Side by Side Comparison of: AT&T vs Petra vs Southwestern Bell vs Permo

BOught this cause our old phone died recently it is basically the same phone but a newer version, the old one lasted over 20 years so this one should be just as good, i would recommend it, it is a good phone

Great retro phone for a land line. The wall phone in the kitchen finally bit the dust. Did not want to replace it with a larger more expensive phone nor did I want to leave the exposed wall plate so I replaced it with this slim retro phone. Covers the wall plate & works well for taking a quick call from the kitchen. Not the main phone system in the house but it got the job done for a reasonable price.

We are victims of Comcast. We cut the landline and decided to have only our cell phones. But when we discontinued Comcast's phone service, our monthly bill shot up! So we resumed service with Comcast, bought this phone, plugged it in -- and turned it off -- and our Comcast bill retreated to its old, lower level. This is a good basic phone that's a great value, even though its only purpose in life is to receive junk calls. It nonetheless serves the purpose of lowering our Comcast bill. The 'off' button is a very valuable feature: We've never turned the phone on and have never heard it ring. :-)

Yes this is a cheap phone and I didn't expect much, but it doesn't feel cheap, and so far works perfectly.

Other reviews mention that the cords are permanently attached and cannot be replaced. On the phone I got, both the coiled handset cord and the cord from the phone to the wall were connected with the usual plugs and jacks, so you can replace them if you want.

The price went up a bit on this phone -- it used to be $10 -- so maybe they read the reviews and have upgraded the phone. In any case it is worth the extra couple of bucks to get the detachable cords.

So if you want an expensive phone, there are plenty of good ones, but if you're willing to accept that it may not work forever, this phone will do the job nicely and the price is right.

-jimc

No caller id, no bells and whistles. This is a basic solid well made phone. Buttons are large and easy to press. Has 3 speed dials and 10 memory locations. Last number redial. Tone/pulse switchable. One drawback -- you CANNOT program a "pause" if you need to dial "9" for an outside line; not a big deal, but you should be aware of that.

The phone works very well. I hear clearly and the people hear me clearly. The handset is large and that makes it easy to hold. You can also easily attach a shoulder cushion for holding the phone on your shoulder. The handset is a tad heavy so I wouldn't use it for hour long calls, but it's perfect for extensions. And it works in a power failure without batteries.

For 10 bucks no one should complain about this phone.

For those of you that still have land line phones, this extra long coil cord allows you extra freedom to move around without moving the telephone base, obviously. .Its a quality product too.

It works perfectly. Let us hope that my cat doesn't chew it up like she did to the last one.

Replaced what I had (old) with this identical one - perfect fit, I feel at a great price, and quality made. Also, received it quickly.

Very happy with length of cord. Can go into another room without over stretching and damaging cord. Can't believe unable to buy a long phone cord in a local store. But knew wd find on Amazon.

Come very compressed, but after you use it extended a few time, it stays extended. If you want a cord that is short all the time, but a shorter length. But I use this with my landline while I am cooking, so I want the longer cord that stretches. I am having no problems with the sounds coming out of my landline, much better than cell phone conversations which can be tinny and fluctuate in volume.

This phone cord works good!!!

Great item... Great seller...

Nice, clean look to replace old cord to kitchen phone. Works great, as expected.

Works great with my old trimline phone. Getting rarer and rarer.

Just what I needed.

At last a cord that doesn't twist into a mess!Its been weeks without a problem.

GOOD PRODUCT

I purchased this plain-jane corded phone because my landline sometimes gets in a funk, and I needed something to plug in at the service box to check whether the problem is inside my house or out on the grid. (My previous plain-jane phone had gone bad.)

What I like about this phone is that all the technology is in the handset itself, nothing in the base; therefore I don't need to carry the base out to the box with me.

What I don't like about it is the bulky handset. But, I can live with that.

My main problem is a moderate hearing loss. I bought another brand trimline phone at about the same price and could barely hear the caller. This phone is the answer for me. It has 3 settings for the volume, and the 1st setting is quite good, but there is setting 2 and 3 if needed. I'm loving this.

