BW Wireless GSM Desktop Phone - Desktop Style Phone with SIM Card Slot

Bought this for my mother who has dementia. She is now in a care home but there's no phone in her room. She's never learned to use a smart phone. We also tried her with an Alexa - but the voice control was too new-fangled for her and she couldn't get on with that either. She is increasingly having problems with TV remote controls etc, even though she used to be able to manage with them.Anyway, this phone has the advantage of being (for the most part) like a landline handset but it uses a mobile SIM, rather than needing a wired connection. The best thing about it is that, to answer a call, all my Mum has to do is to pick up the handset (which she is used to doing, so she can cope with this) - she doesn't have to mess about with pressing any buttons to accept the call, as you would do with a smart phone or even a "dumb" mobile. If she did have to do something like press a button to answer it, she'd forget to do it and then panic every time it rang - so all credit to the manufacturers for making it easy and as much like a landline as possible.The other great thing about it compared with a smart phone is that, although it has a back-up battery, you can leave it plugged into the mains all the time - so there's no worry about it losing its charge. The problem with a smart phone is that leaving it plugged in all the time knackers the battery - but if you unplug it, then someone has to remember to charge it once the battery has run down. Obviously if the user has dementia, they're unlikely to remember to do this (so it is yet another thing for the carers at the home to remember to do - but they probably have enough on their plate already).The SIM card was slightly fiddly to fit but once installed, it worked first time without problems. I don't know how long it will last, but for now it's a really good solution to (a) the lack of any phone in her room; and (b) her difficulties with using any more recent technology. My only criticisms are quite minor:1. To make outgoing calls, you need to dial the number and then press a button to get it to dial the number - as you would on a normal mobile. In that respect, it is not quite like a normal landline. But we mainly got it so that my Mum could receive calls, rather than make them - so this isn't a disaster as far as I'm concerned.2. Given that a key market for this device is probably older people who can't manage smart phones/mobiles, the buttons could've been made a bit bigger. But they are not so small that my Mum can't manage with them at all (even though she is partially sighted). And as explained above, the main thing we wanted was for her to be able to receive incoming calls, not make outgoing ones - so again, not a massive problem.

If you are needing a replacement for your normal phone or maybe need a standard phone for individuals who would struggle with a mobile phone, this is a good option. It takes a full size SIM card - you will need to get a converter if you have chosen to re-use a SIM that was already in a mobile phone, and this will be fiddly to get in to the SIM slot as this is slide in vs a door type SIM holder. I've tried with all but Three SIMs and it just worked. It also was able to work in areas the normal mobile phones struggled probably because this has a larger antenna . Note this is a 2G phone 'GSM' but this is what most 3G and even lately 4G phones phones have fallen back to so for the UK there is so much infrastructure (alarms / lifts/intercoms ...) that depend on 2G that this won't be disappearing for probably another 10 years - far longer than this phone is likely to last! Most normal SIM cards therefore are compatible - you won't need a special SIM card.In use the phone is relatively easy and as it is basically a mobile phone in a desk phone you have to dial in the same way (type the digits in and then press the green button), so it is different to basic landline phone.Negatives include a poor quality battery pack which at times has complained about the charging but still works, the less then clear way to hang up a call, and for me this has a very limited number of ring tones, but of those, these are some of the some of the worst you could come across - none I would say are suitable for a professional setup - pay the extra £20 for a different phone for these!In summary, this is a basic handset and for many an uncomplicated one that will be ideal for those that have trouble with options etc.

The phone is built well and durable

Battery was loose inside and wires hanging out for connection. When I tried to connect it it didn’t work. Seems dangerous

Brilliant j

Bought as a backup for someone who kept losing her mobile phone

Like many others I bought this for my 94 year old mother in a care home who cannot manage a mobile phone. We've had a few teething issues but it is now working. It is only 2G so 3 mobile network won't work. We put in a giff gaff sim and that is fine. The ring tone is pleasant but not conventional sounding so she has had to learn to recognise it as her phone and I cannot alter it. I had to turn off voicemail because it cut in too quickly but that is a sim issue. The manual is worse than hopeless, I found these reviews more useful in setting it up. It can stay plugged in so no problem with the battery running down and she is treating it like a landline.

Bought this as a back up phone for a friend who does not have a landline. Mains operated, it takes a SIM card & has it’s own mobile number. It is not hands free, which was part of the attraction, so the handset cannot be lost or mislaid. If used only for incoming calls, which we do, the cost is minimal. Great idea! Highly recommended