I have a Sony SPP-A2780 base unit telephone with one cordless handset.
The cordless handset recently stopped communicating with the base
unit. The instructions said that the handset must be reset, and then
re-registered with the base unit. The reset of the handset worked
successfully (pressing Intercom, Ezy-Access and 1 at the same time),
but the handset will not register with the base unit. To register the
handset, I pressed PGM, and then Intercom, entered the system ID
number, and pressed PGM again while holding the handset within a few
inches of the base unit. The base unit acknowledged the registration
attempt, but both the handset and the base unit showed ERROR on their
respective displays after a few seconds. I have also tried the
registration process after pressing the reset button on the underside
of the base unit, after unplugging the base unit, and after taking the
battery out of the handset, all without success. I received some
advice that I would need to reset the base unit in the same way that I
reset the handset (pressing Intercom, Ezy-Access and 1 at the same
time), but this process doesn’t seem to work on the base unit. Sony no
longer produces this model and although I found some references to
handset registration on the Sony service web site, this problem did
not seem to be addressed.

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Clarification of Question by thinedge-ga on 24 Apr 2003 08:06 PDT

Thanks for your comments, Chromedome.
>The phone is no longer under warranty.
>I unplugged the handset battery for at least five minutes and
repeated this a number of times.
>I am trying to avoid draining the base unit battery backup for fear
of losing my directory (and I'm not entirely confident that it will
help).  I may try this as a last ditch effort.
>Sony service has not been very helpful.  I will persist with them if
I don't get an answer here.

Hi, Thinedge...

I'm in the throes of moving right now, so I won't have time to track
this down for you.  I used to sell similar Sony cordless phones, and
this was a recurrent issue on some models; it's a serious irritation
(at best).

A couple of points: First, is your phone under regular or extended
warranty?  If so, let your nearest Sony service centre deal with it
for you.  Assuming that's not the case, how long did you keep the
battery unplugged from the handset?  It generally takes at least 10
seconds for the memory to reset.

As for resetting the base unit, some newer models have a memory backup
(either battery-backed, or capacitor-backed).  This means that
attempting to reset the base unit's memory by unplugging it will be
fruitless, unless you're prepared to leave it for a substantial amount
of time.  You may want to try calling your local Sony service centre
for advice.  In fact you may want to call several...they're not
necessarily very helpful.

If your question has not been satisfactorily dealt with by the time I
get settled in my new home, I will attempt to provide you with more
definite information.

Good Luck!

-Chromedome

Dear chromedome & thinedge,
                            I'm having exactly the same problem &
despite having tried all that thinedge did, I still have the same
"error" message.
 Phone is not under warranty. Have not called Sony yet.
        Any suggestions?

Shrink-doc,

I have not been able to solve the problem.  I'm going to repost the
question in the hope that Chromedome is able to answer once he is
settled in his new home.