Adapter Enables Skype Calls Over Standard Phones

D-Link and Skype announced a USB phone adapter that enables consumers to use their existing corded or cordless phones to make Skype VoIP calls.

“When consumers are talking on a traditional telephone line and receive an incoming Skype call,” the firms’ announcement stated, “they can easily switch lines to take the Skype call r vice versa, just like a typical call-waiting feature.”

The D-Link Skype USB DPH-50 adapter will be available for $69.99. Different vendors have announced phones for Skype only calls that are generally inexpensive.

D-Link said a display on the phone indicates whether an incoming call is from a Skype user or from a caller using a standard phone. The D-Link Skype USB phone has two RF-11 ports for linking to phone lines and computers. The adapter gets its power from the USB cable.

The companies said the phone adapter can forward incoming Skype calls to other phone numbers.