The Short Kid at the Amusement Park: Mobile VoIP

One of the uses of VoIP that excites me the most is Mobile VoIP accessed through dual mode phones, phones capable of making out calls via both the GSM/CDMA network and Wi-Fi network. At the moment, the acceptance and availability is a bit like the short kid at the amusement park who can’t quite go on all of the rides, but knows he’ll have his growth spurt soon. This may seem like a strange analogy to use but it does make sense when you think about it.

Pros – These items put us at the amusement park, walking up to a massive roller coaster named after a comic super hero.

Wi-Fi Hotspots – More and more retail, hospitality and public spaces are offering free or low cost Wi-Fi access to their customers. My local launderette now offers free access

Phones – More and more phones are becoming available with the ability for WLAN connectivity, and it’s not just in the business class of phones.

Data Packages – The pricing on data has been very affordable with most major cell phone providers. Some of the providers are offering unlimited access for as little as $20 a month.

Cons – These put us a couple inches short of the comic book hero’s hand. We are not tall enough to ride the ride-yet.

Wi-Fi – Wi-Fi, although becoming more and more available, it isn’t available everywhere. Once you are on a call, you may be tied down to a certain area depending on signal strength.

Technology – This ties-in with the limitations of Wi-Fi; at the moment if you leave the hotspot, your call will be dropped. There is no automatic transfer from Wi-Fi to cellular currently supported by a major cellular carrier.

Phone Providers – Some of the major cell phone providers don’t allow you to bring unlocked devices. This means people are limited to the selections from the provider. In Europe the cellular providers are more SIM card based allowing for switching and upgrading of phones using unlocked phones.

Where this leaves us is still in the amusement park, but not able to ride all of the rides; however, with a growth spurt this will all change. The growth spurt will be aided as the technologies advance in the features available on cell phones. As more phones come standard with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks and the relatively cheap cost of data packages, interest and use will increase. Also, the growing availability and stability of Wi-Fi signals in public spaces, combined with the advances in phone technology will allow for more stable and reliable connects.

Next: Professor Plum in the Ballroom with the Rope: The Who, Where and How of Mobile VoIP.

Tom Costelloe

Tom is the former VoIP Supply Online Marketing Manager. Tom held a variety of positions in both the sales and marketing departments at VoIP Supply.