GSM Standard for WiFi and Bluetooth Compatibility

sjbe writes "Fourteen of the major wireless service providers have released a set of Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) specifications permitting operation with licenced GSM and unlicensed (WiFi/Bluetooth) spectrum. So if we're lucky we might soon be able to use a GSM cell phone through a wireless base station and experience a seemless handoff to a cellular network once out of range."

Comments

Return of the ISPs?

[davejenkins]

1. Would this mean that ISPs who blanket metro areas could theoretically steal all the voice traffic currently going over cell networks?
2. Would the ISPs have the bandwidth to carry all that?
3. Would they want it?

The reason I am thinking is that ATT/TimeWarner/Comcast/AOL would really like some vengeance against the cell providers, no?

Re:Return of the ISPs?

[wfberg]

1. Would this mean that ISPs who blanket metro areas could theoretically steal all the voice traffic currently going over cell networks?

If the handsets support a setting where they connect to any anonymous network automatically, then perhaps. Don't think they will though.
Also, I don't expect there will be any provisions in the telco's standard to reimburse whoever runs the WiFi network; the most you can expect is some discount on your per minute charges, and better indoor coverage.

2. Would the ISPs have the bandwidth to carry all that?

A GSM voice channel runs at 9600 bps, so a one megabit SDSL connection at 1:1 (no) overbooking can carry about 100 of those. The ISPs run that sort of capacity to your home and most of your neighbors, so, no problems if they had to run a line to a basestation every 1 or 2 miles. In fact, that's what the cell networks do (though they use T1 lines rather than SDSL).

3. Would they want it?
No. Blanketing a metro area with WiFi is hard. Preferably, you'd want to have your own licensed spectrum so people's home (or competitors') WiFi connections don't interfere with your network.

Also, only 3 802.11b/g channels don't overlap - you'd prefer having at least 6 non-overlapping channels to make hexagonshaped cells.

If you go with big cells, you piss off a lot of people by causeing interference on their WiFi and your capacity is limited, if you go with small cells you have better capacity, but people with higher strength signals can drown you out, and you need a lot of base stations.

Licensed/managed spectrum is the way to go to cover a metro area. That's not to say "companies know best" - if they licensed a hunk of spectrum to some HAMs to come up with a metro area WiFi network they'd do just as well.

Fantastic

[Icarus1919]

It used to be the internet was reliant upon the telephone systems across the US, but now it seems more and more than cell phones and telephones have come to rely on the internet to bolster their short-comings. Does anyone know, however, if we would be double charged by both the cell phone company and the wireless internet company we were using to connect to the cell company by using this service? I'd hate to see the minutes being charged both ways by the two services.

something fishy

[Doh!]

Hmmm... There's something strange about seeing "unlicensed" and "access" used in the same phrase without the word "illegal" somewhere nearby...

Re:something fishy

[sploo22]

Unlicensed just means that you don't need a license to operate equipment on those frequencies. It applies to WiFi, Bluetooth, and cordless phone frequencies, for example, as opposed to FM and television broadcasting.

Not in the manufacturers interest

[CdBee]

Recently there was a kerfuffle about a cellphone which was Bluetooth compliant but which could not be used to transfer images off and on the phone, as the cellphone service provider had the ability removed.

The reason? Allowing direct file access cannibalises the market for emailing/SMSing them to people from the phone.
Now you expect us to believe that mobile telephone providers will make phones that can connect to peoples wifi hotspots to save the caller money?. Somehow I doubt it.

Greed with prevent this.

[MROD]

I can only see the merging of WiFi and GSM if hell freezes over or when the telcos can charge for both the use of the GSM part of the connection and the WiFi.

With further thought, it will probably happen, but only for "public" access points being run by the telcos themselves allowing their slaves^H^H^H^H^H^Hcustomers to access higher speed data and possibly VoIP services when in range of their own hotspots.

The problems of hand-over of an IP connection to a cellular network are non-trivial as well, which would make it far more likely that it will only be teleco owned and run hotspots which will be able to do this.. at a large per megabyte cost, no doubt. (Probably the same as they charge for GSM data transfer. In the UK that's about £3 a megabyte!)

In the manufacturers interest

[Yokaze]

It is not only in the manufacturers interest, but also in the telco's interest as the list of "14 leading wireless service providers" (Which includes mobile telco (e.g. T-Mobile US)).

The reason: The seamless handover doesn't mean that they can't earn money for it.
Instead of using their base-stations you will use a Bluetooth/801.11 base-station, but the traffic still has to go to their network as they route the traffic. Then they can make you a "special offer" for that service.

Re:I don't completely understand

[tarunthegreat2]

Basically, what they're trying to say is that 2 very popular forms of wireless transmission can now work together instead of compete. Wi-Fi is big in America, where mobile phone use via GSM is lousy (compared to Europe, Asia). GSM is teh Rox for most of Asia barring South Korea/Japan and basically the de facto European standard. People love GSM because it's digital, reliable, and OPEN. People love Wi-Fi for the very same reasons. The fact these 2 techs are attempting to be bridged means there will less compatibility issues in the future...ummm..er.. at least as far as my imagination goes...

Low power phones?

[pradeepsekar]

It would be nice to have phones using low power when a WiFi (or equiv) signal is available indoors, and switch to high power signal to the tower, thus extending battery life even further. It would also be interesting to see if this can make a difference to the long term effect of all the high power electromagnetic radiation that we are covering ourselves with!