GE 29869GE2 Digital Answering System with 4 Mailboxes

This machine replaced an old cassette-style answering machine. Our teenage daughter had the machine set up and working within 10 minutes. The sound quality may not be very high, but it is more than adequate for residential use. The amount of recording time per call allows most messages to be completed. The time stamp to determine when the messages were received is a great help.

The speaker produces a very poor quality voice. I thought the first unit I received was defective, but when I was sent a replacement, the replacement was just as bad. Reducing the volume on playback helps somewhat. I kept the unit because I needed a multiple-mailbox system and did not want to pay a lot for it.

Nice to find a good old fashioned answering machine. Decent sound quality, easy to use.

The machine was priced right which is why I chose it. I've owned it for about a year. This answering machine is unreliable. I record my message and the machine drops my message and reverts to the stock message at least once a week. It also drops the current date and time I enter. It is frustrating and I am going to buy another answering machine that is a different brand.

This purchase was a replacement of the exact item. It served our needs 100%. This is used in a small office without "Voice Mail" on a 2 line phone system. I bought the first item locally at an office supply store. It is no longer a stock item, therefore I went online and found it on AMAZON.COM!!!

This product has worked extremely well. Easy to use and when an answering machine is used, this must be one of the best ever made for the cost.

I purchased this product over a month ago. It was getting harder and harder to find a standalone answering machine. Good volume and options make it a great buy.

This machine works out great for a small business. It's easy to setup and use. The sound quality is very good too. I was concerned about some complaints I read in other reviews, but have found them to be non-issues:
1. Hard wired phone cord: There's the cord + jack, and you can use either interchangably without problem.
2. Battery backup does not work: It works perfectly unless you are a ding-dong and unplug the power supply jack from the machine which disables the battery backup.

The standalone answering machine had its heyday in the 1990s. Digital recording, an exotic and imperfect technology, transformed it from a complicated tape-based machine into a flexible voice-mail system.

The technology has stagnated since miniaturization made it possible to incorporate answering systems into wireless telephone base stations. This GE-branded machine seems to represent a sad backslide.

The one good point is that it can provide four separate voicemail boxes. This is more than offset by several drawbacks:

--An almost-unintelligible voice-prompt system. The designer of that feature seemed to be aiming for "robotic strict female voice," and did not build appropriate "shoulders" into each voice segment. The comical result is a herky-jerky delivery of voice prompts. It is further hampered by a low sampling rate; thus it is very hard to comprehend during a remote retrieval session.

--A computer-centric coding system for days of the week. The voice-driven time stamp system can tell you which day of the week a message arrived. But to SET the date, you have to know that the days of the week are numbered from 1 to 7, starting with Monday.

--A data-retention system that doesn't work. In theory, unplugging the machine from the wall (or experiencing a power failure) should not affect the system programming or received messages, as they should be retained in Flash ROM. Unplugging the power connector from the machine itself is designed to reset the machine--a desirable feature in the event that ownership is transferred to another person. In practice, forget retaining your messages when the transformer is unplugged, because the machine certainly will.

In sum, this is old technology, and it appears to have been realized by resource-starved wannabes who had little more than ancient parts, old designs, and a GE logo with which to work. There are almost no choices remaining for this kind of answering machine, but don't conclude that this one is still on the market because it deserves to be.

You would be better served to invest in a wireless base station that includes a mailbox-based answering system--and ignore the wireless handset if you don't need it.
Siemens Gigaset 2425 Expandable Cordless Telephone System w/ Mailboxes
Vtech 2455 2.4GHz w/3 Mailboxes CID & Additional Handset

There is one quirk that is annoying because it seems illogical and for which I could not get a clear response via phone. In fact, when I asked for a supervisor, I was told none available and when I asked to have someone call me back, no one did. By the way, the number is not toll free and I was on hold for 25 minutes. I then wrote to the Manager of Consumer Relations and despite all the contact info in my letter, I then received a letter back that they could not contact me, but I was given a toll free number to call and a reference case number. The quirk is that if one disconnects the power cord at the device, memory is lost, even with a battery installed. However, memory is not lost if disconnected at the wall socket. To me, power loss is power loss. The best I could deign from a representative, who had to research it while I waited, is that it seems to be that the plug in the device maintains some sort of circuit. This seems like a foolish mechanism given that most devices use backup batteries to function no matter how the power is lost. Two advantages are (1) the multiple mailboxes - I do not have to listen to my wife's various organizational calls and (2) the ability to set a time limit for messages, which can be conveyed in your greeting - and thus limit long meandering time-wasting messages when listening. One relative defect is the fairly poor voice quality for both the greeting and the messages left - much better technology exists.

