Philips VOIP841 PC-Free DECT 6.0 Wireless IP Phone Reviews

• Good, But Do A Little Homework Before Purchasing

  
  By AVU1ILDDYW301 on 2007-09-18
  I purchased this phone a little over two months ago. Overall I'm quite happy with it, though I do wish I had waited until the price dropped and saved some $$! I've read many of the reviews and agree with many of the good ones, and can empathize with many of the not-so-good ones.
  
  First of all, I think everyone assumes someone looking to purchase this phone already knows about Skype, which I'm sure is usually true, BUT if you're unfamiliar with Skype, be sure you visit www.skype.com first to find out exactly what it is, and what it is going to cost you (if anything) to join and use the system. Different plans are offered such as talking to only other people on Skype. . . . Making calls to people on "regular" phones (fee based, but really cheap). . . . and if you want to have your own phone number so that anyone can call you (fees involved). After reading a lot of reviews, I didn't see where anyone mentioned about what Skype actually is, so I wanted to get that out of the way. This phone works with Skype, but you still have to sign-up and select what plan you would like, and that's where there could be fees. Also, you must have high-speed internet access to use this phone. . . BUT you can use the phone without your computer being turned on, which is one of the main reasons for purchasing this phone. Now for the review. . . .
  
  When I first got this phone, I had both a land line and Skype. I have since dropped the land line because I'm more than happy with the Skype service, especially due to how much $$ it's saving me (a ton, by the way). As Skype will tell you, they recommend you keep a land line, because Skype does not work with 911. I have a cell phone which works with 911, so I'm less worried about that and I live in a condo with lots of people around me. If 911 service is of a concern, then you might want to keep the land line. When you place a call the phone will ask you if you want it to go through the land line or Skype. FYI, someone wrote that they were still asked that even though they didn't have a land line, but I was able to change the settings and now the phone always uses Skype.
  
  I agree with someone else who said that they thought that Skype was not as good as a land line, but better than a cell phone. Sometimes the quality is better than others with Skype, but again, I can live with that because of the cost savings.
  
  I have Skype on my computer as well, and it's great that the phone will update when you add new contacts to your computer and vice-versa. You can load all of the phone numbers from Outlook into Skype, and then it will load onto your phone. Really great feature.
  
  As for the phone itself. . . well. . . yes, it is sleek, modern, etc. . . but I agree with someone else who said that it's kind of a pain because it's not like a "regular" phone receiver where you can hold it against your shoulder and ear. Yes, you can use a headset, and yes there is a speakerphone which I find works quite well. But if you're not using either of those, it can be a bit of a pain holding the phone all the time. FYI, there is no volume control, and I really hate that. If you're the slightest bit hard-of-hearing, I would not recommend this phone. Though it's not difficult to use, it is more like using a cell phone. If you have Skype voice mail (fee-based feature) there is an icon on the phone to let you know that you have a message so that you can listen to it. The phone keeps a detailed log of all of the calls which came in, and also that you made. Someone mentioned that the phone does not have the best ring tone options, which I would agree with, but surely you can find one that you'll be satisfied with. Oh. . . I don't know if this is still the case, but my phone came only with a disc with the instructions. There wasn't a printed manual. I found one at the Philips website though. I HIGHLY recommend that you go to the Philips website and take a look at the owners manual before you purchase, just so you know all of the details and what features this phone offers, which are quite a few. Once you get to the Philips website, just do a search for VOIP8411B/37.
  
  
  

• An Excellent Phone for Skype Users

  
  By ADVLRJS633OTD on 2007-07-07
  If you hate paying the phone company a ton of money for calls you probably aren't going to make, Skype is a great service. You can make unlimited phone calls within the U.S. and Canada for just under $30. Out of country calls are extremely cheap. For example, I can call the U.K. for a bit over 2 cents per minute.
  
  So having a telephone you can count on to make reasonably good calls is critical. The Philips VOIP841 is not a perfect solution. The sound quality is somewhere between a cell phone and a land line. It's a bit better than the former and not nearly as good as the latter.
  
  But for making and receiving calls from family and friends, it's great. And it will pay for itself quickly and save you a ton of money on your phone bill.
  
  I even use mine for business calls overseas and many times within the U.S.
  With Skype, you can make conference calls. So business users will find this of interest.
  
  Although the phone allows you to make Skype or land line calls, the land line is no better or worse than the Skype line. In fact, I believe the Skype calls may be somewhat better on this phone.
  
  I do find there is a small amount of static on my Skype to land line calls at times. Not enough to make the calls bad. But you'll notice it. And it's not always there. Calls are dependent on your connection and the traffic.
  
  In addition, the phone is not especially comfortable in your hand. At least I don't think so. It's too small and not shaped well. You have to hold it a certain way to hear well.
  
  The speaker works quite well. I can hear the other person very well on the speaker. The other person says it's not as good on their end. But it's a good feature to have. The mute feature is also good to have.
  
