Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype with Boingo Hot Spot Manager ( F1PP000GN-SK )
By: Belkin Average Rating: 2.5 Total Reviews: 80
More Information
 On: 2008-07-15
Works as advertised. With a one year skypeout for about $29 I get US and Canada for a year. Sent one to my daughter who lives in Texas. She has skype in and out for less than $70 a year and no other phone service. Ive accessed wifi from Futureshop as well as various locations around town. It works and is easy to use. Id almost think it was an Apple product.
 On: 2008-07-12
Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype with Boingo Hot Spot Manager ( F1PP000GN-SK )
I was pretty excited to see such a product, but should have known that it wasnt going to perform well. I manage a corporate wireless network and am well aware that wireless technology in general is still in its infancy and is ridden with problems. I also know that most companies release products too early in their quest to beat the competition to market. I guess getting there first is better then getting there late and having a solid product. Hopefully this will change someday!
Anyway...my thoughts above fully state my view on this product. Specifically my issues were with constant wireless disconnects (which obviously hangs up calls), the phone kept losing my settings (such as the saved wireless network information, Skype sign-in information, etc), it hung completely a few times to the point that I had to remove the battery to get it running again, echos on the call, complete distortion on the voice to the point that I had to call back and ever time you turn off the phone, it deletes the history of calls.
I worked with Belkin tech support for over a week and used the phone on multiple wireless networks and experienced the same problems on each of networks.
Again...it just feels like I paid to BETA test their product!
On: 2008-07-09
I read a lot of people responding bad about the battery life and rubber flap over the charger but I havent had a problem with either and love the phone. Yeah, its not the same quality as a lot of cell phones out there but I dont have any problem talking on it and using it. I talk to my girlfriend in Russia (St. Petersburg) from D.C. area and a lot of times its sounds better than a calling card over a cell phone. If you are looking to use this at your house and not expecting it to work everywhere else (starbucks, hotels, etc) then its great. No complaints.
 On: 2008-07-08
This phone replaced a phone we used with our cable modem. It finds and logs into hotspots, once youve noted them, which is as easy as picking them out of the list of what the phone has found. The phone comes with a charger, although that wasnt listed in the ad I saw. In fact, it has a spare USB charger that can run off of your laptop as well, and youll need both. The one thing Id change about this phone is the battery life. It does power down some, and you can use it for a regular day without plugging it in. A big plus is that you can still use it while its charging. Its easy to delete unwanted voicemail, much more so than with my old VOIP. There is a problem with the network dropping calls, and sometimes Ive had it reported that there is an echo on the other end. All problems we had with standard VOIP the first year it was out. I didnt bother with the Boingo Hot Spot Manager, if I wanted another monthly bill Id have stuck to Comcast! With Skype, you can pay around $50 a year for the service and number. Thats not a month, but a year. Essentially, this is now my home and work phone. I still have a cell but seldom use it any more.
 On: 2008-07-03
I bought this phone for the main factor of it being wireless. The phone itself was not bad, however it would constantly loose our wireless signal and drop the call as well as signing out of skype. I would then have to reconnect to the network and call the person back. This was very annoying. Most of the time it would do this in 40 min intervals but sometimes it would do it more. I am not sure why it would drop the signal as our laptop sitting in the same room would still be connected. I felt the phone was not worth the 150 so I took it back disapointed.
On: 2008-06-12
This phone sets up quickly, and delivers what is promised. A reasonable clear phone connection from free WiFi areas. Ive had mine for about 4 days now and made 8 or 10 calls while "roaming" on my bicycle. I can usually find a free WiFi area by checking large shopping center areas or pulling up next to a large apartment complex....
I have a Linksys CIT400 Skpye phone for use in my home office, and leave that running while using my Belkin WiFi... All features work with both phones... i.e. Voicemail, Call, etc are received by both phones simultaneously.
The main use I see for the WiFi phone (for me), is when traveling out of the country. I plan on using WiFi spots in South American and other countries to make free phone calls back tot he USA.
Pros:
Free phone calls
Sounds as good as my cell phone
Imports all Skype contacts (easy editing of contacts on computer)
Work in parallel with other Skype access (computer, CIT400, etc)
Cons:
Wont work with WiFi that need browser to connect (agreement forms, etc)
Drops a call every now and then.
My conclusion is Belkin has delivered what was promised. And, if your expectations are reasonable, you wont be dissapointed. Really easy to use.
Regards - Bob Griffith
[...]
On: 2008-06-04
Most men dont read directions. The stupid phone has no built in mic and needs a head set. afters an hour of screwing around i found the answer on the internet. I will be sending it back, also the battery life stinks
On: 2008-05-21
While I have given the belkin repeater/range expander a very good rating, this item is not worth even trying. As far as the hype we have tested this phone and it is clear as any landline the person who tested was either lying or needs a hearing test. Difficult to connect to networks that are unsecured even though your signal strength is high, the tiny buttons on the phone and the Terrible Quality of the audio which sounds just like my regulat skype usb phone that I use w my laptop.
Because I complained of the bad quality of the reception and audio, the level 2 tech, another so-called tech from India or Pakistan suggested I do a firmware upgrade which I did right w the tech on the phone; after doing this the phone was even worse, sound cutting in and out, and even worse muddy audio. They offered to send me a replacement for ruining my phone but they wanted to charge my credit card first before shipping a
new one(I doubt that) to me. So I told them I would be posting some bad reviews, and here is one.
DONT TRY THIS BELKIN WIFI PHONE, you will be sorry.
On: 2008-05-19
I have been very disappointed with this phone. The screen is too small, it is impossible to tell if it is on (the screen goes off and there is not indicator anywhere. The battery life is short. It does not connect to my home wifi network (I have tried everything I can think of) but the biggest problem is the inability to click through the acceptance screen that more and more wifi spots seem to use. I would say I can only use it successfully about 20% of the time max. I would wait for the next generation, or two...
On: 2008-04-25
I wanted to get this phone because I spend a lot of time at a vacation home in San Felipe, Mexico. I have a Tel Cell phone that cost me $2 a minute to call the states. With the Wi-Fi phone it cost .021 cents per minute. We have a great wireless router and we talk all the time with no problems. This works great for our family. I think it will pay for itself within just a few vacationing weekends.
On: 2008-04-05
Product works great but my primary reason was to use when traveling international. I even bought a travel wireless hub but can Skype from computer but China telecoms wont let you connect the phone! Check out limited countries where you can connect.
On: 2008-03-25
I bought the Belkin to help me with Skype access in three different office locations. The phone automatically works in all three locations, and each location has a different security key (WEP). The only drawback is that we use Skype chat a lot, and the phone doesnt support that. The other Skype users get a message that I am using a version of Skype that doesnt support chat, so its not a big problem, but I would like to at least receive my chats.
Voice quality is as good as a cell phone, except for a few network thruput problems (happens with Skype on a PC too).
The battery last 1-2 days usually, mostly two days. Since the battery recharges thru a standard USB port (and has a plug-in recharger), I can recharge it in the car lighter socket, wall socket, and off my laptop computer. I have the car lighter socket recharger from a different product.
On: 2008-03-02
I do not know much about wireless phones, it seems to work well.. It needs a case. Its design allows it to be turned on to easily without one.
On: 2008-02-13
The reception on this phone is very poor, even in my house which has very good wireless connection. The battery life is also poor, lasts about 1 hour. I would not recomend this product.
On: 2008-01-23
I purchased it recently, but I returned because it did not meet my expectation. I usually use Skype with PC, so I was very excited that I could comminicate with my collegues with Belkin Wifi phone without PC. I tried connection several times in home or shopping mall, but I never conneted with my family or collegues. Therefore, I returned it, but the return process is very slow and I feel little choky. I sent it by post about 2 weeks ago, but I did not have any notice for return status and can not track it in Amazon internet site.
On: 2008-01-08
its all in the title. Nice to say Amazon arranged for ups to pick up and after awhile I received a full refund. So no lasting damage. my replacement was the Netgear unit. Sorry unable to make comparison.
On: 2008-01-02
This phone comes with no charging cradel. To charge the phone you must plug a USB cable into the phone. The charging connector on the phone is not easy to plug into and is not meant to have a USB cable inserted into it multiple 100s of times. Ive seen the same charging connector on GPS units ruined from too many insertions or ruff treatment while charging.
There is a one year warranty and the USB charging connector is sure to suffer damage.
Funny thing is, the phone is outfitted with charging contacts for a cradel. Why does Belkin build functional charging contacts into the phone and not sell a charging cradel?
