Skype readies four WiFi phones for VoIPing public

We've been waiting on Netgear's WiFi Skype phone for quite a while now, but what we didn't know is that it won't be only one of its kind for long. Skype now has four WiFi phones in the wings, the F1PP000GN-SK from Belkin (pictured), Edge-Core's WM4201, SMC's WSKP100, and of course Netgear's SPH101. From the looks of things, Netgear's entrant, which is due this month, will be the priciest at $300, but Belkin should follow in August with a quite similar offering for a much more acceptable $189. We're pretty short on details for the rest, but we should know more soon. Like the SPH101, all of the phones will allow you to manage a buddy list, and make calls from a WiFi connection without a need for a PC in between.

[Ryan @ Jul 20th 2006 5:02PM]

that Belkin phone looks pretty hot! I'm sitting on the massive back order list for the SPH-101 and thinking maybe the switch over could be worth it. Has anyone actually received their sph-101 yet? IF so how is it?

[Eric Hundman @ Jul 20th 2006 5:05PM]

How will these phones work if they're picked up by carriers? I don't follow Voip phone technology closely, but it seems like the big carriers would certainly try to disable the capability.

[Robert Brodrecht @ Jul 20th 2006 5:12PM]

I'm curious if any of the other parties have added a web browser or similar to enable talking on hotspots that require web authentication... AFAIK, the NetGear doesn't have this feature.

@Eric Hundman
They are Skype over WiFi only. They don't do cellular. The only potential problem may be if you violate the TOS of your broadband provider. I'm pretty sure Verizon's EVDO TOS says "no voip." That doesn't mean you can't do it. Just that you are violating the TOS if you do.

[Ian Jardine @ Jul 20th 2006 7:14PM]

I agree Robert. My Dell QWiFi PDA has just died and a WiFi Skype phone with a built in web browser would meet the ticket for me.

[william @ Jul 20th 2006 9:26PM]

i think skype phones are the biggest waste of money... honestly if you're going to do something other than a normal cell phone plan then just get a prepaid cell phone.. then at least you can call things other than computers and when you're out of range of wifi.

[Austin @ Jul 20th 2006 10:13PM]

"i think skype phones are the biggest waste of money... honestly if you're going to do something other than a normal cell phone plan then just get a prepaid cell phone.. then at least you can call things other than computers and when you're out of range of wifi."

Actually, calling home from Tokyo at 2cents a minute was pretty nifty.

[kenny @ Jul 20th 2006 10:16PM]

Will be great for travelling

[DJ LEX @ Jul 20th 2006 11:04PM]

Whats the point?? That Netgear unit is complete crap and il tell you why?? Carry that out the house and it will be impossible to connect to any wifi spots anywhere because it doesnt have a user interface or software that will let you connect to networks via the WEP security. The Belkin one looks nice and mentions WEP but can it be used at any hotspot for true versatility?

ALSO PLEASE STOP MAKING USELESS WIRED SKYPE PHONES FOR THE DESKTOP!!!

Oh yes i really want to hold a handset to my ear when i am supposed to be typing on the keyboard and working a mouse, how amazing? are we going backwards or what? Put every last one of them in the bin.

What we need is for skype to integrate the technology into something weve all got already mainly a "mobile phone." e.g. New nokia N80 with built in WIFI and browser.
Lets develop an aplication for Symbian based mobile phones for example "there is one" i hear you say well i say wrong, there is an application which will conect through a data connection to a third party provider which is networked with skype and will allow you to make calls but what we really need is a simple app that will let us sign in to our standard skype accounts over a wifi network without the need for an extra data connection taking place. Which will more than likely incur further hiden costs through increased data plans and royalties. HELLO, AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS WOKE UP. Give me Skype on WIFI at any hotspot and on my nokia mobile phone without thrd party costs, now thats what we want, one device to communicate in any shape or form that we need to. And we can still use accesories such as bluetooth headsets.

Do you wanna carry two phones around? no way. The technology is there so why arent they doing it????

Sometimes i wonder who the hell they have on these boards that make all the decisions, total brainless!!!!

[ec @ Jul 20th 2006 11:38PM]

Well, I think Skype is amazing. Skype is absolutely indispensable if you are in a foreign country for keeping in touch with people around the world.

How can you beat practically free SkypeIn calls for your family and $0.02 per minute SkyeOut calls?? In the country where I'm at, any other phone card would cost $0.30 per minute... and having a phone that would work without needing to connect through a computer would be very convenient, especially if you are backpacking and stop into a cafe.

Before I left the U.S., I honestly had no concept how amazing Skype is. People in the U.S. are so fortunate to have access to such cheap telephony.

[Bradly @ Jul 20th 2006 11:39PM]

Ok, I'm all down with Voip as it keeps a roof over my head and food in the frig. However, having a wireless phone that you can carry around but hardly ever use is beyond me. If you want to use voip, get a box where you can plug a regular phone into. Or, get a cell phone. No city is completely wifi. Even if it was, you'll drop signal all the time just by going to the other side of a building.

I just don't get the appeal.

[El Nairb @ Apr 22nd 2007 7:53PM]

This is completely useful if you are at a campus setting. Being at a university means you get calls left and right (if you are somewhat sociable). The reception is bad at all because "hotspots" are more like lakes or connectivity around the campus-I know this from my wireless laptop.

[denmen @ Jul 21st 2006 3:00AM]

@DJ Lex:

Hey, look, Skype software for mobile phones.
http://www.skype.com/download/skype/mobile/
Gee, it works fine with my Wi-Fi enabled SDA after I tweak the phone. Give it a try sometime.

