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Linksys Debuts Cordless Skype Handset
An anonymous reader writes "A new cordless Skype-based VoIP handset will hit Internet and retail stores next week. According to Linksys, the CIT200 handset will allow users to make VoIP phone calls as easily as today's cordless handsets make conventional land line calls. The device uses DECT wireless protocol, claimed to eliminate interference with 2.4GHz phones or devices. It comes with a DECT dongle that plugs into a PC's USB port. It's expected sell for around $130. Initially, Linksys is requiring that the PC run Windows XP or 2000, so no Linux yet."
I've got some spare 'regular' DECT phones.. can I use them instead of the linksys one? and if so .. does anyone know if you can buy the USB dongle seperately?
TIA
DECT is and area where the FCC has let you down.
In Europe, the EEC set aside spectrum (1900Mhz) for the purpose of running DECT. The protocol is neat, it does TDD, pi/4 DQPSK and phones have enough smarts to share the spectrum amongst themselves without interfering.
In the USA, your cordless phones are thrown to the dogs in the unlicensed bands. No predetermined spectrum for the application, so phones have to fight it out at 2.4 and 5Ghz with 802.11, microwave ovens and anything else that uses the band. Better still, since there is no uniform standard for interoperability, your handset will only work with the base it came with and not with another manufacturer's.
DECT in 2.4Ghz (achieved with frequency hopping, so it's not true DECT) does interfere with 802.11. I've done the tests. I've designed both DECT silicon and 802.11 silicon and I can assure you they interfere when they share the same unlicensed band.
Evil people are out to get you.
Back in the day, my girlfriend had a Motorola cell phone. The phone + battery was the size of a purse and needed to stay plugged into the cigarette lighter of her car to work. The signal was pretty spotty, too.
A few weeks ago, I bought a Sanyo cell phone from Sprint. It can stay on for several days with light talking, and is easily pocket-sized. I have 700 prime-time minutes a month, and unlimited calls after 7 and on weekends for about 50USD/month. Coverage is excellent anywhere I take it.
Today, the latest advancement in phone technology is a phone with a minimum 6 pound battery/transceiver combo, and unlimited calling provided I have a non-existant wimax connection, or spotty service from the nearest Starbucks?
What a country!
If you use real VoIP, for which there is a provider on every corner, and ones like Sipphone.com, Vonage etc operates in the USA, there IP wireless phones has been around forever. And with voipbuster.com european phone calls to real telephone is free.
And if you like most people using VoIP is having an adapter box, you can talk even when the computer is turned off, and you can use a standard $20 DECT telephone with the box. And I had the "skype in" equivalent from before skype announced it.
I do not understand this wow about skype. It is bloatware (requires the PC to be on), quality supposedly sucks etc. I looked at it, and dismissed it as a closed network of old technology. But again, I want things that works, is cheap, and I do not care if 15 year olds can use if for filesharing.
When I first read the headline I got excited...but then it turned out to be a huge letdown. We VOIP users have been waiting for a good mainstream SIP based Wifi handset for a long time now and having one from Linksys would have been great. But this is nothing of the sort. Just yet another "dongle" for your PC for making PC to PC calls. You are still tethered to your PC (just through a wireless tether) meaning it has the cool factor but is not practical for most real-world users to replace their traditional cordless phone. Come up with a SIP standard device that uses my existing Wi-fi access point and can support multiple access point profiles and then you will have something.
Why should I go to a service that 1) requires me to own a computer, 3) requires me to have a broadband conection, 3) is dependent on my electricity not going out, and 3) requires me to purchase an expensive phone when I could simply get Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS - with better sound quality and no dropouts) for a mere $8 monthly (yes, that's really what I pay)?
Well lets see:
1. Skype is free with other skype users so that means unlimited worldwide calls. How much do you think your $8 phone plan with the default long distance provider is going to charge for a call from the US to India?
2. Your local plan will probably still charge you for local extended calls so enjoying calling the place across the street from you for free but you'll get charged in 6 second increments for everything else.
3. Most people own a computer that has USB support
4. A lot of people have broadband.
5. A one time cost of $130 is not excessive.
6. Skypeout is extremely cheap when you need to call regular folk with their own line. I bet I can call a lot of far off places for awhile on that $8 you spend just keeping the phone line active.
Yeah, I used to pay $35 a month for POTS (and that's as low as it got) and I get a skype-in number for a YEAR for what it cost me ONE month with POTS.
So I am saving $385 dollars plus I don't get all the crap calls I was receiving before.
VOIP is VERY worth it.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
You only pay $8? Strange, in order to get a phone line with just Caller ID and Voicemail, my phone bill was cracking $40. And that was before any calls, or any long distance. I got my first bill, then immediately signed up with Vonage. Now I pay $25 for dozens of services I'd never afford on a standard line, and use every day. Plus I don't pay any long distance charges.
Of course, if you have no one to call, it doesn't seem very impressive.
Here in France, the problem is different. Every DSL ISP is providing you with a "box" (freebox, neufbox, aolbox, etc...) that includes:
1. A DSL modem. Unlimited bandwidth (the closest to the DSLAM the better) Up to 20MB/s if you are lucky enough. I get 6MB dn / 600KB up.
2. A phone plug. You can plug any regular phone to it. landline national calls are free, others incredibly cheap: US is EUR0.03/minute !!!
3. A TV-out (scart + optical out) with ~25 channels (actually 100 but only ~25 are worth something).
Plus, when you subscribe to kick out the old national operator, you can transfer your landline number to the box.
All that costs me EUR30/month. I don't see VOIP anywhere close to me with such a service.
Write boring code, not shiny code!