Belkin Skype Wi-Fi Phone

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• Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 8 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 5 stars

  Don't expect to take it on the road

  by weboptimist on January 12, 2007

  Pros: Sleek, attractive, good call quality

  Cons: Restricted use. Can't be used on any open wi-fi network.

  Summary: Being someone who uses Skype constantly for both business and personal long distance and PC-to-PC phone calls, I got a Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype as a Christmas gift from ...

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  Summary: Being someone who uses Skype constantly for both business and personal long distance and PC-to-PC phone calls, I got a Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype as a Christmas gift from a loved one who knows just how nerdy I am when it comes to new gadgets. I love them!
  
  Unfortunately, I can only say that I *like* the new wi-fi phone from Belkin. Appearance-wise, it?s terrific with a sleek black case, color screen and attractive key layout. It?s a good, comfortable size and feels about like a stylish mobile phone. It comes with a USB cable for charging and software updates, as well as a regular power cord for charging. You can use the phone while it?s connected to the charger, which is what I find myself doing a lot.
  
  The sound quality is good and it connected right to my household wi-fi system once I punched in the security code. The controls are easy to access and use. I was quite excited to get going with it and used it for several days without incident.
  
  Then it froze. No matter what I did, the buttons made no difference and the screen stubbornly stuck on 11:38 a.m. and no amount of prodding would break it free. I looked for some sort of reset button like you get with a Palm or other PDA-like device, but there isn?t one. I finally decided that the only way to get the baby to reset would be to take out the battery and put it back in.
  
  Thus, my next problem. The battery cover refused to budge. It was as if it had been super-glued shut. I pulled, pushed, yanked but it held firm. I had no other choice than to resort to the proverbial waste of time - support.
  
  Yep, total waste of time. I tracked down Belkin support, filled out the form to inform them of my problem (frozen screen, stuck battery case) and got an answer from some clueless girl telling me I should go into the menu and use the ?reset? function. Duh? The SCREEN IS FROZEN, honey! How the heck am I supposed to do that!
  
  So, back to pulling, tugging and yanking on the battery cover. I finally managed to pry one corner up and get enough leverage to get the darned thing open without breaking it. I pulled the battery out, the phone reset and I was up and running again.
  
  My next disappointment came when I stayed at a hotel that offered free wi-fi. I had hoped to use the phone to make some calls, but, alas, the hotel requires you to open their web page in a browser before you can connect to their access. That?s all, just open their page in a browser - no inputting codes or anything. Just an open browser.
  
  The Belkin phone has no Internet browser, a terrible oversight for a product that people will want to use at Internet cafes and the like. Not a smart move, Belkin.
  
  Yes, the phone is supported by Boingo, which has hotspots here and there. In my area, my choices are a UPS Store or an RV park. Somehow I can?t see myself hanging around those to make phone calls. I?m out of luck at Starbucks, hotels and anywhere without completely open wi-fi access.
  
  Another minor peave is the lack of Skype chat support. My company, Frames Direct, uses Skype chat a lot during the business day, so I can?t plan on using the Belkin Skype phone exclusively for business because there?s no chat support. I understand that trying to do chat on that itsy bitsy keyboard is difficult, but people send text messages all the time on cell phones, so there should be support for chat. If nothing else, I?d like to be able to set the phone up to let people know that I don?t have Skype chat, try me on AIM or whatever.
  
  Anyway, don?t think I?m totally unhappy with the Belkin Wi-Fi-Phone for Skype. I?m not. It?s great to carry around the house with me when I?m not on the computer. It just means I have to switch back and forth between it and a Skype-enabled computer quite a bit. I guess my suggestion for those considering one is to say that it?s great if you just want a wireless Skype phone for home, have no need for Skype chat and don?t plan on trying to use it too many places outside your home network. It?s a shame, but it probably won?t work for you on the road or in your neighborhood Starbucks.

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  18 out of 18 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 2 stars

  I took the phone back!

  by ksabey on January 29, 2007

  Pros: It's wireless.

  Cons: Listed in the opinon section.

  Summary: Let me just list the problems: 1) battery life is a joke, 2) the only speaker for the ringer is the ear speaker, so unless you are standing right next ...

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  Summary: Let me just list the problems: 1) battery life is a joke, 2) the only speaker for the ringer is the ear speaker, so unless you are standing right next to the phone, you can't hear it when it rings, 3) battery cover is stuck, won't come off, 4) when I use my computer, people on the other end don't complain about an echo, when I used this phone, they complained so much they didn't want to talk anymore 5)lacks features that even the cheapest cell phone offers
  
  In summary, I can't believe this phone cost $200. I'm taking it back and just getting a standard chordless VOIP phone and use it just at home.
  
  I will say that I got almost 1/2 a mile away from my house and the phone was still connected and working, but that might be more a testament to my wireless router than the phone.

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 2 stars

  Wait for a better version of this phone. It is not worth it.

  by picha69 on November 18, 2007

  Pros: looks ok, does ok job

  Cons: Limited options, battery is terrible, expensive... and more

  Summary: The faults with the phone I assume are common with most of the current wifi Skype phones. My major complains are already listed: The options are extremely limited - no ...

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  Summary: The faults with the phone I assume are common with most of the current wifi Skype phones. My major complains are already listed: The options are extremely limited - no SMS, no chat, no library with customizable ring tones. There are only the standard skype tones, which are not suitable for the busy environment around me.
  
  The battery life is terrible! Regardless of what the official information states, the phone is capable of 8h of standby (if nobody calls you), and anywhere between 10 minutes and 1 hour 10 minutes of conversation, depending on the initial charge of the phone at the time of making the call. This constraint makes me keep the phone on the charger, or even worst - to keep two charges around me desks in case the phone loses charge while in a conversation.
  