  So if you're looking for a true land line replacement, this is not it. Of course, Skype will tell you that you can't make 911 calls. So most people want this for a second line anyway.
  
  I like to watch my costs. And one place you can spend way too much money is with the phone company. So I cut my land line service to the bare bones (I like having 911 and the option to have clear calls) and I have a good cell phone plan. Added to that this phone and Skype and I save a ton of money. I signed up with Total International for long distance on my land line. So for me, that combination works great.
  
  The phone is feature rich. It does have some bugs. And I found that customer service doesn't know much more about the phone than I do. They're of very little help. And the documentation is poor. They do have a decent FAQ on their Web site and you can find some answers. Plus, Skype has an active forum with lots of folks who use this phone. So there's help there too.
  
  But having said all that, I recommend this phone for people who use or plan to use Skype for a lot of long distance or PC to PC calls. I expect within a few years someone will come out with a phone that is a true solution. Until then, I'm glad I bought this phone and I really enjoy the savings it provides me with.
  
  I doubt you'll find a better Skype phone at this time and this one enjoys high ratings from most reviewers who review for a living.
  
  Update: July 21, 2007
  
  After using this phone for several weeks, I can tell you I'm glad I made the purchase. It's worry-free and very dependable. Making Skypeout calls are quite clear, regardless of where you call. The landline, however, is not too good. So I don't use it for a landline at all.
  
  I've never had any dropped calls or any problems and I've used the phone a lot. I pay Skype less than $30 per year for unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada and keep a little in my account for overseas calls. I talked to London for five or six minutes and it only cost me a nickel.
  
  I ordered a Skype desk phone for my office to use along with this one. But it's not portable. I also read in The Wall Street Journal that there is a new type of VOIP calling coming out in September, called Ooma, which may prove to be a better deal. I'll be checking into that and buying the unit.
  
  So, in summary, I've been very happy with this phone and it's worth the price. I continue to highly recommend it.
  
  

• Well thought out and straightforward

  
  By A29VS2CCWXHZY4 on 2007-05-11
  The phone is gorgeous in high gloss black ... puts Belkin and Linksys offerings to shame, but finger prints take a lot of effort to remove. Fit and finish are good and it's nice that Philips included all the necessary cables (ethernet and regular phone). Yes there is a mini jack that accepts a headset (my Panasonic works) and here is volume output that is finally loud enough for me. For some reason, the jack location is about 1/8" too low for the headset to remain plugged in when you return the phone to the charging cradle. I can't tell if this is deliberate or a design oversight. Handset batteries are a pair of standard AAA NiMH--good because replacements are cheap and easy to find, but I can't help but think the talk time would be more with a custom battery. We'll see.
  
  
  
  Navigation is decent--no confusion if you know your way around a cell phone. The screen is easy to read but, like a cell phone, the contact list is only about 11 characters wide so long names are truncated. Philips makes the selected contact name scroll like a ticker, but it would be nice to just to see more of the name to begin with. Setup for me into a Linksys router was effortless.
  
  
  
  I was a Skype user before I bought this phone so the first thing I miss is the ability to conference several contacts in to a single call I am hosting. I'm finding that Skype on my Mac still works (login with same username) so I can enter contacts on my keyboard and they update the handset a couple of minutes later. However, I do notice that sometimes my active contacts are grayed out on my Mac, possibly because the handset was off hook recently and has not released control. Sound quality is a little tinny compared to Skype on a Mac with a hard wired USB headset, but still respectable.
  
  
  
  If I had one wish, that would be a menu option to make all the land line features disappear. As it stands, I can dial the number to a regular phone but have to select SkypeOut or land line when I place the call. Since I don't have a land line, this is an extra step for me each time (This doesn't apply to numbers already entered into my Skype contact list).
  
  
  
  All in all I am very satisfied. The phone looks awesome and belongs in the MoMA, and I am saving a good chunk of change by terminating my land line. BTW, since I have a cell phone that gets me 911, I doesn't bother me that Skype doesn't provide this.
  
  

• It is hard to make me happy

  
  By A61X68N42OI70 on 2007-05-11
  It is hard to make me happy in a name of purchased gadget. I always find something I do not like about it. It looks like Philips VOIP8411B/37 is the exception. I do not think it is "the perfect." Lets write about it. It looks very good, but this would be the last think I would care about. The most important is it's functionality. This DECT based cordless sounds pretty clear and good. I connected in my regular land-line phone and the Philips VOIP8411B/37 rings differently for the regular line than for Skype or Skype In. It has call ID and all you want to get from cordless phone except answering machine. On the regular line I have the answering machine and while I purchase Skype In, I received free voice mail box, so no problem here. I "still" have another VOIP service for which I pay $25 a month. I'm going to cancel that service. I purchased Skype In for $38 (you get your own telephone number in the US, or anywhere in the world where it is available) a year plus Skype Out for $30 a year, that is together almost $70 a year for almost the same functionality of my present VOIP service. When I consider that for the original VOIP I pay about $300 a year, I will have savings about $230. WOW!!! The quality of Skype connection is not the greatest, but I always understand the conversation when occasionally the quality goes from the great down to less great. Conclusion? You could be happy as I'm with the Philips VOIP8411B/37 if you have good quality fast Internet connection. The Skype is not substitution for regular telephone line same way as any other VOIP service, but with Skype I call US and Canada for free for $68 a year, and to Europe I pay around 2 Cents per minute plus couple Cents for a connection fee. Highly recommend!
  
