On Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:06:45 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

I am considering buying some new cordless phones with the caller-ID
and answering features. Besides Consumerrrs Reports, does anyone here
have any experience repairing cordless phones, and which brand(s) do
they consider most reliable and/or repairable?

I like Panasonic DECT 6.0 phones:
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Phones-Fax/Telephones/DECT-6-0.list.75070_11002_7000000000000005702
I have one of these (forgot the model numbers) and a mix of older
Panasonic 2.4 and 900Mhz phones and fax/answering/cordless phone
conglomerations. They work well and much to my amazement, are
generally not battery killers.

Most of the cordless phone repair I've done is for myself on my thrift
shop aquisitions and for friends and neighbors. The phones are cheap
enough that repair is not an economical option. Parts are difficult
or impossible to find on any of the cordless phones (except batteries,
wall warts, and possibly antennas). Also, check into the availability
and price of additional handsets. Most bases have a limit of 4
handsets maximum, so be careful when building a large system.

The problems are roughly the same with all the phones I've seen.
People spit into the keyboard while talking. The saliva eventually
migrates into the contact area and makes a mess. Add some dirt and
dust to the mix, and the keypad stops working. I open up the handset,
clean up the elastometric keypad, clean the contact board, reassemble
and it's ready for another few years of use.

A good clue on repairability is the presence of case screws. Remove
the handset battery and check for screws. If there are none, you may
have a unit that is difficult to disassemble and repair.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558