D-Link DPH-540 WiFi VoIP phone

So, the D-Link DPH-540 may not be the first clamshell WiFi VoIP phone, as the company has claimed. We don't mind. The fact is, we want to see more of these on the market, which will continue to bring prices down, making wireless VoIP as ubiquitous as wireless landlines are today. D-Link's $299 phone, which is supports SIP, WEP, WPA and SMS messaging (and is apparently not Skype-compatible), and comes bundled with software for the TelTel VoIP service, is scheduled to ship by this summer.

[Nogami @ Mar 14th 2006 11:02AM]

Shame about the lack of skype compatibility - that's a deal-breaker for me right there...

[Bastiaan @ Mar 14th 2006 11:25AM]

Oh i LOVE this ..
really , skype is sooo overhyped ..

i _dont_ want skype on my phone as it will only abuse bandwidth , but i _do_ want a _real_ SIP client on my phone (as i have now on my HP iPAQ h6340)

hopefully more companies will realize skype is only blocking _real_ VoIP implementations by brainwashing people to think skype == VoIP

just my 2 cents ;)

[evan @ Mar 14th 2006 11:45AM]

hmm... i think that by 'clamshell', dlink meant the form factor (flip-style) of the phone itself, in which case, would make it the first clamshell wifi voip phone after all....

[Charles Soto @ Mar 14th 2006 12:57PM]

"Wireless landline." How silly. You people just make this stuff up!

I don't want WiFi phones. Morons chatting with their moron friends will do nothing but eat up bandwidth I'm trying to use for my laptop. There's already a perfectly good (better QoS) network for all this moronic chatter...

[chris faron @ Mar 14th 2006 1:00PM]

got to agree, more devices on the market=cheap prices/more features. here in europe we are still very much "early days" and i can't wait........

[JL @ Mar 14th 2006 1:18PM]

#2 - Agreed, most definitely. Mind you I haven't tried
skype, I prefer to use the user configurable, non-pc dependent voip services.. I subscribe to Vonage and Broadvoice..

Broadvoice for the fact that you can use your own device..
I had the xten/counterpath softphone running on my Toshiba e740 and my Audiovox Maestro PPC's.. it worked quite well on the Maestro too.. was dissapointed with it on the e740..

I hear skype is not so good on older ppcs..

[m33kr0b @ Mar 14th 2006 2:18PM]

Um, this is the axcess g-1000


http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/02/axcess-g-1000-wifi-phone/

[ThePete @ Mar 14th 2006 2:19PM]

I tried using Gizmo Project and other SIPs but for various reasons I stuck with Skype--mainly because Skype had the features I wanted like a customizable outgoing voicemail message and the ability to have my computer offline and still get my messages when I get back on. As of about 3 months ago these two features were only met by Skype.

But $299 for a wifi phone? Even if it was Skype I'd be taking a pass. Why would it cost so much when comparably-sized/featured cell phones cost $100 less?

I'll be waiting for that Netgear Skyper :)

[Keith Elder @ Mar 14th 2006 8:05PM]

If it doesnt' work with Vonage, I don't care.

[kbnguy @ Mar 14th 2006 8:47PM]

@ #7
Hmm...indeed.
Is it really Axcess g-1000?
or Unex WS2?
http://www.unex.com.tw/web1/english/Product/prdct_detail.asp?c3name=Wi-Fi%20SIP%20Phone&c4name=WP2

I'm lost....

[Spudge_Boy @ Mar 17th 2006 6:30PM]

Axcess G-1000 or Unex WS2

So, can we go to the store and buy either of those?

Nope, then they ain't out there. Why?

Do either of you know what OEM means?

From the Axcess Communications site:

http://www.axcesscommunications.com/about.jsp

"Axcess Communications, a division of AxcessAsia Inc., was established in 2003 to supply the growing demand for Wi-Fi, electronics, network communication, and IT products worldwide. Axcess Communications is committed to providing IT solutions, OEM, and ODM product integration for clients that do not have the budgets to operate a full blown offshore operation."

From the Unex site:

http://www.unex.com.tw/web1/english/Partner/Guideline.asp

"Unex positions to be a Service Creation OEM/ODM provider of Wi-Fi and VoIP technology, also, the ideal partner for companies wishing to provide Cross-Bundling solution/service/program onto Unex�s expertise of Wi-Fi and VoIP platform."

As has been stated already here, the Linksys Wi-Fi VoIP phone linked in this post is not a clamshell. The term clamshell refers to the ability to fold the phone in half. If you did that with your Linksys phone, it would probably void your warranty.

[dph-540-wifi-phone @ May 10th 2006 9:53PM]

I stuck with Skype--mainly because Skype had the features I wanted like a customizable outgoing voicemail message and the ability to have my computer offline and still get my messages when I get back on. As of about 3 months ago these two features were only met by Skype.

$300 for a wifi phone? I'd be taking a pass. Why would it cost so much?

[Cory @ Jun 14th 2006 3:28PM]

DLink was not first to market with a "Clamshell" type, WLAN handset. That would be UTStarcom, with their F3000, which is, and has been, available for some time, at just over $200 retail. Works well with * and most of the SIP BYOD services I have tested it on.

I don't see unlocked, dual-mode (WIFI/GSM) devices happening any time soon, so I believe wireless SIP phones will continue to proliferate a bit in the marketplace.