Panasonic KX-TGE234B 4-Handset Landline Telephone

Thankfully, someone has a phone advanced enough to use for effective blocking. First ring block (which gives the phone time to determine who is calling), 250 number capability, and even more importantly, able to block area codes by allowing the first two to eight numbers to be blocked regardless of the numbers that follow. Thank you Panasonic, you are headed in the right direction. Can the Blocking be improved? Yes!And her is how:1. Instead of blocking the first two to eight numbers, the system should allow 'Wild Cards". For example, to block all 866 numbers you would insert 866 followed by seven wild cards. This would be more effective than the way Panasonic has chosen.2. Besides having a Block List, Panasonic needs to add a White List. Let's say that you want all 866 area codes blocked except one. In this case, you would enter that one number in the White List. The phone checks the White List first and it overrides the Block List.3. Add the ability to also block by name. Some phone scam artists use the same name but constantly change there number caller ID. These scam artists would be blocked by a name block list.With these three changes, the Blocking performance for Panasonic would be near perfect.Updated: 2 Mar 2016I found a new, and awesome way to block 'ALL" unwanted calls with this phone while allowing all other calls access to the answering machine, and here is how (I call this my 'never loose a caller' method):1. Put all your allowed callers into the Phonebook (it will hold up to 100) and, into a single Group (I used Group 1).2. Select 'Silent Mode' for each handset and base unit (yes, each handset must be set individually).3. Select Silent Mode 'Time' that will hold Silent Mode for 24 hours (I used 11:00 PM to 10:59 PM).4. Select 'First Ring Block' to ON (this allows time for the phone to look up the numbers in Group 1).5. Select Silent Mode bypass Group to Group 1 (this will allow all callers in your Phonebook to right the phones and if you do not answer the answering machine will).Done. This works perfectly and is usefull for all those whose phonebook (allowed caller list) is less than 100. Unfortunately, this method would not work for a very large family or for a business.Caution: This is the only phone where this method will work. To use any other phone for this method, here is what the phone must be capable of:1. First ring block.2. Large Phonebook capability (100 or more).3. Silent Mode with settable time period.4. Silent Mode Group bypass.

I got this set because my 6 or 7 year old Panny 9331 system had one handset, that one being the one out in the detached garage/shop, crap out. I would have purchased a replacement single handset 'cause the system was working just fine, but alas, the going rate for one itty bitty replacement was over a hunnert fifty bucks. There are newer, six handset models going for less. Gimme a break.Due to good results with this brand, I decided to remain loyal and ordered this model, as it had a slightly smaller percentage of unfavorable reviews than most others. (Ever notice how so many products today, at least on Amazon, get a ten to twenty percent of one-to-three star ratings.....? Kudos, Amazon, for providing this review system.)As for satisfaction with the E234B phones, so far it works well as a phone system. Easy to hear and the large display font is nice. Callers remark how clear they hear me. One downer (and this seems to be characteristic of ALL Pannys) is the location of the "charge/message waiting" LED. One would think the designers would have considered that when wall-mounting the equipment, this indicator is OUT OF SIGHT, because it's installed to the REAR of the handset. Come on, Panasonic...if you go to the trouble to provide an indicator, put the darn thing ON THE FRONT, in view when mounted on a wall at eye level. As an aside. this indicator no longer glows while charging as with my old set, plus it's hardly visible in a lighted room. Poor design. Plus, the phonebook seems to be slow on the uptick; needs a faster clock on its processor, maybe. So far, a good purchase.

I am pretty technology savy, so I had no problem setting up the phone and figuring out how to record outgoing message for answering machine. Took a but longer to figure out how to set number of rings before machine picks up, but again read the instructions. You actually record from a phone hand set. Just follow instructions in your Manuel. Its pretty simple to do all the settings. My FAVORITE feature of this phone is call blocking....we get LOTS of sales calls and as they came in, I wrote down the number, followed the instructions in the manuel and have already blocked 3 sales calls today alone! Great feature. This is the first cordless phone I've ever had that uses AAA rechargeable batteries. All the others plug into the phone. I have great sound quality talking and listening. Much better than with the AT&T phones I wasted my money on, they could not hear me and I could not hear them. This is a great phone and I hope to get many years use from them.This is an update. I have had absolutely no problem with these phones. They work great. The sound quality is excellent. The extra features on it really make it easy to use. The fact you don't have to get up to go listen to the answering machine you do it from the handset makes this phone even better. The speaker phone works great. The large readout is easy to read from a distance. I can't say enough good things about these phones..