Kris Kumar
02-27-2006, 05:30 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1923274,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1923274,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Chipmaker Royal Philips Electronics confirmed that a U.S. cellular carrier will launch voice-over-Wi-Fi technology this year, based on Philips' new Nexperia 6120 chipset. Callers should be able to make calls on their home Wi-Fi networks for "a couple of bucks a month, flat rate," according to Philips' Carsten Schimanke. ... Philips would not identify their carrier partner. But the Samsung T709 we saw at CES showed options to connect to T-Mobile Hotspots as well as home networks. T-Mobile is leveraging its Wi-Fi network as a competitor to other carriers' 3G high-speed cellular systems. With UMA, every home with a wireless LAN and every Starbucks becomes a place with full bars of signal, and that's compelling."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-Feb06-UMA.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><i>Check out the UMA details on the official UMA <a href="http://www.umatechnology.org/overview/index.htm">Web site.</a></i><br /><br />The PC Magazine article does not state that T-Mobile is going to launch UMA based phone this year, but all the indicators definitely point in that direction. T-Mobile recently announced a $30 data plan that includes unlimited GPRS/EDGE access and also unlimited Wi-Fi/HotSpots access. Now all they need are compatible handsets and some field testing. If you are wondering what makes UMA different from similar VoIP applications like Skype; the difference is that unlike Skype which works only in the Wi-Fi mode, UMA enables seamless switching of the voice call between the Wi-Fi network and the cellular network. So at home and work, you may use the Wi-Fi network and as you walk out of the building, the UMA technology will switch to the cellular network.