Customer Reviews

GE 27998GE6 2.4 GHz Analog Cordless Phone with Answering System and Caller ID (Black)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

In a recent review, Consumer Reports listed this phone as the best among tested phone + answering machine combos. So far, it works well. The ability to check messages from the handset without remembering an obscure button combination is nice, but for some reason GE (or more accurately, Atlinks--the actual manufacturer), doesn't think that you would want to listen to the newest messages first. So, if you're in the habit of saving messages, you'll have to skip through the ones that you've already heard to get to the new messages. This wouldn't be so bad, but the machine doesn't appear to tell you how many "new" messages you have. You may be listening to the first couple seconds of every one. There is no date stamp, either--just day of week and time.

The phone has the following positive aspects. The sound quality is fine, but you get some echo if you turn the volume to max. The range is fairly standard, but there is less static at the outskirts than the last phone I owned. The handset is comfortable, and I don't find my cheek pressing buttons when the phone's balanced on my shoulder. Although you can only store 10 speed-dial numbers, the ability to record a description with the numbers means that you don't have to remember which button leads where. Messages are stored in flash memory even during a power outage, but there is no backup battery support that allows the phone to work in such conditions. I don't have Caller ID, but the phone supposedly supports call-waiting Caller ID.

Drawbacks include an NiCd battery as opposed to the more environmentally friendly NiMh; analog transmission, which is less secure (but cheaper) than digital or DSS; and lack of energy star compliance.

I would recommend this phone to anyone who doesn't save many messages on their answering machine as cycling through more than a few at a time would be maddening.

Cordless telephones are a must for most any household and I have owned my share of them over the years. This GE model is the one I most recently purchased (about three months ago) and so far it has proven to be an acceptable phone, but nothing special.

I like the caller id feature on this phone. It displays the caller name, time, date, and the number of caller id's currently stored in memory. The liquid crystal display is easy to read on the handset and it makes it simple to track and avoid unwanted calls. The 2.4 GHZ and 40 channel capabilities make it easy to hear who you are talking to.

On the other hand, I don't like the high- pitched tone that sounds when you press the buttons or delete a stored caller id. The pitch is quite unpleasant to the ears and General Electric needs to improve this. I also have a problem with deleting caller id's from the memory because I think it takes too many steps. And I don't like the limited speaker phone. It only works in conjunction with the built- in answering machine. You cannot use it for listening to voice mail if you subscribe to your own service.

Still, I'm going to rate this phone in the middle of the pack. It does have its share of flaws, but it still performs the important tasks that I expect. I knew when I purchased the phone that there were more sophisticated choices, but these other phones often cost twice as much. With this model of GE phone, I guess you could say I got what I paid for: an adequate phone that will suit most families' needs, but nothing to brag about.

We purchased this phone as a replacement for our old 900mhz phone. Out of the box everything seemed fine but after 1 year and very little use (we get maybe 4 phonecalls a week) the battery is toast. It won't hold a charge for 1 day (with no use). Even more annoying is the answering machine. If people don't talk loud enough, the message plays with mumbling in the background (so you can't hear what on earth people are saying!)

I would look elsewhere if you are considering this phone.

I bought this phone as it had adequate features for what I need, along with a reasonable price tag. I was happy enough with the phone during the warrantee period (figures). Now, about a year and a half later, the touch pad keys are getting harder and harder to push. This is bad enough when trying to dial a phone number, but that much worse when I'm trying to use automatic phone services (such a refilling a prescription). I resent having to replace this item after such a short period. If I wanted a "disposable" phone I would have bought one.

Another short-coming that was immediately apparent: The date-time setting needs to be reset every time the electricity is interrupted, even when the electricity just blinks out and is immediately restored.

I bought this phone from wal mart last week, and got it set up and it was great. I was very happy with it, but now less than 5 days since I purchased it, it has stopped working. It all powers up but the phone wont communicate with the base. I can still receive messages on the base but the phone is useless. It powers up but turns off since their is no communication. To make matters worse, I already lost the receipt since I was very pleased when it all worked so I threw away the receipt and cannot return it now. So now I am out 40 bucks and I wasted a whole day just trying to decide which phone to get and then it dies a few days later. Maybe I should just get rid of my phone line altogether and stick to email. >:O

After taking this phone out of the package I was immediately impressed. It was user friendly and a pretty major upgrade from what I was using before as the answering machine and caller ID were features I needed in one model. The answering machine has very poor sound quality, but I thought "Hey, who cares about the answering machine".

Before I knew it I realized the phone did too. I changed channels, moved the base, walked around...but nothing helped. While you could turn the volume up, it sounded as if the person on the other end was holding a towel over the receiver. Not only that but when I talked there was a static echo. Sure I could get used to it, but it irritated me so much because my other cordless phone was clear as a bell....that I decided to take it back for a refund. The features were great, it's too bad the sound quality sucks. They should allow you to test models in the store before getting home.

I got this phone about 2 months ago and I was a little skeptical if it will work at all after reading some of the reviews here at Amazon. But I must say I feel pretty satisfied with my purchase. The phone works great; I have no problems with voice quality or anything for that matter. It has nice ringer features though it lacks ringer volume control, which would be nice to have. Overall it is a nicely featured phone for the price and if you don't want to spend $100 for caller id and answering machine go for it.

I've had this phone for about a year now. There were a couple of problems right off the bat (not storing phone numbers of incoming calls & cumbersome deletion of caller ID information) but I could live with those. About nine months after buying it, I started having problems with the number keys. Now I have to press the buttons down so hard to get them to work that the phone is almost unusable. It's cheap, but you get what you pay for.

I thought this phone was great for the first four months I had it. Then the phone kept beeping at me and saying low battery. To change the battery I spent about $17. This battery lasted about 5 months. I'm buying my 3rd battery after only having the phone for just over a year. Giving it one more try.

Bought this and had it for about a week. The sound quality was very clear, but the problem was that I couldn't change the volume of the ringer. If I wasn't in my room I couldn't hear it ring anywhere else in the house. Plus it didn't have that many features. I returned it today and bought a VTech, it's a brand that has worked well in the past for me.