Teco XS2008CA internet phone

Skype has become popular for internet telephony, largely because it’s easy to set up, but in the past it has relied on PC software to make and receive calls. The Teco XS2998CA doesn’t ­ all it needs is a connection to the Ethernet port and a power supply. Enter your Skype ID and you can make and receive calls just like using the software version, including Skype in and Skype out. So, you can plug one of these in wherever you like.

The phone is simple; it feels solid, with responsive buttons. Power and Ethernet ports are on the back and a stand angles the phone for comfortable desktop use. Mounting lugs allow wall mounting, but that would make connecting the Ethernet cable virtually impossible.

The software is certified by Skype and you can check the status of your account or access voicemail using the phone’s colour screen ­ – which looks a bit small. Once it starts up, which takes about a minute, it’s quick to use, and your Skype contact list will appear when you’ve entered your ID and password. But there are some quirks. You have to dial a full international number. And if you dial a number and pick up the handset, it won’t connect automatically ­ – you still have to press the green button. Also, since the 0 key is used for +, if you try to dial a number with a 00 in it, you have to pause between each press, or the second turns into a +. There are no speed dials, either. You can add contacts to your list though.

Call quality is not as good as the better Sip-based services, but adequate. If you use Skype, the Teco is a sound choice ­ but there are Sip-based handsets, such as the Siemens Gigaset S685IP, which don’t cost much more and also include PSTN support.