Thu, Jun 14, 2007 17:48 EDT

Dual-Mode, Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Topic: Infrastructure

Current Rating: Comments: 5

the cell phone companies’ hesitance to offer phones that support the technology, for fear that their customers will increasingly employ wireless hotspots instead of paying for the use of their cellular networks. Wi-Fi also sucks up handheld battery life like a Dirt Devil on dust bunnies, though In-Stat says this problem is being worked on and will likely be solved, or at least reduced, by the end of this year. (Advances in solar charging and wireless charging may also help.) Another issue commonly associated with dual-mode phones is that Wi-Fi range is typically quite short—about 300 feet indoors, or the distance of a football field, from the wireless access point, according to T-Mobile, and perhaps five times that outside. That means lots of roaming back and forth between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, which can be annoying for users.

Here’s where you come in. I want to know whether or not such dual-mode phones are on your radar, and if so, why? Do you use a phone with Wi-Fi? Which one? Do you use voice over Wi-Fi? Do you think cell phone firms should offer more phones that support Wi-Fi? Or do you, like Roche, think Wi-Fi on your phone, or your staffers’ phones, just isn’t necessary?

I’ll be interested to hear what you all think. And so might In-Stat if your responses are anything like the ones I got from my CIO smartphone reviewers….

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Thu, Jun 14, 2007 19:37 EDT

“Dual-Mode,” Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Posted by: remi
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In our company we use the T-Mobile/Dash, a phone that is Wi-fi enabled. The reason for our choice was to be able to use Skype from our cell phones, i.e. to be called from abroad and to call abroad without incurring the insane charges from the cell phone providers.

That said, we are patiently looking for the next generation of phones, which will be capable of switching automatically from GSM to Wi-Fi when available and vice-versa, all that during the same phone call. That would be another step toward a full VoIP cell phone strategy.

And I will close on one comment: for the time being, the voice quality when using Skype on the Dash is not good, and we can merely use Skype for business calls. I suspect the problem is more on the Dash side and its useless volume bar than on Skype's.

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Fri, Jun 15, 2007 9:04 EDT

“Dual-Mode,” Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Posted by: Al Sacco
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Hi Remi,

Thanks for the comment. FYI: In-Stat's Nogee tells me that T-Mobile will this summer release a Samsung P700 dual-mode phone, which he says will use Universal Mobile Access (UMA) technology to seamlessly roam back and forth between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. You may want to check it out.

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Fri, Jun 15, 2007 13:49 EDT

Dual-Mode, Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Posted by: remi
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Al:

Great news!

I will check carefully for the release of this phone.

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Mon, Jul 23, 2007 17:34 EDT

Dual-Mode, Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Posted by: Vince Vitali
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For us in healthcare, this is something we've been waiting for a long time. Physicians want mobile access to patient information but don't want to switch devices when they arrive at the hospital. Since they also want to choose their own device and provider, hospitals have been faced with installing antenna and carrying signal for all the major providers inside the hospital. Few have done this because of the expense and support issues. With this dual-mode capability, no matter who the carrier, when the physician arrives, they'll be on the wireless (802.11 b/g)network - the same one everyone else already uses. The hospitals will save on devices and the physicians will save on their mobile phone bill. Everyone wins!

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Tue, Jul 24, 2007 9:46 EDT

Dual-Mode, Voice Over Wi-Fi Phones and the Enterprise

Posted by: Al Sacco
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FYI: Research In Motion (RIM) just released its first dual-mode Wi-Fi/cellular handheld, the BlackBerry 8820.

http://www.cio.com/article/124551/RIM_Announces_Dual_Mode_BlackBerry_

http://advice.cio.com/al_sacco/rim_dual_mode_cellular_wi_fi_blackberry_8820_why_enterprises_should_take_note

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About this Blog

Al Sacco writes about (and drools over) anything and everything mobile or wireless as it applies to the global workforce--with a focus on BlackBerry smartphones.

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