On: 2007-11-17
Lousy battery life. Cant get through a conversation that lasts longer than about 1h. The phone does not even indicate that it is running out of power. Also annoying: It freezes up and takes up to 10sec to recover. Never sure if waiting or power cycling is more efficient. All in all very poor price performance ratio.
On: 2007-11-07
Although a great concept, it is not yet well executed. The menus and set up are quite a chore even for a techie, because entry of all the technical details is through the slow telephone keypad (imagine SSIDs and passwords and other details all through a telephone keypad). This means that if your time is worth more than five bucks an hour, its not worth the savings you get to enter all of the information, UNLESS you are just using this on one or a few networks all the time. Even for that, I still found it so discouraging that I have not used it. The first ones screen broke just having it in my luggage, so not sure how durable it is. The second one had the same problems as the first one. So...not recommended.
On: 2007-11-06
Although a great concept, it is not yet well executed. The menus and set up are quite a chore even for a techie, because entry of all the technical details is through the slow telephone keypad (imagine SSIDs and passwords and other details all through a telephone keypad). This means that if your time is worth more than five bucks an hour, its not worth the savings you get to enter all of the information, UNLESS you are just using this on one or a few networks all the time. Even for that, I still found it so discouraging that I have not used it. The first ones screen broke just having it in my luggage, so not sure how durable it is. The second one had the same problems as the first one. So...not recommended.
On: 2007-10-22
My boyfriend got this in March 2007 when we decided to use Skype instead of a landline. So most of my review is just for home use. I also dont know if theres a better phone out there. (I hope so)
First this phone truly does not deliver.
It:
-has a short battery life
-shuts down while youre on a call
-resets on its own for no reason
-shuts down while you have it plugged in, so everything rolls to voicemail
-clock does not reflect daylight savings, its always off
-people from the other end hear echo
-while my laptop shows very strong wifi connection, the phone shows two bars max
I still gave it some stars because I like the idea of a WiFi phone. But really, it makes me want to have landline phone!
On: 2007-10-21
My boyfriend got this in March 2007 when we decided to use Skype instead of a landline. So most of my review is just for home use. I also dont know if theres a better phone out there. (I hope so)
First this phone truly does not deliver.
It:
-has a short battery life
-shuts down while youre on a call
-resets on its own for no reason
-shuts down while you have it plugged in, so everything rolls to voicemail
-clock does not reflect daylight savings, its always off
-people from the other end hear echo
-while my laptop shows very strong wifi connection, the phone shows two bars max
I still gave it some stars because I like the idea of a WiFi phone. But really, it makes me want to have landline phone!
On: 2007-10-07
I really like the Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype. Easy to use, its very compact and much better looking than the ones from SMC and Netgear. The potential of the Boingo Hot Spot Manager is a big plus that other Wi-Fi or Skype phones dont have, the problem is that Boingo sucks when trying to connect at ANY AT&T hotspot location - it never connects, which is AT&Ts problem but numerous complaints to Boingo results in NO RESOLUTION to this issue.
Battery life during calls is not so hot, maybe 45 mintes to an hour if youre lucky. Just on standby connected to your WiFi the battery may last a couple days. BUT ALL WiFi phone suffer the same problem with battery life, the Belkin is a little better than SMC and Netgear.
The price is right and its a great phone, nuff said.
On: 2007-10-06
I really like the Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype. Easy to use, its very compact and much better looking than the ones from SMC and Netgear. The potential of the Boingo Hot Spot Manager is a big plus that other Wi-Fi or Skype phones dont have, the problem is that Boingo sucks when trying to connect at ANY AT&T hotspot location - it never connects, which is AT&Ts problem but numerous complaints to Boingo results in NO RESOLUTION to this issue.
Battery life during calls is not so hot, maybe 45 mintes to an hour if youre lucky. Just on standby connected to your WiFi the battery may last a couple days. BUT ALL WiFi phone suffer the same problem with battery life, the Belkin is a little better than SMC and Netgear.
The price is right and its a great phone, nuff said.
On: 2007-09-06
I made the unfortunate mistake of purchasing this phone without doing research, but since I have used other Belkin products and have been satisfied with them, I figured that I would not go wrong. Well, I was wrong, and plan on returning this product as soon as I can get to the store where I purchased it. These are my complaints:
1) The battery life is very short.
2) The phone does not connect to a wifi network that requires web based authentication. That includes wifi networks by t-mobile and Starbucks coffee shops. So if you have a t-mobile wireless plan, dont expect to connect to it using this phone. Also you cant use a free wifi in public areas that require you to agree to some code of conduct before giving you access to the wireless network. This includes most parks in New York City, and other large cities.
3) There is an awful echo that the person you are talking to hears when he/she speaks. This is annoying to the other person.
4) The volume level is extremely poor. That means that even in full volume, when you are using the phone in a busy street, you will have a very very hard time hearing the other party.
5) The ring volume is also low, but not a serious problem.
Positive things about the phone:
1) The charger is very compact.
2) The phone can be easily transported in a suit pocket.
3) The phone looks good.
4) The phone is a great idea that no doubt will be developed into an even greater idea.
5) The phone is very easy to use, and connects to a home wireless network without difficulty.
5)You can use the phone while it is charging. This is positive given the short battery life of the phone.
 On: 2007-08-21
I got this phone because I get terrible reception on my cell phone in the apartment and dont want to pay for a land-line. Even with all of the lackluster reviews, I bought it because I dont like talking on the phone in my parking lot when it is raining, snowing, etc.
The Good: It is working out OK - nothing better than OK, but OK. The battery life is actually pretty good - 2 days or so if you dont talk on the phone much, and obviously goes down from there depending on the usage. It was easy to set up and works pretty much like a cell phone - aside from the fact it doesnt have any of the features that modern cell phones have (it doesnt store calls that you made unless the # is programmed into your phone book, when you call people the caller ID is 000-123-4567). When you make a call, it is really clear. I have also heard complaints that the ringer isnt loud enough, but my phone is plenty loud plus it vibrates so that makes it louder, too. I only use it in my home so I cant say how it has worked connecting to wireless networks other than my own.
The Bad: The keys are tiny! I feel like that episode of the Simpsons - "If your fingers are too fat to dial, smash the pad with your fist now to request a special dialing wand". Additionally, sometimes the call is dropped or the signal is bad even when my computer appears to be connecting to my wireless network just fine, with full coverage. Most of the time my calls are clear, but occasionally I get a ton of static. It seems to stop if you hang up and call back - no rhyme or reason to the static. Also, people Im talking to do complain about an echo - not unbearable, but slightly annoying. It also seems that if it is staticky on my end, the other person hears just fine, and vice-versa.
In Sum: This product works for me because Im desperate and poor, and Skype is so much cheaper than any phone service, but if you have the $ to pay for a land line, I wouldnt go for it because it is a hassle to deal with as far as static and dropped calls go. Great idea, but a work in progress.
On: 2007-08-09
I consider myself a gadget freak. I have the latest LCD 1080P TV, Tivo HD, PS3 and Wii. But, I just could not get this Belkin phone to connect to any network other than my own wifi network. I can call using my own wifi network in the same room to the same person and he would say that my call from my computer sounded better than the Belkin phone! The Belkin phone had an echo on the receiving end on every call! Save your money and look for something else.
On: 2007-08-06
Terrible audio quality, thin and tinny with a persistent buzz in the background in any environment. Often had difficulty in logging into open access points. A great idea for a product, but a very poor execution.
On: 2007-08-05
a) It works without a computer, theres no need to transfer contacts, no computer config, no software to install, no usb/network cable or base station required.
b) Its ready to call as long as you have access to either a 802.11b or 802.11g WI-Fi network.
Ive read previous reviews (thanks to all) and knew in advance some of the following drawbacks:
ON THE CON Side:
1) Clock is not accurate even when phone its on. If turned off, it resets back to 01/01/2000. You need to set time AND date every time.
2) If you "rush" the phone by clicking fast it will lock and reboot itself and date/time resets again. No syncing with an internet clock server.
3) NEEDS a Firmware Update. Tried Menu, Settings, General, Software Updates option and still got the message "You already have the latest software installed". Its: v1.1.0.10 R20 from 2006/12/13 (Ive checked www.belkin.com and still theres no update).
4) It should save more than one Skype account (it already saves several Wi-Fi networks & passwords). Logging another user is SLOW and painful.
5) HARD keys. Specially the right "soft key" and the End/Power key.
6) It "rings" a little low, even at max volume. If its not in the same room, you may not hear incoming calls. Also it only has 3 ringtones and SILENT. Theres no way to add more.