Oh, sorry, you have a *Symbian* phone. Well, sorry about that. I guess since Skype haven't written a Symbian program it's proof that they're stupid for not supporting mobile phones. Right?

[dave61 @ Jul 21st 2006 4:04AM]

@DJ LEX, Bradly

I am interested in a phone like this purely for home use without having the computer switched on. A VOIP adapter on my regular line isn't an option where I live (nasty, ex-monopoly national telco).

[Justin @ Jul 21st 2006 4:08AM]

skype is one the best programs invented in the last decade without a doubt. i recently moved to chicago from perth, australia and was spending about $160 a month on international phone calls. with skype im paying about $5 a month to call landlines.

secondly, those skypes phones are lame if u cant get WEP access. you dont want to disable the security password on your router just so that u can make a phone call. hopefully they've solved that problem with these newer models.

thirdly, why havent they invented some type of mini bluetooth in-ear headset that has a mini display and one or two buttons so that can also be jointly used with you're mobile phone/skype on your computer to make calls? it should just come with a usb bluetooth piece for your computer to transmit the information. im sure most people just want to use skype phones at their homes and not from a park somewhere. [;z think about it companies reading this... i would buy one.

[zuricher @ Jul 21st 2006 4:09AM]

c'mon, just add GSM capability to it and I will buy it. can't be that hard to build a phone with

-wifi and the possibility to scan open/friendly AP's
-GSM triband
-a decent interface open to run
-your VOIP client of choice like googletalk, skype, ichat, gizmo, etc.

I would seriously pay around 350$ for such a device.
but I guess this is just another electric-car effect...

[Jochen Lillich @ Jul 21st 2006 8:01AM]

There are already cell phones that do VOIP: the Nokia E60 and E61 mobiles have a SIP client application already in their factory setup.

[Kasper @ Jul 21st 2006 8:31AM]

"Whats the point?? That Netgear unit is complete crap and il tell you why?? Carry that out the house and it will be impossible to connect to any wifi spots anywhere because it doesnt have a user interface or software that will let you connect to networks via the WEP security. The Belkin one looks nice and mentions WEP but can it be used at any hotspot for true versatility?"

How about you did some research before opening your bin of crap?

The Netgear phone DOES support WEP AND WPA secured networks, it just doesn't support the webbased authentication secured networks.

So I guess your long annoying rant just became useless.

[Justin @ Jul 21st 2006 1:27PM]

Kasper, i read on some website that the first netgear phone didnt allow WEP access?

Btw, shouldnt you be putting all your energy into a game of dungeons and dragons?

[moses @ Jul 24th 2006 7:41AM]

ok, well i'm no authority on the decision to not release a symbian based skype app, but if you think of the bizz implications for operators, their not going to be as keen to stock Symbian based products that potentially reduce their revenues - unless theres an ingenius bizz model (and thats in the pipeline I'm sure).
And as for the technical implications, its pretty difficult to produce a mobile phone that has a rich feature set as well as VOIP and is a good quality well integrated product (based on a few years experience ;) IMHO this isnt a simple game nor should be a flippant decision.
In the mean time, why not release WIFI only products to really put VOIP through its paces before letting Skype loose on the Mobiles? And who knows, fully featured wifi phones may simply overtake traditional mobile handsets when and if WIFI becomes ubiquitous.
Patience is key ppl...

[db @ Jul 24th 2006 10:07AM]

Ok this Belkin looks a little too familiar to what is already in my pocket...
http://aurely-blog.blogspirit.com/album/gsm/k750i.3.jpg

[SP @ Aug 3rd 2006 6:02PM]

Nice if there was a SIP, Skype and GSM combination handset out there. Some PDAs can do GSM and Wifi so softphone SIP and Skype PDA clients can do that at a high end PDA hardware price point. But I'd like to give my dad a device that once configured he'd have no problems with and would use the lowest priced service available in real time.

[D Matthews @ Aug 29th 2006 4:25AM]

£150 for a Skype WiFi phone is a ripoff and stupid. A tweaked mobile phone is the answer to this problem.

Mobile phones with Java, 802.11bg wireless could do all this without buying another phone which is tied down to Skype only services.

[Bohica @ Mar 4th 2007 10:40AM]

Majority seem to agree... Skype is great
Passions seem to get high... talking about skype only phones
My point... I want normal mobile phone form factor, with mobile phone connectivity plus WiFi

Kinda like the TC300 (google tc300+T-COM) - good first attempt (came out March 2006).
My thoughts... needs better battery capacity, more memory & processing capability.

[andrei @ Jun 17th 2007 5:02PM]

hahahaha. you funny.
You need easy cell phones that would do voip? hahaha.
Unfortunately in this case big providers will lose big bucks and they know it. Who the hell is gonna sign up for 2 years for 49.99 a month for 450 minutes only!!!
USA prices for wireless are ridiculous!!! piss me off.
That's why they trying to slow down this entire process. Because right - technology is already there. and it's been there for the last at least two years.
Well. i think we gonna get there some time.
I wanna be able to yuse skypoe on my cell as well.

[jose @ Jan 12th 2008 11:22PM]

well if u want a good skype phone that u want to use instead of going to any wifi spots just get the wi-fi phone for skype & la fonera, this works perfect it comes with a small wirless untenna looks almost like a router and plugs into the router. my phone calls are clear and i can make calls with my computer off so i think this one is really good...the model # for what im using is ''smcwskp100''...as long as u have a wifi on ur laptop u good. also you save alot of money i only paid 18 for 3 months just to see how it is and now im getting the pro pack comes with alot of extras for a low price a year cant beat that. or just try yahoo, it comes with caller id and voice mail..