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New Phone Uses WLAN or Cel Networks

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-thats-what-i'm-talking-about dept.

Reefa writes "Avaya, Motorola and Proxim this week are expected to announce a co-developed handset and enterprise network gear that let mobile phone users roam between cellular networks and wireless LANs to make/receive calls. The phone uses SIP to make calls when on the WLAN network and switches to using cellular network when out of WLAN coverage and vice versa. The device also supports Push-To-Talk over SIP. BTW, the phone runs WinCE."

5 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. An intriguing solution to some problems by chia_monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The one thing that gets me from the article (yes, I actually read it...go figure) is that you have to use Avaya access points. That right there could be the deal killer because there are already thousands of access points installed around the country. I don't see that many companies tearing apart their infrastructure simply for this functionality. Think of all the national rollout plans (McDonalds, Panera Breads, airports, Barnes & Noble, etc) that would have to redo everything. It would be like starting from scratch for them and for the WiFi companies that installed everything.

    Yet, this is an interesting solution to those killer cell phone bills. We're experiencing that right now as we take a large volume of calls on our cell phones. If we were able to use "WiFi airtime" instead of "cell time" while in the office, that could save a company loads of money.

    --

    "He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts...for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang
  2. Starting to End the debate... by Dozix007 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think with the recent release of more an more all in one Cell-Phones we are seeing the end of the convergence\divergence debate. It seems that everything all-in-one devices are picking up much more steem than intercommunication devices. This can be seen with the geek-watch reported yesterday, as well as the new ipod phones.

  3. Re:Possible Already by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Insightful

    the catch is the seamless changing between the two(wifi to gsm and back).

    dunno how well this device tho does is either and you would probably need the operator to co-operate as well anyways or be paying to multiple parties which leads to the question would this be cheaper than what a big (for example) hospital could negotiate with a carrier and just use gsm..

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    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  4. Re:Two problems... by djrogers · · Score: 2, Insightful
    why the need to have a special WAP?
    Simple reason - QoS. The Voice calls you make over Vonage or Skype, while often quite acceptable, are delivered via best effort. If your roommate suddenly decides to download the latest LOTR divx and swamps your DSL line, your call quality goes out the window. This device, and the WAPs that AV will be selling with it, are intended for enterprise use - build out a single 802.11 network for voice and data, at far less cost than a wireless voice network alone would cost (wireless PBX phones and base stations are very pricey). As for adopting it in your house, well frankly I don't think AV cares. First of all, you'd need about 40k worth of Avaya PBX to get started... It's not really designed for you to fire up your phone at starbucks and get on TMobile's WiFi network - the cellular network is perfectly sufficient for out of office use. This is designed to replace your desk phone when you are roaming around your office/campus.
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  5. one word: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    bluetooth.

    serious, this can be implemented on existing
    infrastructure. if the computer has bluetooth and
    the cellphone has it too. you don't even need WiFi.