Ask Engadget: Best Skype phone for Europe?
By Darren Murph 
posted December 31st 2009 11:05PM
posted December 31st 2009 11:05PM
There's nothing worse than not being able to communicate with someone when you desperately need to, so we're hoping that our readers across the pond will be able to chime in here with a little advice. If you've got something productive to add, drop it down in comments below!"My sister recently moved to Belgium. She has access to WiFi at home, so I'd like to send her a mobile phone that can run a Skype client. Requirements are WiFi, can work on Belgian / European carriers, runs Skype, and has excellent battery life. Anyone have any suggestions?"
I say Nokia E51 (sold new unlocked for about $160 in US) is the best option, it supports Skype and has built-in support for SIP and it's a quad-band GSM phone, so will work in both Europe and North America.
Get fring for the N900 and you will be able to make video calls to skype right now.
EeePC 4G/701.
I know, not a cell.
If it's for WiFi at home, ours is great!
Video Skype calls UK to NZ, no problem with stock Xandros Linux.
Quite a capable netbook also.
Secondhand, you could probably afford one each.
Recommended!
grmcknz
That would be Nokia E71, E72, E52 (E55). I have the later and Skype is working beautifully with Nimbuzz, while the battery life is outstanding. It easily goes for 7 days without charging (moderate use). Whats more is that there is an official Skype client for Symbian, still in beta though.
why dont you look at a Dualphone 3088 which is a cordless DECT Skype phone, that does not need a computer to stay online on skype. Works like a normal cordless phone also. But can work as a stand alone skype phone with skype contacts and all on the display. it costs less than $100 you can get more info here. http://dualphone.net/DUALphone_3088_for_Skype-789.aspx or buy it on skype homepage.
T-Mobile offers the Blackberry Curve which is quad band and has WiFi. Is there a Blackberry application for using Skype?
@Dr Yusuf AlKindi
There are several 3rd party apps and I have tried them without good results. I would not recommend them. Better to get a handset that is recommend by SKYPE.
Skype via Fring on the Nokia E71, I use it over WiFi and GPRS and the experience is very good. This phone also supports 3G.
Useless to drag yourself in mumbo-jumbo of wifi phone and blah blah. I have a great news simple, free and unlimited. Use Rebtel.com to make unlimited calls between 52 Rebtel countries including Belgium from any landline phone or mobile phone using your local access number. Simple and easy.
@Niz Seconded. Why spend $$$ on a complicated smartphone where there's a simpler way to approach the problem.
I agree with Fring on a Nokia E71. This is an very good option. Fring is better supported on Symbian than on Android. I believe you can even use the front facing camera on the E71 for video chat. Plus, it is a very, very good looking phone.
All phones in Belgium are unlocked, so you can use Fring on 3G or wifi. If you want to be sure the phone works in Belgium, pdashop.be is a very decent local webshop, with free next day delivery.
As stated before - Nokia N series (N95 8g here) with Fring. Battery will last for the whole day if used lots.
Here is a list of SKYPE approved Nokia phone models. I would recommend the E and N series. Check http://www.skype.com/download/skype/skypelite/ for the latest info.
6111 6555 N96
6131 7370
5200 E61
5300 E62
5310 E71
5610 N70
6085 N72
6126 N73
6165 N75
6230i N76
6233 N78
6234 N80
6270 N81
6280 N82
6300 N95
@ANGUS188
That's just Skype Lite, I think it's a simple java app.
There's a native Symbian Skype app with all the features, but it could be that it's still in beta.
So the best option right now is probably to get something like Nimbuzz or Fring.
does the fact that she's in belgium matter?
@artshark Maybe, I don't know. Depends on technological or political restrictions imposed by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_Europe#Belgium
For example, the Skype Lite page has this troubling snippet burried in a footnote:
¹ Skype Lite when you’re travelling abroad. Your operator may charge you all sorts of additional roaming costs, which can really add up quickly. Find out more Calls to phones, mobiles or any of your Skype contacts via Skype are only available in Australia, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, the United States and the UK.
I believe that only applies to Skype Lite, which I suspect is more like a WAP page that calls you back to establish a connection (kind of like Google Voice does for my Palm Pre). But I dunno!
Forget Skype and a Skype phone. For the same price or less than a Skype phone, you can get a pure Voip SIP phone that will work with Voip carriers all over the world.
The WP04 at http://www.yippz.com lets you load 4 carriers on one phone, you can talk WP04 to WP04 for FREE, has INSANE battery life and won't tie you down to one carrier, like Skype.
Check the specs at > http://www.yippz.com/ip-phones/wp04-wifi-phone.html
I have had great experience using a dedicated Skype cordless phone connected directly to my router, in my case, the Philips VOIP841. It's the most landline-phone like experience, and is as natural as using a traditional phone to dial directly, and the sound quality is usually perfect. I use this for all my overseas calls (incl. USA -> Canada).
