Frequently Asked Questions

YES. Konnekt sells worldwide including America, UK, Europe, NZ, Australia and Asia. We have satisfied Videophone users across the globe including United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, the European continent (e.g. Germany, Belgium), Australia, New Zealand and Asia (e.g. Japan, Malaysia)… Often, the customer and the user (usually an elderly parent) are in different countries.

USA, Canada, Americas

Click here to get US Pricing

Across the U.S.A. and in Central and South America, customers call our U.S. partner during business hours for sales and support. Are you too busy during the day? You can also call Konnekt on our U.S. after-hours phone number during your late afternoon and even during your late evening, when you’re more likely to be able to spend time helping your family. By making ourselves available during your evening time, we take advantage of Konnekt’s Australian location and time zone. So if you’re calling us on our after-hours US number, please expect to sometimes talk to a Konnekt representative with an Australian accent!

In the US, our oldest user is 99! His family members call him face-to-face from across America. His grandson likes to check visually that “Grandpa” is happy and doing well, and Grandpa delights in seeing his interstate great-grandkids. Konnekt Videophone is used in Residential Aged Care, Retirement Villages, Memory Clinics, and in private homes.

We know what it’s like buying from an overseas company so Konnekt, as well as our partners in the US and Canada, go out of our way to provide A+ service and support. This includes walking you through the first experience by phone or Skype if required, and calling each relative / Contact to make them comfortable to call “Gran” on Skype, face-to-face, with great quality.

North America is home to leading-edge research into geriatrics and mental health. Read here about our colleague Professor Alan Teo, a Medical Doctor and research leader at Oregon Health and Science University, and find out why — according to Dr. Teo’s ground-breaking study — face-to-face contact is critical to improve elderly health, and to reduce social isolation and depression.

Click here to get US Pricing

Europe, United Kingdom, Israel

Konnekt’s London-based sales partner Just So Care, and our Vienna-based sales partner Bildfon, help support customers in the UK, Israel and Europe. Our UK customers use either fixed or mobile Internet, depending on their location and what works best. In continental Europe, where English is usually not the first language, we have Videophones totally localized and personalized! For example, one Videophone in Munich has Call Buttons to call family members in several countries, and all prompts and buttons are in the German language.

Hardware support is easy. Our hardware supplier is a top-ten computer / peripherals manufacturer, with service hubs across the globe. Software is 100% Konnekt owned and developed, and software updates — which are needed from time to time — download and install themselves automatically, at night. No scary pop-ups or reminders! Skype itself is renowned for working incredibly well worldwide, anywhere there’s reliable Internet. And Konnekt has a generous return policy and warranty.

Asia

Our “most distributed family” has the Videophone user in an Asian country, and family (Contacts) across the USA, Oceania and Europe. We hear stories about “Gran” talking to her grandchildren across the globe, at the touch of one button!

New Zealand

Our most recent sales and support partner is located in Auckland, New Zealand. Contact Graeme and team for advice on local Internet services, and to discuss any concerns about purchase or delivery.

Click here to get a quote for your delivery address

• Sell it or give it to a relative or friend. We can re-personalize it.
• Konnekt has a buy-back program. Contact us for details.
• Windows can be installed. It makes a powerful touch PC. A keyboard & mouse can be added.

• Show her our home page or videos on your mobile.
• Download and print our product flyer.
• It’s on display at many key locations.

Yes. If you’re willing to learn a new operating system, device and apps. If your eyesight and hearing are great. If your hands are steady enough to reliably tap small icons; swipe, pinch-zoom and spin; work little on-screen keyboards; and connect fiddly chargers. If you have a patient IT Guy always on-hand.

A dozen Videophone advantages:

1. Incredibly EASY to use — easier than opening a door.
2. BIG buttons and LARGE screen — much larger than iPad.
3. LOUD — twin front speakers. Hear it ring across many rooms.
4. No pop-ups, ads or update requests. No logins, passwords, icons or apps.
5. Backup numbers (home / office phones) called, in turn, if there’s no face-to-face answer.
6. Auto-answer is selective: Just authorized callers, to check you’re OK when you don’t answer!
7. Fully installed. Helps prevent misplacement, damage, and tripping over cables.
8. One-touch KONNEKT button or call for help. No need for an IT Guy.
9. Personalized. Just the family, friends and service providers you want.
10. Changes: We do them for you, remotely, without a visit.
11. Resistive touchscreen. Use it with a glove, bandage, prosthetic or any pointer.
12. No scary requests, messages or calls from strangers.
13. Videophone won’t be misplaced, left off charge, or used in a room with weak Wi-Fi. These are extremely common complaints of portable tablet video calling.
14. We even help friends and family get onto Skype, and test and optimize with them, for a high-quality experience!