But you can't have everything. It is corded only about 6'-- so I got a longer 12' cord. It is heavy to hold and slides off my shoulder when I try to talk and write--so I got a shoulder rest, the old fashioned u-shape no slip kind. The plastic kind did not work.

And it does not have caller ID or memory.--but my other phones do, so not a worry.

It solved my main problem which was to hear callers.

The one-touch and speed dial memory buttons do work. But if you're too slow while programming them, the operator comes on and says "if you would like to make a call, please hang up and try again." This is something you won't find in the trouble shooting section of the instructions and could be a source of confusion. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 for this. Also note that the phone must stay plugged in for the phone to retain the memory. The three one-touch dialing buttons have logos to help you remember what they are for (fire symbol for fire company, shield for police, a cross for the hospital). This is a nice feature and if you need to make these calls, you probably don't want to have to think about which buttons to press. All in all, a no-frills phone with some useful features including the ability to work even when the power goes down.

First, this phone is an excellent bargain, one of the best I've seen for phones on Amazon. That alone is worth a good review, since there's a lot of dodgy or overly expensive phones out there. In general, this is a solid, functional phone for those who still like to have a land line service.

PROS

1. The lighted buttons are bright enough to dial in total darkness, which is a big plus.
2. The receiving volume is quite good, loud enough on medium, which helps reduce background noise if you're in a loud environment.
3. The ring volume is loud & pleasant enough without destroying your hearing.

CONS

1. These older button-on-the-headset style phones all seem to have occasional feedback issues, and this one is no different. However, it's minimal and not a huge issue.
2. The headset cord, like with most new phones, is way too short. I had to purchase a longer cord to keep from knocking over the base when stretching the cord.
3. The fact that the number you're programming actually dials as you're programming the speed dial is, well, not well thought-out.

One other small complaint is that they should have switched the ringer and receiving volume switches; it makes more sense to adjust the ringer at the base, while the phone is hung up, and then adjust the receiving volume while the phone is picked up. However, at the price, this is a good phone and an outstanding value.

I saw a review that indicated this phone would work only as a desk phone, because the handset would fall off -- but it WILL work as a wall phone. You have to pull UP on the little plastic piece (on the base) that holds the handset on, turn it UPSIDE DOWN and then put it back in- NOW, when you have the base mounted on the wall and hang the phone up, the handset will NOT fall off. If you're using the phone as a desk phone, just leave that little piece as it is (it comes pushed down into the phone). When looking at the base w/ the handset off, and you see the emergency numbers list that comes w/ the phone..... right above the red "fire" symbol and off to the right, you will see the little piece I'm referring to.

The other negative remarks about the phone however, seem to be true. It looks just the same, but the base is LIGHTER weight than my old 210 Trimline phone and all the numbers on the keypad do not light up w/ the same intensity. Dial tone, volume etc seem fine -- haven't had any issues w/ static, but I haven't had the phone very long.

Its seems like a good phone if you just want a basic landline phone -- I HATE cordless phones and don't want to live on my cell phone ALL the time -- so this phone works for me -- I just wish they would make it heavier and have all the numbers light up like the old 201 Trimline. My old one worked fine, it was just discolored -- so I never had any issues w/ the old one working and I had it for years. I'll see if the new one holds up as long ;-)

If you are still using a land line with corded phone, this makes it so much easier.

good

it works

was great when i needed it. need a landline stephen king novel.

it works. its a phone cord.

Bought it but didn't use it for present installation.May use sometime later.

Just a typical telephone cord nothing uniqe or special

very good

Great price. Good quality cord. Quick delivery.

Works well

Typical spring cord. The junky phone always falls off the table b/c the cord is too tightly wound up. But it works on the typical annoying land line. I only have land line because no one ( the phone company) can seem to repair my phone lines. Yes, I have a cell !

