August 5, 2004

Wi-Fi phones make a splash

If you've been using a regularl cell phone and find yourself out of range at times or paying a lot of money on the monthly calls, consider getting a cell phone that can access a WiFi hotspot.

These phones enable you to talk on the phone in many air port business centers, Starbucks and other locations that have WiFi access and possibly save money.

Cnet writes Cell phone makers plan to release so-called Wi-Fi phones ahead of schedule, bringing new threats and opportunities to wireless carriers and traditional phone service providers.

The highly anticipated hybrid phones let people make connections using a local wireless Internet access point and seamlessly switch over to a cell phone network whenever necessary. The net result is greater flexibility in mobile communications as well as potential cost savings gained by shifting call minutes that would otherwise count against a cell phone plan onto the Internet.

New phones and handsets that promise to accomplish this feat are due later this year from Motorola, Hewlett-Packard and NEC. Each is different, but all combine into a single device three hot technologies that are transforming the telecommunications industry: high-speed Wi-Fi wireless networks, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and wireless broadband.

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