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Why isn't WiFi Used for Voice Anymore?
Sonam asks: "Despite the relative cheapness of Wifi cards (available here for US$35) nobody seems to use Wifi for the ultimate killer app: short-range handheld voice terminals -- a.k.a. cordless phones. The competing, lower bandwidth DECT standard is widely used in Europe and elsewhere to provide good quality, digital voice and data links at home and about. Like Wifi, DECT terminals can operate in peer-to-peer mode -- some people even use their home DECT phones as walkie-talkies in camping trips. Does anyone know why Wifi isn't used for voice? Would a biscuit PC with a Wifi PCMCIA card work as a voice+data terminal? (Note, the second cheapest price on the pricewatch page above seems to be for a DECT module)" For the most part, voice is covered, we have cell phones, short wave radios, walkie-taklies with a 2 mile range and more! These things are all entrenched, they work, and they are now fairly cheap. Do we need anything else? Would WiFi voice provide better communication than those voice-based devices we are already using?
I have a Panasonic GigaRange DSS phone (Cost: $120 - $150). Its good to 1 mile, no modifications, and is legal throughout North America. It means I can be outside cutting the grass and if it rings I don't have to run inside the house to answer it.
Two of those cards would already run $70. Throw in some telephone interface electronics, a battery powered handset, speaker, digital auto-code hardware (to prevent anyone with a phone abusing your line) and I'm pretty sure you'll be at the same or higher price, and you won't have anywhere near the range.
Speaking of range, my local bargain shop had (sold out now) FRS radios for $13. That's miles of range. I doubt a fully digital solution will ever be able to beat that (heck, they can't even sell a full hardware modem for under $20!).
Sometimes analog is the way to go.
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
1) 2.4GHz has lots of interference from other consumer products. You couldn't take a phone call on your WiFi phone if someone in your house was using a cordless 2.4GHz phone (or using the microwave).
2) WiFi cards are very power hungry. The battery life would be horribly short.
3) VOIP is very sensitive to latency.
4) Peer-to-Peer calls with 802.11b... what? WEP would have to be disabled, with no server to manage the ip addresses, who would know what phone is where? It's a logistical nightmare. You would have to walk over to the person and ask them for this information. Kind of defeats the purpose now doesn't it?