Information Engineer

The Philips VOIP841 is the first completely independent DECT cordless phone that lets you make Skype calls without a PC. And with the added flexibility of letting you connect your land line, this phone can take care of all your calling needs. The Philips VOIP841 is a self-contained unit that requires no installation of software or connection to a computer; simply plug the base into any power outlet in your house, connect it to your broadband connection, and you can start making free Skype telephone calls right away. (To make Skype calls, you must open a Skype account. A Skype account is not included with this phone.)
And by simply plugging your home telephone line into the VOIP841, this phone can double as your everyday landline, giving you the ultimate in convenience.

Technical Details

* Stand-alone cordless phone lets you make Skype phone calls without a computer
* Can also be used as a traditional phone with a landline for extra convenience
* Full-color display and 4-way directional pad makes navigation simple
* Handset can store up to 500 Skype phonebook entries
* Phone has up to 12 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby on single charge

Customer feedback:

1. 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.

2. 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.