7) No belt/holster clip. Hopefully, keypad can be locked/unlocked by holding both the left soft key AND the [a/A*] key. If you want to "roam" with this phone on your belt, then look for a case or swivel case that fits because its not as small as most modern cell phones are.
8) It doesnt work with most Hot-Spots (at least if theyre not "Boingo Mobile"). If you need a browser to enter an user and a password as most Hotels do, youre in the dark.
9) NO Speaker mode.
10) Phone and battery get a little hot when doing long calls (Enough to feel the heat on your ear and hand).
11) The design looks a little OLD and CHEAP. Put it next to a cell phone and youll see what I mean.
12) No cradle. It comes with one USB cable and a charger. Theres no craddle available yet. SMC offers TWO diffent craddles for its Wi-Fi phone. One its a charger (SMC Wi-Fi Phone Cradle Charger - Phone charging stand) and another also comes with an access point: "WI-FI PHONE CRADLE CHARGER W/ BUILT IN AP (SMCDPCR-AP)".
13) Skype user logged in the phone appears to be "reconnecting" from time to time. Also it doesnt apper On Line inmediatly.
14) No way to send SMS messages from the Phone.
15) When calling, batteries dont last the 3 hours advertised. I agree it needs a longer lasting battery (maybe a 1500mAh or 1800mAh?).
16) Lots of errors on User Manual. By example, "Keypad tones--Set this as either "On" or "Off"" option detailed on page 44 is completly MISSING on softwares phone. Keypad DO NOT HAVE sound and theres NO WAY to turn it "On" or "Off".
Another discovery was that the "SMC WiFi Skype Internet Phone" (SMCWSKP100) is the very SAME device. "Netgear SPH101 Skype Wi-Fi Phone" looks suspiciusly similar to Belkins. "Linksys WIP320 Linksys Wireless-G Skype iPhone" also has the same look and software screens. I believe thats because all of them are developments of Trolltech.com (navigate to Menu, Settings, Information). Visit www.trolltech.com and take a look at the "Qtopia Greenphone", it has a camera!.
ON THE PRO SIDE: Why I bought Belkin?, because (along with SMC) it seemed to me, the least worst reviewed of all Wi-Fi Skype Phones Ive checked (and I liked black, the rest are white ;-). Im not returning it now because IT DOES what I wanted: Let me do Skype calls whereaver theres a Wi-Fi available (remember: no hot-spots). If network is fast, youll get very good, FREE (Skype) or VERY CHEAP (SkypeIn-SkypeOut) calls. Voice is VERY clear, with almost no echo, very little delay ("sound latency") on most international calls. Thats still VoIP technologys nature, and mostly Skypes software fault, the broadband network and/or because of all the telecom operators in between. Also, so far, I havent lost calls in the middle of a conversation.
WHAT I WANT: Im waiting for Belkin firmware update. Also, Im waiting to see if Belkin rolls out SOON a line of accesories. The biggest battery recommended by the manual (NP-60, used for digital cameras/camcorders made by Fujifilm, Pentax, and Panasonic) is only 1050mAh (the original is 1200mAh & User Manual says its 1100mAh).
MY DECISION: Seems expensive but surely will pay off. More time and calls are needed to enjoy all of its benefits, to discover more bugs and to understand Phones behavior in different networks. Take your time to read the rest of this phone and SMC WiFi Skype Internet Phones reviews. If you love new gadgets AND dont mind finding some or lots of bugs, then give it a try. It makes cheap calls cheaper by not having to keep your computer "on".
BUT, If you dont want a "Beta product" (Amen, "Blue Devil"), or waste time "debugging" a poorly tested device, then wait until similar, more mature products are rolled out on this side of the planet. Maybe I should check again the "Panasonic Wi-fi Phone for Skype". With excellent reviews... hummmm.
Hope youll find this review as useful as Ive found the rest to me.
On: 2007-08-04
a) It works without a computer, theres no need to transfer contacts, no computer config, no software to install, no usb/network cable or base station required.
b) Its ready to call as long as you have access to either a 802.11b or 802.11g WI-Fi network.
Ive read previous reviews (thanks to all) and knew in advance some of the following drawbacks:
ON THE CON Side:
1) Clock is not accurate even when phone its on. If turned off, it resets back to 01/01/2000. You need to set time AND date every time.
2) If you "rush" the phone by clicking fast it will lock and reboot itself and date/time resets again. No syncing with an internet clock server.
3) NEEDS a Firmware Update. Tried Menu, Settings, General, Software Updates option and still got the message "You already have the latest software installed". Its: v1.1.0.10 R20 from 2006/12/13 (Ive checked www.belkin.com and still theres no update).
4) It should save more than one Skype account (it already saves several Wi-Fi networks & passwords). Logging another user is SLOW and painful.
5) HARD keys. Specially the right "soft key" and the End/Power key.
6) It "rings" a little low, even at max volume. If its not in the same room, you may not hear incoming calls. Also it only has 3 ringtones and SILENT. Theres no way to add more.
7) No belt/holster clip. Hopefully, keypad can be locked/unlocked by holding both the left soft key AND the [a/A*] key. If you want to "roam" with this phone on your belt, then look for a case or swivel case that fits because its not as small as most modern cell phones are.
8) It doesnt work with most Hot-Spots (at least if theyre not "Boingo Mobile"). If you need a browser to enter an user and a password as most Hotels do, youre in the dark.
9) NO Speaker mode.
10) Phone and battery get a little hot when doing long calls (Enough to feel the heat on your ear and hand).
11) The design looks a little OLD and CHEAP. Put it next to a cell phone and youll see what I mean.
12) No cradle. It comes with one USB cable and a charger. Theres no craddle available yet. SMC offers TWO diffent craddles for its Wi-Fi phone. One its a charger (SMC Wi-Fi Phone Cradle Charger - Phone charging stand) and another also comes with an access point: "WI-FI PHONE CRADLE CHARGER W/ BUILT IN AP (SMCDPCR-AP)".
13) Skype user logged in the phone appears to be "reconnecting" from time to time. Also it doesnt apper On Line inmediatly.
14) No way to send SMS messages from the Phone.
15) When calling, batteries dont last the 3 hours advertised. I agree it needs a longer lasting battery (maybe a 1500mAh or 1800mAh?).
16) Lots of errors on User Manual. By example, "Keypad tones--Set this as either "On" or "Off"" option detailed on page 44 is completly MISSING on softwares phone. Keypad DO NOT HAVE sound and theres NO WAY to turn it "On" or "Off".
Another discovery was that the "SMC WiFi Skype Internet Phone" (SMCWSKP100) is the very SAME device. "Netgear SPH101 Skype Wi-Fi Phone" looks suspiciusly similar to Belkins. "Linksys WIP320 Linksys Wireless-G Skype iPhone" also has the same look and software screens. I believe thats because all of them are developments of Trolltech.com (navigate to Menu, Settings, Information). Visit www.trolltech.com and take a look at the "Qtopia Greenphone", it has a camera!.
ON THE PRO SIDE: Why I bought Belkin?, because (along with SMC) it seemed to me, the least worst reviewed of all Wi-Fi Skype Phones Ive checked (and I liked black, the rest are white ;-). Im not returning it now because IT DOES what I wanted: Let me do Skype calls whereaver theres a Wi-Fi available (remember: no hot-spots). If network is fast, youll get very good, FREE (Skype) or VERY CHEAP (SkypeIn-SkypeOut) calls. Voice is VERY clear, with almost no echo, very little delay ("sound latency") on most international calls. Thats still VoIP technologys nature, and mostly Skypes software fault, the broadband network and/or because of all the telecom operators in between. Also, so far, I havent lost calls in the middle of a conversation.
WHAT I WANT: Im waiting for Belkin firmware update. Also, Im waiting to see if Belkin rolls out SOON a line of accesories. The biggest battery recommended by the manual (NP-60, used for digital cameras/camcorders made by Fujifilm, Pentax, and Panasonic) is only 1050mAh (the original is 1200mAh & User Manual says its 1100mAh).
MY DECISION: Seems expensive but surely will pay off. More time and calls are needed to enjoy all of its benefits, to discover more bugs and to understand Phones behavior in different networks. Take your time to read the rest of this phone and SMC WiFi Skype Internet Phones reviews. If you love new gadgets AND dont mind finding some or lots of bugs, then give it a try. It makes cheap calls cheaper by not having to keep your computer "on".
BUT, If you dont want a "Beta product" (Amen, "Blue Devil"), or waste time "debugging" a poorly tested device, then wait until similar, more mature products are rolled out on this side of the planet. Maybe I should check again the "Panasonic Wi-fi Phone for Skype". With excellent reviews... hummmm.
