O2 has just announced it’s a trial to use WIFI to move voice calls off radio frequencies and push them onto the data network.
This on the surface seems like a wise move. The major benefits, as far as I can see them, are as follows:-
- Relieves heavy contention on the existing standard mobile architecture
- Should boost customer access to faster speeds
- Perhaps particularly important as a secondary route to LTE as that technology is in the long grass due to legal issues
- Low cost of infrastructure (WIFI is well developed and relatively easy to deploy)
- Quicker route directly to IP backhaul - perhaps reduced latency
However there do seem to be some major problems with the notion
- Enabled WIFI heavily taxes battery power.
- Most phones are not smart phones so therefore do not have WIFI cards. This would need to be offered.
- WIFI contention - so many networks with so many users in proximity to one another - is already causing issues in cities. Greater use could really amplify this. Calls demand a low but consistent data level to maintain quality of call (anyone who uses Skype can vouch for this).
- This is in essence a step by telco companies to make themselves obsolete - if radio to wifi switch over becomes a consistent reality then surely the question will be asked why not just make all your calls over VOIP through WIFI. Competitors like SKYPE and Apple could get into this territory and offer a very cheap service as they do not have the infrastructure to maintain.
- It is easy to envisage a scenario where city users will make near all their calls on WIFI and have a small deal to cover radio calls when outside WIFI
