AT&T 210 Corded Phone, White, 1 Handset by Advanced American Telephones
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Digital camera reviews of AT&T 210 Corded Phone, White, 1 Handset
Digital camera Review: A Simple & Reliable Telephone
Summary: 5 Stars
The troubles with cell phones not working after the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the power blackout in 2003 made clear the advantage of a corded land-line telephone in emergencies. There have also been repeated problems with expensive combination telephone/answering machines where one stops working so the whole thing has to be replaced. The frequent and annoying static on various cordless telephones was the last straw so I ordered this telephone over four years ago and have really enjoyed using it.
The backlit dial pad is nice and the easy access to controls for ring and handset volume is great. I don't use the memory dial or emergency buttons but they could be useful if someone has trouble dialing numbers or uses a calling card for long distance. You don't need any instructions to use the basic features, just plug it in, lift off the base and dial, which is a nice change from fancy electronics that take an hour to set up. The handset itself is well-balanced and feels substantial in the hand without being too heavy. The buttons have the right amount of "give".
Overall, this is a nice little telephone, simple and reliable.
A great accessory is this little thing-a-ma-jig that keeps the cord from getting tangled: AT&T 91078 Cord Detangler - 3 Pack (Clear)
Digital camera Review: A classic endures, at least to some extent
Summary: 4 Stars
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This review is of the AT&T TrimlineŽ model 210, made by Advanced American Telephone under license from AT&T. Along with similarly-shaped "Trimstyle" and other imitator models, there are readily available two other, similar phones entitled to use the term "Trimline": one marketed by Northwestern Bell (which sells a lot of corded phones); the other the model 205 Trimline, as one expects a bit simpler than the model at hand. The model 210 Trimline has a long history of production at different sites, with few pauses from the mid-1960s to the present. During the early days of renting the phone from Ma Bell they were made in Indiana (rotary models, too); then (according to Wikipedia) tone models came out of Singapore, the Philippines, Mexico, China and again China. I think the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages of owning a newly made model 210, and I'll elaborate:
PROS: Fully modular: not only the handset but the line cord is modular, including lead into the telephone base itself (prior reviewers did not find that feature) . This makes extending the line cord a breeze, substituting either a very long male/male phone cord, or inserting a modular (F/F) adapter in the middle of two conjoined male/male cords. I've tried that and found fit-and-finish were fine with GE brand coupler from the "Also bought" recommendations at this site.
A little heavier than some previous "retro" Trimlines, but of course not nearly so heavy as the originals of the Sixties and Seventies;
Receiver volume can be raised or lowered via switch on the outside of the handset;
Inside the phone below the number pad are found an OFF-LO-HI volume switch (note that it is possible to turn the ringer off entirely, although some earlier reviews have said the contrary). Chirper is a moderate, office-style pitch, nothing extraordinary;
Can hold (if the specs are right) up to 13 stored numbers, although that may really mean ten stored numbers plus the three feature buttons for Fire, Police and Ambulance;
It can indeed mount on a wall--just follow instructions.
Small footprint and an acknowledged "classic" design, down to the rounded rectangular buttons on the handset. Lack of ringer bell notwithstanding, this is probably the Trimline design and touchpad layout that best mimics the Bell (Western Electric) Trimlines of 40 years ago.
Switchable Tone/Pulse on handset should anyone still need to imitate rotary-dial "pulls" with Pulse;
Surprisingly cheap. This model retails at thirty-two .95 (and you can expect to see it a great deal cheaper here) Accessories are cheap, but color issues may arise (see below)..
CONS: No one really knows how long this particulate incarnation is going to last under ordinary residential use.. Some prior reviewers had their Trimlines fail almost immediately; others have kept this same model no. for ten years and more;
Handset has buttons for "Flash", "Redial" and "Mem[ory]," but not a dedicated "Hold" button per se;
This is not a two-line phone; even the cheapest of them cost more;
The "lit" handset is indeed so dimly lit as to be practically useless. At least no separate AC connection is required.
There is nothing remotely domestic (USA/Can) about 210's current manufacturing site, China;
The coiled handset cord provided is short (a loop of about 32 inches stretched but not overstressed; i.e. about 1.4 feet per side); and . . .
Finding a new longer coiled handset cord, while easy as to function with so many suppliers around, has proved to be a real BEAR when it comes to matching colors! This AT&T white is more of an off-white, not the Polar white of GE/RCA white phone accessories, nor anyone else's ivory, ash, or beige that I can determine. Technically "off-white" as a color still exists in the canon of AT&T accessories, but....
And speaking of which, despite a need, product instructions lack any attempt to sell accessories like phone cords by mail or web.
SUMMARY: If you want a corded phone with a small footprint for light use that weighs a little more than was strictly necessary, the current 210 should serve. But if you want only one "main" corded phone for the living room, kitchen or office, there are plenty more choices out there. For about twice the money you can get a speakerphone white model out of Northwestern Bell and other Bell competitors and survivors; with not only speakerphone but more memory, usually a dedicated `Hold' button . . . and at the higher price ranges genuine TWO-line phones make their appearance! (This may beg the question of why a second corded line is needed, but there are home/office situations where that's for the best.)
Whether your backup is a rarely used cell phone prone to battery depletion, or a traditional corded phone like the Trimline 210, test it every now and then. No one wants to come across failure during a real emergency situation.
Along with its Brady Bunch-era charm, the Trimline 210 is a recognized design classic. If you find it a little too bland and you want to make a stronger nostalgia statement, repro-retro Princess phones are not hard to find. To buy American, some residential phones out of Cortelco that were manufactured in the USA can still be found. Good luck whatever your decision, and if any of you know how to find accessories (peripherals) like an AT&T coiled handset cord in their signature off-white version of white, kindly "Comment" here to that effect! Thanks.
Digital camera Review: A good basic phone
Summary: 4 Stars
We bought this as a wall phone for our kitchen and had no trouble mounting the phone on the plate where our old phone was. (If you use this model as a wall phone, be sure to flip the little tab on the base so that it will hold the handpiece in place. The instructions explain how to do this.)
I find that my voice echos back a little bit when I am talking, but I hear the other party well. I haven't had a chance to use the memory or other advanced features, so I can't comment on those. So far, this phone meets our needs and was a good value.
Digital camera Review: A little bit too big and too heavy
Summary: 3 Stars
It does the job. But this phone is too big and too heavy. When I travel around and the phone gives me a hard time.Digital camera Review: A phone for real people
Summary: 5 Stars
This phone is of the simple and affordable style that I grew up with. It is practical in every way. It is not a cordless phone and I appreciate it's timeless and effective capabilities.