Kx tga41c Light Continues to Blink but There Are No New Messages

I evaluate products and clearly explain their features based on my background as a technology writer with a Master of Science degree.

My Panasonic Handset on Charger

Image © Glenn Stok

This phone does everything a modern phone should do:

The base supports up to four handsets.
Programming any handset syncs with all the others.
You can block unwanted callers.
You can see caller name and number, even while talking to someone else.
One-button redial.
One-button access to remote voicemail.
Caller-ID without a name will show the name if matched in the directory.
Directory holds 50 entries, and you can place each in any of nine groups.

If you don't have voice mail with your phone service, you can get the version of this phone with a built-in answering machine.

The answering machine does a perfect job of taking messages. You can record your own greeting or leave the phone's default generic greeting.

If you have voicemail, I suggest you take advantage of it and save money by buying the version of this phone without an answering machine built in. I use the one with no answering machine since I use voicemail from my phone service provider.

The Benefits of a Wireless Phone System

This Panasonic phone makes installation so easy without the need to run wires. Just plug in the base where you have access to the main phone line. All the other handsets have a remote charger base so that you can place them anywhere you have an electric outlet.

The beauty of Panasonic's design is that all the handsets work off the central programming stored in the base. That is the right way for a cordless phone system to work. I have had other brands of cordless phones in the past, and I always had to program each handset individually. That was a chore, and it's not necessary with the Panasonic.

DECT 6.0 Phones Do Not Interfere With WiFi Routers

Older phones use the same frequency that Internet WiFi routers use. Any phone using the 2.4 GHz range will cause Internet interference since WiFi is at 2.4 GHz.

The Panasonic is a DECT 6.0 phone. That means it uses a higher frequency. So it works well in today's environment without interfering with WiFi. The digital signal at that higher frequency also has a better range with less power requirement, so it lengthens the battery life between charges.

The Economy Mode Extends Battery Life

Panasonic has an Economy Mode that automatically reduces transmit power requirements between the handset and the base station when it's close enough. This helps extend phone battery life. "ECO" will display on the screen, as shown in the close-up image earlier above.

Some people are concerned about getting too much radiation from cell phones and cordless phones. The side effects, if any, have never been determined. Nevertheless, home-based cordless phones are definitely safe because they are very low power. And the ECO mode of the Panasonic phones reduces the radiation even further.

Cell phones use a much higher power to access cell sites up to two miles away.

Cordless phones for the home are designed for usage within 500 feet. The Panasonic is even better because the ECO feature lowers the output when it's near the base.

Scroll to Continue

Programming Is Synced to All Handsets

Now here's a feature I really love! When I had other phones from other manufacturers, I had to program each handset individually. I discovered that Panasonic keeps all the programming in the base.

That means that if you use more than one handset with your base, anything you program on one handset is automatically available on all the others.

I used to hate having to program my friend's numbers into each handset. Now with this phone I only do it once. And any changes I make are also on all the other handsets. I'll never go back to another phone.

Other Useful Features Included


Feature	Explanation
Redial	Redial last dialed number.
Intercom	Call another handset on same base.
Economy	Low energy enabled to extend battery life when close to base. ECO icon displays.
Volume	Control volume while talking.
Mute	The "Mute" soft button can be pressed so other party can't hear you.
CID	Recent caller list.
Ringer Setting	Select from a large list of ring tones.
Ringer Mute	Disable ringer on any handset so not to be disturbed.
Lighted Keys	The keys and display light up so you can use it in the dark.

Panasonic Phone Handset on Base

Image © Glenn Stok

How To Use Your Panasonic Cordless Phone

The first time you use it, the phone batteries are partially charged. Just make sure you hang it up the first night, so it charges fully.

However, you can start playing with it right away. Add your friends, add your voicemail number and pin, and any personal settings you want.

You don't need to set the time and date. As soon as the first call comes in, it takes that information from the carrier. Most providers send the time and date along with the ring signal.

You also don't need to be concerned about setting the time when the clocks get set back in the fall and forward in the spring. The phone's clock will be adjusted when the next call comes in.

Just in case your service provider does not pass the time stamp, you can always program the date and time through the settings menu.

Multi-Function Soft Buttons

There are three buttons below the screen that change their functions, depending on what features are needed at different times.

