Skype phones

[Funkstar]

What's happened to them all?

Has the shine been taken off VoIP technologies?

I bought a wireless handset for my parents a couple of years ago and it wasn't that expensive, I seem to think there were loads of them too. Now there are very few and they seem to be pretty expensive, or complete piles of overpriced (and misleading) junk.

I'm after a couple of handsets that don't need a PC on to work. Doesn't have to be skype I guess, but I have an account on it anyway.Any suggestions?

[digit]

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=l...hone&_osacat=0

A few potential options?

[finlay666]

as in the wireless ones?

I think they are less popular as a LOT of phone line resellers include free UK calls now

I thought you had a windows mobile phone? You can turn on the wifi and use skype on it if you wanted for yourself

[smargh]

Do they need to be wireless? If not, or bluetooth headset or wifi bridge is okay: Polycom + perhaps a Plantroncs headset.

[Funkstar]

yes I can get Skype for my WinMob, although Skype say it is no longer available: http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/mobile/

I figured a wireless handset would be best as there would be no PC involved at all. I live q couple of hours away from my girlfriend so we call a lot. I need to see what my bill is like this month to see if I need to change my contract for more minutes, I suspect I will. I've told her to get her contract changed, she goes over her minutes every month anyway, I don't think she realised you can up your contract. Same goes with landline, although I don't have a phone, just a line for broadband.

[usxhe190]

Why not get skype on 3 and buy one of those phones, then it really acts like a phone, unless that is what you are asking!

edit - as for whether there is VOIP popularity, the shine is definitely still on. We will have skype on TVs very soon.

However, the shine is definitely off for dedicated wifi-phones at home given netbooks, iPhone, the 3 network, etc, etc

[Funkstar]

Thinking about this some more, perhaps I just need to get tariffs and contracts looked at to instead. I know I need to up my t-mobile contract to more minutes. Perhaps I bite the bullet and actually plug a phone into my land line and use that as well

[peterb]

How about one of the open standard VoIP providers?

I use www.sipgate.co.uk which allows me to plug an IP phone into my router, and get a UK phone number for it. VoIP calls are free, and someone dialling in pays UK rates. If your GF is abroad, register two accounts in the UK, and then we she is abroad, all she needs to do is plug an IP phone into her router, and she also has a UK phone number - wherever she is. (or use a softphone on a laptop - works just as well.