  The screen is not good, either. The front part is huge, but it is deceiving - the actual display is quite small.
  
  Very big issue for me is the delay time between pushing the buttons and the actual action. A missing feature is when you go to "missed calls" and see the number you just missed, to press the green button and call back. No, you have to take the time click options, call etc... you get the picture.
  
  Finally, the full duplex is no good. Either people hear echo, because I had to turn up the speaker, or I can't hear them because I turned it down due to complaints that they can hear their own voices (some would bluntly ask me if I have put them on a speaker phone). Oh, yeas, it doesn't have a loud speaker, like most of the contemporary cell phones.
  
  Overall, I am stuck with this phone for two reasons: I need skype-in and out and I could not find a better wifi substitute from the reviews I checked (very limited offerings); second, because the seller would charge me 15% restocking fee and all s/h which aggregates to over 25% of the cost.
  
  It is a shame that such a nice skype service is coupled with phones like this one, or the SMC version of it. They are ages behind the cell phones. Only if the providers could cover better my house, so I would not need the "land" line...

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 7 stars

  Gave me increased mobility for my purposes.

  by richsaldana on July 15, 2007

  Pros: Be able to use Skype VoIP without bringing the computer.

  Cons: Short battery life; Not enough open WiFi spots yet.

  Summary: I do a lot of travel (outside the US) and to cut down on international long distance costs, I started using Skype. However, using it on the laptop was a ...

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  Summary: I do a lot of travel (outside the US) and to cut down on international long distance costs, I started using Skype. However, using it on the laptop was a bit cumbersome.
  
  I got this phone without too much expectations (just to be able to use Skype without bringing the laptop along); not thinking it will replace my cellphone, only for convenience indoors within range of the building's WiFi and it's been perfect for my needs. I've been able to take it to the nearby Starbucks with an open WiFi too.
  
  Without a lot of open WiFi spots, it still could not compare to a cellphone, but it suits my purposes.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 6 stars

  Usefull phone, but only in fews WiI-FI network....

  by JeanMarcCosta on January 13, 2007

  Pros: Easy to use, nice design.

  Cons: Poor batery, no web browse available.

  Summary: I got a Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype intending to use it out of home, like a world cell phone.
  Its appearance is amazing, nice and modern with a sleek
  ...

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  Summary: I got a Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype intending to use it out of home, like a world cell phone.
  Its appearance is amazing, nice and modern with a sleek black case, color screen and attractive key layout, like a modern cell phone.
  The sound quality is good but it has only few and low ring tones.
  Connection was very easy and fast.
  
  The battery cover really refuse to budge.You have to press firmly to put it out.
  
  You can't use this phone on a wi-fi network that requires you to open their web page in a browser before you can connect to their access.
  
  Finally, the battery lasts few minutes when you are talking, almost 30 min. This is bad, but you can use it with its charger.
  
  I like this phone, but could be better.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  I like it - Choose WiFi provider carefully to get maximum coverage

  by Lemta on June 20, 2007

  Pros: Works well, especially with 'The Cloud' WiFi provider that partners BT Openzone and O2 amongst others

  Cons: Battery life is used up quicker if the phone is in lower signal areas.

  Summary: Nicely built phone, about the size of a regular mobile. I did my homework before buying this phone. I found that 'The Cloud' provides a lot of it's WiFi ...

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  Summary: Nicely built phone, about the size of a regular mobile. I did my homework before buying this phone. I found that 'The Cloud' provides a lot of it's WiFi hotspots to other companies that brand it as their own. So if you buy 'The Cloud' WiFi usage, you can roam onto their partner branded networks no problem (BT Openzone and O2 to name a couple).
  Also, the problem with accepting conditions via a web browser is overcome by registering the phone's MAC address with 'The Cloud' when you sign up for their service.
  See - all you have to do is choose the right way to go about things and you won't have to blame the phone for your bad choices.

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  1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 3 stars

  Poor... very poor

  by PiotreG on November 22, 2007

  Pros: basically works, looks really nice

  Cons: sound issues, key issues, disconnects, bad cutomer service

  Summary: At this price you would expect something at least good.
  
  Redial and num 1 keys work every third time and with delay.
  
  No option to right away update contacts if
  
  
  
  ...

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  Summary: At this price you would expect something at least good.
  
  Redial and num 1 keys work every third time and with delay.
  
  No option to right away update contacts if you modify them on computer.
  
  Sounds is usually good on my side but people I call complain about echo and it happens they don't hear me well.
  
  The customer service is a nightmare. To whatever issues you may have they always advise you to configure router. How this is suppose to help for key lag issue I don't know.
  
  It doesn't work with computer - at least with Vista. You may only update firmware or charge it from USB.
  
  These are only most annoying issues. Don't buy.

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• 2 stars

  Rubbish! Too many problems to replace a land line permanently

  by macky300 on April 18, 2007

  Pros: Looks Good. Good Idea.

  Cons: 2 useless ring tones. It never connected. Belkin Support hopeless.

  Summary: A Good Idea, but wait 12 months for an improved product. From opening the box, it never connected. Belking Support hopeless. Have to wait on 0845 number, after 40 minutes, ...

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  Summary: A Good Idea, but wait 12 months for an improved product. From opening the box, it never connected. Belking Support hopeless. Have to wait on 0845 number, after 40 minutes, they couldn't fix the problem. Said they would send me a return envelope. Never arrived despite sending several emails, which they never replied to. Pathetic speaker for the two pathetic ring tones. Very small keypad, battery was flat after 1 hour even though I never managed to get it to connect to my Belkin router. Waste of money! Wait for a better model from another company with better customer support.

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