Before I pan the VoSKY, let me talk about Skype. I LOVE IT! It does VOIP over your computer. You can contact people long-distance within the U.S. and Canada for free. You can call other Skype users in the world for free. You can call telephones in the U.S. and Canada for $15 a year and even have your own "inbound" telephone number for 10 euros (about $13.50) every 3 months. Once you have this, you should never have a long distance bill again, if you're calling in the U.S. and Canada. Just to be clear, I LOVE Skype, I just didn't like the VoSky.

VoSKY Call Center is a "box" and some software which allows you to use Skype with your home phone. It has a USB port for the computer and a line in and phone out "phone ports" for your telephone.

When I first installed it, it didn't appear to work with Skype 3.0 (my installed version). It would connect to Skype, attempt to dial, then disconnect before the call was connected. It did this from the first time I attempted to use it.

I looked at the VoSKY tech forums and they said that it doesn't work with Skype 3.0 (which came out about a month ago). This should have been a sign. So, after looking for about 2 hours, I found Skype 2.5 (the old version) and re-installed it.

After the computer is re-booted, it works, but something happens after 30 minutes or 1 hour, and then it won't dial out. It connects to Skype, but when it attempts to dial, it immediately disconnects before the call is connected.

I've already disabled all the power saver features on the PC, so it's not that.

Also, I'm a little disappointed that it takes over the speaker and microphone and redirects them to the phone. Sometimes I LIKE using Skype from the computer. I use Skype for conference calls a lot, and use a headset. Also, my wife uses the Internet radio, so taking over the sound system doesn't bode well.

I think I want a box that does that "whole Skype thing" without the PC. Too many things happen on the PC that can break it.

I liked the Voice Mail feature for the normal phone.
I liked how it interfaced between the normal phone and the Skype for outbound calls.

But in the end, it HAS to work to achieve my goal of replacing my regular telephone service, and it wasn't reliable enough to do that.

I'm debating about whether to try the D-Link DPH-50U/V or another box or just try Vonage. Also, there's the option of a "real Skype phone" that doesn't use the computer, but it's closer to $200.

Anybody a little further down this path? Advice?

Glen Austin

That's my dilemma. My friend who works over at Time Warner Cable (previously Comcast) has me on the beta list for VOIP phone service. I want to do it, he wants me to do it. The question is when. That discussion was last October. I'm in Frisco, TX (a very Northern suburb of Dallas).

Now, we're on the cusp of the new year and I'm trying to decide whether to "wait it out" or just go with Vonage.

I don't want to rebuy hardware in 3 months, but I'm getting tired of AT&T sending out a disconnect notice when I'm 5 days late on paying my bill. Also it really ticks me off that they haven't offered an "auto-pay" option. Given their prior history, I'm not sure I would trust them with my credit card anyway. Finally, with AT&T buying BellSouth, they're trying to put back together a monopoly for a dying industry (traditional phone services). Bad strategy.

I hope Comcast, Time Warner, and all the cable companies EAT THEM FOR LUNCH!

With the Skype, I haven't spent a lot. I'm out about $30 for SkypeIn and SkypeOut (both) and about $77 for the non-working VoSKY (which I'm about to return).

I'm thinking about trying the D-Link router, or maybe one of the Skype phones instead. Also, I have a "spare" computer I'm not using, so I might just put the D-Link on that computer instead of our "main computer". That way I don't "risk" messing up our main computer.

Glen Austin