Deutsche Telekom launches converged cell-Wi-Fi service

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Aug 3, 20062 mins

DT's bundled service enables cellphone users to make wireless VOIP calls in public hotspots

German telecommunications service provider Deutsche Telekom launched on Thursday a bundled service that combines mobile phone and Wi-Fi telephony services, targeting customers who seek attractive fees and greater mobility.

The converged T-One offering from T-Com, Deutsche Telekom’s fixed-line unit, features a new dual-mode phone, which allows users to make wireless VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) calls within their homes or public hotspots and cellular calls outside of these areas.

The German telco follows BT Group, which last year launched one of Europe’s first converged services, called Fusion. The service, which initially used Bluetooth short-range wireless technology to connect to BT’s broadband network, now includes Wi-Fi.

Last month Nokia began testing UMA (Unlicense Mobile Access) technology, which lets users make calls on both cellular and Wi-Fi networks and switch between networks without interruption.

Nokia’s new 6136 phone automatically transfers voice or data connections from GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks to Wi-Fi when the device recognizes a compatible wireless network. And, vice versa, when users make a call or data transfer via Wi-Fi and step out of the Wi-Fi network’s coverage area, the connection is transferred to a GSM link without interruption.

The T-One offering is based on SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), instead of UMA, according to a T-Com spokeswoman.

T-One systems include a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection, wireless LAN router, dual-mode cellular and Wi-Fi phone. Customers must pay, among other fees, a monthly fixed-line connection and DSL flat rate.

For Wi-Fi telephony service, they can purchase either a VOIP flat rate or volume package, according to the spokeswoman. “The VOIP offering is by far the most attractive,” she said.

For the cellular service, users can choose among several options, including a 25-minute package for €10 ($13) and a 200-minute package for €38, with each additional minute costing €0.39.