Wi-Fi Meets The Wireless Phone

Wi-Fi Meets The Wireless Phone
Arik Hesseldahl, Forbes.com (26th July,04)

NEW YORK - The next great leap forward in the functionality of handheld wireless devices began this morning with word from Hewlett-Packard and wireless concern T-Mobile that they have collaborated on a new hybrid device that combines a PDA with a mobile phone, while throwing in Wi-Fi networking capability, too.

Expected to start shipping late this summer for a price of $499 with a service contract, the Hewlett-Packard-made (nyse: HPQ - news - people ) iPaq 6315 packs more radios inside its six-ounce body than was practically possible only a year ago. Since it's an iPaq, it will run Microsoft's Windows Mobile handheld operating system, but it will be sold only by T-Mobile, a unit of Deutsche Telekom, which means it will handle voice and data traffic on standard GSM/GPRS wireless phone networks around the US, as well as in Europe and much of Asia. And if you're into using a wireless headset, there's a Bluetooth radio too.

But what's interesting, and potentially a significant shift for handheld devices of this type, is the addition of Wi-Fi, the popular wireless Internet connection more often used on laptop computers in airports and coffee shops.

Remember, if you will, that T-Mobile also happens to operate a huge network of 4,700 Wi-Fi hot spots at popular locations like Starbucks coffee shops, Border's bookstores, airports and other locations, such as FedEx's Kinko's. (see our review of the T-Mobile service: "Hot Spots Are Happening," 06.09.2004.) When the user needs a wireless Internet connection for checking e-mail or a Web site, the device will automatically check the conditions of the surrounding area and use the method of connection that is faster. If there's a good Wi-Fi connection nearby, it will forgo the slower GPRS connection, but when there's no Wi-Fi nearby, it will go with GPRS.

As yet, public Wi-Fi hot spots are a tricky business. There is so much wireless access available for free that it's difficult to sell people on the concept of the need for a monthly subscription, especially when they're likely to only need it occasionally while traveling, or spend only as much time in a Starbucks as to get enough sugar in their coffee. (see our searchable database of Hot Spots, both free and not.) But a device that is deliberately designed for the on-the-go type of person who's likely to spend only five or ten minutes within range of a hot spot at Starbucks may carry some appeal.

HP and T-Mobile won't be alone in this endeavor. We've been hearing reliable rumors that Motorola will be making a very similar announcement about a handheld mobile phone that also incorporates Wi-Fi connectivity as soon as this week. We're forced to wonder if Palmone, maker of the Treo 600, a PDA/wireless phone combination, and also the Tungsten C, a Wi-Fi ready PDA, is not far behind with their own Wi-Fi equipped PDA/phone.

What you won't see, at least initially, is direct support for making voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) voice calls over the Internet via the Wi-Fi connection. For one thing, the 6315 supports only the 802.11b version of the Wi-Fi standard, which allows for a data connection speed of only 10 megabits per second. It won't support the faster 802.11g version of the standard, which tops out at 54 megabits per second.

Remember, T-Mobile is in the business of providing wireless voice services, but the time isn't far off when someone is going to start experimenting with the combination of a wireless phone that can jump from the wireless phone networks to available Wi-Fi networks for the purpose of making free or nearly free VoIP calls. Already there are cordless office phones that incorporate Wi-Fi for the purpose of making VoIP calls but don't yet connect to the outside cellular networks. We noticed one last year from Cisco Systems. (see: "Wi-Fi Comes To The Office Phone" 04.28.2003)

Such a combination might initially scare the heck out of a wireless company like T-Mobile. But with Wi-Fi getting more sophisticated every day, this combination can't be far off. A few technical standards under development have to finish cooking, though. One that may come into play is 802.11e, which addresses quality of service. Since VoIP calls reduce voice conversations to streams of data packets just like all Internet data, voice packets might need to get priority and therefore get to take cuts in front of other packets in order to keep the call quality satisfactory.

There are two other standards that concern Wi-Fi networks and mobility. One is 802.11p, which concerns maintaining a Wi-Fi connection while moving at a high rate of speed, such as a in a car. If you're going to be making VoIP calls while on the road, you're going to need a reliable connection that doesn't keep dropping. Yet another standard in development, 802.11r is all about handing off a connection from one hot spot to another, which would be necessary if VoIP were to ever be a threat to conventional mobile phones. It's not there yet, but its day is coming. And this week's announcements from HP, T-Mobile and even Motorola will mark important milestones in that development.

http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2004/07/26/cx_ah_0726tentech.html