If you’re raising international phone calls’ bill has been giving you sleepless nights, try Belkin’s new Google Skype phone. All you need is a wireless router (which comes for just Rs 1,500) installed in your home or office. Detecting a Wi-Fi environment, the phone automatically logs into your Skype account.

Belkin has launched their Skype phones in the Indian market. These Skype powered phones would allow Indian customers to make cheap international calls using their Internet connections.

Belkin, which provides interconnectivity solutions across computing and consumer electronic devices, has launched a desktop and a Wi-Fi phone pre-loaded with Skype, providing users the ease of making cheaper Internet calls without turning their computers on.

The cordless Wi-Fi phones will work at all hotspots (that allows Internet access over wireless local area network), while through desktop phone Skype users can make unlimited free calls.

Belkin’s Skype desktop Internet phone, which features simple set-up, easy-to-use interface and auto login, will allow users to make unlimited free calls to other Skype users. However, paying some charges can also make calls from mobile and landline phones.

With Skype logged in, dial either a Skype number or a mobile number of a person overseas or in India. Calls rates are as cheap as Rs 1 per minute via Skype to other mobile phones overseas. However, making STD calls via Skype phone to other mobiles are not feasible, as its expensive. But if you have friends who are always logged in on Skype, the phone can be of excellent use.

The paucity of Wi-Fi zones in India, however, does pose a handicap. In comparison, GSM wi-fi phones can log on to Skype from anywhere. But the drawback of GSM phones is that a Skype call will get disrupted as soon as you receive a GSM call. The voice clarity is, however, much higher in the Skype phone.

The drawback for the phone is its inability to work on other VoIP platforms and its low battery power. Even though the company claims a talktime of two hours and a standby time of 30 hours, the phone’s battery gets discharged earlier.

The landline Belkin Skype phone is priced in India at Rs 7,300, the cordless Skype phone is much more handy and priced at Rs 9,712.

While there are other VoIP phones in the market, Belkin’s cordless skype phone comes with 30 minutes of free Skype calling to any number in India or overseas.