• Older adults may qualify for a Home Care package (e.g. in Australia: HCP and CHSP programs cover assistive technology, including communication aids, to help reduce social isolation or support those living independently)
• Disability: An Occupational Therapist can recommend a Videophone to assist those with hearing, vision, dexterity, learning or other impairments (e.g. in Australia: the NDIS program, as well as various state-based disability equipment programs)
• Other countries: Ask your local government disability or elderly services agency, or your health insurance representative.

1. Replace 90% of your telephone calls with calls from your Videophone:
   • Unlimited face-to-face calls, to anywhere in the world, including overseas friends
   • Unlimited calls to regular telephones — local and long-distance
   • Unlimited calls to mobile phones using Skype
   • We’ve seen phone bills as high as $100 per month!
2. Reduce your phone service subscription to a “basic” plan.
   • One user changed from a $50 telephone plan to $24.90 per month
3. Your friends and relatives can call you on your Videophone using Skype, from their mobile, iPad/tablet or computer.
   • They can reduce their home phone bills — particularly if they are overseas or interstate!
   • They can reduce their mobile phone bills — particularly relatives who call you often
4. We can add call buttons that call your service providers, too.  Take advantage of seniors discounts, loyalty programs and “mates’ rates”.  Unlimited calls to your favourite:
   • Taxi service
   • Gardener, handyman, plumber, electrician and cleaner
   • Medical practitioners, massage, physio, nurse, podiatrist
   • Hairdresser, florist, gift shop, theatre, newsagent
   • Food delivery services
   • Gas, electricity, phone providers, vet, local council
5. No calls from telemarketers or scammers/fraudsters.
   • Videophone blocks calls from unknown callers.
   • No Caller Line Identification is sent from Videophone to the other party.
   • We can help you register your regular phone with the Do Not Call register.
6. For those in Aged Care (where there is an emergency nurse-call button):
   • Videophone can replace the need for a phone altogether.
   • Many Aged Care facilities provide free Internet with Wi-Fi to residents.

No. Videophone uses far less electricity than a laptop.

• Silent solid-state drive (SSD).
• Low power-consumption Intel Mobile CPU.
• No cooling fan, keyboard, mouse, track-pad, battery pack or optical drive.
• Screen-saver can completely power-off LCD screen when not in use.
• Electricity costs only a few cents per day!

We can change the volume for you, without needing to visit. We can optimize the volume for a noisy or quiet room. We can also increase or decrease the ringing volume, or use a more intense ringing sound. See Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

We can change the number of Call Buttons for you without the need to visit, and arrange them in rows and columns just the way you want. For example, you might need to add or remove a button for one of your friends, or you might like to put your favourite contacts on the top row. See Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

Simply Contact Us with your contact’s name, email address, phone numbers, and (if they have one) their Skype Name or Microsoft Account details. We’ll do the rest.

If your contact hasn’t used Skype or needs some help, send them to https://www.konnekt.com.au/get-skype/, or let us send them a getting started email.

If you need to add or change several contacts, you might like to use the form at the end of our Videophone Preferences page.

We can increase the size of the text within the buttons for you. We can also customize the font (typeface) and colour scheme. You can even have contact names in another language, such as Simplified Chinese. Using short contact names, such as “Bart” instead of “Bartholomew”, let us increase the text size further. See Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

Konnekt can customize each Call Button to try to call your contact on up to five different numbers or Skype Names, in sequence. For example, if Bill has a home phone, a work phone and a Skype Name, we can setup a “Bill” button to first try Bill on Skype, then ring his work phone number and, if he doesn’t answer his work number within (say) 25 seconds, to lastly try Bill’s home phone number. This prevents your call from being answered by Bill’s work voicemail or answering machine. To change the way a button works or add / remove a button, see Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

We can add, remove or change a phone number or Skype Name of any of your contacts for you, without the need to visit. See Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

We can set up your Videophone so it only allows incoming calls from the contacts that you nominate. This helps prevent unwanted calls and telemarketing. It also helps prevent malicious and fraudulent calls. If you have a contact that you want to be able to call but whom you don’t want to be able to call you – for example, a merry cousin who always seems to call at 10pm to ask for something – we can set that up for you. Conversely, if you want to remove your cousin’s Call Button but allow your cousin to reach you, we can do that too. See Videophone Preferences or simply Contact Us.

UPDATE: We can now also setup your Videophone to allow incoming calls from any caller. This mode can be useful during the first couple of weeks, while the family is still organizing their Skype accounts. It’s also useful if you’ve asked us to give your Videophone a regular telephone number, and you want anybody to be able to call Videophone from any telephone number.

From time to time, the screen might need a wipe to remove finger print marks or dust. To prevent Videophone from making calls while you clean the screen:

1. Find a damp or dry lint-free cloth. No liquids, no cleaning fluids, no chemicals.
2. Touch the big Clean button. If unavailable, turn the power off.
3. Wipe the screen in large circles. Do not press too hard!
4. If you need to clean some more, repeat this procedure.
   

