GE 29488GE2 4-Line Expandable Business Speakerphone with Caller ID and Data Port

by GE

Product Details

Product Manual [644kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009OKNE
• Item model number: 29488ge2
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 10, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Enjoy the style and features of an executive phone in the comfort of your small/home office. This luxury telephone supports four lines, each with distinctive rings and line in-use indicators. Plus, it is expandable to 16 separate stations for added versatility. You'll be spoiled by the convenience of a full performance speakerphone with hands-free dialing and auto-transfer to the handset. With this feature, you have the versatility of dialing from memory or from the keypad, without even picking up the handset. Call waiting/caller ID displays the name and number of the person calling, even if you're on the phone with another caller. For even more versatility, a data port is included for fax, modem, or an answering system, with the appropriate line selection.

Product Description

Manufacturer's Part # 2-9488/29488GE2
This product is Demo. Enjoy the style and features of an executive phone in the comfort of your small/home office. This luxury telephone has 4-lines, each with distinctive rings and line-in use indicators. Plus it is expandable to 16 separate stations for added versatility. You'll be spoiled by the convenience of a full performance speakerphone with hands-free dialing and auto-transfer to the handset. With this feature you have the versatility of dialing out of memory or by using the keypad without even picking up the handset. Call-Waiting Caller ID* displays the name and/or number of the person calling, even if you're on the phone with another caller. For even more versatility, we have included a data port for fax, modem, or an answerer with the appropriate line selection.

Features:

• 4 Lines
• 106-Number Memory
• 99-Name & Number Call Waiting Caller Id
• Caller Id Review & Delete
• Dial-Back Function
• New Call Led Indicator
• Speakerphone With Volume Control
• Auto Transfer To Handset
• Dial In Base
• Call Conferencing
• Expandable To 16 Stations
• All Station Page & Intercom
• Data Port
• This product is Demo and comes with a 90 day warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's great when they get it right!, April 22, 2004

By 

Larry Stein "MrChiGuy" (Oak Park, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GE 29488GE2 4-Line Expandable Business Speakerphone with Caller ID and Data Port (Office Product)

I've been looking for a high-quality multi-line office phone for several months, and have had a few bad experiences. It seemed that I got what I paid for, which was low-price, low-quality, and I just couldn't find a good solution for less than several hundred (or thousand)dollars.

My criteria for selection (in no particular order) were: 1) 2 to 4 line support, 2) Speed dial buttons, 3) Caller ID/Call Waiting ID, 4) Headset support, 5) Adjustable volume for receiver (ability to make the caller sound louder), 6) Expandable (support for extensions that work together with each other), 7) Intercom between extensions, 8) Call Transfer, 9) Conference calling, 10) Speakerphone, 11) Line priority (which line is selected when you pick up to make a call).

The GE 29488GE2 Corded Phone not only includes all of these features, but even more than I could have expected. My biggest pet peeve about phones is when you can't hear your caller, and you have no way to adjust the volume. With the GE phone, you just touch the Volume Up button while you're on the call, and the volume is increased. This isn't a "fake" or "placebo" feature. The voice of the caller is actually amplified, and you can increase it to levels that border on uncomfortably loud.

The multi-line support (this one supports 4 lines), is integrated perfectly into the phone, and functions exactly as you might expect (definitely how I would expect). When the phone rings, you just pick up the handset, hit the Speaker button, or hit the Headset button (if you have a headset) to answer. You don't have to press the ringing line button first.

Likewise, to make a call, you just pick up the handset, and an open line is selected. The Line Priority feature lets you set which line is automatically selected when you take the phone off the hook to make a call. This is very helpful to me, because I have the phone programmed to select my second line, rather than using my first line for outgoing calls.

The phone has 16 speed dial/intercom buttons. Programming is a snap using the 4-line backlit LCD display. Each button can hold a dialed number and double as an intercom number. You can even program a button to use the numbers stored in other buttons to make calls. This is very handy when you have a calling card and need to dial several numbers before/after the actual number. You can program in your calling card and access numbers once into a button or two, and then reference those buttons in the dialing sequence you program into the remaining buttons. Even the length of pauses can be programmed.

The Caller ID display has a very interesting feature that lets you program the phone not to save any "Unknown" or "Blocked" caller information in the Caller ID history.

When you plug in a GE 29488GE2 phone, it immediately starts looking for other phones on your lines. Each phone can be identified by a programmable name and a station number, up to 16 phones.

Each of the 4 lines can be set with independent ringing options, such as volume, tone and whether or not Caller ID information will be displayed for that line.

You can also program the phone to automatically answer and go into Speakerphone mode when it is called via the intercom from another phone.

The phone is powered by an A/C adapter, but also has a battery compartment for 3 AA batteries for Caller ID backup.

It also has a data jack on the back that you can plug your fax or answering machine into, along with a switch that lets you select which of the 4 lines the device will access.

