Can Your Phone Cause Wifi To Be Slow

This year WiFi calling has come to United states of america cellphones. T-Mobile launched WiFi calling on BlackBerry devices in 2009, only recently have the other carriers followed adapt, with Verizon Wireless, the last supporting this, announcing limited availability now on Android devices and iOS adjacent year. The idea is that WiFi coverage tin can fill up in places where cellular isn't available. But providing better network access is just half the story. Adding handoff to cellular nets without having to disconnect the call or, even improve, to private corporate networks increases the usefulness and actually starts to tie the networks together.

This isn't a new idea. Every bit a matter of fact, it's quite an onetime i that never came to be, despite much hype virtually 15 years ago.

I call up getting a phone call almost fifteen years ago, when I was an industry analyst roofing the newly emerging WiFi technology and cellular networks. At the time, 3G networks were but rolling out, then digital coverage was sparse, based on outset generation digital GSM, TDMA and CDMA technologies. Voice calling was the killer wireless app at the time, since network data speeds averaged well nether fifty kbps and pretty much useless (except for that emerging BlackBerry email service which might just grab on). Simply vocalisation coverage wasn't predictable, particularly in-edifice.

So back to that call. A trio of vendors, Motorola, Proxim and Avaya had teamed upward to provide a solution that would take advantage of WiFi coverage in buildings and handoff calls to the cellular network. The concept was brilliant. Imagine starting a phone call at your desk-bound on your desk telephone (or cellphone) carried over the wired or WiFi network. If you need to get, press a push button, and that call is switched to whatever device, like your jail cell telephone. Once the WiFi network starts fading, the phone call would be switched to the cell network seamlessly. Proxim provided the WiFi access points, Motorola the handsets and Avaya the corporate telephony infrastructure. I decided to call it "fixed mobile convergence" (FMC) and thought information technology would modify the world.

Alter is hard

The only problem was it never actually worked. Running a call over WiFi worked well, but the challenges came when switching the session to the individual prison cell network. Cell carriers at the time felt they provided a pretty skilful service and didn't want to perhaps lose out on in-building revenue. (Of class, at that time, it was pretty expensive for people to use their cellphones at their desk, just even so, traffic was already migrating off landlines). People liked the convenience of simply using their cellphone, and if the carriers didn't actively participate in the program, information technology was spring to fail. AT&T actually embraced this program and did some testing simply never fully rolled out a product. As cell phone minutes came down in cost and coverage got better, most people drifted to using their cell phones primarily at piece of work, that is when people yet talked one-to-one! Today, we utilise electronic mail and IM for those conversations and save the voice mostly for conference calls.

Today, many companies have gone total over to IP-based systems and many (like my company Accenture) have fully embraced digital calling and are 100 percent on Microsoft Skype for Business. The calling works equally well on whatever device over landline, WiFi or cell nets, simply having the ability to leap from my desk telephone, PC or tablet to my smartphone is something I desire and I know others do too. It's nifty that the carriers are supporting WiFi calling, but the existent advantage would exist to go in and out of WiFi and prison cell, public and private networks, seamlessly. Unfortunately, even subsequently all this fourth dimension, that'due south all the same not bachelor. Hopefully nosotros won't have to wait another 15 years!

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Phillip Redman brings over 15 years of experience in the mobile and wireless telecommunication industry working with both developers and innovators of the latest mobile technologies and those aiming to use mobile and wireless engineering strategically in their businesses. Currently a Senior Manager at Accenture Digital, Redman manages mobility projects for mobile apps, IoT, security and process for both enterprises and vendors.

At Citrix, he was the vice president of mobile solutions and strategy. He was responsible for developing and aligning mobile strategy across the Citrix production lines, as well as advocating Citrix mobile solutions externally supporting customers, media and analysts. Prior, he was vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, the leading global IT research firm where he advised most of the Fortune 500 including senior CIOs and chief executives and global end user companies on mobile strategy and adoption. Prior to Gartner, Redman spent 5 years at the Boston-based Yankee Grouping where he was the associate managing director of Yankee Group'southward Wireless/Mobile Communications practice, helping to triple its size, while forming and creating wireless industry metrics that are still used today.

He is too a technical advisor for concern and trade media, and has appeared in print publications, and on radio and idiot box. Phillip Redman is considered a thought leader and practiced in global enterprise mobile network technologies and services, handheld devices (smartphones and tablets), mobile software and mobile security. He has a strong ability to develop brand, create get-to-market place strategies and messaging, partner development, production strategy and vision, pricing and competitive positioning, customer development and the capability to articulate and present the bulletin.

Redman received a bachelor's caste in communications from Temple University and a master'south degree in communications from Boston Academy. He is based and resides in the Boston area.

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of Phillip Redman and do non necessarily represent those of IDG Communications, Inc., its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies.