The Skype WiFi phone package
Today, we launched a package with SMC and FON to everyone in Europe and the US where you can get a WiFi Skype phone, the FON router and other goodies (Skype Credit and voicemail) for £99/ €139 / $159.99. See the press release and read more details on the Skype Gear blog.
An immediate question I had when seeing this was, “Can you use your WiFi phone in other FON hotspots”. The answer at this time is “no”. You can’t use the WiFi phone in any hotspot that requires browser authentication, but you CAN use it in hotspots secured with WEP or WPA. So while you can’t use the device in other FON hotspots when trying to access them as Linus or Alien, you CAN use it at your home FON hotspot (the secure part), as well as any other open or secured WiFi hotspots, such as your home or office.
Will there be a Canadian version coming soon or will i need to have someone from the states smuggle one up to me?
This is great, I can’t wait to get my own Skype WiFi phone!
If you cannot use this “WiFi phone in any hotspot that requires browser authentication” how can it be usefull then ? how do i become in an “automatic way” part of a network. i have call a fon user and ask him, hey give me access to your fon-router so i can make a simple phone-call.
what is the use of an expensive geek skype phone if you can only use it in your home or on a range of location where you have to do complicated things (for most) to get something working.
a phone without a network is useless.
but i still want one and i hope to see network like thecloud.net, boingo.com and fon.com provide easy access in their mesh network for wifi phones.
i guess we’ll have to live with the limitations of reality, until reality changes.
what annoys me is the fact that this solution is presented as if it will totally work on the global wifi-network. i can’t tell you how many people called to ask about wether it will work like cellphone. the answer : of course it won’t.
convince me otherwise. soon i will be checking out a fon box. at home. i am on the 19th floor in a appt. so i guess not many fonero’s at the 19th floor in kuala lumpur will fly by …
the limitations of this solution should be properly described instead of only creating skype marketing hype. it is almost deceiving for some people.
I think a WiFi phone that cannot be used in a public hotspot is troublesome and useless (because it cannot work when you need it most!). Don’t buy. To me, it is a half past six solution only the UNINITIATED will accept. Look for phone with HIPI enabled and go for GSM cum WiFi with HIPI that will work in public hotspot with GSM/WiFi seamless migration and FAST ROAMING between APs. Give all these “OTHER” WiFi phones a miss. HIPI enabled ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE!!!!!
I’ve go that already – a standart Pocket PC with Wlan and installed Skype. When I am in the university (TU Darmstadt, Germany), where I have a good wireless, that’s the only way I call.
why the hell don’t they release a symbian version of skype yet?
There seems to be a contradiction here. FON’s blog says that you CAN connect to all the other FON hotspots, and your post says NO you can’t.
Can you guys agree on an answer? Can you or can’t you?
The FON blog has yet to respond to the same question.
Thanks.
Agreed. I nearly went for the phone package until I realised you can’t use it with networks that need a browser to log in – that means most networks you’ll come across while out on the road. Why DO people put out such half-baked ideas. If it won’t work in any hotel and it won’t work with the (great-sounding) FON hotspots – of what EARTHLY use is it. I think I’ll wait until they solve these problems THEN jump in.
But does ONE phone work with different “skype names” or somehow the phone is linked to a particular “name”?
simoes.mj – you can use different Skype Names on the phone, it is not linked to a particular Skype Name.
I nearly hit the buy button when I realised that this will only work with FON or Open networks. If this does not support browser based login authentication, it is useless. Many will not realise this and will go ahead and order it only to be highly disappointed. This is not good for Skype, who we all have come to love and trust. I travel a lot and need to be able to use a phone at airports and hotels – where you most to make cheap or free calls. This will not serve that purpose. It will be nice to see Skype create a Symbian version as Symbian WiFi enabled phones are available. This will also mean you don’t have to carry two devices.
I’d like to add that on the website of FON it _does_ say that it works with any FON public access point. Obviously wrong and should be changed:
http://en.fon.com/skypefon/
I am happy!
I’ve just received my first WiFi phone. It works properly with Cable WiFi modem in my room. I’ve just made a call to my friend in Munich, it works!!!