Hope youll find this review as useful as Ive found the rest to me.
On: 2007-07-18
If you want to talk with a delay and with an echo.. this is the phone for you. I was not to impressed by it. Battery power is good for about 4 calls and half a day tops.
The mini usb charging is pretty cool and the phone connect to wifi easy but over all value drops when I gotta talk to people like its a cb radio and the other person has an echo.
On: 2007-07-14
Bought this just before a trip to France, in hopes of saving on the hotel phone charges. I couldnt sign on in the airports in Chicago, Philadelphia or in France. It also didnt connect to several wifi networks throughout Paris, despite finding them.
Didnt get it to work once during the week-long visit. Its going back.
On: 2007-07-10
I ordered this and then returned it about a month later.
Set up was easy enough and everything seemed fine. The phone appeared to have connected to Skype just fine.
However, about half the time, if someone would call my Skype-In number, the phone just wouldnt ring and their call would go straight to voice mail. It could have been a defective unit, but for some reason the product just didnt work for me.
On: 2007-07-06
I agree with some of the posters on here. The phone feels real cheap and the buttons are hard to push. The battery life is bad. I leave the phone hooked up to the charger and if I make a call- you have about 30 mins of battery before it dies.
Phone call quality is good and it does interfase with Skype well. If the phone was 49.95- it say it was good deal. It is no way a 150.00 phone.
On: 2007-07-04
I bought this phone from Amazon in January. I had high hopes to use this product even the reviews were mixed. I tried this phone all over the world on different network configurations and different types of calls. The biggest problem with this device is the inconsistency with the call quality. Sometimes the phone will be perfect on a call and other times it will have echos, feedback, cuts, etc. I would claim to be a techie and solve most of the problems, and for whatever reason, its not the network (since my computer on Skype can have better call quality than the phone), but its the phone.
I have to give this product a 1 star because I cannot rely on it at all. I end up having to use my computer which works much better for Skype than this phone. I might as well thrown away my money. Still waiting for a self contained wifi skype phone that is reliable and has the call quality as my computer.
On: 2007-07-01
Mine had worked OK. Sounds fine. However, there are very few places it connects. It wont connect if a username and password are required, no way to enter those. At many open wifi spots it gives a cannot connect to the Internet message. It will only connect in very few places. Beware.
On: 2007-06-30
Mine had worked OK. Sounds fine. However, there are very few places it connects. It wont connect if a username and password are required, no way to enter those. At many open wifi spots it gives a cannot connect to the Internet message. It will only connect in very few places. Beware.
On: 2007-06-29
Phone locks up frequently, loses connection with wi-fi network and Skype, keys are cramped, has poor battery life, and has no speakerphone. Firmware upgrade has not helped. I also have the Netgear skype Wi-Fi phone, which is not perfect but definitely better than Belkin. Philips VOIP8411B, which plugs directly into the router may be a better choice but I have not yet used it personally. Personally, I will not buy this product again.
On: 2007-06-28
Phone locks up frequently, loses connection with wi-fi network and Skype, keys are cramped, has poor battery life, and has no speakerphone. Firmware upgrade has not helped. I also have the Netgear skype Wi-Fi phone, which is not perfect but definitely better than Belkin. For Wi-Fi and mobile Skype access, Netgear is definitely a better choice. Personally, I will not buy Belkin phone again and dont recommend to anyone.
To replace the home phone line with a Skype phone line, Philips VOIP8411B, which plugs directly into the router is really the best way to go. I have used it for almost a year now and it works great. The call quality and battery life is far superior to wireless Wi-Fi Netgear and Skype phones. Philips also work with a regular phone line and will not become a brick if Ebay decides to change the terms or service of Skype in future, as they have already increased the rates for Skype-In service.
Dealing with Skype as merchant is very difficult and you would think that since Ebay owns both Skype and Paypal, the process of payment will be seamless, but it is not. They will keep rejecting your payments several times before it is accepted.
GE has also produced a Dect 6.0 Skype phone which can be plugged into the router without the need for a PC but I have no personal experience with it.
But you will definitely regret buying this unusable Belkin Skype phone, as I have and I would not recommend buying it.
On: 2007-05-13
Nice idea, but no speaker phone, and the earpiece volume and ringer was too low to keep it.
On: 2007-05-12
This wi-fi phone works wonderfully well, it connects anywhere where there is a free connection, and it is easy to insert a password if necessary. The only thing I would like future versions to have is several users to be on the memory of the phone. Now a new user and password has to be entered upon changing users. But if it is used by only one person, it is an excellent phone to have. I can recommend it.
On: 2007-04-12
Pros: I got rid of my home phone and a years worth of unlimited Skype calling only cost $14.99. Overall the phone works good most of the time. Just dont use it during a job interview or for proposing to your girlfriend because it may cut out, drop the call, add an echo, or die from low battery.
Cons: The person you call sees restricted as the caller ID number so many wont answer. The battery life is pretty bad ~1hour. Sometimes it cuts out or you hear an echo but that doesnt happen too often. It really needs a docking/charging cradle, they built charging contacts onto the bottom of the phone but the cradle must not have been ready by release time so it isnt included.
On: 2007-04-11
I have had this product for a month now and have used it to call people all over the USA and have not had any problems. My secure wireless connection at home is on 24/7 and I can pick up my Belkin Wi-Fi phone at any time and it never once did not make a connect. Set up was way too easy. I got into the Skype plan when they offered $14.95 unlimited calls to USA and Canada for a year. Great plan and great phone. Two of my friends that have used it are going to get one.
On: 2007-04-10
I have had this product for a month now and have used it to call people all over the USA and have not had any problems. My secure wireless connection at home is on 24/7 and I can pick up my Belkin Wi-Fi phone at any time and it never once did not make a connect. Set up was way too easy. I got into the Skype plan when they offered $14.95 unlimited calls to USA and Canada for a year. Great plan and great phone. Two of my friends that have used it are going to get one.
On: 2007-04-04
Im sorry for what I said in my previous review. I couldnt believe that the phone was a hoax. Then I decided to contact Belkin Technical support and explained the problem I was facing with the phone. Its very hard to get through over the phone (1-800-223-5546 xt. 2263) to get assistance, so I decided to try in spanish. Finally a technitian explained to me what was wrong. I had to download and update the software in the phone. Once that was done, the telephone (in the meantime) is working wonderfully. The Technitian name is Fernando, although he is not very patient, but very knowlageable. Sincerely I would like to thank him for bringing the telephone to life. Be aware that the instruction in Belkins website to update are not very accurate. By one hand it says to connect the USB cable, and later on says you didnt have to, and to connect it in a later stage. In any case, as I said earlier, the telephone is working fine.
On: 2007-04-03
Im sorry for what I said in my previous review. I couldnt believe that the phone was a hoax. Then I decided to contact Belkin Technical support and explained the problem I was facing with the phone. Its very hard to get through over the phone (1-800-223-5546 xt. 2263) to get assistance, so I decided to try in spanish. Finally a technitian explained to me what was wrong. I had to download and update the software in the phone. Once that was done, the telephone (in the meantime) is working wonderfully. The Technitian name is Fernando, although he is not very patient, but very knowlageable. Sincerely I would like to thank him for bringing the telephone to life. Be aware that the instruction in Belkins website to update are not very accurate. By one hand it says to connect the USB cable, and later on says you didnt have to, and to connect it in a later stage. In any case, as I said earlier, the telephone is working fine.
On: 2007-03-31
This phone looks good and was easy to set up but the lag in the conversation is painful. My normal skype on my computer is fine but when I use this wireless phone there i noticeable lag and sometimes an annoying echo.
On: 2007-03-24
The phone concept is good, but the extremely slow software (even after updating the firmware) makes it useless. Yesterday I broke the phone in two pieces and throwed it on the bin.
To make a single phone call could take upto five minutes, as the phone freeze and does not respond. If it ever works the quality is in most cases very good.
Not recommended.
On: 2007-03-23
The phone concept is good, but the extremely slow software (even after updating the firmware) makes it useless. Yesterday I broke the phone in two pieces and throwed it on the bin.
To make a single phone call could take upto five minutes, as the phone freeze and does not respond. If it ever works the quality is in most cases very good.
Not recommended.
On: 2007-03-08
the battery lasts no more that 1/2 hour.
the software in the phone is very very slow.
the system often ( very often ) get stucked.
in order to connect the phone to a wireless at home or everywher it needs a lot of configuration .
