I want a very good quality corded, 1 line, telephone answering system.
I need the announcement to be of very good quality, and a recording
time ideally of 40 minutes.

Is there such a product available? What would you recommend?

Thank you!

Dear joemil,

There is such a product, and I own one. It's made by GE and can be
purchased for $20 or less. The model number is 29875GE1. See the
following page for a photograph.

Electronics Outfitter: GE 29875GE1 Phone Answering Machine (White)
http://www.electronicsoutfitter.com/store/29875GE1.html

Please note that the information supplied on that page is partially
incorrect: the maximum recording time is not 30 minutes, but 40
minutes. It says so right on the box, and I have confirmed by
experimentation that this is true. This machine is also available in
black, which changes the model number to 29875GE2.

LGD Superstore: General Electric 29875GE2 Phone Answering Machine (Black)
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/gigabuyz/29875ge2.html

I can testify from personal experience that this unit, although
inexpensive and compact, is packed with features and very intuitive to
use. You can skip through messages instantly while listening to them,
unlike with the older, tape-recording answering machines. You can set
various usage parameters -- number of rings before pick-up and so on
-- and access your messages remotely using a code number that you
choose yourself. You can use it to screen calls by listening to
messages as they are being recorded.

It lets you record your own greeting, but at any time you can revert
to the excellent built-in greeting, which is spoken by a pleasantly
neutral female voice. It is so realistic that the first time I heard
it through the phone -- I had called someone else who had purchased
one of these answering machines before me -- I thought it was a live
person answering. Now I have one of my own and I use the built-in
greeting myself.

Regards,

leapinglizard

Just what I needed. Very good job.