An Improvement Over The First Generation 5.8 GHZ Telephones.

The AT&T E5965C is the latest top of the line cordless telephone in the AT&T consumer telephone roster. (The "E" stands for "Elite"). The E5965C telephone, and all other AT&T branded products produced since 2000, have actually been manufactured by a company called Advanced American Telephones, which is a division of VTech, another well known consumer telephone equipment manufacturer. This model can be expanded by adding up to 7 more handsets, which are sold separately. The telephone operates on dual bands. Transmission from the base to the handset occurs @ 5.8 GHz while transmission from the handset back to the base occurs @ 2.4 GHz.

As is the case with most cordless telephones, there are 2 pieces that make up E5965C. There is the base unit and a handset. Both pieces sport a silver finish. The base sports a digital answering machine with a red circular 2 digit display, 8 buttons and 1 rocker switch, a backlit LCD with 5 buttons, a standard 12 button telephone keypad, a speaker, 1 rocker switch to adjust the base speaker’s volume and 3 additional buttons that activate the base speaker (and glows green during speaker operation, a mute button that glows red during operation, the base microphone and the last button, FLASH, allows you to access certain features, such as call waiting, if you subscribe to any of them through your local telephone service provider. The right hand side of the base has an antenna that can be pivoted up & down to allow a user to locate the best position for optimal performance. Also on the right side of the base, is a drawer which can accept 2 additional rechargeable cells. These can be used to allow calls to be made during power failures or simply act as a spare set in case the handset needs fresh cells in a hurry. If caller ID is being used the number of the calling party will be announced at the base.

The handset contains the standard 12 button keypad, a SPEAKER button that glows green when active and a SOUND SELECT button that allows you the ability to boost certain frequencies when the normal earpiece is used. This particular feature will not work with the handset speakerphone or when an optional headset is used. There are 2 additional buttons on the handset. One is marked "PHONE" and has a green image of an old handset imprinted upon it. Underneath the button the word "FLASH" is imprinted. This button is used to draw dial tone so telephone numbers can be dialed or, as is the case with the FLASH button on the base, a way to access those optional services offered by your local telephone service provider. Also on the handset is a rather large LCD that can show images in color, 2 push buttons and a 4-way rocker switch with a button in the center. The rocker switch has a bump at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions. The side of the handset has a rocker switch which is used to control the earpiece & hands free speaker volume. The left side of the handset has a 2.5 mm jack which is where an optional headset can be connected to. The jack is normally covered by a rubber flap. There is a notch on each side of the handset where the included belt clip can be attached. The rear of the handset sports the hands free speaker.

The base LCD looks and operates pretty much the same way older 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz AT&T models do, such as the 5840, 5830, 2440 & 2455. You can check caller ID records (If you subscribe to caller ID services from your local telephone service provider), store up to 50 numbers to a directory, dial a caller right from the caller ID records, dial up to the last 10 numbers previously dialed, adjust the contrast of the LCD, page a handset (intercom) and much more. The standard 12 key telephone pad provides the ability for calls to be placed from the base, should the handset become lost or nonfunctional. The base also offers the option of audibly announcing the telephone number of incoming calls when caller ID is in use.

The answering machine provides only 1 mailbox with up to 25 total minutes of recording time. This would include outgoing announcements as well as any messages callers would leave. There are 8 buttons and a rocker switch used to set the time of day, enter the programming menu, request the ability to change a function and start to record memos & announcements. Other buttons turn the answering machine on & off as well as the ability to delete any old messages. The 2 buttons that flank the 2 position rocker switch allow you to skip and/or repeat any messages saved in memory. By toggling the rocker switch to the left, messages are played and by toggling the rocker switch to the right, playback stops. The 2 digit red LED display shows the number of messages in memory as well as act as a counter so the length of a recorded greeting can be seen as it is recorded. An audible message alert beep is offered so any new messages left will cause the base to beep. The on/off switch for the answering machine has a red backlight so it's easy to tell if the answering system is on or off.

VTech has wisely decided to include the ability to access voicemail messages from any handset. Until now, this was not possible on, at least, the high end telephone products under both the AT&T and VTech labels.

Unfortunately, what VTech has not done is improve the audio clarity of recorded messages and any outgoing announcements. The audio, while equalized to give voices a fuller sound, still sounds choppy and, at times, indistinct. This is due, in part, to the way speech is sampled for recording on an integrated circuit chip. Older AT&T digital answering machines made back in the mid to late 90's, such as the 1715, 1750 and 1725, featured less recording time, but clearer recordings. The base's microphone is under the right corner of the unit, and it points downward. I was able to create a decent sounding greeting by directing my voice under the unit as opposed to talking right down at it and over emphasizing my words. Not the greatest of answering systems but there are surely worse units out in the marketplace.