These three buttons are soft keys. That is, they can change their function. The screen above the buttons shows what they do at any specific time. For example, the VM button becomes a MUTE button while you are talking.

Soft Buttons below screen with Icons showing what they mean.

Image © Glenn Stok

When you have a message, the top right button is the VM button. It says VM right above it. But you only see that if you have messages. It becomes a redial button if VM is not needed, as shown in this image.

Note that all the soft buttons always have the function displayed on the screen. The image here shows the three soft buttons in this present state when the phone is not engaged in a conversation.

The left icon means that that soft button will display the name directory. The middle on gives you the menu of options. The right soft button is for redial.

Single Button Voice Mail Access

The soft button on the right side becomes a quick voicemail retrieval button and only shows "VM" above it when you have a message, as shown in this image.

You can program the phone so that pressing the VM soft button will call your service provider's voice mail and automatically pass your pin to log in and play your messages.

Voice Mail Notification on Panasonic handset.

Image © Glenn Stok

You just need to program the calling sequence into the phone once. The dialing sequence is the access number, followed by a few pause characters to wait for the call to go through. After the pauses, enter your voice mail pin. That's it. Then whenever you press the VM soft button, the phone does all that for you.

I love using voice mail rather than an answering machine because many service providers include a free feature to send all messages to your email as an attached audio file. However, if you don't have voice mail with your service, Panasonic makes the same phone with an answering machine built into the base.

Message Indicator Light and Display

There's a little amber light on top of the handset. It blinks when you have messages. It glows solid when charging.

If using a service provider's voice mail, the phone will detect a signal from the phone company and show you that you have messages with the flashing indicator light and also with the words "Voice Mail" displayed on the LCD screen.

On some newer versions of the phone, these indicators will only work if you had programmed the VM soft button, as I explained above.

Message Indicator on Panasonic Phone

Image © Glenn Stok

The Hands-Free Speakerphone

Each handset is a speakerphone. If you press the "TALK" button to answer a call, you use it as a regular phone against your ear. If you press the "SP-PHONE" button, then the other party's voice comes through the speaker, which is on the back of the handset.

I find this to work really well. Many times I work in the kitchen while cooking, and I place the phone down on the counter to carry on a conversation.

One thing you have to deal with, and it's true for most speakerphones, is that the audio is single duplex. That means that while the other person is talking, they don't hear you when you speak. That is done on purpose to avoid annoying feedback.

I've gotten used to this, but if you don't like it, then just don't use the speakerphone setting and hold the phone to your ear instead.

Handy Name Directory

Once you have your contacts in your phone's directory, just press the left soft button where the phone book icon is displayed. That starts the Phone Book List. You can press the up or down arrows to scroll through the names you had programmed into the phone.

You can save up to 50 contacts and even assign them to any of nine groups. When you browse your directory, you can select the group you want to browse or select "all groups."

Of course, the advantage of the directory is that you never need to dial numbers. Just scroll to the name, press TALK, and it dials for you.

Caller-ID From the Name Directory

Usually, when someone calls from a cell phone, the carrier only sends the words "Cell Phone" for the Caller-ID along with the number. Some out of town callers will not show the name either, just the number.

If you don't recognize the number, you're out of luck unless you want to take a chance answering an unknown caller.

Here's something wonderful about this phone: If the incoming Caller-ID does not contain the name, the phone will display the name from your directory if the number is matched. That's all the more reason to place all your friend's numbers in the directory.

Call Blocking

I get telemarketers calling once in a while. Some repeatedly call from the same number. The Panasonic phone lets you add these numbers to a block list. When they call, the phone plays a recording to them, saying that the call cannot be completed. You never get bothered anymore.

Call Waiting Caller-ID

When on a call and another caller is calling, the Caller-ID of that new caller will be displayed. You can look at the screen to see who it is while you're on an existing call. If you decide to take that call, just press the flash key.

This feature requires "Call Waiting," as well as "Call Waiting Caller-ID" service from your phone company.

How to Call From Handset to Handset

You can call from one handset to another without making an outside call. Just press the "Menu" soft button, and then you will see INT (for intercom) as the left soft button, as shown in the image below.

