VoIP Toolkit

How to choose the right Skype phone

Tags:
Skype,
VoIP

Deb Shinder Tech Republic

Published: 28 Dec 2006 08:00 GMT

…there's an 802.11b/g connection to the internet — for example, public hot spots — without bringing your laptop along.

The phone is itself a special purpose computer that has Skype preinstalled. Finding one is another story. But I did find a PC Magazine review on the ABC News website. The device's short battery life is particularly disturbing. I don't think I'll be shelling out for it just yet.

Using your Pocket PC as your Skype phone
Perhaps there's a simpler solution for using Skype in mobile mode. The software is now available for Pocket PCs running Windows Mobile operating systems (both 2003 and v.5.0). You need a device with a 312-MHz or better CPU and Wi-Fi, 3G, or EDGE network connectivity.

My Samsung i730 PPC phone running Windows Mobile 2003 fit the bill, so I downloaded the Skype for Mobile software to it. It's over 5MB — not large by most standards, but it takes up a good chunk of the Pocket PC's main memory. (I tried first to download it to the SD card but kept getting an error message.) I did appreciate the fact that I was able to download directly to the PPC instead of having to go through ActiveSync to transfer it from my computer.

Once installed, the Skype icon showed up in my mobile device's Programs menu — after a very short setup process, which involved entering my Skype account's username and password, and selecting whether I wanted to use Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and 3G. (I choose both.)

Now I was ready to make a call. The keypad interface will be familiar to those who've used Skype on their PCs. Unlike the latest version of Skype for the PC (and unlike the Skype USB phone), you have to dial + and the country code before the number you're calling. Skype didn't find a Wi-Fi network, so it connected to the Verizon EVDO network, and the phone I was calling (my own landline) started ringing.

My husband picked up the call upstairs and said my voice came through clearly. I heard a bit of choppiness and static, but it was entirely usable. Subsequent tests showed that voice quality from my end remained less than crystal clear, but it never got so bad that I couldn't understand what someone was saying.

So what good does it do me to have Skype on my Pocket PC phone? Why not just use the mobile phone itself to make my calls? Sure, I can do that — but I don't have unlimited voice calling. In fact, I have a plan with a low minute allowance since I do very little calling on the mobile.

But I do have unlimited internet access, so using Skype during peak hours means tapping into that, instead of using up my precious minutes. It could also be useful in areas where you can't get a cellular signal but do have access to an 802.11 wireless network connected to the internet.

Summary
You don't have to stay tied to your PC or laptop to use Skype's free or low-cost VoIP service. A Skype USB phone offers a real phone experience while sitting at your computer, and a cordless Skype phone allows you to roam the house or office.

Some cordless phones don't even require a computer at all — just a wireless access point. And for the ultimate in portability, you can install Skype on your Windows mobile device and save money by using its free service instead of expensive mobile phone minutes if you're in range of a wireless network or have an unlimited data plan for your mobile phone.

Deb Shinder is a technology consultant, trainer, and writer who has written a number of books on computer operating systems, networking and security. She currently specialises in security issues and Microsoft products, and she has received Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status in Windows Server Security.