Stan Beer
Sunday, 25 November 2007 16:40
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
I've been having a play with a review unit of a Netgear SPH200D cordless DECT phone with Skype and after just one weekend I have come to the conclusion that I only need half of what this phone can do. The other half, making phone calls using an expensive landline, I may as well simply switch off.
The fact is that the quality and reliability of
VoIP services has now reached a level where they are comparable with
fixed line services and they can be had for a fraction of the price.
Phones like the SPH200D merely serve to highlight that anyone who has a
broadband connection is simply pouring money down the drain if they
persist with a PSTN service.
As a phone to look at, the Netgear SPH200D is nothing special. It's a
little brick-like and bulky compared to the sleek mobile phones
available today and its color screen, though clear enough, is
relatively tiny. It also has a poor selection of ringtones. However,
its controls are intuitive and the really important things in a
cordless phone, such as call quality, range and hands free operation -
are there.
However, the thing that won me over with this style of phone was the
versatility of the device. Yes, it's a combination PSTN and Skype
dualphone but you don't need to run it through your computer and, after
using it for a few days, for many it will become clear that you don't
need the PSTN.
The SPH200D DECT basestation plugs directly into a broadband modem or
wireless networking router - that part enables your Skype calls. The
SPH200D basestation can also simultaneously be plugged into your
standard PSTN RJ11 wall jack. What you end up with is a system that can
run up to four phones which can send and receive calls in both modes
and are totally independent of telephone wall sockets and a computer.
The SPH200D phones can also communicate with each other via an intercom
button, which is a very handy feature in a small office situation.
The biggest impact that this phone system will have for most users, however, will be felt in their hip pocket.
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