Just press the INT button, and you will see a list of the extensions available. These are all the other handsets assigned to the base.

Scroll down to the headset you want to call. If you only have two handsets, then you will only see the other one listed. Click the SELECT soft button, and the other handset will start ringing.

Intercom Phone Extension Calling

Photo © Glenn Stok

Multiple Function Button

That big button (with up, down, left, and right arrows) has several functions, depending on which arrow you press.

The left is the Caller-ID (CID) of your prior received calls.
The right is redial.
The up and down arrows control the volume when you're talking.

Multi-Function Button with Arrows

Image © Glenn Stok

When you're not on a call, the up and down arrows scan back and forth through the menu settings:

Caller List
VM Access
Intercom
Set date & time
Initial Settings submenu

The Initial Settings submenu includes:

Ringer Setting
Handset name
Call Block
VoiceMail Access Dialing String
Message Alert
Display Settings
...and more.

The up and down arrows scroll through the names in your directory after pressing the name directory button (left soft button).

How to Program the VoiceMail Access Button

A single button will automatically dial your remote voicemail service and pass along the pin to log in. It does all after you program it once.

Press MENU (soft key) then press down arrow till you get to Initial Settings. Then select that and scroll down to "VoiceMail. Then store your voicemail access.

That might be your own number or a particular number provided for voicemail access. Follow it with two or three pauses. You'll see the pause as a special character when in this programming mode. Then follow the last pause with the pin. Try two pauses first. If it needs more time before sending the pin code, then add another pause.

Phone Without Answering Machine

Model KX-TGC352B

Panasonic Expandable Cordless Phone System With Two Handsets

The Panasonic Cordless Phone System that I bought, and discussed in this article, has been upgraded to this newer version with an amber backlit display and a call blocking feature. The one I purchased is no longer available. The features are still the same, but now you can expand it up to six handsets.

If your phone provider includes Voice Mail service, then you can save money with this Panasonic phone without the built-in answering machine. No need to duplicate message taking options.

Phone With Answering Machine in Base

Model KX-TGE232B

Panasonic Cordless Phone With Two Handsets

If your phone carrier doesn't provide voice mail service, then get this Panasonic phone with the answering machine in the base. It's expandable to six handsets.

If you only need one handset, that's available too. You get what you need at the price point that works for you.

Can I block a number in my phone book directory?

The option to block a number is not available when scrolling through the phonebook entries. Therefore you can't block a number you saved in your phone's directory.

You can only block numbers that are in your caller list. To do that, navigate to the Caller-ID in the list of callers. Then select the option to block it.

Can I answer a call by just picking up the phone from the cradle, and not have to push a button?

You can enable that feature by setting "AutoTalk" in the settings menu to the "on" position. Then when you pick up the handset from the base or charger cradle, it will automatically answer the call. If AutoTalk is off (the default), then you need to press the "TALK" button or the speaker button to answer a call.

We have two cordless phones with two base units. Every once in a while, I pick up a ringing phone, and I can't talk to the caller. I get a dial tone instead. What's wrong?

Since you say you have two base units, I suspect you or someone in your family is placing the handsets on the wrong base units. An easy solution is to place colored stickers on the bases and handsets. Color-coding will indicate which handset goes with which base unit.

My cordless handset started beeping while I'm talking. I do let it charge by placing it on the base when not in use. But it still beeps soon after I start a conversation. Why is that happening?

You need to leave the handset on the base for eight hours to completely charge. If you've done that, and still have the problem, then you need to replace the batteries. They probably are no longer holding a charge. Rechargeable batteries don't last forever. Replace them, and you should be fine.

How do I delete a phone number in the phone book?

When you browse through the directory, the erase option is on every entry. It's a soft key on the screen.

I can not figure out how to increase the volume of the caller on my phone. My parents have hearing issues and can never decipher what the person calling is saying. I would appreciate any help.

The large center button functions as the volume control if you are using a phone similar to the one I reviewed here. When connected to a caller, press the top or bottom of that button to change the volume higher or lower, respectively.

I have a cordless Panasonic phone, and I have various callers who cannot get through. The calls do not ring on my phone. Yet others can get through. People tell me to turn off the anonymous private caller setting to see if that helps, but I can't find how to do that. Any ideas?