On: 2007-02-24
Ive had no issues with this phone, the size is the same as my cell phone. When I bought it, I plugged it into power and let it charge over night, next day I turned it on logged into my Skype account, downloaded the latest IOS update for the phone and Ive had Zero problems, Battery life is good, I can hear the phone ring from a distance, it never loses the WiFi signal, I have no problem with reception, no echo. This phone works just as good as my cell phone. Ive read other reviews but Ive not experienced any of the problems they have. My entire network is built on Belkin products and Ive never had a problem. I use Pre-N for Wifi, which gives me a constant strong signal strength anywhere in my home or outside. Ive used it in a Cyber Cafe WiFi Hot spot and it worked great.
On: 2007-02-23
Ive had no issues with this phone, the size is the same as my cell phone. When I bought it, I plugged it into power and let it charge over night, next day I turned it on logged into my Skype account, downloaded the latest IOS update for the phone and Ive had Zero problems, Battery life is good, I can hear the phone ring from a distance, it never loses the WiFi signal, I have no problem with reception, no echo. This phone works just as good as my cell phone. Ive read other reviews but Ive not experienced any of the problems they have. My entire network is built on Belkin products and Ive never had a problem. I use Pre-N for Wifi, which gives me a constant strong signal strength anywhere in my home or outside. Ive used it in a Cyber Cafe WiFi Hot spot and it worked great.
On: 2007-02-21
Against my better judgment I ordered this first generation product, and unfortunately even my low expectations were not exceeded. With an otherwise nice handset and serviceable interface, the phones software is unreliable at best. Battery life is extremely short, which is ok, at least for me, because I keep the phone close to my computer for charging anyway. There does seem to be a problem with the phone locking up and it appears to happen when the batter gets low. Frequently I hear the "disconnected from network" sound which means the phone has lost connection with wireless network (all of my other devices/computers are still connected). Just this moment I couldnt actually re-connect to my network, even after recycling the router. It took re-starting the phone (again). Voice quality on calls is ok, but dont expect the same quality you might get on your headset using Skype on the computer.
All in all, caveat emptor on this one. My advice is to wait for the next generation. Heres hoping they update the firmware on the current one.
On: 2007-02-20
Against my better judgment I ordered this first generation product, and unfortunately even my low expectations were not exceeded. With an otherwise nice handset and serviceable interface, the phones software is unreliable at best. Battery life is extremely short, which is ok, at least for me, because I keep the phone close to my computer for charging anyway. There does seem to be a problem with the phone locking up and it appears to happen when the batter gets low. Frequently I hear the "disconnected from network" sound which means the phone has lost connection with wireless network (all of my other devices/computers are still connected). Just this moment I couldnt actually re-connect to my network, even after recycling the router. It took re-starting the phone (again). Voice quality on calls is ok, but dont expect the same quality you might get on your headset using Skype on the computer.
All in all, caveat emptor on this one. My advice is to wait for the next generation. Heres hoping they update the firmware on the current one.
On: 2007-02-12
I was mainly looking for a phone that would not require the use of any of my home computers. For this purpose the Belkin has performed almost flawlessly. I have tried it on several open wifi networks (most often at home and at my parents) and have had extremely clear phone conversations. I dont know whether or not it makes a difference in the sound clarity, but my parents and I both have very fast broadband service and very fast wireless routers.
I only give the Belkin Wi-Fi 3 stars because it has a few weaknesses. First the battery does not last very long. I spoke on my phone for about an hour before having to recharge. Second you cant store multiple Skype accounts on the phone. For some this may not be a problem, but in addition to having mutual friends my wife and I have different contacts. Its annoying having to sign off an account and then sign in and enter a password. Ordinarily this would not be a problem on a computer, but on the Skype phone you have to use the keypad to type the password. This can be annoying using the numeric keypad.
Finally I have had great difficulty (actually no success) in using this phone at different hotspots. Its not possible (perhaps it is, but very difficult) to sign into a pay for other services. Admittedly I have not yet tried the boingo wireless service that comes with the phone. Im guessing that it will work well with a service that is optimized for its use.
Overall Id recommend this phone for home use or free wireless environments. Id wait for the next generation if you want to use it in pay wireless environments.
On: 2007-02-07
A wifi phone with no base and no computer required is a great idea. From the description I thought this would be an excellent phone. Ive had this phone for 2 months and it has only dissapointed.
There is an echo, unless you turn the volume all the way down, that the other party hears. Everything they say is echoed back to them. This is unacceptable quality. Turning the volume all the way down means you cannot hear the other party. This makes the phone unusable.
It never rings. it drops calls frequently. There is a large delay that makes talking confusing. Sometimes it freezes and the only way to restart is to remove the battery, which is difficult.
My 5 dollar headset on my laptop makes excellent quality Skype calls. This phone does not.
dont buy it.
On: 2007-02-06
A Skype wifi phone, that works without the need of your computer, not tethered to anything is a technology dream. I thought this would be an excellent phone. Ive had this phone for 2 months now and it has only disappointed.
Everyone I call tells me there is an echo. Everything they say is echoed back to them. Theyve told me this is completely annoying and unacceptable quality. If I turn the volume all the way down the echo disappears, therefore it seems to be that the echo is the sound of their voice coming out of the ear piece and being picked up my the mic. I cant hear them well enough to talk with the volume all the way down, so the only other solution is to use a hands-free ear piece in addition to the phone to thwart the echo.
It never rings. it drops calls frequently. There is a large delay that makes conversations confusing. Sometimes it freezes and the only way to restart is to remove the battery, which is extremely difficult. Other reviewers have noted how it is almost impossible to remove the battery cover.
My 5 dollar headset on my laptop makes excellent quality Skype calls. This phone does not.
dont buy it. You will just send it back for a refund. However note the date of my review and check if these quality issues have been resolved. I dont think they have.
On: 2007-01-31
As most reviewers I had similar problems with this phone:
-poor sound quality, very annoying echo
-short battery life
-phone disconnecting from network or freezing
-phone looks amazing on pictures-in real life is rather cheaplishly made
...anyway I returned back to the store.
Dont buy it, wait for next generation
On: 2007-01-30
The phone came with old firmware (September), was working pretty good, but when I was online, my friends see my as offline (and all calls were forwarded to my cell phone). So I decided to upgrade the firmware to the newest one from Belkin website (December). After successfull upgrade the issue wasnt fixed and unfortunately it started to restart/freeze at least once per day. The volume keys are not working sometimes, the charge icon shows charging when its not. Belkin support is horrible, after making about 5 calls, I finally get to the lady who wrote down alle the issues and promes to forward the to level 2 technical support, didnt heard from them till now.
On: 2007-01-30
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 cant hear it when it rings, 3) battery cover is stuck, wont come off, 4) when I use my computer, people on the other end dont complain about an echo, when I used this phone, they complained so much they didnt want to talk anymore 5)lacks features that even the cheapest cell phone offers
In summary, I cant believe this phone cost $200. Im 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.
On: 2007-01-29
The phone came with old firmware (September), was working pretty good, but when I was online, my friends see my as offline (and all calls were forwarded to my cell phone). So I decided to upgrade the firmware to the newest one from Belkin website (December). After successfull upgrade the issue wasnt fixed and unfortunately it started to restart/freeze at least once per day. The volume keys are not working sometimes, the charge icon shows charging when its not. Belkin support is horrible, after making about 5 calls, I finally get to the lady who wrote down alle the issues and promes to forward the to level 2 technical support, didnt heard from them till now.
On: 2007-01-29
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 cant hear it when it rings, 3) battery cover is stuck, wont come off, 4) when I use my computer, people on the other end dont complain about an echo, when I used this phone, they complained so much they didnt want to talk anymore 5)lacks features that even the cheapest cell phone offers
In summary, I cant believe this phone cost $200. Im 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.
On: 2007-01-29
This is a value purchase. Phone numbers are stored and calling out is easy from an open network. However, in downtown San Francisco I could never find an open network to make a call. Also it should have a charger like other phone rather than a plug.
On: 2007-01-28
I never tried any other skype phone but after reading reviews and reviewing netgear and other phones I purchased two of these phones.
Everything was kind of what expected and I was impressed by the phone but as i used it more, i missed lot of sms as this phone didnt support it. Other thing i didnt like was the phone getting hot at the ear piece side after half an hour or more... i know that cell phone connected to adparter while talking get hot but this thing was getting hot without the wire connect, it is weird that it is getting hot for just being used and that was one major reason for my return.
On: 2007-01-28
For some one who is used to using the headphone monkey suit in order to use SKYPE calls from foreign countries back to the US. This phone does
what it is supposed to.
