Cellular Phones Add 802.11 Wireless
Millions of homes are expected to adopt Voice over IP (VoIP) services like AT&T CallVantage and Vonage in the next couple of years. A new breed of cell phones, which combine 802.11 Wi-Fi capability with digital cellular operation, will arrive soon. SBC, for example, announced in October that its public Wi-Fi hotspots will be able to carry calls from Cingular subscribers. Hybrid phones such as the Motorola MPx can place calls on cellular networks on the road but use less-expensive VoIP service in the home, at the office, or in other locations offering Wi-Fi access. However, phones must be able to detect and switch to compatible networks, and carriers must deploy extensive infrastructure to support seamless call transfers between the cellular and IP networks.
Michael Desmond in a freelance writer based in Vermont.
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