cordless phone: no answering machine but w/message waiting light

[dheian]

Hope this is the right forum since the question's not provider specific.

Over at my mother's house, she always gets messages late because none of her phones have a flashing message waiting light. On the other hand, we can tell from the front door if the big red light's flashing on ours.

I've been looking at some cordless base stations but many seem to have an answering machine built-in. I'm looking for a set that a) doesn't have an answering machine but does have a flashing message waiting indicator that works with the provider's voice mail.

Thanks.

[57]

1. Panasonic certainly makes a set without an answering machine (I have one). I like their features like call blocking, night mode, special ring if desired for certain numbers in your speed dial. They are not the least expensive. They have a flashing light, but it's not very bright during the day. They also say "Voicemail" on the front display, as well as "Missed Call" when applicable.

2. Most providers will give you a "stuttering tone" if you pick up the phone and there is voicemail waiting. So even without a light, you'd know as soon as you pick up the phone.

[gzink]

We have red light Panasonic also without answering machine. I believe there are other brands also.

[dheian]

Yeah, that's the problem. If she doesn't check the phone for the stuttering tone, she sometimes doesn't get messages until the next day. Nothing like a big ol' light flashing to let you know.

[dheian]

@gzink...what's your model number?

[atong]

I bought a set of Panasonic's last time it was on sale at Costco that included an answering machine (which I leave off) and the voicemail indicator works with the provider's voicemail, the lights flash on the phones and units. So if you can't find one without voicemail, the ones with voicemail have an indicator that works as well.

[gzink]

Originally Posted by dheian

@gzink...what's your model number?

I am sorry. Ours has an answering machine turned off as mentioned above kx-tg4021a.
We also have Uniden. So answering turned off seems like the way to go.

[dheian]

Thanks for the info!

[UserNotTechie]

Originally Posted by dheian

Hope this is the right forum since the question's not provider specific.

Over at my mother's house, she always gets messages late because none of her phones have a flashing message waiting light. On the other hand, we can tell from the front door if the big red light's flashing on ours.

I've been looking at some cordless base stations but many seem to have an answering machine built-in. I'm looking for a set that a) doesn't have an answering machine but does have a flashing message waiting indicator that works with the provider's voice mail.

Thanks.

I hear you Dheian. Like you I have been looking for a cordless large call-display phone in the handset as well as base (ideally a Panasonic), and one which is compatible with Bell's voicemail feature i.e. where a light flashes when you have messages in the voicemail box. It is strange that just because Panasonic does not want to lower their phone prices, they want to sell phones which have their answering system integrated into the phone. Very sad, and lacks common sense. Audio announcements on Panasonic phones are fine, buit I want what is most convenient for me. But Panasonic insists users either use their voicemail or need to pick up the receiver to find out they have a voicemail. This is ridiculous. I know some of the posts above talk about pick up the phone and find out if you have a voicemail. But I WANT the convenience of a phone which I have paid for to be compatible with my phone company. I wish Bell had a Vista 390 phone or something solid like it in a cordless model.

And to those posting here, PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE, include a model no. of the phone if you have a recommendation. Otherwise your post may offer a little reassurance, but does not really serve anyone else's purpose. We make the posts here because we are serious about problem-solving our digital challenges, not because we don't have anything better to do. Sorry if I sound like I am flaming, because I am not. But thank you for "listening", and hope I can find the type of phone I am looking for, and if anyone can help, I thank you in advance.

[gzink]

Our Uniden dect 1480 set has a pretty bright led flashing on voice mail.

[57]

In post 9 of this thread I posted a link to Panasonic models that do not have an answering machine in the base (I have the previous models as I mentioned in my post). These models provide three indicators of voicemail provided by your service provider (I have Rogers Home Phone)

1. An LED on each handset that flashes when there is voicemail.
2. A visual indication on the LCD of the handset saying "voicemail" if there is voicemail.
3. A stutter tone if you pick up the phone to "talk".

Since all the functionality is in the handset, there is nothing on the base except for a "locator" button on the "main" base to help you locate a handset if you've misplaced a handset by ringing the handset. The other bases, if you have more than one handset, are simple chargers.

The model numbers are: KX-TG411XY, where X is the number of handsets and Y is the colour. They come with 1-4 handsets and additional ones can be purchased. There are also the more expensive KX-TG8052B and KX-TG8412B See the links in post 9.

Originally Posted by gzink

Our Uniden dect 1480 set has a pretty bright led flashing on voice mail.

But, it has an answering machine which some people in this thread do not want! Although it is possible to purchase such a unit and turn the answering function off. I do not know what all these units do when you then use the service provider's voicemail in terms of alerts. I know that my (older) Uniden (EXS9800) with an answering machine gives no (visusal) indication at all that there is voicemail if you don't use the base' answering machine. (You state that yours does provide a visual indication and atong stated in post 6 that his (Panasonic with answerer) does work, so it depends on the make/model and perhaps all newer (better?) models now do this.)

If you don't wish to use the phone's answering machine, then there is no reason to purchase one with the feature, unless it's a great deal I guess and it does what you want it to...