14 DAY TRIAL // Earthlink announced that it will soon release (after a Beta test) its first certified WiFi Skype Phone: the Accton VM1185T. The device endured 4 months of successful testing in Earthlink's Anaheim Municipal wireless network. If you don't routinely use VoIP phones, then the WiFi Skype phone feature will be useless to you. Anyway, it's actually a 1-year old "breakthrough". Netgear was the first company to launch a Skype Wi-Fi Phone in 2006.
The phone provides innovative technology, which requires comprehensive integration data, voice, power management and IP networking. The great thing is that you don't even have to turn on the computer. The phone enables OEMs and ODMs to provide you easy Skype connections via any free personal, business or Wifi access points. It allows you to set up the phone using an automatic synchronization to a Skype account and Skype Contacts. The device supports common WiFi encryption, such as WEP, WMA, and WPA 2with PSK support. It is only available for its OEM/ODM customers.
Once you purchase it, you'll be able to make VoIP phone calls from your home network or on Earthlink's Municipal wireless network. You can make free domestic and international calls, host conference calls and also chat (nothing new here). Unfortunately, WiFi phones have a problem: neighboring wireless networks interference. You may face dead spots and also web browsing or online gaming disruptions. Because it's not actually a replacement for an ordinary phone, you can't actually use it as an emergency phone (stay online, right).
Ken Lu, president of Accton Technology, said, "We are very pleased to announce that Accton Wi-Fi phone for Skype passed the comprehensive certification of Skype approval. This Wi-Fi Phone for Skype enables Accton to best meet the needs of wireless networks, with superior capacity and performance."