Since you are blocking anonymous callers, that must be your problem.
Many people have their privacy set to avoid sending their Caller-ID, and those callers will not be able to get through to you.

That has nothing to do with the phone. It is a function of your phone service carrier. You need to turn off your blocking of anonymous callers with your phone service.

If you have a login portal, you should be able to change it there. Otherwise, ask your carrier to disable anonymous blocking.

Is there a phone with multiple handsets that can be used to talk on the same phone call?

Yes, you can do that with the phone I discussed in this article. If you buy the version with multiple handsets or add more handsets later, each handset will be on the same phone call.

The blinking light goes off after I've played the messages. I want the light to stay on until messages are deleted. That way, if I play messages that are for someone else, I don't have to remember to tell them. They will notice the light is still blinking and will play the message.

I understand your dilemma. Unfortunately, that is not a function of the phone. Your voice mail service controls the status of the message light. Most carriers shut off the message light when you access your voice mail to listen to messages, even if you don't delete them.

I'm trying to figure out how to use the intercom system on the phones. We don't have an INT button on ours.

On many of the Panasonic cordless phones, the intercom option is in the menu. Press the MENU button or soft key, scroll to "Intercom," and you will see INT appear as a soft key. Now you can press INT, and it will show you all the extension handsets. Select the one you want to call.

My Panasonic phone doesn't ring anymore. There is an icon of a bell with a line drawn across it. How do I correct this problem?

The crossed-out bell icon indicates that you had shut off the ringer. You might have done this by either of two methods—the silent mode set by time of day, or by setting the ringer volume to "off."

To turn it back on, follow either of the following steps, depending on which is the case:

If you enabled silent mode:

Press the menu button
Scroll down to the "initial setting" and select it.
Select the ringer setting.
Select Silent Mode.
Disable silent mode.
Save the setting.

If you previously turned off the volume:

Press the menu button
Scroll down to the "initial setting" and select it.
Select the ringer setting.
Select Ringer Volume.
Increase ringer volume to the level you want.
Save the setting.

We have an old Panasonic phone system that started showing the message "No link. Re-connect base AC adaptor." Any suggestions?

First of all, make sure your base unit is plugged into an outlet that has power. Maybe a circuit breaker popped. It's also possible that your AC adapter transformer or its wire had been damaged.

If the power is okay, then the handset is not recognizing the base. Try following the steps to register the handset with its base to re-establish the link. See the instructions in your user manual for that.

Questions & Answers

Question: How do I make capital letters for the beginning of the names I'm entering into the Panasonic cordless phone's directory?

Answer: When entering the letters of a name, you can switch between upper-case and lower-case letters by pressing the * key. You'll notice that the * key includes "A–>a" to indicate that it is used to change capital letters to lowercase and vice-versa.

Question: Is there any way to set the default phonebook on the Panasonic handset to a specific group instead of All Groups?

Answer: You can't set a specific group as the default. The default when scrolling through the phonebook directory is All Groups. But before you browse through the directory, you can always select group 1 through 9 and then it will only show people that had been placed in that group.

Question: Does the Panasonic cordless phone prevent batteries from overcharging?

Answer: Yes, Panasonic avoids damaging the rechargeable batteries when placed back in the charging cradle. The unit detects when they are fully charged and stops the trickle charge.

The phone I use displays "Fully Charged" on the screen.

Question: If my Panasonic phone is ringing, can I mute it?

Answer: You can set the ringer "off" on any handset. The other handsets will still ring unless you shut off the ringer on all of them.

Question: Does the blocked caller hear a spoken message? If so, what is said? I have a Panasonic phone system.

Answer: The call blocking feature on the Panasonic phone sends a busy tone on the caller's end, and then disconnects the call from the line.

I noticed that it still rings the phone one quick ring, but then stops. I guess that's useful just to notify you that a blocked call attempt had happened.

Keep in mind that you require Caller ID subscription from the phone company for the call blocking feature to work.

Question: Why doesn't my number display for the Caller ID when I make an outgoing call from my Panasonic cordless phone? It's showing up as "private".

Answer: There are two reasons why your number is not displayed to the receiving party. Note that this has nothing to do with the phone itself.

