Wireless Phones: Best of Both Worlds?

Wouldn't it be great to have a wireless phone that roamed seamlessly between cellular and Wi-Fi networks? And if a phone supported cellular technology, too, wouldn't it be wonderful if a carrier subsidized it? The answer to both questions is an obvious yes, but the truth is that carriers are in no hurry to make that happen.

Indeed, several cellular carriers have discussed the idea of VoFi/cellular convergence, and the market has been buzzing about two standards that support the ability to roam from one network to another--Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). But other than T-Mobile offering UMA services to residential consumers in Seattle, U.S. carriers have been quiet about their convergence service plans.

As for the devices themselves, enterprise-level VoFi phone-makers are developing handsets that can work in both cellular and Wi-Fi environments--including the ability to associate with a corporate PBX system. Cisco Systems, for instance, has been working with Nokia on a phone that will combine the functions of a Cisco 7920 with a high-end Nokia e-Series GSM; it's due for release in the first half of 2007. Pricing has yet to be established, but the phone will be more expensive than a 7920, and the customer likely will have to pay full price, regardless of the cellular service plan.

"We haven't found a cellular carrier that's excited about subsidizing a handset that takes minutes away from their network," says Richard McLeod, director of unified communications at Cisco.

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Start-up DiVitas Networks has plans for a Wi-Fi/cellular roaming system that will be entirely controlled by the enterprise rather than the carrier. But the system isn't available yet. Executives say that, when it is, it will offer support for both dual-mode and Wi-Fi-only handsets. For vertical-market enterprises with more of a need for in-building wireless than for cellular coverage, a VoFi phone deployment is something to consider now.

"The dual-mode idea is an attention-grabber, but we don't see customers holding off on voice-over-wireless until that's available," says Josh Zenner, wireless solutions specialist at Berbee Information Systems in Madison, Wis. "The need is present. The goal is to make every employee as effective and efficient as possible."