The market for 4-line cordless and cordless/corded small business phones is dominated by Panasonic and AT&T. The systems cater to the traditional small business environment but are also ideal for the growing home based business market. They have multiple lines and handsets, and the portable phones are feature rich to accommodate the typical needs of the small business.
Two of the most popular small business phones are the Panasonic 5.8 GHz 4-line FDSS Expandable Cordless Phone System with Call Waiting Caller ID and Answering System (KX-TG4500B) and the AT&T SB67118 4-Line Extendable Range Corded-Cordless Small Business Phone System with AT&T 4-Line Expansion Handset 4Pack (SB67118). (The companies are tied for longest phone names!)
First, you should note that the Panasonic system is a cordless/corded system though the name does not indicate so. And the AT&T system is DECT 6.0 technology which offers a longer range than the 5.8 GHz Panasonic system.
There are 2-line systems available like the Panasonic KX-TG9392T and the Uniden DECT 4096, but most businesses are probably going to be interested in the 4-line systems because they leave room for business expansion. But you should be aware they exist in case you really don't want or need a 4-line phone.
Going the Distance with Range
One of the most important features buyers of small office phone systems look for is the ability to extend the range of the phones. Office personnel often walk around with their phone in hand while handling customer requests. If you need long range cordless small business phones then you should consider the ATT 4 line cordless phone system. The ATT phone system can handle up to 6 repeaters for range extension while the Panasonic system does not offer any range extension. In fact the AT&T system is said to have DECT Zero Blind Slot Digital Technology.
The range extenders are added to make sure the phones will work in various spaces around a building where normal reception would not be possible. For example, if the building where the phone system will be used has a number of levels or blind spots then the AT&T cordless phone would probably work best for you.
Comparing Features
Another difference between the two systems is the fact the Panasonic answering system offers 100 minutes of recording while the AT&T offers 180 minutes. In addition, the AT&T phone has push-to-talk and Panasonic does not. Reviewers are quite fond of the push-to-talk feature which works base to handset and handset to handset.
The phone systems are similar though in many ways. Both have cordless headset telephone jacks, music on hold, call recording, auto-attendant, speakerphones in the base and handsets, a phonebook directory and can be set up with a battery backup. The Panasonic system has 8 mailboxes and the AT&T system has 10. Also, the AT&T system is slightly larger since it can be expanded to include up to 10 handsets while the Panasonic system maxes out at 8 handsets.
As for sound clarity, the quality in the Panasonic and the AT&T phones is rated high by reviewers. AT&T claims its DECT sound quality is superior to the 5.8 GHz phones but reviewers don't really support this claim because both systems get excellent marks for sound quality.
Two Good Systems
One of the complaints about the earlier Panasonic phones was the lack of volume settings but that has been improved with the KX-TG4500B. But some reviewers are still complaining that the maximum volume setting is not loud enough even with the volume setting improvements. That has been a problem for some businesses. Reviewers have some issues with AT&T's auto attendant not ringing when a call comes in. Instead the calls go directly to the general mailbox and you don't have an option to answer it.
Neither phone comes set up for handling Bluetooth cordless phones, but it can be added through a Bluetooth gateway. So Bluetooth should not be a deciding factor between the two systems. Either the AT&T SB67118 or the Panasonic KX-TG4500B small business phones will serve well. But if range is an issue then you need to buy the AT&T. If a feature rich auto attendant function is more important than range, the Panasonic would be an excellent choice.
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