I'm thinking about buying a telephone to use with Skype. I don't like sitting in front of my computer when making a phone call (unless I'm using a webcam that I very seldom do).
Do you have any experience with wireless voip telephones?
I also read about "normal" telephones converters... anybody uses one?

Giulia
I am also interested in one. I checked Radio Shack here in the States--they handle SKYPE stuff. The SKYPE phone was over $100. If you find something less expensive, I would love to know about it.

Giulia, I have the Vonage VOIP and all I needed was a router with a phone adaptor. I can use any phone with it. I actually have two phone lines plugged into it - one regular and one fax. Then I have cordless bases and phones in the other rooms.

Is SKYPE different since you actually download it? If yes, then it seems like you should be able to use the phone plug on the back of your computer.....

I got my router directly from Vonage but could have purchased it at any number of places. After reading Jane's and a couple of other posts about SKYPE I'm considering giving it a try too.

Telephones for Skype go to the USB plug.
After reading Torile's post I imagine that the converters I saw are the ones used for Vonage-like voip.
So I suppose that there's no way to spend only about 20€...
Jane, I have seen less expensive phones for skype on the internet. I will keep you informed.

quote:

Telephones for Skype go to the USB plug.

I went to the skype website and it seems they sell adaptors so that you can use your own phone.
Is this something like what you were looking for? They sell on the website for around $50.

So, Guilia - Jane, humor me and let me see if I understand this.
If I have a SKYPE account and one of the usb phones could I then take my phone with me on vacation and pop into any internet cafe and call home for free?
How is the reception quality? Any complaints?

Torile,
they don't sell those adaptors in the Skype shop for Europe... I will have to investigate!
About Skype: you need skype to be installed on the computer you're using. I suppose that internet points will begin installing skype as they did with msn and yahoo messenger.
The reception quality is ok, usually good but sometimes a bit noisy (let's say it's just a tiny bit worse than "normal" telephone lines in Spain and Italy... but good enough if you consider that you're calling for free!).
I also use skype a lot for calls to "normal" telephones, within Europe and the US is just 2 euro cents per minute. This way calls to Europe are 10 times cheaper than through a normal telephone line here in Spain and calls within Spain (except local calls) are 3 times cheaper.

quote:

they don't sell those adaptors in the Skype shop for Europe... I will have to investigate!

If you decide you want to purchase one online and they don't ship to Europe you can have it delivered to me and I will send it to you.

quote:

About Skype: you need skype to be installed on the computer you're using

So- just to clarify. As long as SKYPE is on the computer anyone with an account can log in and use it?
I'm going to download it right now.

Torile, I have to admit--I really don't know much as have just started using it and so am learning as much as you from this thread. I really am not sure yet how the phone works because haven't really spent time checking it out. Judy (Divinacucina) uses SKYPE a lot and may have info. I will check with her or maybe she will see this thread and chime in.

I have found at this point the reception to be excellent and the folks on the other end in Italy say it is good.

Giulia--I would love it if you would keep me informed. and--I just told my husband that there was another BandB we need to go to next year. How long is the drive from Greve?

quote:

As long as SKYPE is on the computer anyone with an account can log in and use it?

Apparently not but I'm investigating...
Have you already downloaded it? My id is vallenuova if you wish to add me to your contacts and give it a try...

Jane,
I will be glad to see you!!
The Locanda is about two and a half hours away from Greve. It's quite near (about 160 km) but the roads are quite winding as you have to cross the Apennines. The area is very very nice and quite different to Tuscany, you will see!

Giulia--my SKYPE ID is janelp. I just added yours.

One final question. I am not certain if by downloading SKYPE whether or not it will affect my Vonage. I tried to find this info online but in order to contact customer service at SKYPE I must already be a registered user. Since both services work off of the computer I am worried I might mess up my regular phone service by adding another VoiP.

Does anyone have more than one provider?

Or, could someone who already has SKYPE (ladies, you know I mean U ) please e-mail customer service and ask them?

I'm almost as excited about this as I was when I first started with the Vonage.

Torile--Giulia and I just finished a computer to computer conversation--free. She is in Madrid right now. It was so easy and fun. I am convinced,though, that I want a phone as don't like being connected to the wires and headphones and computer

Hi!
Torile, I'd be glad to e-mail the customer service. Do you mind explaining what is exactly Vonage? is it the same as Skype?
Jane,
hope to talk to you soon!

quote:

Torile, I'd be glad to e-mail the customer service. Do you mind explaining what is exactly Vonage? is it the same as Skype?

Yes, I think so. It is a VoiP system - like SKYPE. I have a router (similar to the ones on the SKYPE site) and my two separate phone lines plug into the back of it. I can use any phone with it. It does not in any way connect thru the old/antiquated regular hard wired phone lines.
So, my concern is that if I have more than one VoiP system running thru my computer that one might interfere with the other....and I can't contact customer service without actually downloading first.
I'm guessing it will not be a problem since the Vonage is an actual telephone number and it seems SKYPE is a screen name. I just want to be sure.
Thanks so much for checking on this for me.

I think you would have no problems as, as you say, vonage is a telephone number and skype is just a programme you install (more similar to msn than to vonage, I think).
Anyway I'm writing right now!

I'm interested in trying Skype, but I also have Vonage and don't want to have any hardware/software conflicts.

I would imagine that I could run both, but I'm interested in what info you uncover!

Torile,
sorry if I didn't answer before but I was in Italy for the elections...
I did write to the Skype customer service to ask about running Skype and Vonage but they never answered (!) So I'm afraid that we still have no news about it... I will try again!

Thanks Giulia for trying. I keep trying to remember to pop into the electronics shop and pick up one of the phone and just go for it. I guess the worst that can happen is that it does conflict with my broadband phone and I will just have to uninstall it.

Hope the elections went your way. I was out of town all last week with no tv or internet. Was there a re-count?

There was a re-count and the result was 400something votes different from the first...
I like to think that my vote was one of the 24.000 making the difference!
About Skype: I think you could try installing Skype alone first and use it through a webcam if you already have one or normal/cheap headphones. That should be no problem.
If that works you could pass on to plan B and buy the phone. That should also be no problem (but who knows...)
I saw a voip phone in a shop when I was in Italy but it was supposed to be used both for "normal" phone calls and voip. I didn't want it as I already have a "normal" phone in my flat in Madrid (which I share with my flatmates) and I just want my own personal voip phone.
Back to the Vonage/Skype problem, the phone that you use for Skype goes into a USB plug from your computer (not like Vonage that has its own router-like system). I think that you might have a problem only if you wish to use the Skype-in service that actually works like a "telephone number" through wich you can make and receive phone calls.