Review: Mobigater Pro Skype mobile gateway

Another way to make and receive Skype calls via your mobile

Like the IP Voicelink, the Mobigater Pro by Eurodesign will allow you to use a mobile phone to access Skype via your PC, potentially saving you money.

It's a box into which you fit a Sim and then link it to your PC, allowing you to call the Sim - hopefully via free or inclusive minutes - then make calls to Skype users via a short code, or via Skype Out.

Setup is pretty straightforward, with a wizard that configures basic settings, such as the mobile number to which your Skype calls should be forwarded; later you can choose other options, including transferring calls part way through. If mobile reception near your PC is tricky, there's a cabled GSM aerial in the box.

The Pro version, which we reviewed, also allows you to change the settings via Mobigater's website and includes a PBX feature, where a Skype caller will receive an instant message with a menu of choices; they pick one and the call is forwarded to one of five possible phones. The standard £100 Mobigater lacks these options, but is otherwise the same.

Pro users can also use a Symbian application to check their Skype contact status, which means you don't have to remember the short codes you've given users. As with the IP Voicelink, you can restrict who's able to use the system by incoming caller ID, so others canít take advantage of your Skype account.

The web interface and PBX functions make this a potentially useful tool for small businesses, where the number of calls made may mean you save money. However, for a home user, unless you chat incessantly or make lots of international mobile calls, we're not convinced the economics stack up - don't forget an extra Sim card with credit will likely add at least £10 to the cost.