Tesco Internet phone handset

[aerialplug]

Tesco are introducing VoIP to the masses by selling a complete bundle of software & handset for £20 and providing an easy interface to call to land phones.

My question is regarding the handset. It's obviously a re-branded US Robotics USR809600. I wish to use it to access other VoIP systems such as Skype. The audio and microphone register fine as generic USB devices but the phone's keypad and LCD display will only respond to the Tesco software, despite XP finding them.

Does anyone know if the phone's user interface has been changed slightly so that it only works with Tesco software or do I need to find extra drivers for it to work with Skype? If so, can anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction...

Thanks

[fleeced1]

I saw a advert in the Times on Saturday about this, our local Tesco doesn't have them yet but haven't seen the handset yet. It looks from the model number you posted like the same phone model as we sell, try this page from the manufacturers I think you will find it works with VoipCheap,Sipgate,GoogleTalk and many others.

http://www.yealink.com/en/skypedown.asp

Hope that helps

[aerialplug]

Thanks - this looks like exactly what I want. I suspect the Tesco software has support for the handset built in but Skype needs the extra software. I'll give it a spin tonight.

And yes, that's the handset - it's just been renamed "internet phone" and has a sticker on the back stating that it had been made for Tesco.

[aerialplug]

Thanks fleeced1 - that did the job. This tells me that the handset in the tesco packs are indeed standard rebadged USR 9600 handsets and work fine with other VoIP handset devices such as Skype once the SkypeMate software is installed.

A word of warning though - DO NOT start the Tesco software up while SkypeMate is running - their software doesn't appear to check to see if anything is using the device first and effectively renders the machine dead - a reboot was required :eek: It looks like they assume they're going to be the only software accessing the device and grab it without a conflict check.:suicide:

Also, Tesco haven't appeared to release the handset generally yet and are doing a soft launch with selected stores. My local Tesco Extra had them last Tuesday but other Tescos locally don't have them yet. I'm not sure, but I don't think it's available online yet either.

The biggest surprise for me was that you can register a geographic dialling code (i.e. it'll look to anyone else like it's a land line) in any area you want that they support. I chose one in South Wales despite the fact that I live in Kent as lots of my family live there.

Still, I think it'll probably be used more as a Skype handset once the free £5 voucher runs out... ;)

[advancedts]

Hi, You can download all the drivers from www.skypehandsets.com.

[gurutech]

Thought this would interest all who are thinking abut buying an Tesco internet phone or skype voip style phone. At the moment if you relative or friend who lives outside the uk would like a tesco internet phone you need to buy it from tesco and send it to them if they live outside of the uk. The tesco internet phone is £14.97 at the moment offer ends 20th August and has no line rental and gives cheap calls to landlines and mobiles and free calls to any other tesco internet phone (ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD).

You can get your friends and relatives to look on ebay as there are people advertising new tesco internet phones that ship worldwide.

There are also some free tesco internet phone offers (ktvision) are running one. I have three tesco internet phones running on 3 laptops with a different area code for each one giving the impression that i have an office in london one in glassgow and one in manchester. You would be supprised at the difference that makes to your status when the customer thinks you have major branches.

[JayCee]

I went to Tesco's site yesterday http://buy.tescointernetphone.com/ and noticed they had an offer of £5 off the price of the phone (normally £19.97) until 20th Aug...so I ordered two for use with Skype thinking on the 20th they're going back up in price...today (20th Aug) they've reduced them to £9.98 each...grrrrrrrrrrrrr :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ariecol]

oppss.... really?

tesco employee was given 10pounds off voucher for the VOIP phone. employee end up paying 4pounds approximately!

[rudraksh2005]

Very interesting thread.
Does anyone know if u can coonect this Tesco phone directly to the wireless router and use it to call without leaving the PC switched on?

[pjclark1]

Worth a go at this price

ordered 2 for £23 delivered

thanks everyone!

[peerchah]

Hi Folks, I have bought a Tesco Internet Phone and try to use it with SKype. I have also installed skypemate. The audio and microphone is fine but the keypad is not working. I get the messeage " CHECK PC" on the phone and skypemate can not find the usb phone. Can anybody help. Thanks
Peerchah

[aerialplug]

Hi Folks, I have bought a Tesco Internet Phone and try to use it with SKype. I have also installed skypemate. The audio and microphone is fine but the keypad is not working. I get the messeage " CHECK PC" on the phone and skypemate can not find the usb phone. Can anybody help. Thanks
Peerchah

I've had a few problems using the Tesco phone over the last few months, but at the moment it's fine, using the Tesco software. I didn't have too many problems getting it to work with Skypemate - as long as the Tesco software was disabled.

