On 2010-01-24, Steve Terry wrote:

"Alasdair" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to buy a good quality standalone Skype handset which
will work off Wi-Fi without the need for a mobile network. The
problem I have is that Skype on a "3" mobile will not allow Skype-Out.
Alasdair.


Skype compatible phones are listed at:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/mobile/

Or you could set up a skype to sip gateway on a 3 phone
which would get around the skype out problem, and get you cheap calls

check out Graham's site
http://www.skypegateway.webs.com/

Rebtel, here

http://www.rebtel.com

is also a possibility. They provide the Skype-to-SIP gateway
for you, though I'm not sure it will actually work on a 3 phone.
You need to "dial" from the browser, which is supposed to start
up a Skype call to the Skype name they've picked for the call,
so it may depend on the browser-Skype app interaction working.
Rebtel's call rates are also generally better than Skype Out.

On the topic of Skype being a "proprietary" protocol, I think
that is actually its best feature for travel. I've stayed in
lots of hotels (not to mention whole countries, e.g. Myanmar,
and Costa Rica at one point) which block SIP but which seem to
be unable to do the same for Skype. If you can avoid the gotcha
rates on the Skype Out price list it is otherwise pretty good.

Dennis Ferguson