If you're looking for a solid cordless phone without a lot of frills...

If you're looking for a solid phone without a lot of frills, the GE 27700GE2 is perfect for you. It features the clarity and security of 2.4GHz DSS(Digital Spread Spectrum) technology,40 channel auto-scan and 20 programmable speed-dial numbers.

I bought the new phone from local electronic store for about $20. The base and handset was designed in streamline, looks and feels good. This product can provide any feature, which a regular phone can provide to you. If you really want to know some shortcoming, I will say, the handset cannot stand up on the desk, but, sometime, you do need it to stand up (I will explain later).

Okay, up to here, people will say, I cannot find any help from this review. Well, let me give you more explain, and then you will understand why I suggest you buy it.

First of all, let we understand what is DSS (Digital Spread Spectrum) technology and why people need this feature. Do you know when you use the regular cordless phone to talk with somebody; you may talk to the world in the same time. Regular cordless phone operate in 49Mhz FM frequency. If you don't have the voice-scrambling capability on your phone, your conversation is very easy to be received by any FM receiver, like police radio scanner, other cordless handset, even a baby monitor. Some newer cordless phone, operated on 900Mhz frequency, in general, this kind of frequency have four times the range of conventional 49Mhz phone. If you don't have voice-scrambling function on your 900Mhz analog phone, your privacy even more danger than 49Mhz phone. The DSS technology here we talk about has been used in military since 1940. It provides optimum security from eavesdropping by "hopping" frequencies few hundred times per second. Your voice signal will be split into random digital bits and spread all over this wide radio frequency range. Technically, this will make your conversation very very difficult to be intercepted and captured. Also, DSS signal needs less power and encounters less interference. Now, we know how important the DSS for us.

Second of all, understand what is the benefit in cordless phone, which operated in 2.4Ghz frequency. Standard cordless phone use 49Mhz frequencies radio to carry the voice signal. Maximum rated distance in that frequency is about 1000 feet. For 900Mhz cordless phone, the maximum distance is about 4000~7000 feet. The 2.4Ghz radio frequencies and DSS technology allow for the greatest possible range, which will ideally over 7000 feet.

Third of all, understand how many kind of cordless phone in the market. As I said, standard cordless phone operated at 49Mhz, they are all analog phones. 900Mhz cordless phone has analog, digital and DSS three different kinds. Digital 900Mhz phone means it digitize the voice signal. DSS means it has Digital Spread Spectrum technology. 2.4Ghz cordless phone only has two difference kinds, one is analog, another is DSS. I understand, there are many brand cordless phones in the market, and some of them has lots of features listed, that will confusing people. What my recommendation is, don’t be confused on the features, choice the only features you want, don’t pay any features you don’t really want and make sure you know what you are choosing. In my point of view, GE 27700GE2 cordless phone with 2.4Ghz/DSS technology, it gives me more privacy, longer distance, no worry about wrong phone bill (With some analog cordless phone, your neighbor’s phone call may go through from your telephone line because of analog cordless phone interference). And the price range in GE 27700GE2 is from $20~$40. You have no reason not to choice it, if you only concentrate on simple cordless phone.

Now I am going to explain why I need to stand up the handset. Ge 27700GE2 cordless phone comes with a Ni-Cd rechargeable battery. We may all know that, Ni-Cd battery has "battery memory syndrome". If a battery is repeatedly drained a small amount then recharged a small amount, eventually, that smaller amount becomes the battery’s new capacity. For example, if a phone was taken off the recharger, used for 1 hour then immediately recharged, the battery will start to "remember" only being used for 1 hour. Even if the original charge capacity of the battery was four hours, it eventually will only contain 60 minutes of charge. By this reason, I cannot put my handset always on the base. I need it stand up when it is not in charge. I think the designer may forget this issue when they designed the handset.

I saw many complain on the battery about GE cordless phone. I believe GE cordless phone user's instruction made a big mistake. They never told people the "battery memory syndrome" issue. So, people keep charging their battery all the time. And they told people the first time initialise battery is 12hours, but normally, the Ni-Cd battery first time use, need a overcharge for about 24hours. All those missing will let user to damage their Ni-Cd battery quickly. I don't know about the other brand, at least my SONY cordless phone, they did mention it.

P.S.

About the range of the cordless phone, all the number I listed are the maximum and ideally numbers. That does not mean your cordless phone can cover that range. The cover range of your cordless phone is fully depend on the cordless handset/base transmit power (different brand, different price they may have different power, of cause FCC has maximum radio transmit power limited), physical environment (For example, aluminum siding and wire mesh in walls and floors can reduce the range.), even weather can reduce the range. In general, shorter radio frequencies and digital technology allow for the greatest possible range. So with the digital technology, the 900Mhz phone has the possibility to transmit over 1 mile. 2.4Ghz phone also has the possibility. But, again, that does not mean your phone can reach it. I just want to let you know the maximum capability of those new technologies.