VoIP phones???

Anyone use one of these beasts with Skype or something similar?

My GF's mother lives in NW Europe and we have friends/family in Russia/Bulgaria/Ukraine and other places. After looking at what we spend on phone bills, it would be cheaper to pay for her mother to get high-speed internet and get a VoIP phone. We'd have a net savings and her mom gets the benefit of having internet beyond being able to talk for cheap.

There is a netgear VoIP phoen for around $225, and a DLink for $210 or so. Then there is some others at Walmart for $10-40. Whats the difference? Why the huge delta in price?

And is Skype the preferred method of connection? What happens if Skype ever announces they will start charging for calls?

 

not likely: there's a 100 little competitors also wanting to give it away. Voice is approaching free in a hurry. sorry, no direct experience with skype handsets.

 

hey, watch out for those things...common people like me can hear youuu

 

FUD:
http://www.macvoip.com/resources/voip_record_calls.php

while it is possible to listen in to a Skype call, it'd be easier to listen in to a cell or landline call.