On any computer, iPad/tablet or mobile phone:

1. Run Skype. Visit your app store or www.skype.com.
2. Call the Videophone from Skype, or they can call you.
3. Hit the Share Screen icon if shown. Otherwise, touch the screen and hit the … icon first.
4. Display the photos on your own device using any photo viewer, or from your social media.
5. For best results, the photo should take up the whole screen. Zoom in to show detail.

The Videophone user does NOTHING. Just smile, talk about the photos and enjoy the show!

For detailed instructions for Smartphones, tablets and computers, see how to share your Skype screen.

They can forward incoming Skype calls to their mobile phone number:

• Visit skype.com on any browser (or, from within the new Skype app) login and go to Account settings
• Add a little Skype credit or a subscription that includes calls to mobiles
• Under Manage features, click on and enable Call forwarding, enter the mobile number and Confirm/Save
• Forwarded incoming calls use a little Skype credit or minutes, unless an unlimited subscription is used.

Alternatively, they can call-forward their home or office phone (if not answered) to their mobile:

• Contact your phone service provider to learn how.

When you touch a Call Button, your Videophone will first call your Contact face-to-face (unless your Contact has no Skype Name or unless you’ve asked us to set things up differently).

If your Contact doesn’t answer on Skype, then after a period of time, your Videophone will call each Backup Number in turn. A Backup Number is usually a home or office landline phone number.

• No need to remember any phone numbers.
• A single touch of a Call Button will generally reach your Contact, no matter where they are.

Watch our Backup Numbers video to see how they work.

You can manage each Contact’s Skype Name and Backup Numbers using our Videophone Preferences form or simply Contact Us.

Yes. Video and sound are encrypted in both directions. Only your contacts can call you. You control who is authorized to add or change your contacts. The camera and microphone are only activated during a call.

See also Konnekt’s privacy policy.

You can contact Konnekt by touching the big Konnekt button on your Videophone screen, calling our phone or Skype Name, writing a letter to our postal address or sending us an email by completing the Contact Us form on our web site. You can find our phone numbers, Skype ID and postal address here.

Yes! “CHANGES” are part of our service, and helps makes us unique.

Practically everything about the Videophone can be changed, by us, remotely. Nobody needs to visit.

Our customers love this service! As they obtain the contact details of other family members and friends, they simply forward those details to us, and we do the rest.

If the user’s hearing deteriorates or they move into a smaller home, we can change the volume and, separately, the ringing volume.

To request a change: Simply contact us by email, call us from any phone or via Skype, or press Videophone’s big Konnekt button. Alternatively, use our Videophone preferences form.

Send your contacts to https://www.konnekt.com.au/get-skype/ for a simple guide, or simply Contact Us to send them a getting started email. All our customers, worldwide, get a personalized service that includes helping friends and family get going. This helps ensure a wonderful experience overall, and excellent quality for all your video calls.

Yes.

Konnekt can help you with the best Internet deals, and help you select and test your Internet service, no matter where you are in the world.

• Any Internet: Any type of Internet is OK. ADSL, VDSL, Cable/HFC, Optical, 3G/4G/5G mobile (cellular) Internet.
• Plans: Internet is usually cheaper on a 12-month or 24-month contract, but go for a month-by-month deal if you’re on a trial or renting.
• Wi-Fi or wired: Videophone can connect to the modem/router via Wi-Fi (802.11 g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) or via a regular LAN cable.
• Speeds: We recommend at least 2.0/0.7 Mbps (Megabits per second) reliable downlink/uplink speed. Preferably 3.0/1.0 Mbps. Test at www.speedtest.net.
• For lip reading: At least 2.0/1.5 Mbps. Preferably 3.0/2.0 Mbps. Use wired LAN unless Videophone is in the same room as the Wi-Fi modem/router.
• Data: If you’re using fixed Internet, we recommend at least 50 GB (GigaBytes) of data per month. About 85-90% of customers use less than 5 GB a month, so if you’re on mobile (cellular) Internet, start with a 4-5 GB pre-paid service and monitor usage. If you’re likely to use video calling for over two hours per day, every day, we recommend 10-15 GB per month.
• Excess data: If you’re using mobile (cellular) Internet, choose a deal that’s pre-paid, or a plan in which the speed is throttled after the monthly data allowance is used up. Try to avoid plans that have “overage” (excess data) charges — we’ve heard horror stories of people being charged ten times their usual monthly plan fee due to going over their “cap”. If in doubt, ask us.
• Shared: If Internet is shared: A plan with unlimited data is recommended. If speeds in your area are slow, pause other usage during calls.
• Wi-Fi: You’ll need to know the Wi-Fi password, and have a strong Wi-Fi singal at the desired Videophone location.
  A Wi-Fi extender may be needed if the modem/router is not in the same room. We can help — many Wi-Fi extenders are very unreliable but we’ve found a model that works.
  Better still, use a LAN cable.
• Award-winning Wi-Fi router : We can recommend or supply a highly reliable modem-router, set up and ready to go, optimized for 2-way video.
• One support number: Just call us, email us or use online chat for all Videophone and IT / Internet support.

