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Skype Phone Review: VoIP |
| Visit Skype Phone Website | |
| Cheap plan with pricey phone is the only way to get Skype without a computer; no 911 calling | |
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Skype is famous for its free computer-to-computer calling, but the company also offers an inexpensive monthly calling plan that allows you to use your computer for unlimited calls to landlines in 47 countries (and cell phones in five others, including the United States), and with a special Skype phone or adapter, you can call from a more standard household phone.
Plans and Pricing At $12.95 per month, the Skype monthly calling plan is one of the cheapest alternatives for unlimited calling we've seen. Those wanting to call only in the U.S. and Canada can see the cost go down to $5.95 per month. But you'll have to make calls from your computer. Want to cut the computer out of the equation? An optional Skype cordless phone liberates you from the computer entirely. While the plan is cheaper, the phone is not. So is it worth the cost? The cheapest Skype phone, the GE Digital Cordless Expandable Telephone, is $58.99. It handles both landline and Skype calls, which is necessary since Skype does not support emergency calls and does not offer a call-in number for free. That will be an additional $30.00 a year. Of course, with your landline plugged in, you can still receive calls on your regular phone number. Like most VoIP, Skype is incompatible with most home security systems. Equipment and Setup The slightly pricier Skype Phone we tested, an RTX Dualphone 3088 ($99.99), looks good, though in many respects it resembles a cell phone circa 2003. It has a pretty light build quality. A color screen gives it its air of polish. It provides access to your Skype contacts as well as other bits of info you might find useful. It's also how you log in. When you make a call you're asked whether you want to use Skype or your landline (assuming you have one connected). The base station is a flat, black plastic box which connects to your router. There's an additional charging station too. So you'll need two electrical outlets. Call Quality The call quality with the RTX, unfortunately, is not great. Our calls sounded both loud and muffled. It really seems to be a problem with the phone. We tried calling using both the landline and the VoIP. While the landline was slightly less compressed-sounding, we noticed the same loud-muffled call quality. The same service sounded better when we used the free iPhone app with the same paid service. In general we don't have a problem with Skype's call quality, but the phone is a decided step down from other Skype calling methods. Features Skype phone plans are pretty stripped-down when compared with the more standard VoIP services we've reviewed. The company offers voicemail and caller ID, as well as video calls with the computer application, but does not go in for the more advanced calling features many VoIP services provide. Customer Service A word or two should be said about customer service. Skype, for all its chirpy friendliness, does not offer a number to call for customer service. While the help section is extensive, the contact methods are few and limited. Refunds The site states the phone can be returned within 14-days of delivery. Since the plan is month-to-month, you don't have to worry about charges past the month that you've paid for, if you decide to cancel. We're unsure if there's any refund possible with the annual Skype phone number. International Calls List of countries covered by the Skype Unlimited World plan. The ** indicates that calls to mobiles are also included: Argentina NEW Australia Austria Belgium Bulgaria Canada* China* Chile Colombia Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Guam Hong Kong* Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea, Republic of Luxembourg Malaysia Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey) Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Russia (Moscow and St.Petersburg only) Singapore* Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand* United Kingdom USA* Conclusion In many ways, it's unfair to put Skype here. Even Skype tells you that Skype shouldn't replace your landline. But given the popularity of the service and that the hardware tries to bridge that gap between VoIP and landline we've included it. However, adding up the cost of the phone ($58.99) and the service ($12.95 or $5.95 per month, not to mention the optional Skype number), we think the cost is too high. This is particularly true because you'll still be paying for your landline. Another option for iPhone users is to download the free Skype app, and just go with a monthly plan. In recent years, Skype has added apps for a number of other smartphones as well as several tablet PCs. |
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| Plans: | $12.95/mo Unlimited World; $2.95/mo Unlimited US & Canada |
| Setup Fees: | $58.99 for cordless Skype phone; $30/yr online number |
| $ Back Guarantee & Cancel Policy: | 14-day refund period for phone |
| Promotions: | 50% off on online number (normally $60); free shipping |
| Countries Included: | Over 40 (world plan) - see review for full list |
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