1. Some phone service providers do not have that feature. Some cellular services do not have it. You need to check with your service provider to find out if they offer that feature.

2. If you do have the feature to provide your ID to the called party, you need to turn it on. Otherwise, you have it set to a private setting. You can enable that feature by logging into your phone service account and setting the option. You may also be able to enable and disable the feature by dialing a specific code on your phone. One code enables outgoing Caller ID, and another code sets you to "private."

Check with your service provider for a list of control codes. They most likely have those codes on their website.

Question: One of my Panasonic cordless phone units is saying "Charge for 7 Hours," and that unit doesn't work. What does that mean?

Answer: The Panasonic cordless handsets use rechargeable batteries. If you don't place the handset in the charging cradle after talking a long time, the battery will eventually run down. If you let it get very low, you will see that message on the screen. It means you need to charge it for seven hours to bring it back to full charge.

Normally, if you only talk for short periods, say up to an hour, you can get away with not charging between each phone call. But it's a good idea to at least place it on the cradle at night to give it a full charge for the next day.

In addition to the above, batteries do wear out after a few years and can't take a charge anymore. In that case, you need to replace the batteries. The Panasonic units use standard rechargeable batteries. When you open the battery compartment, you'll see the type that's in there. Buy the same type for replacement.

Question: How many phone numbers will be stored under REDIAL on a Panasonic cordless phone?

Answer: The phone I have stores five prior dialed numbers for recall by pressing "redial." You can scroll through them with the up/down arrow keys. It beeps once for each entry and twice when you reach the last one that's stored so you know you reached the end. If you keep scrolling after the double-beep, it repeats from the beginning of the stored numbers.

Question: Do I need Internet service to use a Panasonic cordless phone?

Answer: No, the Panasonic phone I discuss in my article is a regular phone for POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines.

If you want phone service that works over the Internet (IP), then you need to look at VoIP services. The Panasonic phone works well with VoIP service. I'm using it that way. In this case, your Internet modem provides a regular POTS line so that any standard phone can be used.

Question: Can the Panasonic phone always stay on the base charging unit even after it is fully charged?

Answer: Yes, there is no problem with that because the handset detects when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged. It will automatically stop charging to avoid damage to the batteries, and it also displays "Fully Charged" on the screen.

Question: How can I type the plus sign (+) on the phone's keypad?

Answer: All special characters such as & ' , . ( ) * - and / are on the "1" key, and can be accessed by repeatedly pressing that key, but there is no + sign.

Special characters can be used in the name field when adding contacts to the phone's directory.

Question: Do both cordless handsets on the Panasonic phone ring with an incoming call?

Answer: If both handsets have their ringer enabled, then yes, both will ring simultaneously with an incoming call. You can control that to suit your needs. For example:

I have two handsets with my Panasonic phone. One is in my living room and the other is next to my bed. I don't want the phone in my bedroom to ring, so I have that ringer shut off. I can still hear the phone out in the living room ringing if someone calls in the middle of the night, but at least it's not a shock waking up to a ringing phone right next to my head.

The phone has a lot of other flexible options with the ringer that you can select. You can set the ringer volume higher or lower for each individual handset. You can also select a different ring tone for each handset.

Question: How do I remotely delete a message on the Panasonic cordless phone?

Answer: Call your number. When it answers, enter your access code to play recorded messages. To delete any message, press *4 while that message is playing.

Question: How do I turn off the greeting message on the Panasonic phone permanently?

Answer: If you want to delete your greeting, the phone will use a prerecorded greeting message. Press the [Greeting check] option, and while your greeting is playing, press the [erase] option.

If you don't want any greeting at all, then you need to shut off the answering system. When you do that, the phone will no longer take messages. Press the [Answer On] button to turn the answering system on or off.

Question: Can I leave the phone charging in the base while using the speaker to talk?

Answer: I just tried that and the answer is—no. It displays a message on the screen saying, "Please pick up and try again."

Question: Can you put a phone call on hold and use the intercom to call another handset in another room?

Answer: Yes. While on a call, press the INT button and select the handset to transfer the caller to, then either hang up or stay on to conference all three of you.

Note that you don't need to place the call on hold, as you had asked. When you press the INT button to activate the intercom, it automatically places the caller on hold until the other handset is picked up or when you press TALK to return to the caller.

