Hybrid Fixed and Mobile Telephony

Iorek writes "Both Ericsson and BT have launched telephony products that erode the barriers between mobile phones and landlines. Ericsson's One Phone is a PBX system that can treat any mobile phone as an extension of the corporate phone network, while the BT Fusion handset behaves like a conventional fixed line cordless phone when it's near its base station (Bluetooth connection), and connects to the Vodafone network once it's out of range."

Comments

This is new?

[ivan256]

the BT Fusion handset behaves like a conventional fixed line cordless phone when it's near its base station [...], and connects to the [cellular] network once it's out of range

So? Panasonic made phones like that as early as 1998.

Re:This is new?

[Ethelred Unraed]

Ya. There's a hybrid product called Genion that's been available for years in Germany, since the late 90s.

Cheers,

Ethelred

interesting

[rwven]

I like the idea but it would been better to use 802.11 instead of bluetooth for a little more range around the house....

Re:interesting

[ImaLamer]

Hey, why not WiMax and put "cellular" companies out of business all together?

Will the cell network have preference?

[chargen]

Already, when I store a phone number for a different area code, I do not store it with the '1' in front so as not to make a long distance call. Conveniently when I select that number from my address book and dial it the phone company inserts a '1' in front of the number and dials it long distance as I'm out of my dialing area. This is exactly the kind of slimeball tactic phone companies are famous for.

I wonder if the phones will have a preference to revert to (assuredly more expensive) cell network if the base station signal drops below a set tolerance. I wonder if the phone companies will want suggest that that tolerance factoer will be...?

I need to get my tin foil hat resized...

-chargen

Re:Will the cell network have preference?

[entrigant]

Perhaps not in the North America Numbering Plan, but it still is with many providers. With a land line from Bellsouth in my home town if I dial 1 + area code before I dial a local number I will be charged for a long distance call even if I am only calling next door. In fact this was the entire point of the parent post. Dialing a 1 might not mean long distance in the standard, but that isn't stopping providers from handling it in that way.