The Great Phone Debacle

So this is completely non-wedding related but I thought I'd share just what I've went through trying to get new phones for work. The phones that we have suck. They're 4-line Panasonic phones with 3 cordless handsets. In order to be heard on the handset, you basically need to scream to the party on the other end. So, we decided new phones were in order.

The Search:
We canceled one line figuring that 2-line phones would be easier to find and we might have a better chance of actually being able to hear someone. Well, as it turns out, 2-line phones aren't very popular. At least ones that actually work. Which was kind of important to us. We looked into getting a DECT phone because, well its the new technology and it claims that you won't have the same interference that you have with 5.8 phones. It seemed like a good idea until I read that while DECT phones don't have interference, to actually hear on them, you need to be within 10 feet of the base phone. We have a small office, but 10 feet wasn't going to cut it. Back to searching.

AT&T:
I found a AT&T phone on Newegg.com that said it had 2 lines and had great reviews. It even came with 3 additional handsets and was reasonably price. Score! ...Or not. So the phones arrive and after being really excited at the idea of being able to hear our callers, I realized that the phone not only did not have a Hold button, it didn't actually have 2 lines. Okay fine, easy mistake. Lets send it back and start the search all over again.

Uniden:
I decided that Amazon.com reviews would be pretty accurate and this phone had everything that we needed. Granted, it was more expensive than we planned on paying, but hey, if we could hear people, it would be worth the cost. I found it a little odd that no store carried the base phone and the handsets together, but ordered them from 2 separate websites anyway. The next morning the base phone arrived. Almost immediately afterwards I got an email from the company we ordered the handsets from. The handsets were on National Backorder with no expected date to arrive. Well, this could be an issue as we needed more than 1 phone. I searched some more and called a few places only to find out that they believed this phone was now discontinued and they would never received more. To add insult, I realized a note in the instructions on the base set. That you can not answer Line 2 from any of the handsets. Actually, the only way you can answer Line 2 on any of the phones is to be on a call and press the Flash button. Why in the world would you advertise as a 2-line phone, when there really isn't a line 2??? So I cancel the order for the handsets and drive over to Staples to return the base phone. And then have to get in an argument with the manager because he says they can't be returned without a proof of purchase. So that receipt I printed saying I bought the phones with a credit card is what then exactly? Finally, he agreed to return the phones.

Panasonic:
We were really hesitant to get another Panasonic 5.8 phone because its what we have and we can't hear crap. But, the phones that I found with a good review and rating are the same ones that I have at home. My fiance brought them home from work when they switched his office to a call-center and no longer had a need for them. So, I grilled the fiance. Have you ever been on both lines at the same time? Could you hear an echo? Can you hear the other person? Did you have them near your computers? What about have your cell phone next to it? And you could still hear people? Really? You're sure? He passed the grilling so I went ahead and ordered the phones the next day.

This morning (only 20 hours since I ordered them) they arrived. Excited but hesitant, I took them out of the box and started putting them together. Reading the quickie install manual, I plug in the phones and we don't have Line 2. Its just dead air. So I use the other cord they gave me. Nothing. I stare at the back of the phone for a few minutes and try plugging it into another jack. Still nothing. At this point, I'm frustrated! What in the world do I need to do to have working phones?

I pull out the big manual and find out that we need a jack splitter. Come on now, really? So, I have the guys in the shop head out to Radio Shack or somewhere to get one of these. They're not back yet so I have no idea if these phones will work or not, but hell, 3rd time is the charm, right?

Right? Good lord I hope so!