With five people living in one house, and a dialup internet connection on most of the time, our second phone line was well used. With the move to ADSL, and a reduced number of residents, we have removed one phone line, and replaced the corded phone on the other with a two-phone digital wireless solution. Generally positive reviews and a low price led us to the Panasonic DECT TCD440 phone and TCD445 answering machine, in a pack with an extra handset, the pack being the TCD447.
DECT is the digital cordless standard in many places. It stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, and according to the Panasonic manual it "is characterized by high-security protection against interceptions". However, they also state that "this cordless telephone system does not incorporate provision for secrecy of conversations. Appropriately tuned radio equipment and other cordless telephone systems in close proximity may be used by a third party to monitor and possibly interrupt conversations in progress when this system is on radio operation." In consequence, I have no idea it this is secure or not. I guess they're saying the DECT standard is potentially secure, but that they haven't bothered with that aspect of it in this phone.
Each phone uses two rechargable NiMH AAA batteries, so when they eventually wear out (in 5 or 10 years) they won't be difficult or expensive to replace.
There are two base units for recharging the phones. The larger one is also the answering machine and main transmitter and receiver for the handsets. It doesn't have any adornments at all, such as a light indicating that there are answering machine messages waiting. Instead, you have to peer closely at the LCD display of the handsets for one particular blob to be flashing.
The maximum earpiece volume of the handsets is much lower that desirable. You really have to press your ear close to hear. Alternatively, you can use the handy hands-free feature, which makes everything much louder. Also, the hands-free activates a great glowing red button. You can tell this is what Panasonic have been concentrating on for this phone. Perhaps if they made that same button flash for answering machine messages it'd be even more useful.
Having two handsets allows the use of them as walkie-talkies, as long as both are within range of the main base unit. This doesn't constitute a real phone call, so it doesn't cost anything. You can also use this feature to transmit streaming audio off the internet around the house, as long as you're not expecting any calls.
Each recharger base must be permanently connected to a power point, and the main base unit must also be connected to the phone line. Phone lines provide a small amount of power, enough to light their keypads, for example, but not enough to recharge cordless phones.
After using these phones for a fortnight, they have turned out to be more convenient and cheaper to run than having two fixed phones attached to two phone lines. Although they have a couple of flaws, neither are bad enough to dent enthusiasm for the use of the phones.