-GE> Sadly, the carrier I am an agent for just started requiring
-GE> authenticated phones, and so far as only certified
-GE> Motorola, Nokia, and
-GE> Audiovox. And the company I work for can only get
Bell Atlantic in the NorthEast is requiring authentication as well, Cellular 
One Boston, doesn't even require pin codes. Both authentication and pins are 
available but not mandatory.
-GE> Panasonic. In
-GE> almost three years of selling cellular phones and service
-GE> conversions,
-GE> I've never even seen a Mitsubishi, Okidata, or Uniden phone
-GE> anywhere
-GE> other than at trade shows or in a catalog.
I like the Mitsubishi Diamondtel 92T because the audio quality, especially on 
hands free, is excellent. Most people don't even realize I'm on a mobile 
phone, let alone using hands free. I'm very very pleased. I have a friend 
with the same phone as me so I get to hear it from both sides.
The phone also has the status monitor so as a cellular nut I know what 
channel I'm on as well as I can see the signal strength as a three digit 
number as well as the sat tone and the power output of the phone.
The drawbacks to my diamontel are twofold, the first is that it takes a much 
stronger signal than it should to get service. The second is that on directed 
retries the phone does not check the SID to verify that the phone is retrying 
on a home control channel. The result is roaming when you thing you're not. I 
had a GE and we have a Motorola TX 400 that do the same thing. When the 
cellular system directs the phone to retry the call on a different setup 
channel the phone does not check the SID.
The two Unidens I have are the 1700 and 1900. Their claim to fame of the 1700 
is the absolute best audio that I have every heard on the cellular phone. 
This phone doesn't have hands free. I remember the first time that I heard 
that phone in use, I received a call from a friend of mine on it, I was 
astounded at how clear the audio was. I have yet to hear better. The 1700 and 
1900 are also very sensitive and getting service well outside of the licensed 
coverage area works pretty well, sometimes up to 20 miles or more. I'm very 
impressed with their ability to get service in tough areas.
I had a chance to play with an OKI 11se, a hand held phone. I'm no fan of 
hand held phones but this one was really good. Great audio, easy to use, the 
size was good. If I were to get a hand held phone it would be an OKI.
A friend of mine upgraded from a Uniden 5500 handheld to and Oki 1325, the 
OKI performs much better. The Uniden 5500 handheld, which I bought from him, 
isn't very good. It doesn't share the excellence of it's 3 watt brothers.
On the Uniden 1700 we averaged between 1000 and 2000 minutes a month, by the 
time we switched over to the Diamontel we were running about 2000 to 3000 
minutes. My last three months were 4400, 4800, and 5680 minutes so I give 
whatever phone I'm using at the time a very good workout.
My verdict right now is that I haven't seen anything that would make me 
replace the diamondtel 92. I've been looking for a current phone that will 
match it's features but haven't found anything. If something comes along, 
I'll buy it.
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