I purchased a Trimline Corded telephone for my elderly mother to prevent the telephone from moving on her while answering and talking on it. It was a PERFECT solution to the short cord that came with the Trimline in particular. I would recommend that you seriously consider the cord as a replacement for a cord that comes with a desktop telephone.

This made in china phone does what it's supposed to do but...ringer is not loud, even on loud setting;feels light and flimsy;speaker is low quality and noisy;phone to base cord is short.

This phone doesn't have the quality like the old trimline phones did, but it will work for us. We seldom use our landline but have it in place for emergencies. We usually use our cells now.

both phones smell like they are a bit moldy inside--yuck--and these are much larger/wider/clunkier than the older trimline we're replacing (not so good unless you have large hands)--and the handsets are heavier than the older one as well; the only upside is that they do both work well, with options for ringer off, low & high and volume low or high.

I embrace all the new gadgets but I'm still old fashioned enough to want at least one phone that plugs directly into the wall jack - the other three are wireless. (I have cable phone service and that still makes me nervous) I use this as a bedside phone than can get some rough handling - knocked off the nightstand etc., and their life is limited.

This phone is mounted on the wall. It was more difficult to install than I expected. You must wind the wire around the inside of the base.In addition, it is necessary to reverse the handset tab to hold the handset when hanging on the wall. The handset has a tendency to hang on the tab when you are trying to remove it to use the phone. Perhaps, I haven't learned the method yet. When hanging on the wall, the handset does not fit snugly against the base. That is rather unattractive in addition to causing concern that the line has not been disconnected from the last call received. The phone is very light weight. It is white in color. It was easy to store telephone numbers. The phone works just fine. I question how long it will last considering the low price.

I tried over and over again to program the memory keys. I tried going slow so it would take ALL the numbers but that was the wrong thing to do. Since I was setting this up for my mother, I noticed that the numbers I knew by heart went in easy. Why? Because I put them in fast. I almost sent all 4 phones back until I found the secret. PROGRAM THEM IN FAST.The 3 one touch dial buttons are easier to program.

needed too replace old one, it did the job.

Haven't had to use the length, but it does work well . . .

As coil cords go, this one is okay.

I like that I can move around but these do not last. I have to buy another one because the piece that goes into the phone keeps tearing up.

We have an issue with a certain member of our household pulling on the cord during long phone conversations. We go through phone cords more than a normal family should. After about 6 weeks using this cord, we began hearing a crackly static sound during calls. When we changed out the cord, sound quality went back to being clear. My guess is the cord would probably last longer with normal use. But if you have someone who refuses to stop pulling the cord during 2-hour phone calls, I doubt any cord is going to hold up.

IF YOU REALLY NEED THE LENGTH IT'S OKAY. FOR NORMAL PURPOSES IT'S A BIT OF NUISANCE, THE CORD BECOMES TANGLED AND IS A MESS. MAKE SURE IT'S SECURE IF YOU HAVE KIDS OR YOUNG "DUMMIES" ABOUT AS THEY CAN HANG THEIR SELVES BY ACCIDENT. USE EXTREME CAUSTION IF "KIDS" ARE THEY, THEY FEEL INVINCIBLE AND DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT REAL LIFE.GOOD LUCK, KEEP THE CORD SAFE AND AWAY FROM THE "KIDS."God bless and stay well.

works fine

It is not quite long enough but is ok. 25 footer would be better.

No problem

Can you hear me now?

A 12 foot cord is only 12 feet if you stretch it all the way out. I didn't realize this when looking for a longer phone cord. When this cord is not stretched, it's about 21 inches long.

Was disappointed that the cord is made in China. Had to throw away other cheap cords made in China because they caused static on the line. So far, this cord works fine. It's a good value.

I planned to use this phone as a wall phone. As others have stated, it keeps falling off and will not stay on. So, back it goes.

Good size and convenient for my dad but these constant static in the line which renders the phone practically useless

It's okay, but VERY lightweight. If you stretch the cord out even a little, the phone moves because the base is so lightweight. If you can attach the base to the wall or to a table, then great...otherwise, not so great.

