GE 31591 User manual

Model number:
31591
DECT 6.0 SKYPE CORDLESS TELEPHONE

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
on future purchases.
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necessary.
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center at 1-877-394-9775 (USA) or 1-877-395-7907 (Canada).
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Table of contents
Parts checklist
What’s in the box............................................................1
Before you begin
About your phone...........................................................2
Internet connection.......................................................2
Landline connection......................................................3
AC power connection ...................................................3
Skype account .................................................................3
Installation
Installing the base unit.................................................4
Installing the handset battery..................................6
Installing the handset charger.................................7
Initial setup
Base unit layout ..............................................................8
Handset layout ................................................................9
Handset screen display icons................................10
Battery charging..........................................................11
About Skype
PSTN vs Skype calls ....................................................12
Skype Credit ...................................................................12
Online Number..............................................................12
SkypeOut calls...............................................................12
Emergency calls...........................................................12
Skype features supported ......................................13
VMWI vs Skype Voicemail........................................13
Skype display icons.....................................................13
.....................................14
Setting the language and country ......................14
Skype setup and use
Creating a new Skype account.............................15
Signing into Skype.......................................................16
Skype ID ...........................................................................17
To switch to a Skype ID that is new to this
phone: ...........................................................................17
To switch to a Skype ID that already exists on
this phone:...................................................................17
Changing your online status..................................18
...................................................................18
.............18
...........19
Changing your password.........................................19
Signing out of Skype...................................................20
Viewing your account status .................................20
Entering characters
Entering text and numbers.....................................21
Switching input modes .............................................21
Entering symbols.........................................................22
Character table for Skype........................................22
Character table for the phone...............................23
Handset settings
Scrolling the handset.................................................24
Setting the ringtone....................................................24
Setting the ring volume ............................................24
Setting the keypad tone...........................................25
................................................25
Setting the time............................................................25
Setting the time format ............................................26
Setting the date............................................................26
Setting the date format............................................27
Setting the date separator......................................27
Emergency calls...........................................................27
Assigning a preferred line........................................28
Changing the landline country setting..............28
Changing the handset display language.........28
Registering additional handsets...........................29
Setting the handset backlight ...............................29
Setting the screen saver ..........................................30
Finding a handset........................................................30
Naming your handset ...............................................30
Telephone operation
Making a regular call.................................................31
Pre-dialing a regular call..........................................31
Making a Skype ID call ..............................................31
Making a SkypeOut call............................................31
.................................31
Making a Skype call from contacts.....................32
Answering a call...........................................................32
Missed calls ....................................................................32
Placing a call on hold.................................................33
Ending a call...................................................................33
Muting the microphone............................................33
Speakerphone...............................................................33

Volume control .............................................................34
Call waiting or call waiting with caller ID service
for regular calls.........................................................34
Voice message waiting indicator.........................34
Intercom ..........................................................................35
Answering an external call during an intercom
call...................................................................................35
Making an intercom call during an external call
36
Transferring a call .......................................................36
3-way conference call...............................................37
Forwarding a Skype call...........................................37
Forward a Skype call to your Skype Voicemail...
37
Using the Skype call forwarding feature..........38
Changing the forwarding number.......................38
Setting Skype Voicemail Greeting........................39
Blocking Skype ID calls or SkypeIn calls............39
Viewing/unblocking Skype users .........................40
Area code management for regular calls........41
Contacts
Contacts...........................................................................42
Contact display icons ................................................42
Adding a Skype contact............................................43
Adding a SkypeOut or Regular contact.............44
Accessing the contact list........................................44
......................................44
Searching a contact...................................................45
Searching by scrolling...............................................45
...........................45
Phonebook......................................................................45
Saving a phonebook entry as SkypeOut contact
45
Sending a voicemail to a Skype ID contact.....45
Renaming a contact...................................................46
Removing a contact...................................................46
Blocking a contact ......................................................46
Unblocking a contact ................................................46
Saving a SkypeOut contact as a phonebook
entry...............................................................................47
Exchange contact details request.......................47
Viewing the details of the contact.......................47
Accepting a contact request..................................48
Declining a contact request ...................................48
Blocking a contact request.....................................48
Call history
View call history ...........................................................49
Accessing the call history........................................49
Call history options.....................................................50
Making a call from a call history list ...................50
Saving a call entry to your contact list..............51
Deleting a call entry from a call history list.....51
Deleting all call entries from a call history list51
Voicemail
Landline Voicemail......................................................52
...................52
Calling a voicemail box.............................................52
Deleting messages in a voicemail box..............53
Skype Voicemail™.......................................................53
Creating a Skype Voicemail™ greeting.............54
Playing your Skype Voicemail™ greeting.........54
Resetting your Skype Voicemail™ greeting.....55
Network settings
Viewing your network settings..............................56
56
57
...............................................57
...........57
Resetting the network...............................................58
Software updates
Checking for software updates.............................59
Changing the auto update setting......................59
Viewing your device information .........................59
Resetting the software..............................................60
Appendix
Handset Menu Tree....................................................61
Troubleshooting guide..............................................67
Troubleshooting...........................................................68
Frequently Asked Questions...................................71
General Product Care................................................75
Important Safety Instructions ...............................75
FCC Parts 15, 68 and ACTA......................................79
One Year Limited Warranty....................................82
 .............................................84
Index..................................................................................85
Skype account information ....................................88

