Anyone have experience with wireless WiFi handsets?

[RTuesday]

Originally Posted by Czar

Does anyone have any experience with a wireless WiFi handset? .

Not a dedicated wi-fi handset, but I have tried using my Nokia 770 internet tablet (running the free Gizmo project) at wi-fi hotspots. VOIP is very dependent on the bandwidth and latency, so from a 1MB downlink satellite-based hotspot in Mexico the quality was pretty bad (almost unusable), from a domestic or hotel broadband it can be excellent. With routing through sip broker those sorts of calls can often be free.

The Nokia 770 does look wierd as a phone though if not using an earphone, like holding a PDA up to the side of your head. But as a VOIP phone at a pinch it's good enough (if the connection is good), plus with a bluetooth keyboard it does 80% of what I need a laptop for, saves carrying a laptop for trips of under a few weeks. It's a lot cheaper than some of the newer Nokia phones.

One thing to bear in mind: some of the dedicated voip phones might not be able to connect to secured networks (even with the key, as they have no way to enter it). Something to check for, and that's where a PDA/phone/mini-computer solution is more flexible.