Transcript: NETGEAR Introduces Skype Phone at CES

This transcript is from a PodTech.net podcast at:
http://www.podtech.net/home/technology/1850/netgear-introduces-skype-phone-at-ces

Guest: Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Host: Paul Lancour - PodTech

Paul Lancour - PodTech
Hi! I’m Paul Lancour with PodTech.net and we are at CES, here in Las Vegas at the NETGEAR booth, a very popular location here at CES. And I’m here with Prasad Shroff, he is Product Line Manager with NETGEAR and we’re here to talk about the Skype phone.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Skype wire, in our DECT Phone.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
That’s different from the Skype Wi-Fi phone. How is it different?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
This is a DECT Technology.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
What is DECT, DECT?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
DECT, which is Digital Enhanced Communication Technology. This is -- gives you a longer range, clear voice communication and it’s more secure that can be used in your home that is different than a cordless phone.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
And it’s both of a traditional landline and a Skype phone as well.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
With this product you can do land line calls, as well as Skype calls, absolutely built into one, correct.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
That’s the one you got in your hand right there.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Yeah, this is one of the handsets and with this base station, with the product you can have up to four handsets in your house. So, you can have four handsets and you can intercom between the two handsets, any handsets you want. So, this is a very, very good phone.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
So, it’s exactly as a phone that I already have, it works just like that only -- actually I understand this is little better quality?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Yeah, because of the DECT Technology; the quality is great and that it’s a long range also. With your cordless phone you have at home, its probably you get 100 feet or 50 feet in the house. With this phone you can get up to 500 to 700 feet.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
It’s a better quality, regular phone line not just a better quality Skype phone.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Yeah, better quality, regular landline phone, as well as Skype quality is also equally good.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
So, how does it connect up with Skype, I mean, I’m used to using Skype on my computer, but this is now through the phone, so I’m a little confused, how does it hook up with Skype?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
You do not need a PC or, you know PC to be connected to this phone. With this phone you get a base station, as well as a handset. So, at the back of the base station there are three ports. One port goes to power line, another port goes to your Ethernet from your router and another one goes to a landline connection. So, that way, the base station converts between landline calls, as well as Skype calls.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
You’ve got a base station right back here; it basically looks like a wireless -- a little wireless router that we might be used to having in our home.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Absolutely yes, absolutely yes. So when you get a landline call, this phone set also rings, so you can take the landline calls. Okay, and then, when you want to make a Skype call you are not tied to your PC, you can be anywhere in the house, you can be talking on the Skype.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
And, can I be making a landline call and a Skype call at the same time, in other words can I have basically two different lines in my phone?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
You are absolutely correct; however you’ve to have two different handsets. So, for example, I can be talking to my mom on landline, whereas my son can be chatting with somebody else on a Skype, on a different handset.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
So, what’s the technology that makes this possible? Why is this available now?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
This is a DECT technology, which is a brand new technology for US, but it’s been very old technology that’s been used in Europe. So, it’s coming into US. And the key thing about this technology is, this does not conflict with wireless networks, whereas the Wi-Fi phone conflicts with your wireless networks. This is as almost as clean, that’s why the signal is good and your quality is going to be great because it’s not going to interfere with any wireless networks.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
And you’re introducing this just now, at CES?

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Yes, this was released yesterday.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
Oh, so it’s available now in store.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
It’s available now today, absolutely right.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
Great. Well, thanks for taking the time out here at CES. You’re very busy with a lot of customers, who have a lot of questions and for talking to us here.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Yeah, thank you very much, I really appreciate your time.

Paul Lancour - PodTech
Prasad Shroff is Product Line Manager for NETGEAR and I am Paul Lancour for Podtecch.net here at CES.

Prasad Shroff - NETGEAR
Thank you.