Parts checklist
1
Base Unit
Battery Telephone line cord
Battery
compartment
cover
Cordless handset
flash
aA
redial
User’s guide
DECT 6.0 SKYPE CORDLESS TELEPHONE
Model number:
31591
Power adapter for
base unit
Ethernet cable
u
s
e
n
i
Charger with
power adapter
attached
What’s in the box
Your GE 31591 telephone system comes with the following components:
Parts checklist

Before you begin
2
About your phone
Your GE 31591 Skype cordless phone allows you to make and receive both land line
and Skype calls. The Skype features of this product allow you to make Skype calls
without using a computer.
Before you install your GE 31591 phone, you need to make sure that you have:
 Internet connection
 Landline connection
 AC power connections
 Skype account (you can also set up a new account through your GE 31591 system

Figure 1 shows the concept of using the GE31591 Skype phone.
u
s
e
n
i
flash
aA
redial
Broadband connection

Landline connection

Figure 1
Internet connection
In order to use your phone for Skype calls, the base unit must be connected with an
ethernet cable to an active Internet connection. If you have no available ethernet
ports, you may need a router to allow you to attach more devices to your Internet
connection.
Before you begin
DECT 6.0
technology

Before you begin
3
Landline connection
In order to use your phone for landline calls, the base unit must be
placed near an RJ11C telephone jack.
You need an RJ11C type modular telephone jack, which might look
like the one shown in Figure 2, installed in your home. If you do not
have a modular jack, contact your telephone service provider to




AC power connection
You will need access to electrical AC power outlets for the base and handset charger.
The outlets should not be controlled by a wall switch, dimmer, or timer. The GE 31591
phone system will not function during a power failure/outage.
Skype account
To use Skype telephony via your phone you need a Skype account with a user name
and password.
With Skype, you can call for free when talking to other Skype users with Skype
accounts. You can buy Skype Credit to call non-Skype users on their phone numbers

For more information, refer to the About skype section on page 12.
IMPORTANT: Skype does not allow emergency calls. Such calls are always routed to the landline
connection. Therefore, you should not rely on Skype for emergency services. Alternative arrangements
should be made.
Wall plate
Modular
telephone
line jack
Figure 2

Installation
4
Installing the base unit
1. Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to the Ethernet cable jack (WAN) on the


2. Connect one end of the telephone line cord to the Telephone line jack on the base
unit and the other end to a telephone wall jack.
3. Connect the smaller end of the power adapter to the Power adapter jack on the
base unit and the other end to an active electrical outlet.
NOTE: Emergency calls via the landline are only possible when the base unit is plugged into an electrical outlet
receiving power and the landline is connected to a working telephone jack.
Figure 3 shows the back of the base unit and the positions of the jacks.
WAN TELLINE
POWER 6VDC
!
Ethernet
cable jack

Telephone line jack Power adapter
jack
Figure 3
Note that there is a power cord catch at the back of the base unit on the right side of
the power adapter jack. This is used for threading the power cord that comes out of
the power adapter jack. If necessary, you can also tie the excess cord with a twist tie.
Figure 4 shows the power cord threaded through the power cord catch.
POWER 6VDC
!
Figure 4
Power cord catch
Installation

Installation
5
Figure 5 shows the completed installation.
Figure 5
Landline
telephone jack
Broadband
connection
AC electrical
outlet
Attach the router to the Internet connection and connect your computer and the base

regarding the use of the Internet and router. The troubleshooting section in this user
guide also provides more information on Internet connection problems.
NOTE: When installing a new router you should be aware that it might take some time - up to one hour - before
it is properly registered with your ISP.
CAUTION: Use only the power adaptor that came with this unit. Using other power adaptors may
damage the unit.

Installation
6
Installing the handset battery
Please fully charge your handset before use!

red
wire
black
wire
1. Plug the battery connector securely
into the socket inside the handset
battery compartment. Make sure that
red and black wires on the plug are
properly inserted into the socket as
shown.
2. Place the battery
and the wire inside
the battery
compartment.
3. Align the cover
against the battery
compartment and slide
it upwards until it clicks
into place.
flash
aA
redial
Animated
charging
indicator
4. Place the handset onto the charger as shown. An animated battery
icon will display after a few minutes to show that the handset
battery is successfully being charged. For optimum performance,

Figure 6
CAUTION:
1. Use only the supplied rechargeable battery or equivalent replacement battery. See battery
  page or visit our website at www.gephones.com to
 
2. If the handset will not be used for an extended period of time, unplug the battery and remove it
from the handset to prevent possible leakage.