Very good product; could be easily improved by manufacturer
Customer Rating: 
I have been using this cordless phone with Windows XP and Skype version 4.1.0.179 for about 5 weeks and I consider that this is a good product and does what it is intended for. Yet, it has a few drawbacks, just as any other one would have.
My main complaint is that its working range is very limited. Here at my apartment I can use it in the room the computer is and, at maximum, in the adjacent rooms. I think that the reasons for this are two:
1 - The working frequency band is 2.4 GHz, which has very short wavelength, so the signals are easily blocked by any obstructing structure, mainly metalic objects.
2 - The antenna of the base unit is very inefficient. It is a simple vertical half dipole located inside the plastic case.
For much better performance, Sogatel design engineers should have employed (at least) a more efficient, external antenna, directly attached to the base, just like those used in 900 MHz cordless phones.
Yet, a much better idea would be Sogatel to offer an optional facility:
- A connector on the back of the base unit for attaching an externa antenna; and
- A higher-gain external antenna, with a 2 meter-long cable, so that the user could properly position the antenna for better signal coverage.
These are very simple modifications that would be easy for the manufacturer to implement.
Of course, the final solution would be (in addition to the previous suggestions) to decrease the operating frequency of the device to a lower band, but I don't know if there are legal / technical regulations preventing the change of the frequency band.
Now, regarding the SkypeMate software that comes with the unit.
It installed flawlessly in my Windows XP. Absolutely no problems at all.
I downloaded the the most recent (4.0.0.4) version of SkypeMate from Sogatel's site.
Important:
When you run SkypeMate, it opens a small window showing a sketch of two airplanes... a little bit above this figure are two sliding controls. These are for speaker volume and microphone gain. You have to adjust these in order to get comfortable levels on the handset. Once set, these adjustments are retained forever.
At first, I did not even noticed these controls. Result: everytime I started a call, I heard nothing, because the volume was at ZERO. Then I realized that I could increase the handset speaker volume by pushing the ^ button on the handset, but this only works *after* the call is initiated. A nightmare! So, do not forget: adjust the volume on the SkypeMate window!
It is nice that this phone does not need any external power adapters! The base unit is powered by the USB cable. Besides, the base unit charges the handset. All you have to do is to insert the handset vertically on the base unit's "cradle" (however, the handset does not stay firm there; it swings and sometimes there may be poor contact when charging - Sogatel's engineers would have to drastically alter the design to improve on this).
I would like to install a connector on the back of the base unit in order to attach a better antenna there (perhaps a high gain antenna, marketed for improving wireless routers). Nevertheless, I would need some additional information on this and I don't believe Sogatel would help in any way. Perhaps somebody with hardware hacking experience might help.
I hope this review, despite very incomplete, may be of use to somebody.
Looks and feels good. Those are it's good points.
Customer Rating: So it looks and feels good. The price isn't bad to. Sound quality ok but very quite.
At first it seemed compatible with Vista.
BUT
The problem is the handset needing to re-register with skype mate after the PC has been turned off. And that means un plugging the USB from the base unit.
This didn't happen from new. Only after a month or so did this occur.
Finally after 5 months it failed to respond at all, even though the software(skype mate) said it was online.
My dad brought one to from my inital recommendation. His worked fine for three months then just broke completely.
