Customer Reviews

Uniden EXP 970 900 MHz Analog Cordless Phone (White)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After reading cordless phone web reviews for more than a day, I recently went out and got a Uniden EXP 971 (970=white; 971=black) at a local big box store for almost nothing.

It has most of the features I was looking for in a basic cordless phone (listed in order of importance, from most to least): a shape that I can occasionally shoulder and an earpiece that actually goes up against my ear; 900 MHz operation that won't interfere with my wireless computer network (ironic that older technology is more desirable here); hard rubber buttons (I hate the feel of soft rubber keys, and they tend to have long-term reliability issues as well - I prefer plastic buttons if done well); a range that works over my medium-sized home (there is a slight occasional flutter in the very farthest corner of the house from the base unit, which is also on a different floor); long talk and standby times; and light weight (uses a double battery rather than the triple that many others use).

On the downside: there are no mute or ringer off controls; and no ringer volume control (but there are two rings, and one is quieter than the other so I use that one). As another reviewer pointed out, there are no jacks for a headset as Amazon advertises, so don't be looking for those on the unit. But this isn't my main cordless so the lack of these features doesn't concern me too much, and I can probably add a ringer off switch if I really need to.

This phone replaced a one year old like-new functioning Motorola MA300. The Uniden runs circles around the Motorola in terms of ergonomics and voice quality, and costs significantly less, though at these levels price wasn't really a factor for me - I just wanted a simple phone that works well, but that seems to be a tall order these days. Seriously, I may have to kill myself when my Lucent 9400 dies! Another reviewer noted that finding a cordless phone you don't hate is like winning the lottery. I would include stand-alone answering machines in that category as well.

Listen up manufacturers!

Take a Lucent 9400 (900MHz DSS, excellent voice quality & range, large extended earpiece) and:

1. Make the handset locator work when the ringer is switched off on the handset.

There you have it, The Perfect Cordless Phone! Maybe make it use a double NiMH (rather than the triple NiCd) to lighten it up a bit, and add caller-ID if you absolutely have to, but that's it, don't change anything else! And keep your ergonomically ignorant style people away from it!

While we're at it, The Perfect Answering Machine:

1a. Clock that doesn't get reset with every minor power glitch,

1b. Messages that don't get erased with every minor power glitch,

2. Internal NiMH or replaceable Li backup battery (not a leaky 9V or whatever),

3. FF & Rewind that work within the message itself,

4. Good voice quality,

5. 7 segment LED display for number of messages in memory,

6. Separate LED blinks out the number of un-listened-to calls,

7. No extra "mailboxes",

8. No stinking soft rubber buttons.

Is that too much to ask? I would gladly pay $100 apiece for either of the above if the build quality was even just decent. Obviously I'm after performance and simplicity in what has unfortuantely turned into a price and extra-features driven market.

I bought this phone more than a year ago, and have been more than pleased with it. Its sound is clear and loud, and its buttons are crisp. Most importantly its battery life is outstanding. With regular use, its stand-by time is anywhere between 10 days to two weeks, and I haven't noticed much degradation since I boutght it. Of course I put it on the cradle only when the battery runs low, and take it away after 12 hours of charging. Before it I had used GE and Northwestern cordless phones. They were junk compared to this one.

Hey.. this phone is super light and it works great.
It gets good reception throughout the house and even outback when I go to the garage. Funny story... but it even has picked up a few of the neighbors phone calls. I have left it off the charger laying all over the house and the locator button beeps really loud and has come in handy on tons of occasions. It also has great battery life. For the money, I definately would say go ahead and buy this phone.

In general, this is a fine portable phone for the money. But one of the reasons I selected it was because the product description claimed it was "Headset compatible." In reality, however, it is not. There is no plug-in jack for a headset on the phone, and the owner's manual doesn't claim it is headset compatible the way the Amazon description does.

Obviously, if you don't use a headset while talking on the phone, then this is a non-issue for you, and this phone is a great deal. But if you do want to use a headset, you should look for another phone.

The ergonomics of the handset is good, the base is a nice, small footprint, and at 900 MHz. there's no interference with wireless routers. Of course, the price ws great too!

This phone does exactly what it is supposed to do, also it is reliable and easy to use. It doesn't have a lot of features, I miss my headset jack, but it is well equiped for the price. I would definently by this phone again it was well worth the money.

I have had this phone for over 5-10 years? I don't know how long, but it's been quite awhile. It is a very good, long lasting phone. The only problem I've had with it, is that (as it ages) it picks up a lot of static, and even other conversations of people from who knows where. But overall, this is a very nice phone. It's even been dropped in the sink, and still works~ : ) This is a good buy, if you can stand the static on occasion.

I wanted an inexpensive cordless phone that would work well and I got it. Very satisfied.

This phone, like other Uniden portables, I have used is a great value. The selling price is cheap and for what you want and need a portable phone at home to do, the Uniden is efficient.

This isn't a fancy phone and it is not the latest technology. However, it works great and does exactly what it says (and does not interfere with wifi).

In short, buy this if you need a cheap portable phone that works.