8x8 packet8 broadband voip service

The 8x8 Packet8 phone looks like a well-built office phone with a 4-by-3-inch screen, and it delivers stunning video and audio quality over a higher-speed broadband connection. You'll need about 256 Kbps of bidirectional bandwidth for the best quality. Designed to replace your existing phone and voice service completely, it comes with all the bells and whistles and a calling plan (a reasonable $29.95 per month) that includes long distance and international voice and video.

The Packet8 attaches to your existing cable or DSL broadband connection via its Ethernet jack. The phone itself has ports on the back for an external camera and monitor. An external desktop microphone improves speakerphone quality, especially in a conference room. The camera and display tilt for optimal viewing angle.

The $29.95 activation fee is an annoyance, but you have the option of choosing pretty much any area code you want. You can even use local number portability to switch your current phone number over to Packet8 service. The service includes conference calls, call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail, and of course, video service. E911 for emergency calls is available in some areas.

We tested the phone at 128 Kbps with satisfactory results. Video showed good resolution, but quick movements caused a little blurriness. As expected, 256 Kbps gave us the quality we wanted: crisp video with no pixelation and better motion handling. But note that this higher connection speed can overwhelm some home DSL connections that run only at 128 Kbps upstream.

Voice quality was very good, akin to other high-quality VoIP services. So if you're thinking of switching to VoIP service and can afford to pony up some extra money up front for the hardware, the Packet8 is a fine videophone solution.

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