For those of you who are not used to VOIP calls, you will be disapointed no matter what.
Sure, there is a latency sometimes, but that is normal and it has to do with your WIFI and internet connections. FIX THEM, and then your call will real nice. I know this because I live in a WIFI world and speed is my friend.
I have used the phone many times and I charge it when I have to. You cant leave this phone on over night, because its a small battery. But for days use of calls, its plenty of battery.
My only complaint about this phone would be its realy small and plastic keys. The outside is definitly strong and bold, but the keys are weak looking and will probably break with in a year or so. I bought it for $179 when it was hard to find. Now its getting cheaper. Oh well.
And just to be on the safe side, I picked up a 2yr service replacement plan. I am glad I bought it too, because I can almost bet those keys will be the first thing to go.
On: 2007-01-28
This is a value purchase. Phone numbers are stored and calling out is easy from an open network. However, in downtown San Francisco I could never find an open network to make a call. Also it should have a charger like other phone rather than a plug.
On: 2007-01-28
I had this phone for 2 weeks and the battery life is abysmal. Left it on overnight and it was dead in the morning. Call quality was ok if you happened to be 5 feet away from your wireless base station. any further than that and you will get problems.
Nice try Belkin, come back when you have a product that works. I swapped this out for a Netgear SPH200D. $10 more - but 150% better user experience.
On: 2007-01-27
I thinks this is the best for internet phone you can go on every public wi-fi quick and with very good reception
On: 2007-01-27
I never tried any other skype phone but after reading reviews and reviewing netgear and other phones I purchased two of these phones.
Everything was kind of what expected and I was impressed by the phone but as i used it more, i missed lot of sms as this phone didnt support it. Other thing i didnt like was the phone getting hot at the ear piece side after half an hour or more... i know that cell phone connected to adparter while talking get hot but this thing was getting hot without the wire connect, it is weird that it is getting hot for just being used and that was one major reason for my return.
On: 2007-01-27
For some one who is used to using the headphone monkey suit in order to use SKYPE calls from foreign countries back to the US. This phone does
what it is supposed to.
For those of you who are not used to VOIP calls, you will be disapointed no matter what.
Sure, there is a latency sometimes, but that is normal and it has to do with your WIFI and internet connections. FIX THEM, and then your call will real nice. I know this because I live in a WIFI world and speed is my friend.
I have used the phone many times and I charge it when I have to. You cant leave this phone on over night, because its a small battery. But for days use of calls, its plenty of battery.
My only complaint about this phone would be its realy small and plastic keys. The outside is definitly strong and bold, but the keys are weak looking and will probably break with in a year or so. I bought it for $179 when it was hard to find. Now its getting cheaper. Oh well.
And just to be on the safe side, I picked up a 2yr service replacement plan. I am glad I bought it too, because I can almost bet those keys will be the first thing to go.
On: 2007-01-27
I had this phone for 2 weeks and the battery life is abysmal. Left it on overnight and it was dead in the morning. Call quality was ok if you happened to be 5 feet away from your wireless base station. any further than that and you will get problems.
Nice try Belkin, come back when you have a product that works. I swapped this out for a Netgear SPH200D. $10 more - but 150% better user experience.
On: 2007-01-25
I waited and waited for this phone to come out. I wanted to use at home so the hotspot features mean nothing to me. The phone looks great. It setup really fast and started working in minutes. The screen and menus look great. However... The echo is HORRIBLE! Its not a software or Skype issue, its a design flaw in the phone. The earpiece volume is so low you have to crank it up to full to be able to hear the caller. The mic is very sensitive and not insulated from the earpiece internally so you get this tremendously loud and annoying echo. Do some searching on the Skype forums to verify this known issue. Youll get the exact same problem with SMC phone (its the same phone) so dont bother with that one either.
Also the keypad is cheap. My daughter has a toy phone with better buttons. Plus it randomly (seemingly) connects and disconnects from the network. I have the new Belkin N MIMO router and a -very strong- signal through my whole house so I see no reason for the connect/disconnect issue.
I wanted soooo badly for this phone to work. It just doesnt. Im returning mine today. Please dont waste your money.
On: 2007-01-25
After some awkward programming efforts this phone finally connected to my home wifi network and has worked acceptably well since then. The greatest flaw, the bane of electronics manufacturers nowadays who no longer supply printed manuals but force you to print out manuals from CDs, is the super-skimpy printed quick installation guide. I then hoped that the users manual on a CD would provide adequate help if I printed it out, but it is also deficient as, despite its 50 pages, it lacks all the information needed to operate and charge the phone without problems. For instance, some icons and their captions are not very legible even if the manual is printed out, while there is no indication how the charge icon will change on the phones screen when the battery charge is complete (while the phone is off but charging). I am also concerned about the availability of a replacemenr battery and the effectiveness of Belkins customer service. The product idea is good but the execution leaves much to be desired. Bottom line: the phone is acceptable as first aid but this is no substitute for an "old faithful" land phone.
On: 2007-01-24
The sound quality of Skype via Wif-fi with the Belkin phone shows 2 serious problems: Delay and echo. The quality is poorer than normal Skype quality (which is not always great to begin with). The sound quality is so poor that I cannot use the phone as much as I intended.
1. Delay
With the wifi phone, there is at least a 1-second delay in outgoing direction.
2. Echo
There is a serious echo in outgoing direction
I have tested with 2 different wi-fi base stations (both with WEP encryption). I have the same problems with both.
On: 2007-01-24
I waited and waited for this phone to come out. I wanted to use at home so the hotspot features mean nothing to me. The phone looks great. It setup really fast and started working in minutes. The screen and menus look great. However... The echo is HORRIBLE! Its not a software or Skype issue, its a design flaw in the phone. The earpiece volume is so low you have to crank it up to full to be able to hear the caller. The mic is very sensitive and not insulated from the earpiece internally so you get this tremendously loud and annoying echo. Do some searching on the Skype forums to verify this known issue. Youll get the exact same problem with SMC phone (its the same phone) so dont bother with that one either.
Also the keypad is cheap. My daughter has a toy phone with better buttons. Plus it randomly (seemingly) connects and disconnects from the network. I have the new Belkin N MIMO router and a -very strong- signal through my whole house so I see no reason for the connect/disconnect issue.
I wanted soooo badly for this phone to work. It just doesnt. Im returning mine today. Please dont waste your money.
On: 2007-01-24
After some awkward programming efforts this phone finally connected to my home wifi network and has worked acceptably well since then. The greatest flaw, the bane of electronics manufacturers nowadays who no longer supply printed manuals but force you to print out manuals from CDs, is the super-skimpy printed quick installation guide. I then hoped that the users manual on a CD would provide adequate help if I printed it out, but it is also deficient as, despite its 50 pages, it lacks all the information needed to operate and charge the phone without problems. For instance, some icons and their captions are not very legible even if the manual is printed out, while there is no indication how the charge icon will change on the phones screen when the battery charge is complete (while the phone is off but charging). I am also concerned about the availability of a replacemenr battery and the effectiveness of Belkins customer service. The product idea is good but the execution leaves much to be desired. Bottom line: the phone is acceptable as first aid but this is no substitute for an "old faithful" land phone.
On: 2007-01-23
Everything is O.K except hearing problem(hearing sound is too low) and can not connect wireless network which is secured with WPA-PSK [TKIP] (Wi-Fi Protected Access with Pre-Shared Key) such as netgear router.
If you change to WEP network then no problem.
On: 2007-01-22
This phone is a great idea but is very poorly executed... you cant login to networks where you need to confirm a key via the web...as it is the case with most hotels.
Additionally the most recent firmware makes the phone very unstable, every 10 minutes in a call it just switches itself off and you can be lucky if it doesnt forget you network key...can be really annoying.
I will try to return the phone even though I like the concept and the idea. The only way I will keep this phone is if Belkin comes up very soon with a new, more stable firmware.
On: 2007-01-22
Everything is O.K except hearing problem(hearing sound is too low) and can not connect wireless network which is secured with WPA-PSK [TKIP] (Wi-Fi Protected Access with Pre-Shared Key) such as netgear router.
If you change to WEP network then no problem.
On: 2007-01-22
The phone was easy to set up and works perfectly -- no more being tied to the computer. The battery lasts less than 2 hours. I contacted Belkin and was told they dont sell replacement batteries for backups. I was able to find a similar battery with charger on ebay. Its a camera battery and I didnt see any similar sold in the U.S.
