exceptionally. This includes the phone that is part of the base unti. The one in my bedroom that is some 20 feet away but with 2 walls in between has an issue with humming and crackling call quality. True, my 3 computers are in the same room but this phone operating on the 5.8 giga hertz band should not cause interference or be subject to interference. I can only conclude ( perhaps the right word is guess) that the wall materials are such that they block effective transmission of voice and cuase amibent intererence on the line. Mind you, this is not true all the time.. only some of the time. My extension that is situated some 45 feet away in the pantry is clear as a bell until I turn a corner into the kitchen about 4 feet further on. At this point I loose the call altogether. I am not going to pan this product based on the construction quality of my apartment . I am sure this phone will work just as advertised in most situations.

The Panasonic KX-TG6700B (or no "B") is a great 2 line phone. It is perhaps discontinued now but I have a couple of systems and they've been working flawlessly for 3-4 years. One of them stopped registering the handsets, meaning recognizing them. So I looked to buy a "base" the mother phone, but this is no longer availabe. I found one on Amazon, "used" sold by a company named GoldStandardsInc, no spaces but be aware it might be Gold Standard Inc.!! for $119.00 so I happily placed my order.A few days later I received a really worn out looking, dirty base phone with two handsets of a totally diferent model, ONE line only system. This was frankly a piece of junk since even the batteries in the handsets were incapable of holding any charge (tried them for hours) so that I could test the phone.Amazon, after some deliberation time (about 8-10 days in all) contacted the vendor and finally refunded all the money includind the shipping. Ok to Amazon but shame on the vendor. They wasted my time and messed my plans on using the system in my small office. So my review is NOT on the KX-TG6700 series, which is a good system, but on such a creepy vendor: Gold Standard Inc. I think their business "standard" is definitely far from gold but crap!It is hard to give this KX-TG6700B one star (it'd be 4 stars for the phone itself) since, again, the system is GREAT but the vendor of this "used" item was crappy!!