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Recommend me a stand-alone Skype phone

RossmaN : When they say doubles as your regular phones : it will accept incoming calls on a landline too? Do you have to specify when you dial out if you want it on skype or the landline or does it just assume skype?
 
Originally posted by: oogabooga
RossmaN : When they say doubles as your regular phones : it will accept incoming calls on a landline too? Do you have to specify when you dial out if you want it on skype or the landline or does it just assume skype?
Click to expand...

You press the + sign first to dial out using Skype.
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ND75FW/
Click to expand...

I have that phone, it's a stand alone, just plug it into your router.

I chose it over the WiFi Belkin ot other WiFi phones because of the reviews (poor battery life, poor sound quality, non functional with free WiFi networks that have an agreement splash screen (like my employer's)), I think the next generation of WiFi phones should be a lot better and have equal performance to the Phillips system, and I'll prob switch when the next generation of them hits the market.

Add a Skype Pro account and a Skypein # ($60 for 12 months) and you're golden.

I have been using the Phillips phone for ~2 months now, the sound quality isn't quite as good as a POTS (plain old telephone system), but it's good enough, I have a local #, and unlimited calls to North America.

It does accept Skypein calls too (both traditional Skype and land line calls)

I am on call for my job, so I wanted a phone as a back up to my cell, just in case, and it gives me unlimited calls to NA POTS phones, and unlimited calls to other Skype users.

My phone bill was ~$40/month, the phone was ~$100 (and another $60 for an extension handset, the math =

$480+ long distance charges POTS phone
$160 for hardware
$60 for Skype Pro and Skypein #
Yearly savings of $260+

 
Where is the OP trying to call? Specific country, or all over?
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ND75FW/
Click to expand...

I have that phone, it's a stand alone, just plug it into your router.

I chose it over the WiFi Belkin ot other WiFi phones because of the reviews (poor battery life, poor sound quality, non functional with free WiFi networks that have an agreement splash screen (like my employer's)), I think the next generation of WiFi phones should be a lot better and have equal performance to the Phillips system, and I'll prob switch when the next generation of them hits the market.

Add a Skype Pro account and a Skypein # ($60 for 12 months) and you're golden.

I have been using the Phillips phone for ~2 months now, the sound quality isn't quite as good as a POTS (plain old telephone system), but it's good enough, I have a local #, and unlimited calls to North America.

I am on call for my job, so I wanted a phone as a back up to my cell, just in case, and it gives me unlimited calls to NA POTS phones, and unlimited calls to other Skype users.

My phone bill was ~$40/month, the phone was ~$100 (and another $60 for an extension handset, the math =

$480+ long distance charges POTS phone
$160 for hardware
$60 for Skype Pro and Skypein #
Yearly savings of $260+
Click to expand...

How does the call quality compare to cell to cell?
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ND75FW/
Click to expand...

I have that phone, it's a stand alone, just plug it into your router.

I chose it over the WiFi Belkin ot other WiFi phones because of the reviews (poor battery life, poor sound quality, non functional with free WiFi networks that have an agreement splash screen (like my employer's)), I think the next generation of WiFi phones should be a lot better and have equal performance to the Phillips system, and I'll prob switch when the next generation of them hits the market.

Add a Skype Pro account and a Skypein # ($60 for 12 months) and you're golden.

I have been using the Phillips phone for ~2 months now, the sound quality isn't quite as good as a POTS (plain old telephone system), but it's good enough, I have a local #, and unlimited calls to North America.

I am on call for my job, so I wanted a phone as a back up to my cell, just in case, and it gives me unlimited calls to NA POTS phones, and unlimited calls to other Skype users.

My phone bill was ~$40/month, the phone was ~$100 (and another $60 for an extension handset, the math =

$480+ long distance charges POTS phone
$160 for hardware
$60 for Skype Pro and Skypein #
Yearly savings of $260+
Click to expand...

How does the call quality compare to cell to cell?
Click to expand...

It sounds pretty good, and just as good or better than cell to cell.

I'm very impressed with the phone & Skype, I enjoy finding creative ways to save some $, and this really fit the bill for me when ATT began to offer DSL only service in my area.
 
Originally posted by: oogabooga
RossmaN : When they say doubles as your regular phones : it will accept incoming calls on a landline too? Do you have to specify when you dial out if you want it on skype or the landline or does it just assume skype?
Click to expand...

You can set it to dial out primarily as one or the other, or choose each time you dial out, lots of folks go with the $5/month POTS line for the 911 service and Skype for long distance, I just put the regular emergency #'s for Fire, Police etc in my contacts and set it to use Skype as the primary system, no need to dial any special prefixes etc prior to the regular phone #'s with the Phillips phone.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Where is the OP trying to call? Specific country, or all over?
Click to expand...