I bought this same answering machine nearly three years ago. Just this year the unit was struck by lightning. Amazingly enough, the unit still works on its' own but when you connect it to a caller ID it won't work. It has been a great receptionist for me. It works very well for a home-based business. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to find another one because it was unavailable at the place where I initially purchased it. Then I tried Amazon.com and found it about eight dollars cheaper and received it in a matter of 3 days. I think it's a great machine to have and I've never had any other problem with it. Once I followed the instructions on programming it, it was ON, like popcorn. That's a little slang my grandkids taught me. If you put a pretty long greeting on it, it will even discourage bill collectors. I hope GE continues to make this product. It's GREAT!!! Lois Simmons

Bought this for a home with a home business. It was easy to set up. We've had it and used it for a couple months now. Had NO trouble. In fact we were out of power for 36 hours and did not have to reset the message.

I would recomend this product!!!

The machine was delivered as promised. The machine design is waht I
needed, however, once installed the play-back volume was so low, it
was difficult to hear messages. I have ordered an audio amplifier in hopes of making this a functional unit. (I do have a hearing problem,
so am not sure if this is my problem or the machines - or a combination
of both?)

Because it was so inexpensive, I really cannot claim to be extremely disappointed. However, the sound quality is pretty bad on this machine, both on incoming calls and on the outgoing message (even after I re-recorded the outgoing message 2 or 3 times, trying to make it clearer, louder, more distinct, etc.) I am able to call in for my messages from both my cell phone or from an external office phone, which was my main purpose in buying this machine. I formerly had a Panasonic phone answering machine, which lasted over 23 years. Thus, I had hoped to replace it with another just as good as it was. Unfortunately, Panasonic no longer makes that answering machine, and this GE looked like the closest thing to it, presently on the market. I was wrong...

I read other reviews that included complaints about the quality of the sound (of the outgoing message and received messages). These complaints are very valid. The quality is POOR, but unless you have auditory processing difficulties, the quality won't interfere with listeners' comprehension. The machine is fairly compact in size. When you play back the NEW message, the machine will automatically play back the old (saved) messages - a bit of a nuisance, but you can stand there and skip them by pushing the forward button repeatedly. It's certainly not a great answering machine but there are few choices out there for machines with multiple mailboxes. Be aware that if you get an automated call (which we recently received about a medical appointment, so it was important), it will go to mailbox one. Not bad, not great, acceptable and does the trick. I am NOT sorry I bought it.

I cannot understand why some customers are complaining about this product costing less than twenty bucks!
It delivers on all aspects of what it says it will do.
The digital read out is bright and visible.
The black color usually blends with the surrounding.
It does not miss calls.
The sound quality, believe it or not, is absolutely fine. I detected no distortion, hum or disturbance.
Hey, I needed an answering machine and I got one at a great price (from Amazon) and I have very satisfied with it.

Easy machine to set-up for a great price... the battery back-up is what sold me on this one. The only quirk in the product is you lose all your settings if you disconnect power at the machine... I knew this ahead of time so able to avoid a frustrating experience.

The sound quality of this unit is just awful. You could make out what was being said, but it was not easy. I think this unit is a big mistake for anyone and that you can do far better with an integrated system on a phone.
I returned mine. If you buy this, keep your expectations very low.

at first this machine worked but then...after changing the battery out it continued to say "BATTERY LOW" after each message was replayed. Also volume level for recording is not the best. Not a good buy

I have owned this answering machine for 4 years at the office. I have been so pleased with this answering machine I recently bought a second so that when the first one eventually goes kaput I've got an immediate backup ready. The reason we initially got this machine was that it has 2 outgoing messages which easily switch at the push of the button. We can then have a daytime and nighttime message.

we think it was perfect.....and its what we were looking for, and the price was good.

So far I am pleased with the unit. I am just using 2 of the 4 mail boxes but it has worked well. I often call from my cell to check for messages, I can easily play my messages from both boxes and delete if desired.I have not pulled the plug to see if the battery back up saves messages and such. I read some older reviews that complained about this. For the money spent I am pleased.