Question: How do I backspace when entering contacts into the phone's directory on a Panasonic cordless handset?

Answer: Press the "clear" soft-key to backspace and remove the last character.

If you just want to move back over entered characters without deleting them, use the left arrow key. This is also known as the left and right cursor keys on the larger button.

Question: How do I get the ECO off my Panasonic phone screen?

Answer: ECO appears when you are near your base and it doesn't need much power to communicate between the handset and base. In that case, it goes into an economy mode to extent your battery life and reduces radiation. That's indicated by the ECO on your screen. It can't be shut off, but it will disappear whenever you are far away from the base.

Question: Can the ringer function on the Panasonic cordless handsets be silenced during the night for all phones connected to the base phone?

Answer: You can only turn off the ringer individually on each unit. There is no way to do it in one step for all handsets.

I prefer to leave the ringer turned off with the handset next to my bed. I'll hear the other one ringing in the living room anyway — that will wake me up if there is an emergency caller. At least it won't suddenly jog me out of a deep sleep like it would if it were right next to me.

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on September 05, 2020:

Barbara - Go through your block-list under the menu options, and find the number you blocked. You will see a virtual button to press to unblock it.

Barbara on September 05, 2020:

I have been informed by friends trying to reach me but the phone does not ring ? Perhaps by mistake I might have BLOCKED CALLS ? . . How do I fix this ?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on July 16, 2020:

Max Bender - DECT 6.0 uses 12 duplex channels, and each channel is divided into 10 time slots for audio. So 120 conversations can be carried simultaneously within the same location. Therefore you'll have no problem with only 11 individual base stations with handsets.

max bender on July 16, 2020:

can I install 11 dect 6.0 plus independently in the same bldg. ?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on June 25, 2020:

Linda Ramsey - Yes, you can do that, but not the way your friend Charley mentioned.

You definitely need to leave your phone company voicemail active. It will take the call if your line is busy.

So when a caller is leaving a message on your Panasonic's answering machine, another caller would be routed to voice mail since your line is busy. See how that works?

One other crucial thing: You need to "not use" call waiting. If you have that, disable it with your phone service provider. Call waiting will cause the second caller to wait for your answering machine to hang up. They might give up waiting while they hear ringback with no answer.

As you can see, voice mail and call waiting are features provided by your phone company. They are not features of the Panasonic phone. Therefore it makes no sense that your new phone is not doing the same thing as your prior phone.

Make sure you did not change your phone company features, and that they are set as I discussed.

Linda Ramsey on June 25, 2020:

Can I make the base unit answering machine the primary with the overflow going to the phone company VM and if yes, how? My 12-year-old Panasonic did this but the new KX-TGF775 does not. When I had a text-chat w/ Panasonic, "Charley" told me I needed to turn off the phone company VM or that would be the defautl. Is this true?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on June 16, 2020:

Joan Nelson - Call forwarding is a function provided by your phone service provider. The phone has nothing to do with it. Ask your carrier if your service includes call forwarding.

Joan Nelson on June 16, 2020:

Hello. I have not used this phone before and wanted to know can you setup call forwarding on it, if so how? Thank you

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on June 12, 2020:

Thank you Sujatha. That means a lot to me since you're a telecom engineer.

Sujatha from Noida on June 12, 2020:

First time as seeing such a good analysis.!!Being a telecom engineer myself, makes so much sense.

great Work Glenn

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on April 27, 2020:

Charles Blood - Look for the KX-TG3645B. That one has the message light.

Charles Blood on April 27, 2020:

Hi Glenn,

Your Panasonic reviews are excellent. Thanks.

One question - your review talks about the phones having a Message Indicator Light and Display. However, it seems that this feature has been dropped from the more recent versions of the phone. I have a KX-TGC350 and the indicator light is completely missing. Any ideas of which other models still have the light?

Karen B. on March 28, 2020:

Thank you so much for your in-depth, but user friendly article! Great information. I have been trying to decide which brand of new cordless phone to buy and I'm sold on the Panasonic! Has everything I could want. Bless you for what you do! So helpful. :D

Thanks again.