  

• UPDATE: now freeze problems!!! OLD: Works good with no problems in 3 weeks +

  
  By AK72GKAD61UR2 on 2007-03-26
  Update:
  It's been several months since I had this phone.
  I am having freezing issues where phone would not let you talk. It's weird, it is online, when someone calls, you can answer, then there is no voice! You cannot hear what other say and they cant here you either. It says connected and timer runs, but no voice.
  
  Only think you can do it to do power cycling, which is not convenient.
  
  This issue has been repeating every 2-3 weeks, I am no longer satisfied with this product.
  
  
  
  
  I ordered this item as soon as it was available from Amazon. Phone works very well. Dect range is good enough and sound is clear. I also have skype unlimited calling in US plan. Now I use this a lot and my cellphone usage has dropped slightly. On my cellphone, I changed to a prepaid plan and I think I will be saving around $30/month.
  
  I did not use it with landline so far, only skype phone. I don't think there would be any issues with that. Phone lets you call skype contacts automatically which is good in case your network connection is down.
  
  Overall, handset and base is portable enough for moving. I took it to work to show some friends. It was easy and worked very well at our work network which is firewalled and very secure. Works just plug and play.
  
  
  
• Not Bad, But Falls Short
  By A11H4UCM9XPP17 on 2007-09-16
  The Good:
  The phone really is plug and play. I received the phone at work, unpacked it, plugged it into power and our un-blocked internet connection, and it worked. I was amazed at how it pulled my contact list from Skype, and I was making calls in under ten minutes. Unpacking time was longer than setup time.
  
  I've paid more for a good quality cordless phone, so I was okay with the price for this unit. My long distance bill should be next to zero after getting this phone.
  
  The Bad:
  The phone doesn't have a good feel in my hand. It feels thick, narrow and slippery. I'm sure I'll get over this, but it looks and feels more like a thick remote control than a phone.
  
  The keypad is also on the small side, and doesn't have great "feel". People with fat fingers will be frustrated.
  
  The audio quality is disappointing. Using my computer and a headset, it's as if the person is next to me, or inside my head. The audio on this phone is tinny, and the person I'm talking to says the sound is okay, but not great. I bought a headset with a boom-mic for the phone, which helped, but the audio quality is still under-whelming compared to the computer experience. This is really too bad since great audio is available, but not over this phone.
  
  I only use this phone for Skype-Out calls. Sometimes I have to originate the call two or three times before it goes through. I never had this problem on the computer.
  
  Finally, when calling someone, the audio is missing for the first second, which leads to "hello... hello... hello". I'm not sure if this always happens, or just occasionally. I never experienced this on the computer.
  
  Summary:
  I've had this phone for less than a week, so take that into consideration. Even with the shortcomings mentioned above, I'm satisfied with my purchase. I have a cordless phone that allows me to call anywhere in the US for "free", and I don't even need a computer, or to be at home. I only need a CAT-5 internet connection.... Cool.
  
  
• Too many lock ups
  By A1DNZ4JXD8OEQJ on 2007-09-30
  Ultimately I found the phone was unreliable, it would lock up and not dial out, and seemed to have a mind of its own, sometimes it would work and sometimes not. I ruled out Skype as a possible cause by testing other methods of accessing Skype. This phone needs another firmware update to address these issues. I returned the phone
  
  
• Looks nice and that's about it.
  By A245I47U6O0IFG on 2007-04-06
  Very nice looking phone but couldn't get it to work. Whenever calls would connect after ringing, the call would stay active but there was no audio. Otherwise, the phone setup and accessed my Skype acocunt fine. 3 calls and a chain of emails with Philips proved useless. They said because this is so new, they don't have support documentation. Their best suggestions were to go a web search, call back and hope to get a technician that knew more, or return to Amazon.
  
  
• Works as Advertised - for the Most Parts
  By A1DM5V0K81QM17 on 2007-09-21
  This phone works as advertised. It handles both Skype calls and land line calls well. Voice quality is great. The user interface is decent. I'm really happy with it except some minor quirks:
  
  1. Whenever you log off the phone and log back on, it asks you for the password. Although the user interface suggests that it will remember the password, it really doesn't. Typing alphanumerical password on the numeric keypad is not exactly a fun thing to do.
  
