Motorola Teams with Cisco for Dual-Mode Phones
The jointly developed handsets, scheduled for availability early in 2006, will combine Motorola's GSM phone technology with Cisco's wireless LAN and VoIP technology, enabling a cell phone seamlessly to become a wireless VoIP handset when the user is in the office.
Solution providers said the convergence of VoIP, WiFi and cellular technology is an evolution that could improve communications and make life simpler for mobile users.
"There's no reason for me to have multiple numbers to be reached at, multiple voicemails to check and multiple devices," said Gaby Batshoun, president and CEO of Global Business Solutions, a network integrator in Newport, Ky.
The strategic alliance is part of Motorola's overall effort to target enterprise customers with mobility solutions, said Greg Brown, president of the Government and Enterprise Mobility Solutions business at Motorola, Schaumburg, Ill., in a statement.
Motorola is already jointly developing dual-mode phones through a partnership with Cisco rivals Avaya and Proxim.
Separately, Proxim this week plans to close a deal to sell its assets to Terabeam Wireless in a $28 million purchase that scuttles previous plans to sell its assets to Moseley Associates.
San Jose, Calif.-based WLAN vendor Proxim last month struck a $21 million-deal with Moseley after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
The Terabeam pact came about after the Falls Church, Va.-based company emerged as the high bidder in the court-approved auction held as part of Proxim's bankruptcy proceedings.
Plans for the sale, subject to court approval, were disclosed July 20 Following the close, Terabeam plans to move its headquarters to Proxim's San Jose facility and will assume responsibility for Proxim's ongoing sales as well as for support of the Proxim product lines through the channel, according to a Terabeam statement.
Terabeam is the business name of YDI Wireless, a publicly traded broadband wireless equipment vendor.