After only a few months this machine started to malfunction. When someone would call it would play 2 seconds of the outgoing message, then disconnect them. Could not problem solve - am now looking to GE for a refund.

DO NOT buy this machine

What I really needed for my small business was a replacement for my 2-Line digital answering machine. Alas, there were none to be found. After a long frustrating search, my final solution was to purchase two single line machines. This model turned out to be a great value (total cost was a fraction of what I had considered spending), and both my units are working well without any problem. If I were redesigning the unit, I would add a 2-line version, and provide attachment points on the bottom to mount the unit on the wall.

This digital unit does not meet performance expectations. An electrical storm wrecked my annalog cassette tape answering unit and was replaced by this one (both models were GE). About a third of messages on this new digital unit are of such poor voice quality they are undiscernable and especially if a message is left from a cell phone caller. This was not the case with the analog cassette unit. In hinds sight, I would have paid to have the fried unit repaired.

Very easy to set up and operate!! Four mailboxes are more than enough! The only thing I wish it did was to announce which mailbox you are in before you record your incoming message!

Very poor Audio Quality. Bought this considering the fact that it has four mail boxes but after listening to audio quality thinking of returning. Not for people who demand and appreciate quality.

I purchased this unit from Amazon after reading many machine reviews.
This unit was not rated well, but most answering machines are not, I took a chance. As predicted, it worked well for 6 months, then stopped answering and just hung up on calls. I contacted GE/Thompson via web site and got a run around blaming the problem on my phone. A phone reset did not correct the problem with the answering machine. Then they provided a long distance number (no 800# in the 21st Century ?, says sonething about their support) that never did ring, it's been busy for 3 weeks. Poor product, dismal support, Buyer Beware.

The product works fine....the item came much faster then email said it would, I'm very pleased with it.

I'm on my third one in three months. Messages intended for one mailbox transfer to another. Lights don't work. Buttons mash down permanently. Piece of caca, this is.

I bought this item for my mother after owning a similar one for many years. The interface on this newer one is not as intuitive and some functions seem to be less usuable. My old GE answering machine had three mailboxes and had been a steady workhorse for over 10 years. With this new one, only time will tell how long it lasts.

This is the exact machine that I had had for about 5 years. It always worked well, so when it was knocked on the floor and was no longer functional I replaced it with the same. Works well. Voices are clear and I really like the 4 mailboxes idea and the remote message pickup capability. Reasonably priced also.

My business prefers digital answering machines with lots of memory. The 40 minutes on this unit seemed ideal. Unfortunately, the speaker was so poor that many of the messages were garbled almost beyond recognition. After two days, my staff requested a new unit. We replaced it with a similarly featured model by AT&T and are MUCH happier. Cannot recommend this to anyone.

Great machine!!!!!!!!!!! Sound quality is excellent. Wonderful price and with the battery backup I never need worry about resetting or losing messages. I am delighted.
Carol F.

Don't be fooled by this products description. Although it promises four "mailboxes," in the answering machine sense of the word, it DOES NOT have four mailboxes. You CANNOT record an outgoing message for each mailbox, you're only allowed an A or B choice of outgoing annoucement and if you tell folks to press 2, 3 or 4, all they'll get is a beep and then time to record, you can't leave any further instructions. So, not really a "mailbox" answering machine!

THERE'S NO COMPARISON BETWEEN THIS MACHINE AND THE OLD PANASONIC THAT LASTED 12 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE SOUND ON THE GE IS TERRIBLE AND OFTEN MESSAGES ARE JUST A GRATING MUFFLED BUNCH OF UNINTELLIGIBLE WORDS. THIS WAS RATED BETTER THAN OTHER MACHINES OUT THERE THESE DAYS BUT THAT IS TRULY A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Regardless of replacing the 9V Battery almost once a week, this machine
keeps loosing the Greeting Message all the time.Voice Quality is also not very good.

Very good machine. Great for those with the need for up to 4 separate mail boxes.Easy to set up. Has simple remote access. Battery back-up in case of power failure. Worth the price.GE 29869GE2 Digital Answering System with 4 Mailboxes

This machine works ok. I have had no problems with DSL interference. The sound quality is a 6 out of 10. If it last 5 years I would buy another one.