  2. Last week the phone shows I'm off line and can't connect even though my internet connection works fine and I can log into Skype from my PC with no issue. Power-cycle both my router and the phone's base station solved the mystery. Never know exactly what happen though.
  
  3. If you pick up the land line call from another line other than the this phone, it will show you missed the call.
  
  These are minor annoyance of course compared to the features of the phone. It is really cool. I have an extra handset with this phone and it works equally well.
  
  Tips: I set the status on the phone to be "Invisible" so whatever Skype status I have on my computer is what people will see. That way when people call me I can still pick up the phone and answer. But people won't see me and try to call me all day long unless I'm in front of my computer, and I don't need to log in and out using the awkward keypad on the phone.
  
  
  
• way to go skype!!!!
  By A2R7LPK0UQMQII on 2008-01-21
  I really love this phone because it gets me out of the computer. It also makes great calls. I call Europe, South America, Australia, and even Africa once in a while. People say they hear me very clearly. I also get a very clear and crisp sound from the other side of the world. About a week ago when I called my cousin in Australia, she asked me if I was there because the quality of the call was excellent.
  So fr, I am very, very satisfied with this phone. It is worth the money because it saves me time as well when I make my overseas calls. Of course, using Skype saves me lots, and lots of money.
  May 28, 2008
  I have been using this phone now for a few months. It works great adn people overseas tell me they can hear me just as if I were there. Once in a while I hear myself echo but it is not all the time. I love it because I keep saving money on Skype.
  
  
• Great phone for Skype calls.
  By A18UJK888VJX6Y on 2007-06-10
  Pros:
  *Cheap phone calls using unlimited skype
  *Can call computer and phone using skype
  *Can connect to both landline and Voip, but why would you?
  *Awesome look and feel of a regular house phone.
  *Notifies you of voicemail with flashing LED
  *Has a phone finder button on base for those who lose their phones
  
  Cons:
  *Voice occasionally sounds "in the barrel" to the other person (remedy: have to hang up and call again).
  *Glitch in phone where it trys to connect but never does (remedy: reset the base station) - I have had this happen about twice per month and all calls will go to voicemail until fixed.
  
  
  
  
• Philips VOIP8411B/37 Dect/voip Phone System
  By A1G3DS07IPXTYR on 2007-10-17
  Sorry, this has NOT work for me as I expected, maybe in the future. It does NOT ring when being Skyped-in, When calling another Skype user, it does not work.
  Thanks
  Amy
  
  
• Pretty good but has some rough edges in the usability dept
  By A1W91E84CPADTW on 2007-10-19
  Works as promised/expected in general, feels good in the hand and seems well built.
  
  Minor usability issues which put non-tech user off this product vs a real phone:
  
  - Selecting between analog and skype for outbound calls is clunky, there should be a way to set the default for when you hit send and a way to easily (by using another button) use the non-default method. Futzing with a prompt on every call is not acceptable.
  
  - If you buy unlimited skype-out ($30/year) the phone thinks you have .09 credit and warns you when you make every call that you are almost out of credit and should buy some more (you have to see this warning and can't shut it off). Tech support at Philips says there's no way to fix this and there is no firmware update on the horizon that might address it. Their best suggestion was to buy some skype credit to shut up the prompt -- but they couldn't say how much would be needed.
  
  The above 2 issues mean to make a phone call you have to enter the phone number (and or pick through the address book) and hit 'send', then go through 2 more menus/prompts and ack them before it will make a call. Pretty annoying, but it does work.
  
  
• Terrible clicking noise in some cases
  By A3B3BVWUX215ED on 2008-01-28
  I have had this phone for months now. It works, but its clicking noise makes this phone almost useless in certain cases. I have changed three different phones of this model. But they all have this problem although behavour somewhat differently. Basically, it works fine when you make a call to another Skype phone. But if you call a normal phone, ie. using SkypeOut mode, the phone will make a series of loud clicking noise that can only be heard at the other end. It is random and varies with specific phones. One of the best one so far I have used makes the noise only when I put the phone into mute. The other one makes the noise sometimes when I use the speak phone mode. The third one makes the noise even in the normal conversation setting. I have not been able to contact Philips about the issue. But since all three phone have this problem and I also have seen some eariler complains from other users, including the users of other brand (e.g. Netgear) of the same OEM model, I conclude that this is a known design problem that may not be fixed by a firmware updated. I will NOT recommend it to be used with SkypeOut.
  
  
  
• A little quirky
  By A356VFHWTDHYSG on 2007-08-12
  Hard to say how I feel about this device. Let me just state why I bought it. I work from home, have a second line for the business and I thought I'd save some money by doing a Skype-In procedure. It'll take about a year to offset the cost of this phone but regardless. It is beautiful and sleek, a pleasure to hold. Here's the problem I've been having. The phone system just shuts off and doesn't reboot itself automatically at times. I only know this when I go to use it and I then notice that the whole system is down. It's unpredictable as to how to get it going again. I basically unplug everything, once, maybe twice, sometimes three times before it comes back up. I'm not blaming the phone system entirely. If Charter's cable connection were a bit more consistent I'm almost sure that this wouldn't happen at all. But it does and my only wish is that it would just reset itself as do my computers when I manually reset my cable connection. Also, since this is a replacement for a landline I sure would've liked it to have a constant setting of Skype as opposed to being asked every time I make a call. Would I still have bought it knowing what I know now? Yes, absolutely. Just want it to be a bit less quirky and sensitive goshdarnit.
  