Konnekt provides I.T. support for the user and even for family & friends. It’s helps make us unique.

This extends even to non-Konnekt equipment and services, such as third-party Internet and modems/routers. The Konnekt team has an incredible amount of experience. We’ve seen it all. We have many tools and tricks to help solve the most difficult issues with Wi-Fi, Internet, modems/routers and extenders. And we have our own methods to make the service robust and reliable.

Most of our customers live more than 20 minutes away from the user. Many are interstate or overseas. And all of them (especially the customers who work in I.T. themselves) do NOT want to support a remote gadget! Instead, they want to spend their time enjoying high-quality video and audio conversation.

Videophone software is updated automatically overnight, when an update is available, to improve performance and to make new features available.

There are no pop-ups, no buttons, no settings. Updates need absolutely no user intervention.

Best of all: No matter how the video calling apps might change their look-and-feel on other devices, Videophone keeps its incredibly easy user interface.

For those with disabilities who need special options, such as accessibility buttons or lamps that go on when there’s an incoming call, we can help you get all that going too.

Yes. Videophone comes with unlimited calls to regular landline telephones in one country. No surprises.

If you have special requirements (such as family spread over multiple countries) we can almost always help you with that, too.

Videophone can also make and receive face-to-face calls to any device that runs Skype, worldwide, with the exception of only a few countries where it is blocked or a VPN service is required. So as long as your family member can run the Skype app on their mobile phone, they can make and receive calls to/from Videophone.

Konnekt selected Skype after trying over 20 different video calling systems / platforms / apps.

• Longevity. Skype has been going the longest (by far) out of any of the popular video calling systems.
• Investment. Microsoft recently redeveloped the Skype apps, upgraded the server infrastructure, integrated Skype into its other products and continues to invest heavily in Skype’s success.
• Support. Skype support is international and includes a Forum manned by employees and frequented by expert advocates.
• Cross-platform. Skype apps are available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS (iPad tablets and iPhones), Android (tablets and mobile phones) and XBox. Skype also runs in many computer browsers without the need for an app.
• International. Skype works in practically every corner of the world. In only a few countries, it is blocked or requires a VPN.
• Availability. Skype rarely misses a beat. With one click, you can easily find out Skype status.
• Re-connection. When your Internet comes back after a short (5-30 second) problem, Skype automatically reconnects.
• Low data usage. Skype Lite for Android is available for family members with older mobile phones, or in countries where Internet is slow or data is expensive.
• Group calls. Group video calls, audio calls, or group calls with a mix of Skype and telephone destinations.
• Features. Screen sharing. Calls to regular phone numbers in over 60 countries. Skype Numbers. Skype was one of few platforms that ticked all our boxes.
• Firewall penetration. Skype works in almost every environment we have encountered, including most corporations such as banks.
• Privacy. Skype calls are encrypted.
• Call quality. Skype makes the most of available Internet bandwidth, adjusting continually. Need better quality? See our guide on optimizing video call quality.

Disclaimer: Konnekt does not represent Microsoft or Skype.

As part of our service, we can help you and each of your contacts (family & friends) optimize their video call experience.

In the meantime, here are several ideas to help your Videophone contact:

Reliable Internet

• Upstream speed is critical! Ask Konnekt for Annex M for up to 60-100% ADSL2+ boost.
• Pause or reduce other Internet usage.
• Use a wired LAN or Power-line Communication connection, or move close to the Wi-Fi router.
• If on mobile Internet, go outdoors to a place with 3 or more “bars” of signal. Use a newer 4G device.
• Visit www.speedtest.net. You need 2.0/0.6 Mbps, preferably 3.0/1.0 Mbps reliable downlink/uplink speed.

Fast, steady device

• Use a newer computer, tablet or mobile.
• Restart, or close other apps.
• Older laptops: Get a USB webcam / microphone.
• Mobiles/tablets: Use landscape mode and a stand.

Picture and sound

• Brightly light faces. No background movement/light. Keep still. No camera shake.
• Wear headphones, earphones or a headset.
• Avoid wind noise, traffic, music and TV.
• Adjust sound levels with a Test call.
• If in the car or in a poor signal area, turn off the camera.
• Mobiles: Tap screen, tap Camera icon to send video.
• iPhone: Tap screen, tap Speaker icon for Speaker mode.

Need more? See our simple but thorough step-by-step guide on optimizing Skype call quality.