In company office I have a closed WLAN without browser authentication. So I can call to my mother to Russia only for 2 Cents/minute during all day.
If needs I will take a Fon router with me if I work in clients office, where there is an internet access from my laptop.
If you flying to Australia you can call during all flight 24-36 hours and you need only 10 USD to pay for Internet access.
Hi,
I asked FON support team about the problem of web-based authentication and SMC WiFi Phone. Here’s the answer of David Garcia (from FON):
“Hello
That’s exactly the point of the SMC FON Skype phone, the software developed for the SMC phone allows the authentification on any FON_AP worldwide.
Regards
David
FON Support“
So what? Will I be able to connect to any FON_AP network or not???
I purchased one of these SMC phones yesterday and will test it out when it gets here next week! Will provide a feedback on it too!
I use Skype for most all my calls via my notebook. Wherever I can connect with a network, I can use Skype. I’ve been looking into wifi phones and phones you can use without a PC so long as there’s a hotspot present. But now I’m lost. I don’t want to be tied to a spot, and I don’t want to carry extra equipment. Is there an answer? Is there a device I can carry and use at any hotspot I encounter?
Yes, the D-Link DWL-G730AP 802.11g/2.4GHz Wireless Pocket Router
Apparently, this device allows you to connect to places requiring remote browsers. You will simply need a laptop to configure it at the hotel or place of convenience. Thereafter, you can use the skype phone and talk all you want!
hi all
I bought one off those wireless phones from smc, I havent been able to use it on any network even free-hotspot and our inhouse wifi network think made a wrong change in my settings, anybody can help. smc dont have any support. By the way that fon router that they promised they are out of stock and been waiting for a month.
Anybody can give me technical help about the settings proxy and all those things????please
can someone help me am a bit confused b cos of my poor english.without using landline( local telephone line) and computer can u still used smc wifi skype phone .since am using mobile net to browse.do i have to insert my internet chip to the smc wifi skype phone?can i call from the wifiskypephone to us mobile numbers if i have skype out credit like i used to do to send text or call.i need help before i order it.
can someone help me am a bit confused b cos of my poor english.without using landline( local telephone line) and computer can u still used smc wifi skype phone .since am using mobile net to browse.do i have to insert my internet chip to the smc wifi skype phone?can i call from the wifiskypephone to us mobile numbers if i have skype out credit like i used to do to send text or call.i need help before i order it.
Question: is there a phone that works with authentication required wifi connections? There simply aren’t enough free spots around to make it worthwhile otherwise.
And if you have skype unlimited, does that cover both in and out calling to the number?
Can you get a skype number for a particular city?
JKPICT
I have the Belkin wifi phone for Skype which is easy to set up. However despite a good signal I think the sound is not particularly good – there are drop outs and the person receiving the call gets echoes…reminds me of the early days of analogue calls to USA (from UK) via copper cables! Any ways of improving the sound quality? Thanks Ian
thanks
http://www.3lm1.com/vb
http://www.3lm1.com/vb/forumdisplay-f_50.html
I bought the phone and thought it would work on all WI-FI networks, but to my dismay on a road trip through Vermont’s i89 where the state is gracious enough to have installed free hot spots in most rest areas I get the troublesome “Internet is not available on this network, login anyway”? Same with a Burito shop in downtown Burlington. What a joke! I have a 12 year old IPAQ Pocket PC that logs in without a single prompt or question it’s totally brainless, it cost me less than this stupid worthless phone.
Send me instructions on how to fix this soon, so i don’t start a really big bad publicity guerrilla campaign on how your company does sales with false advertising. I have no job and no life and lots and lots of time. Be worried or work hard to patch this soon. What a joke a wi-fi phone I can only use at home.
If my computer is signed out…will the phone still accept incoming calls? or allow outgoing calls?
Why we go for a skype wifi phone that just support skype only ;its always better to buy a mobile phone with wifi and install skype of Fring (fring.com) on it and buy a wifi router for your home it will cheap than any skype phone that available in the market. Mobile phone helps you make any type of call as well as skype if it has wifi feature we no need buy two phone ; so don’t buy skype wifi phone just think about to buy a mobile phone with wifi support and a wifi