The SMC WSKP100 Skype Wi-Fi phone extends the convenience of wireless connection and the voice quality of Skype into one portable device. The WSKP100 is intended to help users make Skype calls at home, workplace and campus without the hassle of turning on computers.The modulation of WSKP100 is based on the IEEE802.11b/g standard so it is compatible with most standard 802.11b/g Access Point (AP) in the market. With the embedded Skype software, users can have access to both PSTN and Skype networks as long as users have a valid Skype account. With the easy startup user will not have to remember the SSID or security keys; the WSKP100 stores these information and will connect to AP automatically when it boots up.With embedded Skype software, SMC Networks' Skype Wi-Fi phone provides the users of cost savings, mobility with 802.11b/g WLAN, and hassle free installation with easy startup.Customer Review: Functional, but with a very short range
Right out of the box, the phone would not connect to my Linksys access point with WPA encryption. I had to upgrade the firmware on the phone to the latest version before it would properly connect. Could only place clear calls if I was in the same room as the access point. I have a D-Link DPH-50U USB-to-telephone adapter which works 100x better, for much less money. If you need on-the-road skype service, I think that the Nokia internet tablet is a better choice. I returned my SMC Skype phone.
Customer Review: Nice electronic-brick. Calling it a 'phone' is laughable.
I bought this with great hopes for telephony freedom - the ability to travel anywhere in the world while keeping my number, and straight ditching my conventional phoneline when I got broadband... However this was not to be. It's reception is mediocre at best, if you're leaning on the walls housing the hotspot, you'll get reception - there will be no reception while driving, and although you may be able to check your messages with low reception, talking is hopeless. Conversation is laggy, and quite akin to 1950's radio communication - "Hi, how are you, over." Yes, you can have it on all day, perhaps even talk a good chunk of it, but two? Absolutely not. Again, frustrating and kinda defeating it's appeal to a road warrior. I bought a cradle for it, and that's nice for battery if I'm home, but doesn't help it's crappy firmware or power management. There is no 'lock keys' on it at this time. I blew about a third of my minutes from it dialing my friends with it's ghetto little stick control from my pocket. If you power it down after every call, you don't dial out, but it's largely a glorified pager at that point. It's heavy, clunky, and it's screen scratches easily. I called SMC and vented some frustration - I explained that I had better reception results using the Belkin firmware (this was an option a while ago, I haven't used this phone in easily a year...) and detailed my frustrations listed above. The tech sent me a free phone, saying that he was sure I had a defective unit, and to accept a free one instead of going on a reviews rampage (my threat at the time). Fine. Fast forward six months, and that tech is nowhere to be seen, any my little gift (which I didn't use because it sucked too) has become an advance RMA (where I send in the old one). So SMC mailed me until I put 'em on the spamblocker. Avoid this terrible parody of communication, this nightmare of customer service, and buy something, ANYTHING else. The sound quality is excellent however, if you have good service, and patience for 2000ms voice latency.
