Ekkie Tepsupornchai
07-14-2005, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8554695/' target='_blank'>http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8554695/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"NEW YORK - Internet telephone service tiptoed a few more steps into the wireless realm on Tuesday as Skype and Boingo unveiled a service to enable Voice-over-Internet calls over Wi-Fi hot spots... Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. of Korea both announced deals to use a new hybrid wireless technology from Kineto Wireless Inc. to develop mobile phones that can pass a call from a cellular network to a Wi-Fi network without interrupting the connection... The new technology, known as UMA for Unlicensed Mobile Access, is designed to provide better call quality indoors, where cellular signals turn weak and short-range Wi-Fi signals are strong."</i><br /><br />One could argue that the most universally relied-upon aspect of the internet is the numerous methods of communications and collaboration that have been enabled whether it be email, instant messaging, online chats, forums, etc. VoIP (Voice-over-IP), in my opinion, will be the next major communications-driven technology to break through the universal acceptance barrier. These latest announcements from Samsung/LG/Skype/Boingo provide users with greater ability to benefit from VoIP by leveraging Wi-Fi. If the Samsung and LG initiative (technically referred to as UMA or Unlicensed Mobile Access) gets rolled out to the public, cellphone users could reap the benefits of greater coverage and reduced call cost. Is it any surprise that cellular service providers appear to be the biggest roadblock in rolling this out? Thoughts?