The phone is too cheaply made. We needed one for a replacement from our kitchen wall but the hanger that catches the phone to keep it hanging on the wall is a $0.02 piece of cheap plastic and will not hold the phone so it really can only be used for a desktop which is not what we needed it for. I could not in good faith recommend this as a Wholphin. When I complain to Amazon they going to make me pay the shipping to send it back and it's the $0.02 piece of plastic the whole the phone on the wall that's the real problem but it is chiefly made you can tell you decide.

August 2012. I purchased two of these phones to wall mount in my basement and garage. They work - meaning they ring - but I get complaints about voice quality on every call. Cost was $9.00 each with free shipping (assuming the order totaled at least $25.00)

Despite some remarks that these phones can not be wall mounted, those statements are simply NOT true. I have two of these phones, both of which are currently wall mounted. As noted in the instructions, you must reverse a clip on the base unit for wall mounting. That clip then provides a tab/hook that keeps the phone firmly in place on the base unit. This type of arrangement is essentially universal to all phones that I've ever seen that can be both used horizontally or vertically. To switch the tab from horizontal to vertical mounting took less than 5 seconds.

Another bit of confusion. A few reviewers state that the cord from the base to phone is hard wired and can not be replaced with a longer one. That is not true, at least in 2012. The cord has standard clips on both ends and can be replaced at will.

Yet despite that mis-information - I'm VERY disappointed with the voice quality. Every time I answer these phones people complain (unsolicited) about the voice quality. A hard wired phone (as opposed to a cordless) should sound great but clearly these phones don't! Your only real option for a better hard wired phone would be a Panasonic, at about $30.00.

I needed a new cord for my kitchen phone. This one arrived the next day and works beautifully. There is one small hitch: fully extended, the cord is only 11.5 feet NOT 25 feet as advertised.

Poor quality ord. When you moved it kept losing the connection so I couldn't hear the person I was talking with. Bought a better cord at the store and the problem was solved.

I ordered a 'white' cord.l to go along with a white phone. Unfortunately this cord is more off-white than white.

Not 25 feet, more like half. Smaller than normal gauge wire, cheap exterior insulation.

The absolute lowest grade coil cord I have ever seen. Makes dollar store junk look like AT&T in the 1960's

We ordered this because our batteries on the cordless phones would die and we needed to use a corded phone with some length to the cord. It worked great for about 3 months. Then it started to make the phone crackle and also hang up calls. We had to put the original cord back on, the short one that came with the phone. The one that came with the phone is still working. Not sure if we will order another RCA 25 ft cord online again.

I guess I should've checked the length more closely, but when extended fully it pulls the phone off the counter. I couldn't use it and wound up buying a 25' cord which works much better.

I should have gotten 25' cord for a kitchen.

Measured with a tape measure, this cord is 2 feet long unstretched! Get the 25 foot cord, that might be 5 feet if you're lucky!!!

Not a bad handset cord. The coiled cord is very compact and does not hang down from the wall phone onto the floor. But it has much less than a practical 12 foot length. By what standard was this length determined? For a true, usable length, you might want to order a cord with a longer length rating. I bought a more reasonable cord at Radio Shack.

Great cord -- sturdy and nicely made -- not 12 feet by any stretch of the imagination --- only way it's 12 feet if if you stretch it within an inch of its life.

Hi, let me tell you about the telephone cord. If you stretch it to its maximum it may be a 12 foot cord. My old 12 foot cord would stretch to 15 feet. Maybe I am spoiled. I do not want to exchange it. I will be happy using it the way it is. I could not find a telephone or cord anywhere. I thank you for asking. Al Luber

Worse phone ever - it's the cheapest one we could find on Amazon, so we bought it. Primarily because it was cheap. Poor mistake. It crackles the entire time and there is no way to get around it.

Just wanted a simple old school phone for emergency use. It needed to be wall hanging which this was advertised to be. There's a little plastic tab that's supposed to convert it to that configuration but it doesn't work.

