Subject: [NEXTEL-1] New Wi-Fi Phones in the Spotlight

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 12:34:28 -0400

New Wi-Fi Phones in the Spotlight
By Jay Wrolstad
Wireless NewsFactor
April 28, 2003

Cisco Systems today unveiled a wireless phone that operates on
Wi-Fi (802.11b) networks, providing a boost to the burgeoning
wireless local area network industry. In a related development,
wireless communications firm SpectraLink launched two new phones
that offer the same capability.

The Cisco 7920, designed for use in warehouse, hospital and
corporate campus environments, is among a growing number of voice
over Internet protocol (VoIP) handheld devices hitting the market
to take advantage of corporate WLANs. Users can communicate via
Wi-Fi wireless access points, offering the advantage of greater
mobility in the workplace.

Portable Wi-Fi

"With this phone we have replicated the typical wired phone
features such as conferencing, caller ID and call forwarding for
wireless local area networks," Jim Cirincione, manager of product
marketing for voice at Cisco, told NewsFactor.

The phone can be used in any site with a WLAN, he explained,
enabling workers to use it outside their workplaces -- even in
other states or countries.

Commercial availability is expected in June, with the device
priced at US$ 495.

Two from SpectraLink

Not to be outdone, SpectraLink is offering two handsets, the
NetLink e340 ($399)and NetLink i640 ($599) wireless phones. Both
are compatible with Wi-Fi networks and also are aimed at
enterprise customers.

The e340 is touted as a compact wireless VoIP handset for general
office use, while the i640 is a more rugged device aimed at
hospitals and manufacturing plants. It features VoIP push-to-talk
capability with an integrated loudspeaker.

"Enterprises are increasingly adopting Wi-Fi technology, and they
want to put voice on these data networks," Ben Guderian, director
of marketing for SpectraLink, told NewsFactor. This is the
company's second generation of wireless 802.11 phones, which
Guderian said have found a following among business customers.

Data Network Complements

Both Cisco and SpectraLink also introduced new fixed wireless
desktop IP phones for business users, designed to use WLANs and
eliminate wired connections to the desktop.

Wireless Wi-Fi phones are starting to generate some noise in the
industry, said Yankee Group analyst John Jackson. He told
NewsFactor that operators want to complement their packet data
networks with WLAN capability and need new devices to make that
happen.

Currently, Wi-Fi connectivity has focused on laptop PCs and
handheld devices using air cards, but phones could develop into a
profitable market, he said.

"I think we will see some manufacturers coming out with dual-mode
wireless local area network and wide area network phones, but the
challenge will be enabling the handoff between the two
technologies," Jackson explained.

Wi-Fi Goes Beyond Portability

One challenge in creating such products is dealing with the
power-hungry nature of 802.11 networks.

Devices such as those developed by Cisco and SpectraLink have
limited appeal, IDC analyst Keith Waryas told newsFactor, but show
promise in adding mobility to a campus or warehouse site. "This
takes Wi-Fi beyond portability to limited mobility" he said. "It
could impact wide area network usage in the long term."

Other companies delving into the voice-enabled Wi-Fi device market
include Symbol Technologies, which has produced a phone, and
Vocera, which offers portable products for certain markets.

http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/story/21378.html

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