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A mobile with cheap international calls
While Skype and other internet telephone services are great for cheap or free calling from a computer, if you're out and about it's not much use.
That is, unless you use the 3 Skypephone, which includes the Skype program and free access to calls.
The phone is solidly built, slim and with a clear screen, and the buttons and menus are easy to use.
It works as a normal phone on the 3 network, and is available without cost if you are on a contract, or for £40 on pay-as-you-go.
Skype calls are free at any time – and can be made anywhere you can get reception.
However, there is a catch – while Skype on a computer can be used to call any phone number, the phone can't be used for this.
You can only call other Skype users, and all other calls need to be made using the normal 3 network at standard rates.
It's not a bad deal, particularly if you know lots of people using Skype, but it does mean there's no way around the high costs of calling internationally from a mobile phone. Admittedly that's no surprise, given that the phone is sold by a mobile network, but it's still a shame.
Read more reviews
Overall: A cheap, decent phone with free calls to other Skype users
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A fully 3G phone...
it should be pointed out that this is an all singing and all dancing fully 3G phone. I've been using it as a modem to connected to my Powermac via blutooth for only a fiver a month...
Posted by Douglas Crwford, 09 Jun 2008
Build Quality
The feature set on this phone looks great, but the build quality is unfortunately very poor. And 3 aren't that great at getting things fixed when they go wrong (in my case, with the flimsy USB connector/charge point). Like many 3G phones, the battery life isn't that great: you'll be lucky to get more than 2 days on one charge, if you use the Internet, Skype and make a few calls. The deals from 3 are great, but personally I'd have paid a bit more for a better phone - but they don't all do Skype - yet.
Posted by George Lund, 12 Jul 2008