All-in-all, this phone has the most features and functionality for the price. Its functionality is very well integrated and it operates predictably. It is easy to program.

My only negative comments are: 1) It comes with two 2-line phone cords, but not any adapters to merge two separate lines into one cord. If you have two separate phone jacks on the wall, you'll need a 2-to-1 coupler for each set of 2 lines. 2) The instruction manual says you can only use one specific brand and model of headset, which you must order by phone from one vendor. This isn't terrible, though, because the headset is about $30 with shipping, but you should be prepared for this extra expense if you want a headset for the phone. 3) The manual gives great step-by-step programming and use instructions, but could spend a little more time explaining the features and what they may be used for.

I've tried numerous multi-line cordless phones, too, and none of them had the features, functionality or quality of this corded phone. At this price, I can afford to have several of them spread throughout my office, and I don't need to worry about fussing with a cordless and all of its related problems. This phone has some weight to it, too, so you feel like you're getting a quality product.

Bottom line is if you need or want a phone with these features, this is the phone for you.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Options for Small Business or Large Home, January 27, 2006

By 

Electronicbuff (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: GE 29488GE2 4-Line Expandable Business Speakerphone with Caller ID and Data Port (Office Product)

I've shopped around for a good phone system for a few months until I landed on this unit.

The size is perfect, not too big nor small. The phone has a really clear speakerphone on it and the handset is comfortable to hold as well. One of the best features that convinced me on this unit was the fact that it had caller ID that displays for all 4 lines as well as intercom capability and an "all call" paging feature. The caller id also does call-waiting.

The intercom feature can be set up for auto speaker phone or require the handset to be lifted. This allows me to monitor a room without having to set up the phone in the other room.

There is an optional base that is included if you want to wall mount the unit and the display is backlit as well for viewing in dark areas.

The only anoying thing about the phone is if you have a music-on-hold system. The phone generates a low beep tone about once every 10 seconds for the person on hold. This lets them know that they were not hung up on but at the same time it is not needed if you have music like a typical office puts on the holding lines. I talked with the manufacturer and they told me that this feature can not be disabled through programming. There is however a on-hold aftermarket adapter that can be placed in front of the music system that will eliminate the tone (Invotel AudioImage SX4400EZ). The cost we paid for this device was about $200 which has a audio input and in/out plugs for all 4 lines. So, if you have music-on-hold either let the customer put up with the beeping or go out and buy the aftermarket system designed especially for this phone.

To use the intercom all you do is hit one of the 16 station numbers on the right side and you're good to go.

There are 2 types of speed dial.
One version uses the one-touch buttons on the right side of the phone and uses 16 memory locations. You simply hit dial and then one of the 16 speed dial keys (same buttons as used for intercom). Since there are spots to write the names on a card you would use these for your most important contacts.

The 2nd speed dial feature uses the huge built in directory. You can easily store names when you party calls to this directory right off the caller ID information displayed while being able to edit the name etc for however you want it to appear in your directory. You can also manually add names to this directory. Then, when you want to call simply push directory and the button on the keypad that represents the first letter of their name, the directory will jump to that letter location and then you can scroll to the caller you want if for instance you had 5 people who's names you stored began with the letter "W".

If you are in a private meeting you can push the privacy button and you won't be bothered.

This is a really easy phone to program. Just plug it in and it searches for the other phones and sets itself up or you can go through the simple programming without even looking at the manual. The phone will walk you through it by simply following the prompts on the screen. I also like the fact that you can select ring tones for each line or turn them off also. I personally don't want to be bothered by rings so I turned my ringer options off. If the call is for me the secretary will transfer the call to my extension.

Overall, I don't think you will go wrong buying these units. The system is a lot cheaper than a phone system. The only think it doesn't have is an answering machine built in. We didn't want that option as we answer all calls while we are here and use a machine on the lines at night.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost a good telephone, February 27, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: GE 29488GE2 4-Line Expandable Business Speakerphone with Caller ID and Data Port (Office Product)

Found all funtions of the phone to work ok. All volume levels were great and could be adjusted for headset, handset, and speaker. Design is great though display is a bit hard to see if phone is not propped up in the rear. The big disappointment is when putting a call on hold. My customer advised be that while on hold there is some type of ringing sound and the customer hears. This was a pain when I needed to put a 20 person conference call on hold. Everyone on the call heard the tones. My old IBM and my AT&T multiline phone don't have this problem.

Next disappointment was technical support. I contacted them regarding the tones being heard while on hold and was advised that all I could do was remove all power, phone lines and batteries for 10 minutes to try and get the phone to go back to factory defaults. I did this and the problem was still there. I asked to be sent to next level of support since the person I was talking to was just reading from teh manual and was told the she was it. Were it not for the 1 issue with a tone while on hold this would be a great phone.