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on March 28, 2020:

David Shakespeare - Yes, you can have a conversation with someone on another handset that's synced to the same base unit (hub, as you called it). Just press INT to signal your wife's handset. As for not hearing her, check if her handset was muted.

Per your second question: Yes, you can signal another handset by pressing INT even when you are connected to an incoming (or outgoing) call.

When your wife picks up her handset, press CONF so both of you will be connected to the same outside caller. Or you can just hang up and she can continue the conversation.

David Shakespeare on March 28, 2020:

Hi Glenn, Is it possible to have a two way conversation between Panasonic phones linked to the same hub using intercom? I tried intercom last night for the first time and my wife could hear me but I couldn't hear her.

Also, what if I pick up an incoming call on one of the phones that's for my wife - can I put the call on hold and use the intercom to tell my wife to take the call on her phone?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on December 11, 2019:

Marcia - If callers are going direct to voicemail rather than ringing through, then you have your phone service set to a privacy mode. That makes all calls go direct to voicemail without ringing.

That has nothing to do with the Panasonic phone. You need to log into your account management of your service provider, and change the setting.

Marcia on December 11, 2019:

I just got a Panasonic kx-tgc220al phone. It does not ring but goes to voicemail. How do I get it to ring

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on August 07, 2019:

George Slater - Yes, the phone model I mentioned saves the last 50 incoming calls in the caller list.

George Slater on August 07, 2019:

Very informative. Does the Panasonic store a caller list? If so, how many calls are stored

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on February 21, 2019:

Lyle Cameron - The check mark means that's it's a new call that you didn't review yet.

Lyle Cameron on February 21, 2019:

Hi Glenn, we have the KX-TGE633. What does the check mark in the upper left-hand corner of menu of callers? The instruction booklet seems to have all symbols except for this one? Thanks.

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on December 20, 2018:

Dee Lind - Good question. And I understand what you mean. The answer is yes, but you need to change the two other handsets to communicate with the first base.

In other words, you want to 'marry' all four handsets to a single base. The other base will simply not match to any handsets but will serve just fine as a charger.

In order to accomplish this you will need to go through the menu to the setup options on those other two handsets. Then register those two handsets to the first base. Details can be founnd in the user guide when you get the phones. It's easy to follow the steps.

It's interesting that additional handsets sold alone are more expensive than when included in a set with a base. That was good going that you determined that.

Dee Lind on December 20, 2018:

Have a question... was looking at the KXTGC352B (no ans. machine) that has two handsets...but I need 4. Can I buy 2 sets of the same model (cheaper than two additional phones) and use the base of the second set just as a charger (not plugging into jack)? Will the phones match up to the single base?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on November 24, 2018:

Sally Rehn - Each handset has rechargeable batteries, but if only the message light is not working and the phone does, then I suspect you have a problem with the light itself. Make sure you still have the service turned on with your carrier to enable the message light when messages are received. That is most likely the issue causing your problem.

Sally Rehn on November 24, 2018:

The light showing how many (if any) messages are on the phone doesn't work any more. Is there a battery somewhere that needs to be replaced--I couldn't find one in the answering maching?

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on September 14, 2017:

George, I just checked my phone and it allows 50 directory entries.

George on September 14, 2017:

You do not say how many numbers can be stored in the directory. Ads for wireless phones seem to ignore this very important feature

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on November 30, 2015:

MsDora - I dealt with that nuisance of programming each handset individually with an older phone system be another manufacturer. Then I discovered that Panasonic did it better by storing the programming in the base so each handset is always in sync.

Glenn Stok (author) from Long Island, NY on November 30, 2015:

RonElFran - Yes indeed! The intercom feature is very useful when you have several handsets on a single base. It goes to show that Panasonic includes great phone features.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on November 29, 2015:

Thanks for this review. I have a system that does almost everything you describe but (1) it does not have the message indicator and (2) handsets have to be programmed individually. The Panasonic is really a cut above the rest. Thanks for letting us know.

Ronald E Franklin from Mechanicsburg, PA on November 27, 2015:

Glenn, this helps me know what to look for next time we buy a phone. I particularly like the intercom feature. I think all phones should make provision for that, instead of making people call from their cell phone to their home phone just to talk to someone in the same house.

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Source: https://turbofuture.com/consumer-electronics/my-favorite-cordless-phone