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Product Review
Cutting the Cord is a popular trend these days as cell phones are now the primary communication device instead of the home phone line. As people abandon the home phone and the bill that comes with it, they find that they need to keep their cell phone with them if they want to hear the ringing throughout the house. This can get annoying when you are trying to relax and don’t want to bring your phone into every room you enter. This is where VTech comes in with their DS6421 series of phones and Bluetooth technology. The Connect to Cell feature pairs up to 4 cell phones with the cordless phone base so all calls are passed through to the cordless phones and rings at all of the stations. As soon as you walk in the door, your cell phone automatically syncs with the cordless base so you are able to receive and make calls from the VTech phones. The process is so easy and convenient that it seems like magic the first few times you experience it. VTech has been rocking this technology (magic) for the last few years with several different models and the DS6421 is the latest model with a few new features and improvements. The call quality has been improved with what VTech calls HD Audio which reduces the noise and interference that was noticeable in the last model. Another new feature is the Push-To-Talk button which acts like a walkie-talkie with the other handsets. The intercom feature was helpful in the previous model and is still available with this phone, but the Push-To-Talk button allows you to communicate immediately with the other handset without anyone needing to accept the call. Simply push the button, select the handset that you want to call and then start speaking. This is very helpful if you need to ask a quick question from someone downstairs or announce a reminder to someone across the house without yelling. The handsets look very modern to fit with a lot of décor and feel great in your hand with smooth features. All of the buttons are easy to push and the all important “Find Handset” button is right behind the phone charger so when the phone is in the cradle you don’t see the button and keeps a nice aesthetic. The Push-To-Talk button is actually on the side of the phone so it will not be confused with the normal functions of the phone. The button layout has changed a bit with the addition of soft keys for the display. The Home Phone and Cell Phone buttons are both now on the left side of the phone while the Mute/Delete and Off button are on the right side. This seems to complicate the button layout with more options than is necessary, but will just take some getting used to. The Connect to Cell feature can pair up to 4 cell phones and have a connection with 2 cell phones at one time. This means that a call can be received or made from either of the 2 phones synced, but once someone is actively talking on the phone no other calls can pass through the handsets. The cell phone directories can also be downloaded to the handset so you can simply look at the caller ID on the handset display to see who is calling. There is another great feature that announces the name of the person calling after the first few rings so you don’t even need to look at the caller ID display. You can set different ringtones on the handsets for a call coming in on the Home Phone line or either cell phone so you know which phone is receiving the call. The range of the Bluetooth is very good as it can go through walls and can be extended a little ways outside the house as well. The best quality will come from the cell phone being relatively close, within 10 feet, to the main base of the VTech phone. The range of the other bases goes to several dozen feet and can really extend the distance that you can enjoy a phone call. The last model would have occasional issues pairing with one or two cell phones which would require going into the cell phone settings and manually activating the Bluetooth. This seems to have been resolved as the cell phones appear to be connected all the time without a second thought. The Bluetooth indicators on the main base are smaller and closer together than the last model which makes it a little more difficult to read which cell phone is actively connected. Overall, the VTech DS6421-3 is a great phone with multiple features that really benefit cell phone users which is just about everyone these days. The great call quality and Push-To-Talk feature push this phone above the competition. The complicated button layout and close Bluetooth indicator lights are a few negatives for the phone, but nothing too damaging. People who have cut the home phone cord can really benefit from this phone as it gives all of the convenience of multiple handsets and ease of use without the home phone bill.
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