On: 2007-01-22
Picked up my Router and only had to enter the WEP Key it was that simple. Great sound, Stable connection I highly recommend this product. Cant wait to try other WiFi connections other then my own.
On: 2007-01-21
Looks that it connects and can call out fine but after 10 minutes you are lost..
No matter if you upgrade firmware, issue persists.
Dont buy it.
On: 2007-01-21
Ive been using this phone for about a month now, at home, office and on the road. Smoothly connected to WEP enabled 2-wire router, 2 Hotel MAC filtering routers, T-Mobile Hot Spot, and a multitude of unsecured networks. Wifi sensitivity and range exceed my HTC TyTn. Have used it outside the U.S. for calls back home. Wife is so comfortable with it that she now uses it at home to save on long distance charges. I have yet to determine if it can/will generate DTMF tones after the call is connected. (Auto attendant curse). Ocasionally caller on the other end reports that they hear an echo during the call. I have been sufficiently impressed by this phone during the test period that I have now ordered 2 more for use in the office.
On: 2007-01-21
The phone was easy to set up and works perfectly -- no more being tied to the computer. The battery lasts less than 2 hours. I contacted Belkin and was told they dont sell replacement batteries for backups. I was able to find a similar battery with charger on ebay. Its a camera battery and I didnt see any similar sold in the U.S.
On: 2007-01-20
Looks that it connects and can call out fine but after 10 minutes you are lost..
No matter if you upgrade firmware, issue persists.
Dont buy it.
On: 2007-01-20
Ive been using this phone for about a month now, at home, office and on the road. Smoothly connected to WEP enabled 2-wire router, 2 Hotel MAC filtering routers, T-Mobile Hot Spot, and a multitude of unsecured networks. Wifi sensitivity and range exceed my HTC TyTn. Have used it outside the U.S. for calls back home. Wife is so comfortable with it that she now uses it at home to save on long distance charges. I have yet to determine if it can/will generate DTMF tones after the call is connected. (Auto attendant curse). Ocasionally caller on the other end reports that they hear an echo during the call. I have been sufficiently impressed by this phone during the test period that I have now ordered 2 more for use in the office.
On: 2007-01-19
This tool is good only in an unsecured netwek zone. Public zones i.e., airports, hotels etc., you can not access. This make the phone fairly useless.
On: 2007-01-19
Agree with the previous reviewer: it only works in the unsecured network. Tried and failed in hotel and Starbucks. So not as useful as I originally thought it would be.
Pro: look and feel.
Con: slow startup, data loading, cant be used outside my home so far.
Un tested: battery and talk time. Sound quality is ok. Not great, but ok. No worse than the PC headphone/mike combo.
Bottom line: Its cutie and purchase at your own "risk".
On: 2007-01-18
at first thought it would not work out here in the booneess in Goose Creek but was suprized just walking to the supermarket got to pick from 3 wifi connections the phone work better than expected thanks skype and belkin
On: 2007-01-18
This tool is good only in an unsecured netwek zone. Public zones i.e., airports, hotels etc., you can not access. This make the phone fairly useless.
On: 2007-01-18
I was pretty excited to see this product on arrival. I just wish I had the chance to test the product instore rather than taking the punt and believing the hype in the Belkin marketing speil! It does not perform anywhere near as well as my laptop configuration. Reception is dismal, battery life poor, contatc downloading is extremely slow. If I was not stuck out here working on a yacht I would have great pleasure in returning the item to its rightful complaints/public relatiopns department.
Pity, because the concept in theory is excellent, the implementation however is a long way from being superior to the laptop configuration.
On: 2007-01-18
Even if the battery are 2/3 or fully charged, I only used this phone to talk for a couple of minutes, the phone lost all of the power and shutdown. The ads says this phone can last 3 hours talking time or about 2 to 3 days standby time. The actual standby time last less than 24 hours and lost the power and turned off completely. When I made phone calls, the other side can hear their echoes, and the voice quality is bad. The earphone jack doesnt work. It dropped internet connection many times and it need to search the network at home but can not find the network. I have to manually search the network and relogin. every time I need to reenter the password even though I specified that I want to save the ID and password.
On: 2007-01-18
Agree with the previous reviewer: it only works in the unsecured network. Tried and failed in hotel and Starbucks. So not as useful as I originally thought it would be.
Pro: look and feel.
Con: slow startup, data loading, cant be used outside my home so far.
Un tested: battery and talk time. Sound quality is ok. Not great, but ok. No worse than the PC headphone/mike combo.
Bottom line: Its cutie and purchase at your own "risk".
On: 2007-01-16
Maybe some of the previous reviewers of this phone had a terrible spate of bad luck or something. However, my experience so far with this phone has been extremely positive. After trying it out for the first time today, I must say that I am extremely delighted with my purchase. At the very first free hot spot which I stumbled upon, (from the parking lot)I phoned many of my friends using SkypeOut and ALL of them remarked that the sound quality was excellent. And during this time, I experienced none of the problems mentioned previously (ie: dropped calls, echo, etc.)
Later on in the day, I was sitting outside of a Starbucks Coffee location (a T-Mobile Hot Spot) and even though I was convinced by previous reviewers that it wouldnt work, I decided to power it up and see for myself. To my surprise, it worked like a charm!! After numerous calls again, testing for voice quality and distance of coverage from the hotspot itself, I must say that I am very impressed with this device. As I do a lot of travelling and need to keep in touch with loved ones at home,this will come in very handy for me. NO more lugging around laptops anymore...this fits in my pocket nicely...thanks Belkin!!
On: 2007-01-15
I have been using Skype for years now. I appreciate there excellent service, and that they are an honest contrast to the ridiculously expensive internet telephone companies. We have terrible cellphone reception where I live, and this phone was a chance to solve that problem. In the first two weeks, the phone worked as it was supposed to; although, it does not have the new Skype-beta software, and doesnt download all the history as any computer would. In the past week it has frozen-up on me twice.(I had to remove the battery), has been giving messages of its inability to hook up with open Wi-Fi, or announced that no networks were in the area. (this was in my house). I am not a wealthy person, and expected that a product at this cost, that was produced by Belkin, and endorsed by Skype would be of much higher quality. I will have to make time this week and see if Belkin has any answers. Meanwhile, I am once again attached to my computer for reliable Skype usage and feel that I have wasted $160.
On: 2007-01-11
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, its terrific with a sleek black case, color screen and attractive key layout. Its 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 its 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 isnt 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. Thats 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 cant see myself hanging around those to make phone calls. Im 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 uses Skype chat a lot during the business day, so I cant plan on using the Belkin Skype phone exclusively for business because theres 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, Id like to be able to set the phone up to let people know that I dont have Skype chat, try me on AIM or whatever.
Anyway, dont think Im totally unhappy with the Belkin Wi-Fi-Phone for Skype. Im not. Its great to carry around the house with me when Im 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 its great if you just want a wireless Skype phone for home, have no need for Skype chat and dont plan on trying to use it too many places outside your home network. Its a shame, but it probably wont work for you on the road or in your neighborhood Starbucks.
On: 2007-01-10
The Belkin Skype Phone is very easy to use. The only comment is that the recipient of calls hears some echoes.
On: 2007-01-10
I have been using this phone for 1 week now. The instructions state that it will operate about 90 meters (300 feet) from the access point. I have been able to access networks at this distance and further. When I do a network scan the number of networks it pulls in is unbelievable. My laptop and PDA cant even pull in some of these networks.
The voice quality is superb, there is no echo on my end or on the receiving end. There is however a very slight delay between callers at times. You should have a least 2 signal bars to have a problem free conversation.
The battery does not last a super long time but on a full charge it lasts in stand by for over two days. I have had many conversations without it going dead. For people worried about battery life, you can pick up a spare battery for it for about $10.00 bucks online.
I purchased the Skype out for $14.95 and the skype in for $38.00. On most any block you can find a unsecured Internet connection. Who cares that it does not have a browser for the coffee shops that require a terms of agreement, chances are there is someone nearby that coffee shop broadcasting the Internet for free.
Only one draw back is the touch tones when pushing the buttons are not recognized by most automated services.
It has an earpiece jack and btw the little plastic cover covering the charger port and ear piece is not that flimsy, with care it will last the life of the phone.
For the people worried about scratching or smudging the beautiful screen, just get PDA or cell phone screen cover. The screen coveters dont cost that much and do protect the screen.
This is the Best WIFI phone on the market so far. I dont know where these bad reviews are coming from, maybe some people got a bad phone and should return it for an exchange or their Internet connection is not good.
I have been all over the city and its like having a free cell phone, when one Internet connection drops there is another one to pick up!