I also have the Skype Client on my iPhone, but I haven't used it as extensively as my Philips phone.
Lastly, any computer will do if you want video as well (e.g. laptop with a webcam).
My recommendation is for the Philips or similar dedicated Skype Cordless Phone, but ONLY the type where there base station plugs directly into the wireless router, NOT the USB-connecting kind, which are vastly inferior and less dependable in my experience.
I have just purchased an HTC TP2 for use with Sprint in the USA. I intended to downlaod Skype onto this and use the inbuilt WiFi connection for Skype calls whle travelling.
Skype off any desktop or laptop/netbook works fine also.
I have also used my Nokia 800 with excellent results.
Apart from this take a look at Skype's page www.skype.com on the RHS is a menu of excellent choices.
Another solution would be use tru a regular Voip service by each of you. like say Voipo ( www.voipo.com ) this service goes for $8.25 pm for "unlikited" (5,000 mins) calling into the USA.and I believe that voipo calls to each other do not count against minutes.
Similarly I have used Packet8 ( www.packet8.net ) with success and they have a fee software whic can be downloaded for calling into the P8 number in the USA for free. Supposed to be used while travelling.
Unless she is a dedicated gadget freak I would stay away from SIP. My preference: any quad band (to use the phone back here) nokia with wifi will run skype (for voice only), use fring on some nokias (5800) for video+voice, if you send her the phone take it out of the box and send only the handset (charger for nokia should be easy to get and US version needs adapter anyway) and mark it as second hand on customs form to avoid import duties. if she already has a GSM cell phone in belgium, have her check out prepaid calling cards, most EU operators dont charge for outgoing calls to 0800 (free) numbers and the going rate to the states should be no more than 2 cent per minute to the US. If you can get a cheap E51 do it, it has great battery life and is very sturdy.
Not starting phone OS wars, but I prefer Android for a phone, and right now I think Acer Liquid for it's price wins over.
It has Android OS on new generation hardware and you can order it online in europe.
There is an app called fring that allows calling skype over wifi or 3g, and there is a skype light client (using gsm local calls) that use a skype gateway to long distance calls.
There is also sipdroid for voip calling (wifi and 3g) on android
All free app's on android market.
@(Unverified) There is no full Skype Client for Android, so your suggestion is not very helpful, although perhaps a bit self-serving, since you're an Android fanboy (LOL).
i use the nokia 5530 with nimbuzz over wifi
should be available for around 100 euros in belgium.
5530 is a 5800 in a smaller body without 3G or GPS
as well as supporting skype, nimbuzz has facebook, gmail, yahoo, icq, msm and more integrated. it's a really good app.
setting up nimbuzz is dead easy
Who in their right minds wants everything on one gadget?
Phones and cameras drain - and always will - batteries.
So I have a state of the art phone and an Archos 5IT that with FRING works brilliantly as a SKYPE phone - albeit please can somebody tell me how to get the MIC to work when I plug in headphones so it isnt always a "speaker phone"?
How about any Blackberry with wifi?
They have excellent battery life.
They have backround processing.
They have phonebook integration.
Push notifications.
Data compression if you need to use skype on the go.
I've been reading these comments intentively and have come to the conclusion that nokia 5800 is probably the best option. Many of you have suggested using Fring or Numbuzz but how is the quality via wifi? More importantly do they include SKYPE IN/SKYPE OUT? If an official skype application is more reliable (which would therefore include SKYPE IN/OUT?) then the nokia E51 seems the best option. However I'm not sure what the call quality is like for skype compared to regular phones.
@colamics Yes, both fring and nimbuzz do skypeout too, skypein should not be a problem anyways. I use fring quite frequently over on gprs and it works satisfactorily, 3g has not been an issue at all!
I Would definately get a siemens dect sip phone with a subscription to a local number near you. This way all her family can call her from any phone locally at no extra cost for either caller or your sister. Depending on where you are from this is more or less difficult. Check out gigaset.net for more info. I am super satisfied. Have used this for over three years. Have a local Spanish number an a local Swedish number. Back on Sweden now, no problem people calling me on my Swedish number when I lived in Spain over a year.
Dude, do you know how I can make the ringing tone sound louder on skype on my iPhone?
I'm belgian and I think the iPhone is perfect for her, I use Skype on it all the time to call from the university via the free wifi ^^. Of course some Android phones are pretty capable too but none of which are currently availible in belgium (our best android is the HTC Hero which is laggy as hell). And to those saying the Nokia N900 come on, be serious two secs guys.
Nokia E71 or E72 is the way to go!