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48 of 48 found the following review helpful:
 Overall happy - but usability caveats Aug 19, 2009
By Kustard King
I've gone through a number of dissatisfying $100 Panasonic 2.4GHz phones, and tried a Philips VOIP841 (terribly scratchy audio), and decided that maybe I should just buy a higher end model to get some actual quality.
I bought this and an extra handset (SL78H), and I am generally happy with its performance. Our apartment is 70' x 21', in an old brownstone with numerous plaster/brick walls. I originally had the basestation in our home-office at one end of the apartment, and was experiencing some drop off at the other side of the house. I corrected this by moving the basestation into the next room over, so now it's fine at 55' in one direction, and 15' in the other.
The audio is very good, and of course the styling is nice, too. Here are my issues with the phone:
1) The Caller ID list shows numbers and when, but NOT names. You have to further scroll and click on an entry to see name details. The screen is so high resolution, the phone could easily have a third line of info or be more efficient with space. There is a LOT of dead space in the call list.
2) From the screensaver, getting the in/out call list requires a minimum of **4** clicks, and optionally a scroll, to get to. This is ridiculous, and should have a soft or hard key from the "home" screen
3) Only one handset can view the call list at a time. If one handset is looking at the call list, the other will just beep at you if you try to do the same.
4) The screensaver should have an option to overlay info like the time/date
5) I bought a Plantronics Voyager Pro specifically to use with this phone. Most of the time it's great and they get along well. But maybe 1 out of 4 times I they unpair, and then I have to actually restart the phone to get them to work together again. I am using them within 4' of each other. The Plantronics works FINE with my Blackberry Bold, never an issue.
6) Wireless transfer over BT is SLOOOOOOOW. Moving a 200K screensaver took like a minute. This is probably a general problem with BT. If you want faster, then you have to remove the back cover (!!!) to get to the USB port.
Now despite those frustrations, I'd still recommend the phone if you don't mind spending the coin. That is, the basestation w/phone plus another phone makes for around $320. It performs better than any other cordless I've had, and looks better, too.
26 of 26 found the following review helpful:
 I agree with the 2 star review-lousy customer service-BUYER BEWARE Mar 11, 2010
By J. Silver
I purchased a Siemens Gigaset Sl 785 system for over $600.00 from Amazon about 6 months ago (around June, 2009). One of the handsets developed a problem where the screen became excessively bright. I called the help number, the agent tried to fix the phone remotely using a reset technique but this did not help. I was told that the phone would be replaced since it was still under warranty. I was told that the company would contact me with a return authorization number within 48 hours. This was more than 3 weeks ago and repeated calls to the company and promises for action have still not resulted in a return authorization. I will update this review periodically and let those who are interested in such issues know what happens. So far service has been nonexistent. After spending so much money for an admittedly wonderful phone, you would think that the company would try to do a better job.
(update #1 3/10) Finally, after repeated attempts I got a Return Authorization # and sent the phone back in Mid January. 2 months later (Mid March) still nothing. This is ridiculous. Here is what they sent me:
Thank you for your call. We are glad to be of assistance.
We apologise for the inconveniences caused by the delay in generating your RMA number. In order to have the faulty Gigaset SL785 repaired/replaced please do the following:
1. Send the handset, handset cradle and handset cradle power supply to :
Menlo Logistics
C/o Efficient Networks
601 S Royal Lane #100
Coppell
Texas
75019
(update #2 3/11) I contacted them and they sent this:
Thank you for your e-mail. We are glad to be of assistance.
We apologize for the delay in the repair procedure.
We inform you that we have escalated your case to our Second Level Department and we will contact you as soon as we receive the required information.
(next update ???)
(update #3 3/17) HURRAY! After posting here on amazon.com and telling Siemens that I had done so they quickly sent me a new phone. Thanks to this opinion site, at least in part, and my constant complaining the issue is resolved.
