Wireless Muse: Reiter's Wireless Internet Weblog

2008: The year to buy a cellular/WiFi phone

If you’ve never had a cellular phone that also includes WiFi, you are missing something. And, 2008 is likely to be The Year of Cellular/WiFi phones….if handset manufacturers are smart.

Why do you want WiFi in your phone:

1.  It’s faster, probably, than your cellular connection.  Yes, 1xEV-DO and HSDPA are good, but in many cases WiFi is significantly faster, upstream and downstream.  That means surfing the Web and retrieving e-mail, as examples, can be a much better experience.

2.  It’s cheaper.  For many applications, you pay nothing — if you’re at a free WiFi hotspot — or a modest amount for unlimited use.  Compare your monthly cellular airtime bill to, for example, a $20–per-month WiFi bill to use T-Mobile’s hotspots.

3.  VoIP.  This is going to be very, very important.  If you have VoIP peer-to-peer software on your cellular phone via WiFi, there’s a good chance you won’t be paying extra for your calls.  No cellular airtime. 

Moreover, if you can’t get cellular coverage in your house or if the coverage is poor, you might be able to use VoIP on your phone, such as via T-Mobile’s $20–per-month UMA-based Hotspot@Home service.  I know one technology consultant, Jim Opfer, who wanted GPS on his cellular phone more than WiFi, for which he didn’t see much use.  But he couldn’t get cellular coverage — except on his deck — from any cellular operator.

He signed up with Hotspot@Home and now his cellular phone is usable inside his house.  He’s completely changed his tune.  He loves WiFi on his phone.

Update (1/2/08):  Jim writes about his love of WiFi on a cellular phone with Google Maps’ new location feature (see left) in his most recent blog post.

4.  Greater Web functionality.  Sure you can use your handset to access the Web, but in many cases that functionality is crippled.  Let me give you one example:

I listen to lots of technology podcasts, that I typically download to my computer via iTunes and then transfer via a cable to my BlackBerry Curve 8320 (or other cellular phone).  The Curve can download and play mp3 files,  But if I use EDGE, the files are often too large and a message pops up on the handset that indicates the file can’t be downloaded.

This afternoon I was listening to one of my favorite technology podcasts, Mobile Technology RoundUp, while I was eating lunch at Panera (that has free WiFi).  One of the podcasters mentioned another mobile tech podcast. 

I tried downloading that 66 MB podcast via EDGE, but it was too large.  I turned on the Curve’s WiFi and tried streaming it, but I couldn’t do that.

However, when I clicked “save,” I was able to download and save the audio file to the Curve’s 2 GB microSD card.  (I’m deciding whether to purchase a 4 GB card or wait until, perhaps, this January when I can update the Curve to accept 8 GB cards and purchase one of those).

Consider a cellular/WiFi phone!

Mark my words:  WiFi on cellular phones will be a killer app for some users.  I wrote more about this in my “Thinkernet” column on CMP’s “Internet Evolution” Web site.

The big deal of WiFi on cellular phones

I'm a huge fan of cellular phones that incorporate WiFi.  Once you have WiFi in your phone you're unlikely to want to purchase another phone without it.

Firstly, Web based applications are generally much faster than over cellular.  Yes, I know, sometimes WiFi connections aren't particularly good, while sometimes HSDPA and 1xEV-DO provide better data rates than WiFi.  I also am well aware of the local coverage "islands" of WiFi versus cellular's wide area coverage.

These issues notwithstanding, using WiFi for access the Web often trumps cellular for speed.

WiFi rocks with cellular

Secondly, WiFi will be a very big deal for VoIP.  For consumers and businesses, WiFi will make a significant difference for decreasing costs and enhancing coverage compared to cellular.

Thirdly, we are becoming so dependent on wireless communications that having a second wireless network as a back-up is a good idea.  Want a useful example?  T-Mobile's cellular network in my market, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, sometimes crashes for data services.

As a result, I can't get my BlackBerry e-mail via EDGE.  But my BlackBerry has Gmail software, and copies of my e-mail are forwarded to multiple e-mail addresses.  If EDGE goes down, I can access e-mail on my BlackBerry (and other cellular phones) via WiFi.

More on "Thinkernet"

I write much more about this in my latest "Thinkernet" column, "Wi-Fi Calling," (see above) on CMP's "Internet Evolution" Web site.

RIM Industry Analyst Summit highlights WiFi, GPS

I recently attended Research in Motion's (RIM) Industry Analyst Summit at its headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario.  It was a valuable and fun time that combined plenary sessions and break-out panel discussions as well as good food, a Toronto harbor river boat cruise, a day of touring in downtown Toronto and a performance of "King Lear" at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

RIM displayed a variety of new handsets, that I can't discuss because they haven't been officially announced.

However, I can say that GPS and WiFi will be two of the most important new technologies for RIM.  Although RIM certainly is interested in capturing a share of the consumer market, especially with its Pearl (81xx) handsets, the company's focus remains the enterprise.

So, use your imagination about how GPS and WiFi could be incorporated into corporate applications.  Also, if you've been reading "BlackBerry Cool" or the "Boy Genius Report" you have a good idea of upcoming phones from various leaked reports and photos.

Update (9/24/07):  Today RIM and T-Mobile announced the new Curve 8320 that incorporates WiFi in addition to its two megapixel camera that was included on the first, 8300, Curve.  The 8320 was one of the phones on display at the RIM conference and I was fortunate to be able to get one to test.

I haven't written a detailed review of the 8320; I'm sure many others will do that.  But if you're interested in the camera aspects of the new BlackBerry, take a look at the article and photos I've posted on my camera phone weblog.

I also posted photos I took with the 8320 on a moblog (see above).

Suggestions for interference-free VoIP phone?

I'm looking for a corded/cordless phone that can be used with my home VoIP system and 802.11g WiFi router.

I use AT&T CallVantage VoIP service (that I like) that includes a D-Link telephone Adapter (from CallVantage)  and a Linksyn 802.11g router. 

I want a good phone system that combines (1) a corded phone “base station” that includes (a) a phone attached with a cord (duh!), (b) a speakerphone, (c) a headphone jack, (d) a nice-to-have-feature:  an answering machine that can record long conversations -- for when I'm conducting interviews -- and (e) operation on 5.8GHz so it doesn't interfere with the 2.4GHz WiFi system.

Interference problems

AT&T CallVantage tells me that a digital phone won't work well when used in combination with its VoIP Telephone Adapter and a WiFi router.  AT&T says I need an analog phone.

I have been on conversations with several people who use cordless phones with their home VoIP/WiFi network and the voice quality is often poor.  My old analog corded phone works just fine but I want a corded/cordless systems.

I'd consider two 5.8 GHz cordless phones if the quality was superb and at least one phone included a headphone jack and speakerphone.

Not easy to find

Most of the phones I've seen are (1) digital and/or (2) operate at 2.4GHz and/or (3) don't have the features I want.

AT&T doesn't have an acceptable system.  I assume lots of VoIP users with WiFi -- especially home office users -- would love to get a full featured corded + cordless phone system that would work well.

Anyone have any suggestions for such a system?  Are there any phone systems, even business phones from Nortel or other companies, that would work on my simple (non-PBX) home system?