  
• Great product - a few issues on first use
  By ACBBRPNT0Y803 on 2007-10-17
  We bought this phone and at first could not make any outgoing calls to landline numbers (non-Skype), although they would ring at the other end but no one could hear anything. I finally found an online forum and it appears that this has been a very common problem with this phone when first starting to use it. The remedy was to simply upgrade the firmware which is very simple to do (instructions are on Philips website). The phone that Amazon sent me was new, but the firmware was outdated by a couple of levels. Once I upgraded it, it worked great and has been an excellent phone. It has many features, is light but solid enough that it feels like a quality phone. It is intuitive to use. It also lets you plug in a landline as well as use Skype, but we have dropped our landline and use this phone exclusively now. The voice quality is excellent and no one has been able to tell that we are now using a phone over the web. Great buy! Our relatives in NY, Ireland and Spain are also now using these phones and we all call each other for free. Great savings!!! And any landlines that we call (to Ireland, etc) are only 2 cents per minute. This phone has paid for itself already by reducing our landline charges.
  
  
• Philips VOIP841x >>> DISCONTINUED!
  By AO6G2EWLQBIC6 on 2008-08-15
  From the horse's mouth... 'Philips' has discontinued the 3rd party production of the Skype VOIP841x series.
  
  Don't get stung... do not pay gouging prices, nor pay for the Philips VOIP841 PC-Free DECT 6.0 Wireless IP, which most likely isn't in stock, nor will ever be, and end up fighting to get your money back.
  
  If you really want to buy the Philips VOIP841x, do so through the Skype shop (Skype.com)... $149+ Shipping + tax (depending on the state you reside), as they are the only one that will truly have stock of the Philips Skype VOIP841x units until they are no longer available. Skype wont take your money and sit on it... they don't work that way.
  
  There is another unit in the pipeline, which is under development, and it will NOT be manufactured by the previous vendor, due to an unfavorable relationship with Philips... When will that unit be made available... Perhaps Fall '08 or later...?
  
  One would assume the minor bugs in the Philips Skype VOIP841x series phone will have been worked out in the next generation. Furthermore, I've personally tried the Wi-Fi Phone for Skype (all are the exact same, only difference are cosmetic, with the exception of the Panasonic), and found nothing but problems... battery life, constant ramping of baud rate, etc... You'll notice the majority of persons who have tried the Wi-Fi Phones for Skype, have reported dismal results... I'd wait for the next generation and keep using your Mac or PC for your Skype calls.
  
  Industry Insight... Understand Philips, in many cases, does not manufacture all of their products, as they are dependent upon 3rd party venturists manufacturers, and are simply distributed by Philips, carrying their brand name.
  
  
• Perfect
  By ATRUTPPI9B0S2 on 2007-05-21
  Great Skype offline phone!
  Setup was very straight forward and simple, great sound, very good reception. Do not have a land line at home. I am using this phone strictly as a Skype phone. Purchased a phone number via Skype and unlimited phone call in the US and Canada.
  Only thing missing is a second hand set which I hope to find soon.
  
  
• Outstanding product
  By ATAGSUNJUN8B2 on 2007-07-05
  I have been using this phone for about a month. The ear-piece sound quality is not the greatest but that's minor. The performance of this phone is otherwise stellar. I've experienced no problems. It works perfectly every time.
  
  
• OMG I Love This Phone!
  By A1Y0OAKE51EFXS on 2007-10-11
  To start I have to say that I was a previous customer of Vonage, Packet8 and SunRocket (now gone defunct). I was so fed up and disappointed with quality and customer service that I vowed to never use a VOIP service again. But, I did continue to use Skype occasionally to make international calls (mostly because the calls were free to others who had Skype accounts). Then more frequently for US and Canadian calls as I noticed a marked quality improvement using Skype. But I didn't like using a headset and having to be tied to my computer. So, because of all the great reviews, I ordered the Philips VOIP841.
  
  By nature, I am a very tough customer. So, from the moment I received this phone I tried my very best to find all of its faults. On first impressions out of the box I saw a very sexy looking well designed phone. Ok, so looks are not everything. Lets see how many hours I waste setting this thing up. With the very well written setup guide, I was up and making Skype calls in about twenty minutes (I'm sixty years old and not a techno geek). Setting the personal preferences was a snap using the intuitive Menu user interface. The phone has plenty of ring tones and styles to fit ones personality. Once the phone connected to the internet it immediately got to work automatically syncing and downloading my Skype contact list. After that, we were good to go. Now for the acid test. After two solid weeks of use I found that the call quality was excellent. Virtually nobody that I talked to commented that the call sounded out of the ordinary. People were surprised when I told them that the call was an internet VOIP call. Most commented that they could not discern a quality degradation. I like the fact that my computer does not have to be on to use Skype. It is always on-line and ready to go.
  