This phone looks great from the outside, but when I received it, it didn't work properly. I could hear pretty well from my end, but other people that I would talk to couldn't hear me very well. They said that my voice sounded muffled. It's a shame too, because it's a very cute phone. So, I had no other choice but to return it. Maybe it was just a lemon, but I wasn't satisfied with its performance so I really wouldn't recommend this product to anyone. That's why I only gave it one star. In my opinion, I would buy something a little bit more expensive. It's like the old adage, you get what you pay for.

our was dead on arrival, and we had to send it back.

but even if that was a fluke, this phone is a cheap piece of crap.
we bought this because it was an ATT phone..
but this is really the "new" ATT just selling cheap clones from china of its classic products
it was super light weight and was like a toy phone

we bought the "real" handset phone, a much older one, from ebay, and are happy with that.

Based on the reviews of some ppl saying this phone is cheaply constructed, I have to disagree. I found this phone to be heftier than I would have thought (solid durable plastic). What do you expect from a phone that costs about $10.00. You can't expect to get the old ATT trimline phones from 25 yrs ago that lasts a lifetime.

I bought this over a month ago and haven't had any problems. It's fine for the bedroom and for use as a back up if the power goes out and the cordless phones don't work. The numbers light up and you don't need to plug it in an AC outlet. It gets its power right from the wall outlet phone jack.

The volume control is a great feature for anyone that's hard of hearing. It can get pretty loud on the high volume setting.

For $10, buying this phone was a no-brainer. The only drawback I found was that the cord from the phone to the base was a little short. I had a longer cord laying around from an old phone and just used that.

UPDATED 5-21-11. Phone is now DEFECTIVE!!! The depress button by the ear speaker jammed and wouldn't release. The phone would not let me answer or get a dial tone. It was just STUCK there. When I tried to release it by pressing it on and off with my fingers, it broke. DON't BUY THIS PHONE!!!

Item did not work...no dial tone on phone..put old cord back in..worked fine...sent a note explaining this...was told to contact amazon for a refund...but when I pulled up the picture of the cord, and clicked on refund ..answer said no refund was available on this item...cost was less than $6..not worth any more of my time

Item arrived in a open used package with no directions or information. The clip that goes into the phone jack was also defective causing this purchase to be unable to be used. Seller stated that this was brand new however this is clearly preowned based in the dirt on the white phone cord and the debris in the plastic case. I do not recommend this product

So far I've had not problems with it. I love the fact that I can use my landline when washing my dishes;, etc. I don't like any portable phone near my head, so this long cord solves that problem when I need to multitask.Update: As of November of 2016 it's breaking up my connection. I've had to switch to the original cord which is too short.

This item does not fit tightly into my phone. I bought a 25 foot one so we could move around the house while we are talking on the phone. I finally had to give up & put my old one back onto the phone because with this one we had to stand by the phone & keep the cord from any movement or we would just get static. It's a piece of junk.

I bought this 2-28 and installed it on my phone today 3-14-16. It is defective. There is a short in the cord. My old one was kinked up but worked fine. This was worse!I tried to return but it isn't eligible, I assume because it is past the 30 day return window. Well, many of us buy things for later use, so this is too short a time period. DO NOT BUY!

Shortly after receiving this 25 foot cord it started having static and low volume on my phone calls. This got worse over time like - there was a short in the wire inside the cord. I did try to contact the company...they referred me to Amazon. Amazon gave me a refund for the defective phone cord.

This is a piece of cheap flimsy junk. It only lasted a month before it became unusable, tangled and twisted.

I received the cord, as expected. Probably there are no connectors on it. Now I need to figure out how to return this 12 foot cord. Not happy

length before pulling phone off surface is about three feet.

Didn't try to hookup phone until February 25. It doesn't work. I can't return because window to return expired!!

Sent it back. Was supposed to be 12 Ft. Could barely get five when the tension pulled the telephone off the table. Stretched it as far as it would go and even then didn't make 12.

Fell right out of the existing phone, had to hold it up to talk. This could be because this cord did not match the wall phone.