The handset included with the E5965C represents a departure from the non-flashy designs that AT&T branded telephones have presented over the years. VTech has made the handset more cell phone like with an array of icons that appear when the button in the center of the 4 direction rocker switch is pressed.

The first screen seen, displays 6 icons. The first looks like 2 handsets with a 2 headed arrow pointing between them. This is where the intercom choices are found.

To the right is an icon that looks like an open book. This is where the 50 name & number directory can be accessed. Telephone names and numbers can be entered manually or directly from caller ID records. Once a telephone number has been entered, it can be modified as needed to ensure the telephone will dial the number properly (add a "1" prefix as needed for instance).

To the right of that is an icon of a telephone handset & and piece of lined paper. Caller ID records are found there as well as the option to check for messages left on the answering machine.

Under the first icon is another icon that looks like a picture of a sunny hilly meadow. Here is where images that can be assigned to favorite telephone numbers as well as images that can appear on the screen when any key is pressed can be found. 26 images are offered. Some of the images include a hot air balloon, a beautiful sunrise (or is it a sunset?), a Monarch butterfly, an American Bald eagle, the AT&T logo and several others. 8 emotion icons (smiley faces) are available to choose from as well.

The next icon is a picture of a telephone handset with 2 musical notes. Here is where the volume and type of ringer are chosen, as well as the audible sounds for a low battery condition, an out of range condition as well as a beep that sounds when any key is pressed.

The last icon looks like a crescent wrench. Here is where the ability to change the color of text & numbers, the time of day clock, screen contrast, the option to change from Touch-Tone to Dial Pulse, language used (English, Spanish or French and lastly the ability to revert all setting back to the factory default are all found.

The handset also offers 16 different ringers to choose from. 8 ringers are the same ones offered on other AT&T/VTech models. The other 8 options are excerpts from songs including The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Fur Elise, The William Tell Overture and others. Specific tunes can be assigned to specific telephone numbers so it is easy to tell who is calling based on the way that the handset rings. Unlike VTech's own brand of cordless telephones, it is not possible to download or record additional music to use with the telephone. What you see is pretty much what you get. There is also vibrating mode that can be used in conjunction with, or in place of an audible ringer. (A nice touch when a quiet atmosphere is desired).

When the handset is not in use, the LCD goes dark, but the current time is digitally displayed. Reading the time at this point can be difficult as the backlight if off and contrast is poor. If the "OFF" button is pressed, the screen lights up and the time can be seen in small numbers centered at the bottom of the screen. At this point the last 10 numbers dialed can be accessed by pressing the left selector button just under the display. The right selector button will access the caller ID log page. No matter what wallpaper is selected to appear on the handset, the handset number will appear in the upper left hand corner of the display, the battery strength gauge will appear in the upper right hand corner, the word "Redial" will always be in the lower left hand corner, the time of day will be in the low center and the words "CID Log" will always be in the lower right hand corner.

Given all of the extras that VTech has thrown into this telephone, the learning curve is steeper than previous high end models, such as the 5830, 5840 & 5870. While I do use a cell phone, I prefer to navigate a menu comprised of words more so than a menu filled with icons. Some people may actually find the menu a turnoff. After about 3 weeks of usage, I am beginning to remember which icon has to be selected to change a specific option. The 4 position rocker switch can be difficult to work and I often have to use my pinky to press it as I often press the rocker and some other button.

The buttons have a good feel to them. They are backlit and the numbering is larger than usual to aid those with less than perfect eyesight. With the base located in the attic bedroom, I can use the handset in the basement out in the yard, in the garage and about 1 block away, without running into degraded sound. There is a bit of echo when using the handset, but this is considered normal for Digital Spread Spectrum type telephones. I have not experienced audio dropping out during the course of conversations, but depending on your surroundings, there is a possibility of this happening. The batteries seem to hold a charge well. I have been able to leave the handset off the base for 2 or 3 days at a time and use the handset for moderately long calls and not run the risk of dropping any calls. I would normally leave the handset charging in the base.

While I enjoy being able to customize ring tones & icons to special callers, such options really don’t have much bearing on how well the telephone operates. VTech claims that this telephone is 802.11 friendly. Since I do not have a Wi-Fi setup, I cannot tell if this is 100% accurate.

I would still like to see VTech include a way to parallel program multiple remotes. As it stands, if you have more than 1 remote handset working off of the same base unit, you will need to clear each caller ID buffer and program the directories separately. I would also like to see VTech spell out more clearly that this is not a pure 5.8 GHz telephone. You have to read the rear of the box to find that fact out.

VTech has had problems with quality control over the past several years. Less expensive VTech/AT&T models seem to have more than their share of problems, while the upper tier telephones seem to fare better.

If you want a bare-bones telephone or one with minimal features, look past this telephone. If you like to try out new “toys” with lots of frills, works well and the somewhat steep price isn’t a major problem, give this telephone consideration.