Mad Money TV show host Jim Cramer (on CNBC broadcasting) is promoting Netgear Inc. (NYSE: NTGR) as the phone that could make VoIP actually work. In addition to wireless routers, Netgear makes the “Skype WiFi Phone” which allows you to make free calls to other Skype users around the world.
That means you can talk to people with Skype running on their laptop/ desktop computer or have another Skype phone - all for free. Skype also recently announced free calls within the United States and Canada for Skype users to landlines/ cell phones.
To give a clearer picture, here are the types of possible phones calls, and whether there is a cost associated:
- Caller and callee both have Skype, either on a Skype phone or a computer connected to the Internet. No charge for calls.
- Caller and called both live in the United States or Canada and the caller has Skype but the callee does not. No charge for calls - newly announced.
- Caller has Skype but callee does not, and at least one party does not live in the United States or Canada. Skype offers worldwide calling plans under the SkypeOut and SkypeIn options. SkypeOut lets a Skype user call out to a non-Skype phone. SkypeIn lets a Skype user receive calls from a non-SKype phone.
- Neither caller or callee have Skype. This is of course the traditional situation pre-dating VoIP.
Cramer added that Netgear Inc. has over US$5 per share in cash reserve, and that the quality of their Skype phone was going to payoff starting early 2007. Thus, he implied that the stock is a recommended buy. Contrastly, he repeatedly called Vonage stock not just a dog but a mongrel.
To my knowledge, Skype does not offer software that will run on a smartphone or Wi-Fi enabled smart PDA (such as the Palm Treo 650 and 700 series). My take on this is that cellular providers better get on the ball and figure out how to offer their customers Skype or lose their holding in the huge mobile communications market.
Tags: Mad Money, Jim Cramer, CNBC, Netgear, VoIP phone, Skype phone, voice over internet protocol, Vonage
Loading ...
June 1st, 2006 at 2:30 am
Actually Skype runs in PocketPC PDAs running Windows Mobile 2003 or 2005, it’s pretty cool to place a call using a WIFI connection AND a Bluetooth headset. GPRS connections are too slow for voice conversations but work well with Skype’s chat features.
Skype for PocketPC can be found here:
http://www.skype.com/download/skype/pocketpc/
PalmOS PDAs are out, no Skype for you, kids.
June 1st, 2006 at 10:43 am
Cardoso, thanks for the info. I just found out about that last night. Should have done my homework :)
By the way, MantraGroup recently announced MobiVoIP, which gives VoIP access for PalmOS PDAs. I just wrote about that elsewhere. I downloaded and tried it on my Palm Treo 650, but the test call kept dropping packets. Well, even if it works, it’s not Skype. Sigh.