Actually, I'm not trying to call so much as be called, but pretty much domestic US. This is a replacement for general phone service for me. With Vonage up to about $30/mo for unlimited service, I dropped them a while ago. As Pliablemoose showed with a POTS line:

Vonage = ~$350/yr
Skype Pro + SkypeIn = $60/yr
Hardware for Skype (Phone) = ~$120
Approximate savings = $170 - just for the first year. Second year savings would be nearly $290.

I've been using Skype currently (for the last month) with a cheapy Jabra bluetooth headset that was on sale at BestBuy two weeks ago for $12. It works well for me, but my wife insists on having a phone and not relying on the computer to be on in order to make or receive calls. That's why I'm looking for a good standalone phone.

Coupled with GrandCentral, I'm a happy camper. As soon as my Verizon Cellphone contract is up, I'm going to prepaid for wireless and only using it when absolutely needed. Wireless bills are just insane.
 
I get a Linksys one. they have two kinds really, under different models, but the one I bought is the CIT200. It uses a USB port, and can access all my skype contacts right through the phone. BUT if I had the money I would of bought the one that is a external box, or wireless G built right into the phone itself for then you wouldnt need to keep the computer on like you do with mine.

I found Amazon to be the cheapest for any of the Skype phones. Got mine for around $55 shipped, but the other kinds can be had from $75~ on up, WAY UP. But I do plan of upgrading myself to the other type just so I dont need to leave my pc on all the time.

And isnt having a $60 a year phone bill great 😀
I have a old cell phone charged up in case I should ever need to call 911, and if I had a cell phone you can ever forward your calls from skype to it, all for free in the $60 a month package.

In case others are wanting to go skype, you need to purchase Skype pro first, then you get a discount on a skype in number, making it around$60 for it all for a whole year. Plus you can pick and choose you phone number. I made mine a Chicago number so all my friends and family I left back up north can call it as a regular toll number, not long distance if I made it around here. Plus I was able to even get my regular phone bill down to $8 a month cutting everything off it including extended local, and I gave that to my oldest so he has his own local line for him and his friends.

OH and I been using skype up till recently with my head set, and no one I have called in the last Year and a half since using it was able to tell the difference and may have had 2 total calls drop out on me.
Skype is the bomb, and I wont use anything else ever again.
 
Don't forget that all you PSP Slim users now have Skype built in with the latest update. Anyone try using that as a 'stand alone' phone?
 
I think funboy42 answered the Op's question, but just want to be sure.
I want to drop my Verizon land line, that's costing me with all the bs charges $26./mo. just for local calls.
I have a Verizon cell phone share plan with my daughter so I use that for long distance and, if ever needed, 911 calls.
Like the Op, my wife also insists on having a phone and not relying on the computer to be on in order to make or receive calls. I have a wireless DSL router/modem.

Originally posted by: funboy42
In case others are wanting to go skype, you need to purchase Skype pro first, then you get a discount on a skype in number, making it around$60 for it all for a whole year. Plus you can pick and choose you phone number.
Click to expand...
Ok, got it, $60./yr for the SkypePro + SkypeIn package. The problem though is that all the available calling exchanges for SkypeIn for my area code are not local exchanges (even with extended band service), so if I picked one and one of my wife's friends called her and bs'ed for an hour, I'm underestimating, on their land line it would be a big (in-state long distance, ouch!!) toll call for them. Anyone know anyway to get around this without convincing all her buds to go Skype?

 
Originally posted by: MadScientist
I think funboy42 answered the Op's question, but just want to be sure.
I want to drop my Verizon land line, that's costing me with all the bs charges $26./mo. just for local calls.
I have a Verizon cell phone share plan with my daughter so I use that for long distance and, if ever needed, 911 calls.
Like the Op, my wife also insists on having a phone and not relying on the computer to be on in order to make or receive calls. I have a wireless DSL router/modem.

Originally posted by: funboy42
In case others are wanting to go skype, you need to purchase Skype pro first, then you get a discount on a skype in number, making it around$60 for it all for a whole year. Plus you can pick and choose you phone number.
Click to expand...
Ok, got it, $60./yr for the SkypePro + SkypeIn package. The problem though is that all the available calling exchanges for SkypeIn for my area code are not local exchanges (even with extended band service), so if I picked one and one of my wife's friends called her and bs'ed for an hour, I'm underestimating, on their land line it would be a big (in-state long distance, ouch!!) toll call for them. Anyone know anyway to get around this without convincing all her buds to go Skype?
Click to expand...

GrandCentral

My SkypeIn number is in Binghamton, NY, which is out of my local calling area by a good bit. My GrandCentral number is for Lansing, NY, which is local to my area. It works out well.

I can officially say now that the Philips VOIP841 ROCKS. Excellent sound quality, good features, and it's pretty darn small too. I love the fact that the handset/charger are completely seperate from the base, allowing you to put it anywhere (as well as add handsets later).
 
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