VTech i5853 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Dual LCDs and Keypads

List Price: $99.99

Features:

• 5.8 GHz digital spread spectrum signal
• Expandable to 8 handsets, 1 included
• Caller ID/call waiting on handset and base, 50-call memory
• 50-number phone directory; handset and base speakerphones
• Custom ring tones; distinctive ring detection

Accessories:
Southwestern Bell FM112 Caller ID Unit (White)	TeleZapper TZ 900	AT&T 24101 Phone Splitter Cord	AT&T 1726 Digital Answering System with 3 Mailboxes	Vonage DigitalVoice Service

Customer Reviews:

Great features and good phone - An excellent buy [Posted on 2005-08-02]
I was looking for a cordless phone with a speaker that wasn't in the handset. I didn't want an answering machine since I have voicemail through my local provider. I searched high and low and found only two phones like this. The V-Tech is a good phone. It has a speaker in the handset AND in a small speaker the handset sits in. I like that there is also a dial pad. The caller ID is great and when I have messages, the phone has an indicator light, even though the message isn't stored in the phone itself. My only complaint is the sound quality. It is good and more than acceptable, but it would be better if I could manually adjust the bass and treble (the phone does this automatically per call).

Ok Phone...HORRENDOUS customer service [Posted on 2005-09-23]
The i5853 is ok. The appearance is excellent not too many phones look this cool. BUT...There are what I consider to be three major problems, four if you count the customer service.
1. The caller ID stores the numbers like a cell phone without the number '1' to call long distance, so if you find the number in the caller ID and want to call back at the touch of button, that will not happen, you must dial the whole number manually to include the '1'.
2. The reception seems good, but there is a definite echo in the headset and can be quite annoying, a little surprising that they would design a major aspect of the phone operation like that...there are many complaints posted on the internet about this.
2. One of the best features is that a spare set of rechargeable batteries can be placed in the base set and will power the phone for a while if the power goes out or used as replacements for a handset. This feature seems to work, but you must use and buy at additional cost the Vtech batteries even though the manual says any NiMH at 1.2v. If you put anything but Vtech batteries in the base set the unit gives you a warning that you placed alkaline batteries in even if you didn't which makes a light on the base flash VERY VERY bright and non-stop, which is really disturbing if you use in a bedroom. The batteries from Vtech are NiMH, 1.2v, 1400mah. I could not find 1400mah and put 2200mah in, maybe the phone can tell the difference? The batteries do work, but again, they give a warning and the annoying flashing light.

I called the customer service/tech line to resolve the battery issue 4 times over 2 weeks. All can say about that is I hope English is not your only language and you can handle dealing with rude idiots that have no clue about why they are working there or their own products. They do however seem to know how to lie quite well when they do attempt to communicate. I can not state enough how HORRENDOUS the customer service at Vtech is. I am trying to be nice about this, but I would have liked to express this in expletives. Anyway if you get lucky and can find at working phone for cheap ($50.00 or under) then maybe, but never again for me. I took a chance on Vtech and lost. Good luck to anyone buying anything from Vtech.

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