NETGEAR launchs the company’s first dual-mode DECT cordless phone to support both landline phone calls and Skype Internet calls. The NETGEAR Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype (SPH200D) includes a handset and a base station which simultaneously connects to a user’s home network router and phone line wall jack enabling users to place and receive both traditional phone calls and Skype Internet calls from a single cordless handset without the need to be connected to a computer.

The Skype Certified SPH200D incorporates DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony) technology which utilizes the 1.9GHz band enabling the included cordless phone to avoid interference from WiFi networks to provide longer range and ensure crystal clear voice quality. The Cordless Phone Base Station, which supports up to four handsets (additional handsets sold separately), saves consumers money and eliminates clutter by enabling users to improve the quality of their traditional telephone service and add the cost-saving benefits of Skype Internet calling by simply replacing their current cordless phones throughout the home.

Using the SPH200D, Skype users no longer have to be in front of the computer to communicate for free with other Skype users around the world. The SPH200D handset, which provides Skype users with an easy-to-use interface to manage contact lists and view the status of other Skype users, also enables users to make and receive calls from traditional phones worldwide through SkypeIn and SkypeOut, Skype’s cost-saving premium products. Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype.

“Skype users have been traditionally tethered via a headset to the computer in order to place and receive calls from their Skype friends, so if they’re not in front of the computer when a friend wants to talk, they miss the call,” explained David Henry, NETGEAR director of product marketing – consumer products. “For people who have friends or family overseas, such as deployed military personnel, Skype is a cost-effective way to maintain voice communications. The SPH200D simultaneously supports both traditional telephony services and Skype Internet calling, eliminating the chance that a user will miss either Skype or traditional phone calls. In addition, we’ve incorporated DECT technology into the cordless phone to improve the range and enhance the audio quality. The SPH200D is an ideal voice communications system combining the convenience and familiarity of the traditional phone service with the cost-savings that Skype provides to keep users in touch with friends and family worldwide.”

While the SPH200D supports both traditional telephony services and Skype Internet calling, Skype itself is not a replacement for ordinary telephone service and does not support emergency calling.

About the NETGEAR Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype (SPH200D)

NETGEAR’s Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype (SPH200D), the company’s first-to-market DECT cordless phone which combines landline telephony services and Skype Internet calling on a single cordless handset, enables users to receive telephone calls from traditional phones, while taking advantage of being able to speak with any of the more than 136 million registered Skype users around the world for free without the need to be tethered to a PC.

The Cordless Phone Base Station incorporates an Ethernet (RJ-45) connector which plugs into the home network router and a PSTN (RJ11) connector which plugs into a traditional telephone wall jack. The SPH200D comes with one handset included and can support up to four cordless handsets per household, with additional handsets available for purchase separately (Accessory Cordless Handset with Skype SPH150D) along with multiple languages.

The small, sleek SPH200D handset incorporates a built-in speakerphone and displays all of the users’ contacts on the phone’s high-quality color display, letting them see at a glance who is online. Because users don’t have to be on the PC to be connected, they are more available for their friends to call. One of the many advantages of the dual-mode SPH200D is that users can make outbound calls to traditional phones using either their existing landline service or SkypeOut for just pennies a minute with no monthly fees.

NETGEAR’s Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype (SPH200D) is available now via leading retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites including the Skype store at skype.com/shop and value-added resellers at an MSRP of $199.99. The SPH200D is backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support.