  The cost is mere peanuts. I signed up for unlimited Skype calls in the US and Canada for a paltry $29.95 per year. Skype is totally FREE for Skype to Skype calls). That is about one MONTH's worth of Vonage.
  
  Bottom line. I REALLY like this phone a lot. So much so, that I got rid of my crutch (the old land line)... Gasp!! But alas the phone is not perfect. I did find a flaw. The flaw is that there is no way to set the number of rings before the call goes to voice mail. But I believe that this error will be soon corrected via the next Philips firmware update. If you have dependable high speed internet service I would highly recommend this phone. I congratulate Philips on an exceptional product. The VOIP companies like Vonage had better take notice and clean up their act, because consumers just don't have to take mediocre and sometimes abusive service any more. We can have it all for a fraction of the price. Remember that prices can vary greatly on this product, so shop around.
  
  
• Disapointing
  By A3O00QDOXD86M8 on 2007-10-29
  Philips need to work a lot on it. It is dissapointing, and lack of respect for consumers. The phone continuously doesn't work (shows not available, even when using the land line or trying to shoot the phone off), and Philips didn't answer my questions. I have found simmilar complaints here talking about the software of the phone. To make it work I have to reset frequently the base unit (I now know why they put a reset buton on it!).
  
  
• Excellent dual Skype/landline phone at a good price
  By A2HJ8IFMIF5ZT0 on 2007-11-06
  I first have to say that I have no association with Philips or Skype and am not paid to endorse this product. I had heard about Skype a while ago but never paid too much attention to it; but when I recently moved to Europe and was looking for a cheaper way to communicate with family, friends and business associates in the US, I finally tried it out and was very pleased. The problem was getting other family members to sit down in front of the computer to make these "strange" Skype calls. I therefore decided to get a Skype phone - and as our old cordless phone was not great quality anyway, decided to kill two birds with one stone and get a dual system. After reading a few reviews here on Amazon, I took a chance and ordered the Philips dual phone and after about 3 weeks of heavy usage am very pleased. I have yet to identify a feature I would want and can't find on the phone (I noticed some other reviewers had complained about features they thought were missing, but with a little investigation and reading of the user manual, I found almost all of them on the phone). The only feature I'd like it to have that it doesn't seem to is the ability to forward Skype In calls to another number from this phone. I still have to do that on my computer. Otherwise, it seems to have everything. In addition, the sound quality is absolutely fine (I agree that the speaker phone is a slight bit tinny, but not enough to bother the average user), and the phone has a great look. It worked first time straight out of the box. The only problem I had was that when I tried to register the extra handset I had purchased, it didn't seem to work. I had to contact Philips customer service, and they resolved the problem immediately. (Turns out you have to hold down the button on the base station for 4 seconds, while the base station is disconnected from the internet.) I also had a small problem after a power failure from a lightning storm. Once the power was back up the phone kept cycling through its "start up" mode, and I had to disconnect the base station and take the batteries out of the hand sets to reboot the system. But it worked fine afterwards and none of my stored numbers were lost.
  
  Considering that I was paying a fortune for calls to the US - and having a hard time dialing toll-free numbers in the US from Europe - the combination of Skype and this phone has been one of the best investments I've made all year. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy another base station and extra hand sets, since the base can only accommodate up to 4 hand sets.
  
  All around, it's an excellent product and I recommend it highly.
  
  
• Great Skype Phone
  By A2PBHWO0WPW3TU on 2007-12-11
  Overall I am very satisfied with this phone. It was extremely easy to setup, has very good voice quality for both landline and Skype, and is sleek. This essentially makes one use Skype as if using a normal cordless phone with a landline (bought one for my dad too!). I bought this phone after having returned the Linksys iPhone since the latter had annoying problem of going into startup mode very often and within a month got locked up in the startup mode.
  
  One of the reasons I have not given the phone 5-stars in the review is that Skype calls made using this phone do have a tendency to get dropped more than when using the computer and a headset. I live outside US and have to regularly participate in long (1.5+ hour) phone calls with US. With the Philips phone, there is a much higher probability of the call dropping unexpectedly after about 30 to 45 minutes of the call. I have not (very very rarely) had the same problem when using my computer with a head-set (Plantronics DSP 400). On most casual, non-office calls, a dropped call is not a problem; however on a business call (especially conference calls) a dropped call is very annoying. So if you do not intend to use this Skype phone for long business conference calls, this should not be an issue for you. It would be good if Philips could figure out the issue and fix it. So I use this Philips Skype phone for most of my personal long-distance call and Skype on my computer for business-conference calls.
  