Mind you, several times, the Tesco software has crashed, causing the PC to be inoperable and a full hardware reset be needed. I've no idea what causes this or what can trigger it.

However, the handset won't work on my laptop. The microphone destorts to the point that it's inaudible and when I turn the slider down, it slowly turns itself back up! The laptop is a Compaq Presario.


Sorry I can't help in this specific incidence though.

[nwgarratt]

I have only had one crash with the software when changing the default incoming ringtone to a custom one. It would crash when a incoming call came in. I have had no problems since using the default ringtone.

[aerialplug]

I've had a few problems using the Tesco phone over the last few months, but at the moment it's fine, using the Tesco software. I didn't have too many problems getting it to work with Skypemate - as long as the Tesco software was disabled.

Mind you, several times, the Tesco software has crashed, causing the PC to be inoperable and a full hardware reset be needed. I've no idea what causes this or what can trigger it.

However, the handset won't work on my laptop. The microphone destorts to the point that it's inaudible and when I turn the slider down, it slowly turns itself back up! The laptop is a Compaq Presario.


Sorry I can't help in this specific incidence though.


Apart from crashes, the main problems I've had with Tesco Internet phone are with ANYTHING outside a standard single PC setup.

Firewalls are unusable unless you have the power to open up ports on the firewall/router. Other VoIP software I've used have firewall settings that allow them to work in this kind of setup.

Microsoft Remote Desktop disables some of the handset's functionality. E.g. Mic. switches to the USB device but the audio carries on going to the remote desktop (BADLY destorted and delayed).

There are workarounds (avoid using the PC audio for ringing) but as Tesco's software doesn't use the handset's internal beeper (which Skypemate does), it makes it almost uselelss for internal calls as you can hardly hear it ringing even when the handset is next to you!

Ideally, I'd like to have a USB handset plugged into my main server PC which I regularly access using telnet and remote desktop around the house, behaving as an indipendent phone but sadly with the tesco software I haven't been able to find a happy solution.

Talking to customer support several times makes me realise that they're quite compitent and well trained in fixing standard problems but anything out of the box isn't possible as far as they're concerned.

After this experience, I'm sorely tempted to buy a new VoIP DECT phone to replace my current aging cordless phone that will work with both my BT line and also a VoIP, connected directly to the internet via my router (wither RJ45 or WiFi).

[nwgarratt]

Firewalls are unusable unless you have the power to open up ports on the firewall/router. Other VoIP software I've used have firewall settings that allow them to work in this kind of setup.



No problems with Zonealarm. I just let the Tesco software through the first time and has got through ok since.

[aerialplug]

No problems with Zonealarm. I just let the Tesco software through the first time and has got through ok since.

By firewalls, I meant corporate port blocking firewalls. If you have access to the router and can unblock the ports, fine. Otherwise... :suicide:

[beerhunter]

Odd that. I just bought one for ten quid and have a firewalled router. I have changed nothing and the phone works fine. Calls to Switzerland for 2p pm - great. I'd say at a tenner its a bargain.

They had some others at £20 that looked a bit nicer but the price of the E337 swayed me.

I'm intending to use up the fiver credit and then move to Skype or other. Any recommendations?

[nwgarratt]

I prefer the Tesco service for my needs. I get my own internet number and voicemail for free which costs money with Skype.

[Georgia]

Hi,

I realise that this thread is a bit old, however my post is relevant to the topic of the Tesco Internet Phone.

The company I work for have recently developed some cool new software that has enabled us to build a prototye softphone for the Tesco Internet Phone.

See www.phonefromhere.com

It enables users of the Tesco Internet Phone to make calls on the move, all you need is your laptop with built in mic and speakers and an internet connection.

We think this is pretty cool, however I should be clear, We are NOT Tesco and We don't make any money from this service, we are just prototyping our softphone technology.

I would be very interested to hear anyone's thoughts on whether they think the softphone is useful or how it works for them.

Cheers
Georgia

[jaymac]

How do you get a tesco phone E337 to work with Sipgate the pc found itas new hardware but it doesn'twork .Do I have to download something from X-lite to fix it?Not too techy please
Thanks

[jaymac]

OK I got it working just one prob no ringing on incoming calls the connection is made but no ring