IBM 4900 4-Line 900 MHz Digital Spread Spectrum Cordless Phone with Caller ID

by IBM

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 8.5 x 9 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00004S907
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The IBM 4900 four-line cordless phone offers DSS clarity and range, caller ID, and support for phone systems that handle up to 12 extensions, making it ideal for a small-office environment. It also functions well as a stand-alone single unit.

Unlike systems in which a dedicated base station and extension handsets are packaged and sold separately (such as Brother's CTS-400 cordless phone system), the IBM 4900 is geared to function more as a stand-alone cordless phone, and it does indeed work well as a single unit. The IBM 4900 also interfaces with phone systems that have up to 12 extensions. The emphasis on single-unit design has, however, resulted in reduced range and less line-of- sight coverage compared to systems with a dedicated base station and multiple extension handsets. Nevertheless, in our tests, we found the coverage adequate for most office environments.

The IBM 4900 features a 24-number speed dial memory, as well as a caller ID display. Such features as 12 one-touch intercom buttons and call privacy will please small-business employees. Our only complaint was with the absence of a fast-charging feature, as the ni-cad battery requires more than three hours to charge.

With its digital spread spectrum technology, caller ID, and support for larger phone systems, the IBM 4900 four- line cordless phone should satisfy the general telephone needs of your home or small but growing office. --John Frederick Moore

Pros:

• Good overall performance as a stand-alone unit
• One-touch intercom buttons

Cons:

• No fast-charging feature
• Reduced line-of-sight coverage in multistation environments

Product Description

Manufacturer's Part # IBM-4900
This product is Demo.IBM-4900 Advanced Home/Office 4 line Cordless Telephones with Caller ID. 

Features:

• Auto Line Selection
• Auto Redial
• Battery Backup
• Calendar/Clock
• Caller ID
• Caller ID Log
• Call Privacy
• Call Timer
• Call Transfer
• Conferencing
• Data/Fax Port
• Dial From Display
• LCD Display
• Do Not Disturb
• Extension
• Flash
• This product is Demo and comes with a 30 day warranty.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 line IBM cordless phone, October 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: IBM 4900 4-Line 900 MHz Digital Spread Spectrum Cordless Phone with Caller ID (Office Product)

This phone works well for a small office with 4 lines or less. It is a little complicated to set up (impossible) if you lose the instruction book. Codes must be entered to number each extension, shut off the ringer, etc. These work best if you have more than one of them. If so, you can transfer calls from one extension to the other. Otherwise, if you use this phone to answer a call and put it on hold, then pick up the held call with another (non-IBM) phone, the IBM phone think's it still has a call on hold, even though you have hung up with the non-IBM phone. The IBM phone will continue to ring every 30 seconds to warm you that you have a call on hold until you pick up the "dead" line and hang up. Individual lines can have their ringers shut off. There is a station-to-station intercom, and an all-stations paging.There is also a "do not disturb" button to shut off all the ringers on that extension. The hook up is with 2 standard household phone jacks. The headphone plugs into the end of the handset and seems to work OK. Overall, this is a good phone, but most of the advanced functions will only work from one IBM phone to another. With these or the $100 corded versions you can set up a mult-line phone system without an expensive dedicated junction box or specialized wiring.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No luck with headset; phone not compatible with other mfgrs., November 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: IBM 4900 4-Line 900 MHz Digital Spread Spectrum Cordless Phone with Caller ID (Office Product)

I purchased this phone to use it with a headset. But when I walk around the house, the party I'm talking to always hears some sort of noise due to the phone or headset chord rubbing agains this or that. Maybe I had a bum headset or phone. But the clincher for me was this phone is not compatible with other mfgrs. I have some phones mfgrd by VTech & daily heard random ringings & beeps from the IBM phone. I called the mfgr (TT Systems or something like that is the mfgr, IBM is just the name on the phone), TT said this 4-line phone can not be mixed and matched with other mfgrs. Well, I don't want to toss out my existing V-Tech phones. So I'm getting (2) additional V-Tech phones for my home office. My situation is I have 2 lines for work & 2 lines for home; and want all 4 lines in my office. By the way if you want a chordless phone with headset I definitely recommend looking at V-Tech, we've had 2 of their phones and their the best chordless I've found. Other than that the IBM is loaded with features (4 line, speakerphone, DND, Caller ID, Mute, Redial, Transfer, Paging, Conference, Intercom, mute) that V Tech didn't offer. If you are in a position to use one mfgr for all your phones; and if the chordless headset problems are just a fluke; or you don't want a headset; I would recommend considering the IBM. Also for Telecom novices like me, if you call the phone company to do the wiring, there are 3 jacks in this phone, L1/L2, L3/L4, and Data. So in my home office the phone company set up 2 wall jacks, L1/L2, and L3/L4...I think the wall jacks called RJ14 wall jacks instead of the standard RJ11.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Where are the phones designed for 4 line home offices?, February 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: IBM 4900 4-Line 900 MHz Digital Spread Spectrum Cordless Phone with Caller ID (Office Product)

I've read all five reviews. I've been looking for a well designed, affordable and reliable 4 line phone for over a year! I think I'm going to pass on the IBM 900 MHz Cordless, not only because of the problems identified but also because I, like some other reviewers, already have one four line phone (purchased as a make do strategy until I could find a phone more to my liking). I'm struck by the lack of variety and the extremely small number of manufacturers that offer 4 line cordless phones. I also find it amazing that features I've come to take for granted on l and 2 line phones (lighted displays, blinking lines, etc., seem to be lacking on the few 4 line cordless I've reviewed. If anyone knows of other brands, please let us know.