  Also, would appreciate if power converters for both the handset and the base-station could be dual 110/220V mode, instead of just being made for 110 V power outlets.
  
  Overall a very good phone; excellent value for your money. Fewer dropped calls would make this phone excellent.
  
  
• The Best Skype Phone I Used So Far...
  By A38UE8T0DF96KL on 2008-04-17
  I highly recommend the Philips VOIP 841. I have used one of Linksys's older models (that connected to the computer over USB, Linksys CIT300 Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit) and I wasn't impressed at all. It was quite slow at times. I've also tried the Belkin Wifi Skype phone, Linksys WIP320 Linksys Wireless-G Skype iPhone ,which I thought would be really nice, because it connects directly to any wireless network. Unfortunately, it was even slower than the Linksys (wait a few seconds to access anything) and it's battery life was terrible. In the end I decided to try the Philips after seeing reviews online.
  
  The phone's base station connects to your home phone line and your DSL Modem/Wireless Router via a network cable (RJ45/Cat5/Ethernet). The phone has a separate charging station that can be connected anywhere the signal reaches in the house (in case your modem isn't near where you want the phone to be) acts as a regular landline and Skype phone. You will need to have a Skype account to sign into Skype. The phone works with both free Skype-to-Skype calls, (e.g. where both people have Skype phones or Skype on their computer), SkypeOut (where the Skype part of the phone calls regular landlines and mobile phones) and SkypeIn (where people can phone a normal telephone number that is mapped to your Skype account). SkypeIn was a yearly subscription and after that all incoming calls are free. SkypeOut is on a per minute basis and differs from destination country to country. You can use your credit card on the Skype website to do this, or PayPal. You can also configure Skype to auto charge you with a certain amount when your account gets low.
  
  The phone performs well, it is speedy and call quality is excellent. There are a few times where the phone seems to lose connection to its base station once in a while, and phone resets itself when this happens. Browsing your call history takes some times as well; however dialing and bringing up the contacts list is quick (though I have a small contact list).
  
  
• Great Phone!!
  By AKHVGZT6DRVL8 on 2007-04-21
  This phone is really great, it's not just looking sharp with good design, it's also just working, easy to setup and to use!
  Calls in or out are working perfectly, sound quality is great and I could even add more handsets to the base station if I need them.
  I replaced my Linksys WIP320 Skype phone with it and I am just satisfied.
  
  
• I love it but one important caveat
  By ACUB5Y1B1OVSA on 2007-07-31
  I actually got this for someone else who has cable internet (1.5MB/s) and who lives in an area where the local I've-never-heard-of-them phone company is rather expensive. I set it up for her.
  
  1. We both like the way it looks. It is physically smaller than I expected though.
  2. Set up was easy except I found entering the Skype password was a pain because * is substituted for each actual characters - this is intended for use at home so who's going to see?
  3. Nice, obviously-Skype interface.
  4. For the caller, quality comparable with landline except one instance where the person on the other end wasn't even sure I was speaking English. Normally, the quality on the receiving end is better than landline.
  5. Unbelievably cheap! Getting a local phone number $60/YEAR for SkypeIn, free calls to all US/Canada $30/YEAR and really cheap calls overseas with SkypeOut.
  
  Now, the caveat. Skype make it quite clear that you can't call 911 for emergency calls. However, I figured that since the call centers are on the phone network, they must have regular 10-digit numbers but 911 acts like a speed-dial number so the 10-digit numbers are never actually used. With the 10-digit number in hand, I thought I could set that up as a Skype contact and assign it speed-dail #91. Obviously you would have to identify your position - as you've had to with cell phones until recently.
  
  I was wrong. I contacted the City of Charlotte (NC) and after several emails got the following response from someone high up. It is possible, though probably unlikely, that the system in your area may be different.
  
  "The 9-1-1 system does not work on 10 digit numbers. It is a system built specifically for 9-1-1. We have direct connection to cama trunks at AT&T. It enables us to get your calling number and address. So even if you can't stay on the phone we can get to you. The federal government has mandated that all VOIP providers upgrade their networks to provide 9-1-1 service. I don't know how Skype gets by that mandate. We do have 10 digit numbers coming into the center for outgoing calls and to receive non emergency calls. These numbers are not manned 7X 24, may not be answered or may be busy. I want to repeat we have no emergency 10 digit numbers. Our non emergency police number is 3-1-1. Do not expect to get emergency service by dialing any number but 9-1-1. If you put any number in your system but 9-1-1, that 10 digit number may get eliminated, changed or could be out of service. I want to make sure you do not have any false hopes or information because the last thing I want is for you or your family to need an emergency response, dial a 10 digit number and get no one."
  
  One minor annoyance: There was a power failure and I was surprised that the password had to be re-entered when the power came back on and the internet connection was re-established.
  
