WiFi Cell Phones
Cutting the Cost of Mobility

Sales of WiFi cell phones are increasing explosively. By some estimates the increase is over 300% per annum compared with less than 15% per annum for standard cell phones.

What is driving the demand for wifi cell phones?

It's the recognition that voice over WiFi is not only a credible technology, but it's about to make a major impact on how we use cell phones and the cost of mobile communication. WiFi enabled phones can dramatically reduce the cost of business and personal phone calls. They do this by providing access to low cost or even free VoIP phone calls from a cell phone.

Voice over WiFi technology compliments both premise based VoIP PBX solutions and VoIP business phone services. It's a cost effective and reliable way of accessing mobile VoIP. The increasing uptake of VoIP exposes more businesses and individuals to the opportunity of slashing their cell phone bills.

Another major consideration in the uptake of the technology is ease of use. It can be as simple as turning on a Wi-Fi Certified device: cell phone, smartphone or PDA that links to an access point and then registering with a VoIP service provider.

The WiFi phone is by no means a complete substitute for a standard cell phone, but that will change in the near future. Currently they must be used within 300 meters of an Internet connected WiFi base station. It's a restriction, but not a show stopper in most domestic and small business situations.

The combination of a wifi phone, base station, broadband and Skype is an increasingly attractive and cost effective small business phone solution.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is responsible for continually pushing the boundaries of voice over WiFi. Hundreds of manufacturers, developers and operators now employ Wi-Fi Certified Voice-Personal products. The next frontier is the Wi-Fi Certified Voice-Enterprise program. Enterprise WiFi voice will enhance support for roaming. Voice users will be able to roam across multiple access points while continuing to avail themselves of uninterrupted high quality voice communication.

The WiFi cell phone represents a threat to the cell phone companies that is similar to that experienced by the fixed line carriers with the advent of of VoIP. The difference is that while VoIP will replace TDM technology, WiFi isn't going to replace the cell phone. The wireless infrastructure required to mirror cell phone networks is not there and may never be built. The cell phone companies will consequently continue to have a role, but they are going lose revenue from the adoption of WiFi voice around home and office.

Dual Mode WiFi Cell Phones

The demand for phones that support both cellular and WiFi is already enormous. Many of the options support softphone clients that can route calls over WiFi or cellular networks depending on available signal strengths. In due course it will be possible to seamlessly roam between WiFi and cellular networks without interruption or loss of voice quality.