Actiontec USB07051C-01 Skype-certified VoSKY Call Center

Pros: It worked before magic jack existed

Cons: getting it to work took a lot of tinkering

Other Thoughts: I think I hated it, but I did get it to work and it got me unlimited long distance for $2.99. It's worth 20 bucks

Pros: Works very well with cable modem / broadband scenarios. This is a great product when you get it working properly. All features are seamless once you get it up and running in my experience. However, please see cons. You only need telephone line if you wish to use regular land line or if you wish to set up remote Internet Calling. Technically you could probably call local numbers via Internet connection if you wished. I have done this without utilizing the connected phone line. But then you'd be using up your Skype minutes for local calls. With an unlimited Skype plan and perhaps with SkypeIn you could work with this... However, right now my purpose is to have discounted out-going long-distance capabilities.

Cons: As others have mentioned, trash the software that comes with the unit. It's useless. Here's the process I used for completely updated Windows XP SP2 installation - 1) Download and install latest Skype - (I'm using Version 3.5.0.239 at the moment with no problems). 2) Download the latest Vosky Call Center software over the web and install that. 3) You will get a Skype complaint that the software you downloaded from Vosky isn't the most up to date - Listen to Skype and download the updated software - you will have to uninstall the software that you installed from Vosky - you will have to re-boot a few times - the software that Skype prompts you for is not something available on Vosky's web page - it comes from Skype as a suggested / required compatibility update with Vosky Call Center. Really kind of convoluted but once its done the function is pretty darn clean.

Other Thoughts: Set-up pretty straight-forward hardware wise. Please consider a VIA chipset USB 2.0 PCI add-in card. Tried on motherboard USB bus and issues with that. Add-in card USB 2 connection clean as a whistle.

Also - as others have mentioned, the dialing is not explained anywhere correctly. For US Calls long distance you dial as follows ## 00 1 XXX-XXX-XXXX. The 00 is a country code. Of course everyone knows that right? (Not if you've been dialing 1 XXX-XXX-XXXX your entire life on the good old PSTN...)

Pros: Good feature set, too bad many features don't work.

Cons: Key features don't work.
Frequently changes skype sound settings to incorrect values.
Interrupts calls with 'line disconnected' messages when no line disconnect actually happened.
Not compatible with Windows Fast User Switching.
Crashes skype frequently.
Many random glitches.
Very poor product support.

Other Thoughts: I strongly recommend against purchasing this product. It's description sounds good, but it does not actually work and there is virtually no support for this product from the company.
I find that because of its frequent crashes, restarts, and incorrect automatic changes to skype configuration values that I have access to skype through this product less than 5% of the time it is running. Its incompatibility with basic Windows features also makes it unusable.

Pros: None...absolutely none!

Cons: Does not work. Is very buggy, provided software is useless.

Other Thoughts: This thing met my warehouse wall at about 60 MPH the other day and i've never felt better.

Pros: Everything work fine like it should. I did not NOT have ANY problems with install and it's not even need the power - it takes it from USB.

Cons: there're some anyway...
1). It doesn't show you caller ID when the call received from ordinary line.
2). You can't plug it into power if you want to... it doesn't have a power plug - only thru USB.
3). When somebody's leaving a message you can't hear it - like on ordinary answ machines.

Other Thoughts: Work perfect! Don't even insert included CD - take a software from their site and then it will upgrade the firmare by itself. WORKS with Skype 3.1.0.144 - the latest for today - no problem! Easy install - 60 seconds. It even automatically figured out how to work with skype+pamela (which redirects audio streams).

Pros: It works well if you get it updated and setup with the right software.

Cons: The above took me a while. They just need all the software on the CD and a 1 page addendum to their instructions.

Other Thoughts: They sent me the rebate inside of a month and it's working pretty good now. So, for the price, I'm happy with it. I don't want to discourage others, because I'd buy it again now that I figured it out.

