Entered CNET Catalog: 11/08/2002
SKU: SAN4700SPR
Manufacturer: Sanyo North America Corp.
Manufacturer description
Sanyo's corporate philosophy is the guiding principle in accomplishing the key management policy of ensuring products and services that are indispensable in creating harmony between people and the environment. Sanyo's industry leading technology offers a more comfortable life in harmony with the global environment. Sanyo SCP-4700 is a dual-band Sprint PCS phone with a handsfree speakerphone, voice dialing, voice ringer and Memorecorder features. Sanyo SCP-4700 keeps you within reach wherever you are!Product summary
The good: Stellar battery life; analog roaming; speakerphone; compatible with next-generation voice networks (3G); wireless Web access.
The bad: A tad bulky; call quality could be better; will not support 3G data speeds.
The bottom line: The SCP-4700 is an all-around solid phone that has the advantage of being compatible with Sprint's 3G 1X voice network.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/06/2002
Like the SCP-4500, the SCP-4700 has a large, five-line ClearGlo, blue-backlit display that's easy to read in most lighting conditions. It also sports a roomy backlit keypad and a large navigation button for accessing the phone's functions and surfing the Web. There's even a dedicated button to access the SCP-4700's speakerphone capability. Feature-wise, the phone comes fully loaded. It has caller ID, analog roaming, voice-activated dialing for up to 20 numbers, voice memo, a calendar, a to-do list, wireless Web access, a couple of mildly amusing games (Crab Catcher and Slots), 13 types of ring tones, a vibrate mode, and a 300-name phone book. One area where the SCP-4700 shines is battery life. We came close to matching Sanyo's rated talk time of four hours and fell just a couple of days short of the 12-day standby time, which is still quite impressive. Furthermore, if you need to take the charger on the road with you, it's slim enough to fit easily in a suitcase or bag.
We tested the dual-mode (CDMA 1900/AMPS 800) mobile on Sprint's network in the San Francisco Bay Area. Overall, we typically got coverage wherever we used the phone, and while we could typically hear callers, there were some occasions when we had to move the phone's mike closer to the mouth in order for callers to hear us. The speakerphone, however, sounded better than those found on most landline phones.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
User Rating: 
9/10
Excellent phone
Pros: These phones were before their time. I first had the 4000 back in '99 and was able to check my Hotmail before most could
Cons: The speaker phone is incredible. It's very durable. Large keys.
User Rating: 
8/10
The way all cell phones should be made.
Pros: Battery life is spectacular, Reception while those around you are roaming for even a connection, Sturdy and well built. It truely takes a beating,
Cons: Outgoing history could be larger but is more than bearable.
User Rating: 
10/10
You guys are fairies. This is a manly phone.
Pros: Not for girls
Cons: Meant for real men.
User Rating: 9/10
Just a good GOOD Phone if you are looking for reliability over flash (bling-bling)
Pros: Solid, Reliable, Strong, Great Reception, Loud Ring & Speaker Phone, Awesome Battery Life. I have o
Cons: No color screen & No Camera?? Just a good GOOD Phone if you are looking for reliability over flash (bling-bling)
User Rating: 10/10
Best phone I ever owned. An efficient tool.
Pros: Battery life was *unreal.* Excellent user interface.
Cons: I found no negative features on this phone.
User Rating: 8/10
Old faithful
Pros: durable, good range of features for price (free!)
Cons: bulkiness, nothing flashy
Even though I get cute comments like, "Is that your house phone?" when I use it in public (it's about 5 1/2, 6" long and about an inch thick), it does me justice. Voice dialing and ringer, memo recording, speakerphone, call/calendar alarm, wireless web...plus a dozen other features you might not expect from a basic phone...are all there. Plus, I think it's impossible to break. The battery doesn't last more than a couple of days of light use, but is fully juiced in only a few minutes.
I am finally shopping around for a new, more portable phone now (purses are just getting smaller these days!), but am at a loss to find something comparable.
User Rating: 9/10
Great phone, good reception, durable
Pros: Has taken a beating after 3 years and outlasted my 5300 camera phone.
Cons: Finish wears off and antenna had to be fixed
User Rating: 
6/10
A phone that is a phone
Pros: Great construction. Great call sound, and signal strength, takes a beating and keeps going.
Cons: a bit big, not flashy like a flip phone
User Rating: 9/10
Three years and still going strong
Pros: Excellent sound. Great speaker.Three years on same battery. Dropped many times on hard surfaces, still works well.Screen is easy to work and read.
Cons: Size
User Rating: 8/10
3+ years and still a workhorse
Pros: This phone has been wonderful. I bought same model when Sprint had sale for $30. Haven't had to switch yet and have 2 batteries. Best cell phone I have used.
Cons: Sprint service can be spotty.
User Rating: 
7/10
2.5 yrs--Reliable, No Complaints!
Pros: Great reception, battery lasts for days not hours, never had a problem. My wife has a Samsung A400 recommended by Sprint, dies overnite. The Sanyo phone is great, I'm buying her the 4900.
Cons: Using the features can be a bit hairy for someone unfamiliar with cellphones.
User Rating: 8/10
This should be your workhorse cell phone: reliability, features, voice quality & reception
Pros: ? Solid construction ? Easy to use ? Bright screen ? Great speakerphone ? Great dynamic range (earpiece and speaker) ? Great reception (compared to other phones) ? Great incoming & outgoing sound quality ? Enough features to meet your phone needs but
Cons: ? No alarm clock ? Resets to default ringtone settings when you change "environment" settings ? Battery life indicator is handy but tends to stay at "full" for days, then plummet to "none" within hours ? Either vibrates or rings but not both ? No accesori
User Rating: 8/10
Great phone overall and great speakerphone.
Pros: Great features. Great speakerphone. Battery life exceptional - better than these newer phones.
Cons: I finally broke mine after numerous drops but I like the phone so much, I have rubber banded it back together. I'll keep it as long as I can.
User Rating: 8/10
Reliable and Great Battery Life
Pros: Loud, great battery, and good display.
Cons: Must enable keyguard when not in case. Ringer can be embarrassingly loud, especially since Wagner's 'Flight of the Walkuries' is my default ringer and I am often in the company of Jewish persons. I agree that the reception can be temperamental (inches d
User Rating: 
4/10
1 year old and screen goes out
Pros: Features are fine if you aren't interested in wireless web.
Cons: I was pleased until screen went out. Can't get a screw drive to open it up to try and fix the phone yourself. Can see anything on the screen so it's very had to use. Should have been better quality for the cost. Phone hasn't received abuse so that isn
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent reception, Great phone.
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 8/10
Great phone
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 9/10
I Love My Sanyo 4700
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 8/10
Solid phone
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 
3/10
A free phone that Sprint upgrades you to
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 
5/10
Nice Features, poor reception
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 8/10
Good Phone To Use
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 4/10
Glitch in Program
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 7/10
This is an excellent phone
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 6/10
Unreliable performance but lots of features.
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 9/10
Great Business Phone
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 6/10
A lot of features
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 7/10
Best in Low Signal Areas!
Pros:
Cons:
User Rating: 4/10
Dissatisfied
Pros:
Cons:
