| The advent of wireless broadband has put a new | | | | mobile phones show that people are willing to |
| twist on peoples mobility and communications. | | | | tolerate loss of quality for convenience. Quality of |
| Wireless broadband connections can take many | | | | sound over an IP connection can be anywhere |
| different forms. From an extension of | | | | from a dropped call to cell phone quality, to the |
| conventional wired networks in your home or | | | | equivalent of a land line connection, depending on |
| office, to wireless coverage of entire metropolitan | | | | network utilization. |
| areas, to the proliferation of WiFi hotspots all over | | | | The advantages of VoIP over conventional |
| the world, the Internet truly makes the world a | | | | telephony are becoming clearer, but what would |
| global place. | | | | be the advantages of IP telephony over cellular |
| Wireless Broadband and IP Telephony | | | | phones? While both cell phone companies and the |
| Companies like Clearwire and Mobilepro Corp are | | | | pure-play VoIP providers have monthly plans, |
| connecting college campuses, even whole cities to | | | | internet phone companies do not charge more for |
| the Internet wirelessly. Using fixed point to point, | | | | prime time, and the monthly service charges are |
| point to multipoint, and non-line-of-site (NLOS) | | | | significantly less. Most mobile phone companies |
| technologies, these companies can eventually | | | | offer free nationwide long distance in the U.S., |
| cover areas of dense population that will rival the | | | | whereas Vonage, for example offers free calls |
| cellular networks. | | | | throughout the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and |
| Worldwide, even in remote locations, WiFi | | | | Europe. |
| hotspots only need a little electricity and a satellite | | | | International rates with VoIP are the lowest to be |
| uplink to connect to the world. | | | | had, to some countries as low as 2-3 cents a |
| Wireless broadband and IP telephony have the | | | | minute for a call to a PSTN number. Calls to cell |
| most potential in the small business and traveling | | | | phones however, are charged at a higher rate. |
| community. A small business with branch offices | | | | WiFi Cell Phones |
| spread around the country (or the world for that | | | | Essential to the widespread implementation of |
| matter) could save considerably on their | | | | wireless VoIP is, of course, the hardware, the |
| telecommunication expenses utilizing VoIP. As | | | | phone itself. While many pure play Internet phone |
| would the traveling salesperson staying at a far | | | | companies have had WiFi telephones for a while, |
| away hotel, more and more of which have their | | | | the ideal solution would be a cell phone that goes |
| own wireless networks. Just pick a provider, find | | | | both ways. Companies like Truphone have |
| a hotspot and watch your phone bill drop. | | | | furthered the cause by developing an Open |
| IP telephony over wireless broadband is emerging | | | | Source application based on the widely accepted |
| as a viable alternative to the public switched | | | | session initiation protocol (SIP), which allows a |
| telephone network (PSTN), and is even | | | | transition from the Internet to the PSTN. |
| encroaching on the cellular communications | | | | Nokia, a leading manufacturer of cell phones, has |
| industry. Whereas the big cellular networks put in | | | | developed a line of smart phones starting with its |
| place by companies like Sprint and Verizon have | | | | E60 series that is dual band and can switch |
| done a good job blanketing north America, and | | | | between cellular and WiFi networks. Their latest |
| Europe, the cost to the consumer can be cut | | | | innovation, the N80, combines all the latest |
| even more by utilizing the Internet to transport | | | | technology and truly is a smart phone. These |
| voice. | | | | phones will automatically switch back and forth |
| VoIP and the Cellular Networks | | | | while roaming between cellular and WiFi networks, |
| IP telephony is a disruptive technology, meaning | | | | purportedly without dropping the call. |
| that it has the potential to turn an existing market | | | | IP telephony over wireless networks is a |
| upside down. Imagine how the telcos felt when a | | | | technology just out of its infancy, and is yet to |
| long distance call for which they used to charge a | | | | become wide spread. The cost effectiveness of |
| dollar a minute can now be made for pennies. | | | | routing voice packets over the internet as |
| Needless to say, the babyb bells and mobile phone | | | | opposed to land lines, or even cellular networks, |
| companies will resist this change, but as the | | | | cannot be denied. But dont expect the telcos or |
| technology evolves, adoption seems inevitable. | | | | the cellular phone companies to embrace this |
| Just as the sound quality on cellular networks are | | | | technology wholeheartedly until they can figure |
| generally less than land lines, massive adoption of | | | | out a way to make a profit. |