CT610

Up to now the phone is working wonderful. One thing that is does not have is a light in the window. I have to put on a light to see who's calling.

It was easy two set up but entering the time was not so easy.

The telephone combines several features of some complexity: storage of contacts' telephone numbers; an answering machine; call blocking and more. Consequently, the implementation of all the features requires careful interaction between the user's memory and the telephone's memory. The instructions are succinct. No words are wasted. They are therefore liable to have some areas that are not entirely clear. On the positive side, there are not many telephones on the retail market that have all its features, and do not require battery cells. Instead, the telephone is powered by a plug-in adapter to an AC 115V receptacle. So powered, it is disappointing that the viewing window requires reflected light. An AC adapter could have powered backlit or other illumination of the screen. I think it is a good value for someone with the patience to learn its features. The sound quality of the incoming call is not good. It lacks high frequencies of the caller's voice. That is the most serious defect of the telephone.

the directions say "go to menu" to set up. No where on the phone or box does it say "menu". So how do you set it up?

Let me start by saying that this machine does the job. However, it does not do it as well as it could. Others have noted that the display is not backlit, which I find annoying as have other reviewers. There are other problems. I have tried to find a way to increase the volume of the audio during message screening, but it seems to be fixed. I would like it to be higher than it is so that I do not need to be right next to the machine to screen calls. The audio quality leaves a lot to be desired. My machine registers phantom calls. For example, it will typically show 15 to 20 calls during the night when I have received exactly zero. The ease of use leaves something to be desired. I had an old tape-based answering machine which was much easier to use for message play-back. This old machine also had a feature that I wish the Motorola machine had -- whenever there was a message, a light would blink. It was immediately visible from across the room. Ironically, there is a light on the Motorola unit, but it is not used for this function. With the Motorola device, I need to be right next to it to view the (unlit) display to determine if a call has come in. All this said, I am still happy I have this device on my land-line to screen out the many junk calls I receive every day.

We have a landline phone that has been plagued by spam calls. We first experimented with using a stand-alone call blocker with our existing phone, but found it difficult to specify an appropriate set of filters (numbers, names, area codes) to block the spoofed calls. We just purchased the CT610 phone and so far it has been excellent. It is programmed so that numbers on our contact/white list will ring through (and then the answering machine will pick up after a specified number of rings; currently set to 5). Callers who are not on our contact/white list will get the answering machine after just one ring. Fortunately, spam callers do not bother to leave messages. If a message is left by the caller, the phone will beep intermittently (and this beep can be disabled). Alternatively, the CT610 can be programmed to use an "Announce" mode that requires callers who are not on the contact/white list to give their name, and then the recipient can screen the call before answering. We found this mode to be less convenient. The CT610 phone also has a dedicated "block" button for individual numbers and the ability to block entire area codes. Blocked callers will get a message stating that their call has been blocked, with no option to leave a message. My only complaints are that (1) the Caller ID display shows both the caller's number and name at the time the call is first received, but only the number appears in the call list (except for numbers with an associated name in the contact list), and (2) the LCD display is not backlit, so it can be difficult to see in poor lighting. Overall, this works very well to manage spam calls.

Keeping it polite, the Motorola CT610 is very unconventional in the layout of its buttons and in function as a phone. As an example of both, there is no re-dial button. To redial you apparently have to push "1" and hold (I had to google it to even find that out!). Manual? Good English, but meaning is often so off-base it had to be written by poorly programed AI. Actually, the phone itself appears AI designed. Terrible! That said, IT AT LEAST WORKS (Which explains the two star review rather than one) ...once one gets it figured out! I bought it for the Motorola name, which decades ago was the best in two-way radios. But, beware, this is not the Motorola of old ...which was apparently sold off long ago.

good phone