We have three of these, and they work great. The sound quality of the speaker is not high-fidelity, but it is adequate. We sometimes use the machine for recorded phone messages for our radio show (Freethought Radio), and in that case we simply call the machine from the studio and retrieve a much better quality file than we can get from the speaker.

I should have listened to all those reviews that said this was a piece of junk - they were right ! No matter where you set the "rings to answer" it still rings 7 or 8 times and then rings once more after the machine picks up. Customer service is a bigger joke. It took 10 minutes of going through a phone tree and giving personal information to someone whose first language is not english. 10 more minutes while he reads the manual and then gives the recommendation that you unplug the unit for 10 minutes and try again.

The GE 29869GE2 Digital Answering Machine works just fine. The voices are clear, the operation is simple and it has all the features one needs. On the whole, a nice reliable addition to your home or office.

Product meets all of my expectations, is easy to set up and does what it says it is supposed to do.

I wanted an answering system that didn't require me to lift up my phone to see if there were any message because I'd forget to do it, so I needed an external answering machine. I was surprised how few there were to choose from. I tried a RadioShack version, but it hung up on callers after a minute. The GE model I bought gives callers more time, but the audio quality is abysmal. I'm embarrassed that I present myself to callers with such primitive sound quality and I often have trouble, for the same reason, deciphering the messages that come in. Rats!

This is just as good (or bad) as any other machine I have had. Sometimes it cuts people off and doesn't take the message. When it does, the message is only barely discernable at times. OK, but not great. I would gladly pay double for good recording quality, but can't find it. Everyone seems to have gone to telephone company voice mail. But then they don't know when a message has come in, so they never return your call!

This answering machine had 1 message cut off, wouldn't allow one person to leave a message, and another had to call back repeatedly in order to leave a message. This was all in the first use of the machine. Digital Messaging System with 4 Mailboxes

I am very happy with this product. Easy to install and has flexibility
of 4 mailboxes. Price is reasonable and highly rated by Consumer Report.

I have had this for a few years now. It replaced my computer program MSPHONE that had multiple voice boxes but didn't work with XP. For the most part it worked well but the voice quality seems to be going down hill lately although I am getting more cell calls now.

If you want to make your small business look bigger by utilizing multiple mailboxes then this is the machine to use. Sound quality is sub par though so I am dreaming of a different brand w/ multiple mailboxes. Until then I am stuck.

BTW, I was successful in setting it to answer on 4 rings and putting it after a Brother MFC5840CN All in One which successfully answers faxes with the TAD on!!!!

Lucky Me.

I purchased this machine because it has the most recording time and most mailboxes of all the consumer systems out there--I need these features for my business. I also need the recording quality to be good, like your run-of-the-mill commercial voicemail system (or the old cassette-type machines) because I need to capture and edit these voice messages on my computer. On the recommendation of a couple of reviewers in this forum who stated that the voice quality was great, I decided to give this model a try.

Well, this system does deliver the capacity, but I'm sorry to say that the voice quality is one of the worst I've ever heard on a digital answering machine. It's the same problem that plagues all digital answerers: it sounds like you're hearing the message through water. I have a puny, 4-year-old digital Radio Shack answerer at home that blows this item away in terms of voice quality. (Unfortunately Radio Shack no longer makes answerers.) In terms of the outgoing message, I tried recording it remotely by calling in (which results in a much better sounding announcement than doing it in the same room), but even that sounds crummy.

Sorry to be a downer here. Don't get me wrong: this unit may suit you for home purposes, but the quality--which I find to be at or slightly below par for digital answerers--is not at all acceptable for a business.

I am really disappointed with the state of affairs in the digital answering machine world (and regular telephones for that matter, but that's a whole other story). Tape-based machines, which have far superior fidelity compared to these digital pieces of junk, are no longer made. I am truly perplexed why we can't get the quality of commercial voicemail servers in a small package. Are the makers of commercial servers are in cahoots with the folks who make consumer models to keep the quality down?

So, the bottom line is that I thought I could get away with not paying my local phone company $10/month for voicemail service, but alas, I have finally decided I cannot. Just what this world needs--someone giving more easy money to AT&T for voicemail service.

It is a good enswering machine.
Easy and simple to handle.