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 Great cordless phone, bluetooth sync easy, connects w/outlook contacts Jan 28, 2010
By J. Alfstad
"jalfstad42"
First off all, let me say I was replacing a older Gigaset 4200 series set in the house. So I was familiar with the funky side of the Siemens. I found this new one to be much improved. Sound is superb, it saw my bluetooth headset right away, and I imported my Outlook 2007 contacts via a windows 7 PC easily. Very slick looking phone, too. The manual is simple, small, and easy to read. There is a set-up ledger early on, so I didn't have to go fishing through the chapters to find what I needed. Still, glancing at the manual is likely a must and if that isn't for you, this phone may not be. However, I think Siemens make the best cordless phones out there. Like others have said, I've watched family members pour through Panasonics, etc, while my Siemens last 10-years.
One thing: I had to download the software from Siemens. The disc that came with the phone was too old. Hardware update was a breeze after the download. As far as other reviewer's caller ID issues, I don't have any. I see both the phone number and caller name when the phone rings (and imported photos from my PC, which is a nice touch).
About handsets, I looked on Siemens website to find a different compatible phone because I didn't want to spend $150 for the SL78H Siemens Business Comm Gigaset/Siemens S30852-H2058-R (GIGASET-SL78H). The A59H is compatible with the SL785 and only costs $50 at this writing. Siemens Gigaset HDSP DECT 6.0 Handset for the A580IP (A58H) After charging it connected with the system, no problem. The only drawback so far is importing the contacts from the SL78H to the A59H. Haven't figured that one out, yet.
All in all a great phone. It's also made of metal -- which feels very sturdy. It's great looking and set up was a breeze. Great ringtones. Easy sync with bluetooth and Outlook -- all pluses in my book. I would have given it 5 stars, if not for having the USB plug hidden under a removable back cover, having to read the manual, and also having to download new software. Otherwise, I'd highly recommend this phone.
12 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Beautiful to look at and listen to, frustrating to use Nov 17, 2009
By Reasoned Opinions
I have two of the SL785's and five of the SL78H's. They are stunningly beautiful instruments. They're the only cordless phones that come close to the level of look and feel of the iPhone. But the engineers at Siemen's have a ways to go before their contribution to these phones matches that of the designers. These phones do have excellent sound quality (better, for phone calls anyway, than the iPhone). But there are a number of usability issues that ultimately make these phones feel as if they had been initially designed by Apple but then taken over by Microsoft or Motorola. Here are some of the problems that I have encountered:
(1) The range is limited. Granted, I have a big house (3,500 sq ft), but (unlike my previous Panasonic and AT&T systems) I could not get reception throughout the house unless I got two base stations. In Europe Siemens sells a repeater to solve this problem, but they have no plans to adapt that for the US market.
(2) As pointed out by others here, if you do have more than one base station, they unfortunately don't talk to each other. A handset connected to one base won't know that a handset connected to the other base is using the line for a call. And, contrary to the impression given in the manual, you can't move through the house on a call with a handset connected to one base and have it switch over to the other base mid-call as you get out of range of the initial base. Call logs are not shared between bases. Etc.
(3) Also as pointed out by others here, the software is clunky. It often requires many clicks to drill down to things on the handset menus. When a call is coming in, the caller ID screen only shows the caller's number; the names only show up in the calls log after a call is completed or missed -- and even then you have to click on the # to get down to the name. And, contrary to what Siemens claims on their website, the synching software is not yet compatible with Mac Snow Leopard.
(4) Again as pointed out by others, Siemens support is pathetic. The people who staff their 800# have never actually used these phones and try to answer questions by doing a google search through the manual. They even had to do a google search to find their own support email address when I asked how I could get help from someone other than the call center staff.
But, all that said, because of their looks and their sound quality, I'm going to keep them and enjoy them and hope there will be firmware upgrades coming to address some of the issues.
18 of 22 found the following review helpful:
Durability questionable Oct 19, 2009
By Brad Tower
I purchased the SL 785 and two additional handsets thinking that by purchasing the top of the line I would be getting a phone that I could use for 10 years. Within 2 weeks the keypad on one of my handsets stopped working, meaning that I couldn't dial out on that handset and if there was an incoming call I couldn't pick up using that handset. Then the nightmare began - I spoke with customer service representatives at Siemens five different times, and was repeatedly promised an authorization and instructions for returning the product. They never followed through - they would only promise to get back to me within 24 hours (which they failed to do 3 times).
If this were a $50 phone, I would have thrown it away and called it a lesson learned. But for $500, I expect a product to work and I expect a manufacturer to back the product. I was sadly disappointed on both counts.
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