I recommend this phone over any other WIFI phone.
On: 2007-01-09
The Belkin Skype Phone is very easy to use. The only comment is that the recipient of calls hears some echoes.
On: 2007-01-09
The phone looks really nice. But it works terrible drops connection, you can hear echo, you can hear with a daily. I own Linksys CIT200, even thou is not Wi-Fi its USB much better has even speaker phene Belkin doesnt. Dont buy. You will be disappointed. I just retuned it because was fed up.
On: 2007-01-09
I have been using this phone for 1 week now. The instructions state that it will operate about 90 meters (300 feet) from the access point. I have been able to access networks at this distance and further. When I do a network scan the number of networks it pulls in is unbelievable. My laptop and PDA cant even pull in some of these networks.
The voice quality is superb, there is no echo on my end or on the receiving end. There is however a very slight delay between callers at times. You should have a least 2 signal bars to have a problem free conversation.
The battery does not last a super long time but on a full charge it lasts in stand by for over two days. I have had many conversations without it going dead. For people worried about battery life, you can pick up a spare battery for it for about $10.00 bucks online.
I purchased the Skype out for $14.95 and the skype in for $38.00. On most any block you can find a unsecured Internet connection. Who cares that it does not have a browser for the coffee shops that require a terms of agreement, chances are there is someone nearby that coffee shop broadcasting the Internet for free.
Only one draw back is the touch tones when pushing the buttons are not recognized by most automated services.
It has an earpiece jack and btw the little plastic cover covering the charger port and ear piece is not that flimsy, with care it will last the life of the phone.
For the people worried about scratching or smudging the beautiful screen, just get PDA or cell phone screen cover. The screen coveters dont cost that much and do protect the screen.
This is the Best WIFI phone on the market so far. I dont know where these bad reviews are coming from, maybe some people got a bad phone and should return it for an exchange or their Internet connection is not good.
I have been all over the city and its like having a free cell phone, when one Internet connection drops there is another one to pick up!
I recommend this phone over any other WIFI phone.
On: 2007-01-04
I bought this phone about two weeks ago and have used it to call across the country numerous times and to England on a few occasions. Initially, many of the calls seemed to have a faint echo in the background, but after a few minutes I never heard it again. People on the other end of the line made no comment as to the connection being bad. I reduced my home service substantially and am using this phone and Skype exclusively for long distance. I was able to get unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada for $15 per year, what a deal. As others have posted, the battery is not the best, but that is the price that you pay when having it work with the 802.11g wireless system. I just leave the phone on the charger pretty much until I am going to use it and have not had a problem. It seemed to be very easy to get working, but I did have a glitch with the WPA protocol. It said it wouldnt recognize my network. However, later with no changes it did recognize the system and has worked flawlessly ever since. I did update the firmware, and this may have been the reason it worked. So far, so good and I am very happy with the phone.
On: 2007-01-01
I have been using this for a month by now. The concept is nice but network environment is not supporting this yet. I bought this anticipating to be useful for FREE! wireless internet connection on conference travel or business trips, such as hotels, campuses, airport etc. But any of them were not satisfactory (although my environment is not bad. probably one of the worlds best). I can hardly find free WiFi spots on the street or campus from Korea(one of the best internet environment on the world), Japan (Kansai airport), New Zealand (streets of Auckland) etc. Really disappointing!
Furthermore connection range from AP is too short(10m or less).
Now I am only using it in my office through my own wireless router which is located near(just 1 meter away) my desk.
About hardware performance, you cannot expect it to be a normal mobile phone. Too far away from it yet.
If you are not one of the early adapters of IT devices, please wait for some moments until its hardware and environment can be much better than now.
On: 2006-12-26
I was very disappointed to read all of these nice reviews on this product. Out of the other candy-bar style Skype phones, this looked to be the winner. I am attempting to connect to an Airport Extreme Base Station with WEP security (tried both 40bit and 128bit). The phone simply wont connect. I bought this for my parents so that they would have a simple, no-nonsense skype setup. Something that would be less complicated then using their computer to make phone calls. Well, back to the computer. The bugs havent been worked out yet and if you need to connect to a network that requires a terms of agreement form (uh, most of the hotels and airports and public wifi requires this) you are SOL. Wait six months and try again when they hit version 2.5.
On: 2006-12-25
I was very disappointed to read all of these nice reviews on this product. Out of the other candy-bar style Skype phones, this looked to be the winner. I am attempting to connect to an Airport Extreme Base Station with WEP security (tried both 40bit and 128bit). The phone simply wont connect. I bought this for my parents so that they would have a simple, no-nonsense skype setup. Something that would be less complicated then using their computer to make phone calls. Well, back to the computer. The bugs havent been worked out yet and if you need to connect to a network that requires a terms of agreement form (uh, most of the hotels and airports and public wifi requires this) you are SOL. Wait six months and try again when they hit version 2.5.
On: 2006-12-20
why I bought it: We have 5 cell phones among 2 people; wanted to get rid of landline phone which we dont use much at all; vonage and AT&T no cost alternative
whats good: works, works without a computer ( I used to have a headset and carry my laptop around )
whats not so good: battery life is terrible (1 day max with 2 conversations), speaker is very cheap, sounds like a tin can, rubber cap protecting USB charger will break off very soon.
My ROI is about 6 months so its not so bad. If you dont have urgency I would wait a year and I am sure you get a much better quality for half the price.
On: 2006-12-19
why I bought it: We have 5 cell phones among 2 people; wanted to get rid of landline phone which we dont use much at all; vonage and AT&T no cost alternative
whats good: works, works without a computer ( I used to have a headset and carry my laptop around )
whats not so good: battery life is terrible (1 day max with 2 conversations), speaker is very cheap, sounds like a tin can, rubber cap protecting USB charger will break off very soon.
My ROI is about 6 months so its not so bad. If you dont have urgency I would wait a year and I am sure you get a much better quality for half the price.
On: 2006-12-14
I too was awaiting this -- for many months. It works well so far on my home network. Havent taken into the big bad world yet. Sound quality is fine -- the person on the other end sometimes hears an echo, but overall good. I wish there were some controls on the side of the phone to get into a memorized setting, or an indicator for voicemail. Wish the screen didnt smudge as much. Wish the battery laster longer. And last but certainly not least, I wish it had a cradle. Thats a biggie. But its cool and Ive bragged about it to a few people, which hopefully enhances my reputation as cool phone guy.
The keypad and display are nicely done. And Skype has a deal running through January for unlimited calling for $30 for a full year. Go to their site to find out more.
Its fun to snub your nose at the traditional phone companies. I just hope they dont laugh when my house burns down because I couldt dial 911.
On: 2006-12-14
After waiting for a good 6-8 months, the Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype has arrived! The anticipation has been killing me, but the phone is finally here!
The features on the phone are simple and the user interface is very nice. Size may be an issue to some, but it is still a very nice phone. Sound qualities hasnt been an issue. But itll get better as the firmware on the phone will be released in a couple of months, according to many of my friends who work at Belkin.
I got it at an unbelievable price, for about $130.00 on amazon, at last minute. But, if you are always on the go, and a wi-fi network is available to where you are going, than this phone is for you!
On: 2006-12-13
I am in love with this Phone!! After waiting for this phone to come out for months it does not dissapoint. The Black design is sleek and screen is bright and clear. The user interface is very easy to use and it makes calling your skype buddies fun and easy. I showed my mom who has never even used skype before and she was able to call my sister who is away at school without my help at all. Showing my friends this phone has definitely created some converts to this new technology that is going to be huge. Overall with this phone being 50 dollars cheaper than netgears, and the fact that it uses Boingo software to connect to its 60,000 hotspots worldwide, buying this phone was a no brainer. I Recomend this phone to anyone that likes to keep in touch with friends and family over long distances, a skype fan, or to anyone looking for the next coolest gadget to show off to all their friends.
On: 2006-12-12
I am in love with this Phone!! After waiting for this phone to come out for months it does not dissapoint. The Black design is sleek and screen is bright and clear. The user interface is very easy to use and it makes calling your skype buddies fun and easy. I showed my mom who has never even used skype before and she was able to call my sister who is away at school without my help at all. Showing my friends this phone has definitely created some converts to this new technology that is going to be huge. Overall with this phone being 50 dollars cheaper than netgears, and the fact that it uses Boingo software to connect to its 60,000 hotspots worldwide, buying this phone was a no brainer. I Recomend this phone to anyone that likes to keep in touch with friends and family over long distances, a skype fan, or to anyone looking for the next coolest gadget to show off to all their friends.
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