Pros: I gave this thing a rating of Total Junk and I would like to upgrade it to kinda junk, now that I got it to work :) Actually, the main reason I'm writing this is to help other poor souls that bought this thing and are struggling to get it to work. It almost brought my blood to the boiling point :)

Cons: Doesn't work with Skype 3.0.
Must Dial ## 00 1-area code-number.
Software on CD is old and should not be used.
Firmware in unit is full of bugs and must be upgraded to newer, less buggy firmware.
Software on CD does not have the feature in it to upgrade the firmware, only web based call center download can do that. Can't call the land line that you have it plugged into to test it because they will not hear you. Took me so long to get it to work, I'm scared to try any of it's features.

Other Thoughts: After trying 3 phones, 3 computers, 2 versions of Call Center, and 4 versions of Skype, Here's how I got mine to work:
Don't plug it in, don't install the CD, download Setup.exe (version 1.1.2.32) (21MB EXE) or newer from vosky dot com and download Skype 2.5.0.141.exe from file hippo dot com, install skype, tell skype not to upgrade itself and set that up in tools/options/upgrade ignore ignore, install call center, plug the device in, let call center upgrade the firmware and remember to dial ## 001-ac-num and don't try to test it on your home line unless you unplug it from the unit. My extra step is to image your hard drive as soon as it works.

Pros: It's small and looks like it would skip well on a pond.

Cons: Can I do this in 1000 characters? OK, first problem is that I had to send the rebate in before I had time to test it out, now I can't return it because it has no UPC, so I can either junk it or ship it back to vosky and continue this joy with another. It has software and drivers issues. It does not work with skype 3.0, only 2.5 which is hard to find. Wouldn't dial out until I figured out it uses country code dialing ## 00 1-ac-xxx-xxxx no biggy, but it would be a nice thing to mention in the pamphlet. Now it dials and nobody can hear me on the other end no matter what I do. did a fresh install, added all updates, made a ghost image, added skype 3, then vosky on cd, didn't work, restored ghost image, added skype 3, vosky from web, didn't work, repeated the above steps for skype 2.5, didn't work, tried all soundcard settings and skype sound settings for each

Other Thoughts: I've been very happy with many Newegg purchases, but Vosky has just joined Zonet at the bottom of my list of companies that I buy products from. They've got issues getting this unit to run with Skype 3.0 and instead of fixing them, their ditching them.

Pros: None

Cons: If you want your blood to boil in your veins buy this product, otherwise look elsewhere. Here is why:
After each and every phone call I make, after I hang-up the phone, the phone keeps on ringing for no apparent reason.
Their tech support doesn’t exist.
Went to their web forum to look for help and found it to be full of spam about p0rn0 sites.
Called their tech support number someone picked up the phone and hanged it up twice.
Don’t waste your time…

Other Thoughts: NewEgg still rocks

Pros: Super-simple software and hardware setup on XP. Seemless integration with Skype (v2.5.0.151). Works perfectly with old cheap phone from Walmart I had laying around in a junk heap in my garage. I was using the product in about 10 min after setup. Sturdy physical unit. About the size of a men's wallet. Green light indicator displays when ready to make/receive calls. Just plug into USB port no external power adapter necessary.

Cons: It takes over your soundcard. If you don't mind that you can't hear audio from your speakers like me, then it's not a big deal. I run Skype on an old file server so it doesn't matter to me. I'm sure there's a way to change it but I haven't looked into it. When you go to check voicemail on Skype you have to pick up the phone, click the message in Skype to hear the message. Also, you have to dial ## + 10 digit number to make calls if you do it manually. To get around it, you set speed dial in Skype and dialing out is uber-simple. The con's to this product are really not that big of a deal and once you're using the product, it's like anything - you just get used to it.

Other Thoughts: I was originally going to get the Actiontec USB00020C01A because of the positive reviews but decided get the "Call Center" unit instead. I don't regret it and my technically-challenged wife was using it instantly. She uses it to call her friend in Finland. Skype and the VoSky Call Center just rocks. Because Skype is so cheap and simple to use, I kept Vonage just for the 911 service (I plan to downgrade from the $24.99 service to $14.99). If don't want to be tied down to a headset and want to use a regular phone, get this product. You won't be sorry.