  
• Best Skype Phone!
  By A2QRXQPHDMFCQV on 2007-08-09
  Using Philips VOIP8411B with Skype is the most practical way to use Skype Phone. Works just like your regular phone. Once set up, it can be used by people without much technical know-how.
  
  For a year and half I have been using Skype as my only home Phone. For $60 a year you can get a telephone service that includes long distance: $30 to get a Skype-In telephone number and $30 to get Skype-Out unlimited phone calls to US and Canada.
  
  Of all the devices/telephones I have used with Skype telephony, Philips VOIP8411B is the best. Vosky/Actiontec units require you to keep computer on all the time. Wi-Fi units from Netgear and Belkin have very poor battery life and Belkin keeps losing connection and locking up all the time. But Netgear Wi-Fi phone has a place; to be used like a mobile phone in places you can get Wi-Fi access (without using the browser).
  
  Philips VOIP8411B is very well designed and pleasure to handle. Range is at least 50 feet. Voice is clear. keypad is responsive. It has a jack for regular telephone service and so the unit will not be a useless paperweight(unlike other units mentioned above) if tomorrow you decide to get rid of Skype, it can still be used with your regular phone service. If you want to use Skype as your only home phone, this is the way to go.
  
  
• Excellent phone and easy setup
  By A3KOZY7GSKHAKL on 2007-08-14
  I looked at many skype phone and settled on this one because of its looks and that it can be run without a PC. Out of the box it was well packed, and easy to setup. I had a skype account, entered the setup info in the phone and was online and working in 5 minutes. I have had this phone for over a month now and been using it regular.
  
  This phone allows for skype out (calling a land line) and you can just dial the phone number and pres talk. I saw in other post a comment that you had to select skype out before it would make the call. I found a setting in the phone that made this the default behavior. With that this phone works just like a regular phone. Its amazing with a skype out and skype in number.
  
  The sound is excellent when having a call with a land line. clear, crisp and easy to understand. With some of my skype contacts its hit or miss. I think this has much to do with the other skype users and the quality of their headphone/microphone setup.
  
  This phone will make an excellent replacement to my vonage line. With a skype in phone number, and skype out service its a great bargain.
  
  One issue. I do leave the phone on all the time. Sometimes for some reason the time on the phone becomes wrong by several hours. I have to turn it off and back on for the time to update. Otherwise this is a great product and I am very pleased.
  
  
  
  
• Works like a charm
  By AX5ZCMT1K7KNF on 2007-09-15
  This is the third Skype phone I have purchased. All three used an ethernet connection to my wireless router thus allowing me to use the phone/skype without having to have the computer on. Unfortunately, I had to return the first 2, the Linksys CIT400 and the Netgear Dual Mode Cordless Phone with Skype. Both of the previous models had the same problem: all of the sudden, whenever I made calls, I couldn't hear anything as soon as the call was answered. And since their customer service couldn't (Linksys) or wouldn't (Netgear) help, I had to return them. The Philips VOIP8411B/37 has worked flawlessly. It was easy to set up, it looks good, it functions like a regular, non-skype cordless phone and I have had no problems with it in the 1 month that I've had it. My plan was to get a Skype cordless phone that sits on my kitchen counter just like my regular phone, and use it to make all my long distance calls. That's just what I've got. And it works for receiving calls too. I have a second skype account that I use when I'm in Europe to call home. The Philips skype phone on the counter rings and my kids answer it - no cost for the call since I'm skype to skype. This has been just perfect!
  
  
• Very good skype phone
  By A3KG6JTUHHZVAV on 2007-12-02
  After some expensive and long searching I think I can finally say I have found what I have been looking for in this phone. For a while I have been looking for a good solution to using my skype untethered to the computer. I did a review for a GE skype which once it was setup worked well but I still had to leave the computer turned on to use it. Then I saw this phone and the decent reviews. Once I saw that you do NOT need to have the computer on to use this I had to try it out.
  
  Already having a skype account, this phone was super easy to get setup to use. I literally took everything out of the box, plugged in the base and the charger base, connected the main unit to my router and just to set it up I dropped 2 AAA regular batteries into the handset(it comes with rechargables but I was anxious to get it setup), turned it on, entered the info the screen ask for and I was connected! Called my cell phone to be sure and worked great. Once I got use to the menu system I found it easy to finish the setup.
  
  Though it can be used as a regular phone connected to the phone line I have not tried this as I wanted this only as a net phone and as such it works very well. Call quality is very good and no one knows unless I tell them it is a net phone. My ONLY complaint is that once in a while a call will suddenly just disconnect for no reason but I suspect that is more the skype service than the phone. Admittedly was more than I wanted to pay but in this realm I'm learning you get what you pay for.
  
  Anyone looking for a good reliable skype phone that is cordless and you have a good dsl or cable connection I recommend checking this phone out.
  
  Philips VOIP8411B - Cordless phone / VoIP phone - DECT - Skype
  
  

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