RSSVonage Debuts Cell-like Wi-Fi Phone
By Ed Oswald | Published December 13, 2005, 10:45 AM
Vonage and UTStarcom on Tuesday announced a cell phone-like device that will allow customers to use their Vonage accounts from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection.
Initially, the phone will only operate with public networks, meaning hotspots like those in Starbucks or some airports would not be compatible. However, Vonage said that it plans to resolve these issues as soon as possible.
The device will be compatible with Vonage's standard features such as three-way calling, call waiting, call forward, voicemail, and others. It will also include the capability to assign different ring tones to entries within the phone book, as well as vibrate and go silent.
For ease of use, the phone would allow the saving of Wi-Fi profiles to make the connection process faster. The battery offers up to five hours of talk time, and between 50-100 hours of standby time. Recharging of the phone would take about two to three hours, Vonage says.
"With the rapid increase of open access points around the world, this is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to take advantage of the affordability of VoIP service and also enjoy the convenience of mobility," Vonage product development executive vice president Louis Holder said in a statement.
Holder said that the offering was the first of its kind, and represented the "leading edge" in VoIP services.
With Wi-Fi becoming more ubiquitous, and places such as Philadelphia and San Francisco blanketing their cities with Wi-Fi coverage, devices like the Wi-Fi phone from Vonage could eventually replace cell phones in some metropolitan areas, possibly at a cheaper cost.
However, some companies are already working on combination Wi-Fi and cellular phones. Sprint Nextel in association with several cable companies plans to begin work on such a phone next year as part of a multi-year partnership.
UTStarcom emphasized the price point as a reason why they believe the phone would be successful. "Consumers with Wi-Fi access in their home can replace their traditional home phone with the F1000 and start reaping the benefits of wireless VoIP phone service right away," UTStarcom chief technology officer Bill Huang said.
The device is available from the Vonage Web site for $129.99 USD with a $50 instant rebate, bringing the price to $79.99 USD.
As soon as Wi-Fi came out, I had this idea. I'm surprised it's taken this long for them to make wireless VoIP phones. Who wouldn't want a "cellular" phone that would be safe in hospitals and around other sensitive equipment? Now when they roll out the (inter)national Wi-Max coverage, just pull out your packet sniffer and wait for free wireless broadband for all of your Wi-Fi enabled devices... What, you think they're going to use device specific authentication? I'll let you figure out that trick by yourself. After all, if everyone exploits it too quickly they'll notice earlier.
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|Excellent idea: whether with wifi as we know it, wimax, or broadband over power/utility/gas lines-- within two years most larger cities will be blanketed. Fedex/Kinko's locations have free access btw if you byod.
To be complete, these guys also need a cellular partner & a robust messenger/voip app, maybe with fax even, like stanaphone, voiceglo, etc.
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|As soon as WiFI becomes 100% global...I'm all over it.
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|I don't know why...But I smell a law suit. Someone is going to attack them...I can feel it!
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|i have been a vonage user for little over 3 years now. and i love it. i first read about this new Wi-Fi phone about a year ago. back then they said it would be out last June i dint have one yet. i live in a area that will prob be the last area to get Wi-Fi coverage. i just wanted to say something about the statement made about the cable co. and sprint working on one. to me the cable co and phone Co's are the biggest rip off in this country. they do nothing but try to figure out how to pull more money away from you. they are known to make something simple and turn it into a very complicated matter. just to pull more money from you.
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|sweet - current cell phone technology is at it's peak, it's a downhill ride from here - the internet will own all
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|Figures, I just got Vonage Saturday. hehe O well.
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