Dual Mode

WiFi or cellular data?

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

If you're an enterprise IT director, one of the most important questions that you face is how will your employees' mobile devices connect to your enterprise applications? When away from the office, will they take advantage of WiFi connections, will they use a high-speed cellular data network, or will you issue devices that do both? As products for the fixed-mobile data convergence market increase in number, carriers and vendors will find it necessary to add functions and features to attract customers. Look for fleet-management, increased security, and custom application support to be among the features added to attract your business to one network or another.

For more on the WiFi or cell question:
- Read the hands' on analysis at WirelessWeek

First WiFi Blackberry

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

The evolution of wireless clients from RIM continues as the Blackberry 8820 hits the street with quad band GMS/EDGE network connectivity and long-awaited WiFi capabilities. In addition to the features that users expect from a Blackberry, the 8820 will support unlicensed mobile access (UMA), so that calls can be transferred from the cellular network to a WiFi network, with no impact on the user. The handoff is becoming a must for dual-mode phones, and the 8820 should be a strong competitor in the space.

For more on the new Blackberry:
- read the new product news at CIO-Today
- and check out a photo of the new handset at DailyTechRag

Nokia and Qualcomm at deadline

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Nokia and Qualcomm each own patents. Each uses technology covered by the other's patents. On April 8, parts of the agreements that governed their technology sharing expire. While the two companies have been negotiating extensions of the agreements, the discussions haven't always been perfectly amicable, as Qualcomm has filed for arbitration on payments that Nokia has made for technology--payments that Qualcomm says are inadequate. Why should customers care about the agreements? Because the Qualcomm patents cover wideband CDMA--a market that Nokia has seemed reluctant to enter. Big-company contracts have a significant effect on what customers can buy--a critical issue in a market where handset functions are expanding rapidly.

For more on the negotiations:
- Read the complete article at CIO-Today.com

10 things we need in mobile handsets

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

What do we need in our next mobile handsets? You could roll the whole list up in "phones that work better," but it's more helpful to have some way to define "better." Since the discussion is on a phone in the future (even if it's the near future), not all the items on the list are available now--but that doesn't mean they wouldn't help make for a killer mobile platform. What are some of the things that would help move us toward an ultimate mobile platform?

1. Linux or Mac OS X
2. Large Screen
5. Faster-than Bluetooth (more secure, too)
7. Super-powerful processor
10. Dual-mode handsets

There are 5 more qualities, and some refinements mentioned for many, but put them all together and you could have the beginning of a beautiful specification.

For the rest of the 10 things list:
- Read the complete article at VoIP Now

Divitas builds a bridge

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:01:37 -0500

Communicating on both WiFi and 3GSM networks is one thing--doing it as you pass calls seamlessly between the two is something else entirely. Divitas has released the Divitas Mobile Convergence Platform, a system that the company says will work with cell phones, WiFi-phones, dual-mode phones and softphones, to form a single unified telephone system. The product is aimed at enterprise customers that want to expand the management of their PBX beyond the confines of the traditional phone. With a price of $5,495 (including a 10-user license) the new Divitas platform should offer many companies the opportunity to test that theory.

For more on the new product:
- read the article at eWeek

How to deploy a wireless network smoothly

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:01:38 -0400

To hear tech leaders tell it, there are still some huge stumbling blocks in the way of a smooth wireless network deployment. One big issue is the lack of good management tools for keeping track of what's going on inside and outside of the enterprise. The second and third key hurdles are the need for better technology standards and easier to use devices. That's just a sampling of the insight gleaned from IT leaders attending the recent Interop conference. Better network performance tracking technology would be a big help, as would proactive monitoring capabilities. Yet, as some tech leaders relate, there have been more than a few success stories in deploying wireless networks and converging them with other voice and data networks already in place. Find out why these successes worked and what to be prepared for before you move ahead to give your users the wireless capabilities they need today. Article

PLUS: Dual-mode devices get closer to reality. Article

A platform that promises to do it all

Sun, 23 Apr 2006 20:01:37 -0400

If you've been holding off on laying down a wireless network because of interest in VoIP, you might just want to hold off another few months until Divitas produces its Mobility Communications Platform. The start-up's technology promises to provide WLAN roaming, VoIP call control, VPN termination, and XML data delivery, in addition to hand-off management and security. The Linux-based appliance will allow enterprises to bring in dual-mode voice-over-WLAN (VoWiFi) and let cellular handsets, or any handheld device, tap into a corporate VoIP and data network from anywhere. The appliance performs as a WLAN controller for handset clients attached to 802.11a/b/g networks. The platform tracks the connectivity status of all Divitas-enabled devices, and manages Layer 2 and Layer 3 WLAN roaming, address translation and QoS settings as users move among WLAN access points.

Divitas, however, isn't the only vendor moving in the VoWiFi direction. Analysts say there could be at least two dozen vendors offering very similar services and capabilities in coming months, so competition for customer base will be fierce. That's great news for IT leaders. A competitive market means better service and typically a better price point. Article

QUICKLINKS: The allure of the dual-mode handset, voice over WiFi combo; Army going wireless with $20M contract; Much more...

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 20:00:50 -0400

Should dual-mode handsets, voice over WiFi meet? Article

Army tests tech integrating wireless, wireline and RFID. Article

Wireless net offers better security for marathon event. Article

Demand pushes public WiFi to 43 percent growth. Article

Nokia's hometown takes wireless to the max. Article

Portland chooses a wireless network vendor. Article

New FCC rules on wireless broadband bidding. Article

Skype goes on a shopping spree. Article

Public WiFi not something users want to pay for. Article

A marvel of a wireless LAN chip solution. Article

Editor's Corner

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:01:40 -0500

If you weren't quite convinced that WiFi Voice over Internet (VoIP)phones are here to stay, you just have to take a good look at some market numbers recently released by Infonetics. The global WiFi VoIP phone market spiked 76 percent this year, hitting $102.5 million in revenue. That's clearly just the start--the research firm expects that number to at least double in the coming year as more VoIP deployments take place. The big surprise is that North American business isn't the top leader right now--more than 50 percent of dual-mode WiFi cellular handset revenue is coming from the Asian market. - Judy

Handset offers dual mode functionality

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:01:37 -0500

It's possibly the first device to provide cellular and WiFi capabilities, but even if it misses attaining that landmark feature, the Sereno UM-1, a GSM/Voice-over-WiFi dual-mode handset, will have a price point few others will be able to beat--likely under $100. The new handset provides simultaneous multi-mode functionality that supports SIP and Unlicensed Mobile Access modes for Voice over Internet Protocol. According to the vendors that collaborated on the handheld device (Quorum Systems, TTPCom and Analog Devices), the handset doubles the WiFi range for voice applications in comparison to current VoIP technology. Article